Read Jeremiah 51:1-5
Do you know what it’s like to have someone refuse to give up telling you or admonishing you about something you did wrong? We think negatively about such times but here in Jeremiah 51 God is still talking to Babylon about her sin, her rejection against the Lord and her worship of false gods.
The passage starts with God calling up the spirit of a destroyer against Babylon, the people of Leb Kamai. This last name is a cryptogram or cypher code for Babylonia. Apparently the letters were changed to their corresponding letter at the other end of the alphabet. Thus ‘a’ would change to ‘z’, ‘b’ would change to ‘y’. Scholars have deciphered that the cryptogram actually might mean something like ‘the heart of those that rise up against me (Yahweh)’.
The passage moves on to tell us that foreigners will invade and devastate the land. We are told that the slain will pile up in the streets as the army, some what unarmed or unprepared, is thoroughly defeated.
Verse 5 stands out like a sore thumb in the passage of judgement.
Jeremiah 51:5
“For Israel and Judah have not been forsaken by their God, the Lord Almighty, though their land is full of guilt before the Holy One of Israel.”
Several points need to be made about this verse. Firstly, the word ‘for’ explains why the judgement is coming upon Babylon. God has not forgotten His people Israel and Judah. Even though He has sent them into exile, Israel into Assyria and Judah into Babylon, He has not forgotten them. Secondly, even though the particular point of reference for “their land is full of guilt before the Holy One of Israel”, it is clear that God has seen the guilt of the land and will work despite it. Thirdly, it is the Lord of Hosts who sees the guilt and in spite of the guilt, acts with compassion and forgiveness.
What we see in vs 5 is a clear statement and illustration of God’s faithfulness and covenant love. God swore on oath to bless Abram (Genesis 12:1-3) and his descendants. In Genesis we see that blessing develop with regard to Abram and by the time of the Exodus, we see God remaining faithful and loving to His people in the face of constant stiff necked rebellion.
By the time we get to Jeremiah 50-51 the Kingdom of Israel has divided into two kingdoms - Israel in the north and Judah in the south. Israel has already been exiled by the Assyrians and Judah has just recently been invaded and exiled by the Babylonians. In the face of continued and unrelenting disobedience, God declares that He has not forgotten His people. God declares His faithfulness again and again throughout the prophesy of Jeremiah. He reassures us that He will bring blessing and that He will keep His Word. God reassures us that He will reach out to His people in love, even if the need for discipline should sometimes arise. God reassures us that He will not forget us.
Prayer:
Using today’s Bible passage and notes write down points for
Adoration:
Confession
Thanks
Supplication:
· Pray for the church ministry to young families and their children. MOPS and Playpals meet on alternate Wednesdays, seeking to bring the gospel to these families and to minister and serve them. Pray that these ministries will bring many into the Kingdom and strengthen the families.
· Pray that your church would be reaching out to the community around you. Pray that God would open doors and allow the gospel to be proclaimed so that many more come into the Kingdom.
1. Share how you have experienced God’s love and forgiveness.
2. How would you explain the faithfulness of God to a non-believer?
3. How does God’s faithfulness lead us to Christ Jesus?
One on One
Saint Timothy was a convert of Saint Paul, born at Lystra in Asia Minor. His good heart, his austerities and zeal had won the esteem of all around him, and holy men were prophesying great things of the fervent youth. Saint Paul at once saw his fitness for the work of an evangelist and Timothy was engaged with the work of Paul.
Saint Timothy was of a tender and affectionate disposition, and certainly found his role in the idolatrous city of Ephesus difficult to sustain. Saint Paul, when he writes to Timothy, then a tested servant of God and a bishop advancing in years, addresses him as he would his own child, and seems most anxious about his forcefulness in his demanding role. His disciple's health was fragile, and Paul counsels him to take a little wine for his digestion.
That Timothy endured at least one stint in jail is clear from Hebrews 13:23. “I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released.”
Not many years after the death of Saint Paul, Timothy, who had surely profited from these counsels, was also given a martyr's crown at Ephesus. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs records the martyrdom for us.
Timothy was the celebrated disciple of St. Paul, and bishop of Ephesus, where he zealously governed the church till A. D. 97. At this period, as the pagans were about to celebrate a feast called Catagogion, Timothy, meeting the procession, severely reproved them for their ridiculous idolatry, which so exasperated the people, that they fell upon him with their clubs, and beat him in so dreadful a manner, that he expired of the bruises two days after.
(See Foxe, John (2012-05-11). Fox's Book of Martyrs Or A History of the Lives, Sufferings, and Triumphant Deaths of the Primitive Protestant Martyrs (Kindle Locations 430-433). . Kindle Edition)
In today’s Christian world we don’t have many people or congregations bowing down to statues of wood and stone that their own hands have made. But however, we do have idols that can pull our hearts away from the Lord.
Money, buildings, pastors, ministries and numbers, though not sinful in and of themselves, can all become idols in the Christian Church. It’s quite easy to lose our gospel focus and to let any or all of these become our target, our goal and possibly even our god. God is not antagonistic towards buildings, ministries, money and pastors etc. In fact He often blesses us and our congregations with them. The problem arises when we begin to place these things above the Lord and worshipping Him.
Let us always strive to worship God alone and to enthrone Him in our hearts and lives. Let us also strive to use all that He’s blessed us with for His glory and for the growth and extension of His kingdom. Let us be so kingdom focused that everything we own and have is used for Him and His glory.
1. How’s your prayer life?
2. Describe your current thought life?
3. How’s your relationship with your spouse or your parents?
4. Discuss how and if you’ve struggled with sin/temptation this week.
5. How are you worshipping God through work, family and social networks?
that God would show you and your congregation if they are keeping any thing or anyone as an idol.
that God would show you if you personally have anything in your life that might pull your heart away from the Lord and from worshipping Him wholeheartedly.
1. As you survey your own congregation, can you see any thing being or possibly becoming an idol?
2. How can a church or congregation make sure that idols are not in the church?
3. What roles do individuals have in this process of making sure that idols do not enter into the congregation?
4. What idols could enter into the lives of individual Christians?
5. How can we make sure that there are no idols in our own personal lives?
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