Wednesday July 22, 2015

Read Jeremiah 42:1-22

It’s the kind of stuff that makes you want to head butt a wall in total disbelief and wonder.

 Throughout the history of Israel and Judah there have been 21 kings; together they had reigned 514 years, 6 months and 10 days according to the historian Josephus. By and large the kings had led the people astray to worship false gods and to move away from the one true living God. They had spurned and rejected God’s rebuke and call to repentance all the way up to the exile to Babylon.

After the exile, the ‘remnant’ in Judah are confused and living in turmoil. They once again decide to reject the Lord’s direction. The people and leaders approach Jeremiah saying,  vs 2-3

2 “Please hear our petition and pray to the LORD your God for this entire remnant. For as you now see, though we were once many, now only a few are left. 3 Pray that the LORD your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do.”

And as they did in days of old, the people pledge unwavering allegiance and obedience to God.

Jeremiah 42:5-6

5 Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act in accordance with everything the LORD your God sends you to tell us. 6 Whether it is favourable or unfavourable, we will obey the LORD our God, to whom we are sending you, so that it will go well with us, for we will obey the LORD our God.”

After 10 long days the Word came to Jeremiah regarding their quandary about whether to go to Egypt or to stay in the “Promised Land”. Regarding staying God said:

Jeremiah 42:10

10 ‘If you stay in this land, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you, for I am grieved over the disaster I have inflicted on you.’

But regarding the plan to go to Egypt God said:

Jeremiah 42:14-17

14 “…if you say, ‘No, we will go and live in Egypt, where we will not see war or hear the trumpet or be hungry for bread,’ 15 then hear the word of the LORD, O remnant of Judah. This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you are determined to go to Egypt and you do go to settle there, 16 then the sword you fear will overtake you there, and the famine you dread will follow you into Egypt, and there you will die.

17 Indeed, all who are determined to go to Egypt to settle there will die by the sword, famine and plague; not one of them will survive or escape the disaster I will bring on them.’”

Sadly we read in 43:7 that the people choose to walk again in total disobedience. So they entered Egypt in disobedience to the LORD and went as far as Tahpanhes. After pledging obedience, the people walked in wilful stubborn disobedience.

Prayer:

Using today’s Bible passage and notes write down points for

Adoration:

Confession

Thanks

Supplication:

· Pray that the cell groups in your church would be growing in obedience to God and love for each other.

· Pray that your congregation would know the will of God and seek to do it faithfully.

 

 Discussion Questions

1. Why does God love obedience and hate disobedience?

2. What causes a Christian to walk in disobedience? See if you can make a list of 20 factors.

3. What can a Christian do when tempted to walk in disobedience?