Wednesday June 3, 2015

Read Jeremiah 22

After Jeremiah had proclaimed the Lord’s call for justice to the royal household of Judah he was commanded to appear at the King’s palace and call for the royals to ‘do what is just and right.’ v 3.

We read in 22:3

This is what the LORD says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of his oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the alien, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.

God’s call to the leadership of Judah is unrelenting. Since they have the greatest power, they are called to the greatest heights of service. They are called to do what is just and right. A list of wrongs that needs to be righted follows but as you read through the entire prophesy of Jeremiah you quickly realise that this current list is not exhaustive.

What follows is the usual blessing/curse formula of the covenant. Deuteronomy 28ff began this formula and can be read as a refresher. God’s people were promised blessing for their obedience and cursing for their disobedience.

Jeremiah 22:4–5

4 For if you are careful to carry out these commands, then kings who sit on David’s throne will come through the gates of this palace, riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by their officials and their people.

5 But if you do not obey these commands, declares the LORD, I swear by myself that this palace will become a ruin.

As we all know, the people continued in disobedience and were cursed by the Lord. They were indeed ruined as God promised. The nation was invaded by the Babylonian army and the people were either killed or exiled to Babylon. God’s people were ousted from God’s land because they refused to live under God’s rule. The great tragedy of the Bible is not that God judged the heathen nations! Everyone expected and foresaw that judgement. The great tragedy of the Bible is that God judged His very own chosen people and cast them out of the Promised Land because they refused to walk in justice and obedience.

Each and every New Testament believer needs to heed these words, not because we can lose our salvation but because we remove great blessing from our lives by walking in disobedience and injustice. God will surely chastise us and punish us (not eternally!) as we continue in injustice and disobedience.

In 1 Cor 10:11 we read that the Old Testament was given to us as a warning.

1 Corinthians 10:11

These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfilment of the ages has come.

Let us therefore examine our lives and cast away disobedience and injustice. If we have caused grief to others, let us seek to make amends. If we have ripped off others or kept back part of what we owe them, let us make repatriation as soon as possible. If we have stood back and watched or turned a blind eye, let us get involved for the rights of others. Overall, let us seek to walk in obedience and justice by God’s grace .

Prayer:

Using today’s passage and the reading notes spend time in prayer.

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

· Pray for the MOPS and Playpals ministry that runs each Wednesday in our church. Pray that God would use these ministries to bless and encourage many families and that we would see the Kingdom grow through these ministries.

· Pray that the Lord would bring great blessing upon the work of Shiloh Church ministries and that they would be able to continue supporting orphanages, widows and less-abled people. Pray that the ministers they support as well would be provided for.

 Discussion Questions For Families and Groups

1. Explain how you can apply the Old Testament to Christians today, making full sense of the work of Christ at Calvary.

2. Does the New Testament teach Christians to take on issues of justice and fairness? If yes, what does it teach?