Tag: Jeremiah

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

You should have seen it coming

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Jun Weng on Unsplash

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Lamentations 2.

The Lord has done what he purposed;
    he has carried out his word,
which he commanded long ago;
    he has thrown down without pity;
he has made the enemy rejoice over you
    and exalted the might of your foes. (Lamentations 2:17)

When I think of God’s promises, I think of positive ones. I remember promises of his presence protection, provision, and forgiveness.

But what about God’s promises of discipline, punishment, and destruction? As Jeremiah witnesses the siege, invasion, and destruction of Jerusalem, he recalls God’s promise of consequences for unfaithfulness and disobedience (Deuteronomy 29). Whether you like it or not, God keeps his word.

I used to have a little book that listed all of God’s promises by topic. Well, not all of them. Only the positive ones. It never occurred to me that the negative ones had been conveniently overlooked. I don’t think they would sell as many of those books.

Come to think of it, the first promise in the bible was a warning. “Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:17) I never see those words on a t-shirt or wall plaque.

So when you want talk about God’s faithfulness, don’t forget the warnings as well as the blessings. It’s all part of his word that teaches, reproves, corrects, and trains (2 Timothy 3:16).

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Sick to his stomach

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Image by Darko Djurin from Pixabay

My eyes are spent with weeping;
    my stomach churns;
my bile is poured out to the ground
    because of the destruction of the daughter of my people,
because infants and babies faint
    in the streets of the city. (Lamentations 2:11)

The destruction of Jerusalem and the suffering of the people is gut-wrenching. The whole scene makes Jeremiah sick to his stomach.

His words made me wonder, “Have I ever seen anything that made me want to throw up?”

Some people lose it when they see blood or a hypodermic needle. Neither bothers me. Pictures of an especially violent car crash might make me a little queasy, but not too bad. I used to find vomit or poop disgusting, but after raising kids, helping care for grandkids, and cleaning up after puppies, I got used to it. I might lose it watching an autopsy, but I’ll probably never find out.

I’ve never seen the violence Jeremiah witnessed. Perhaps I’ve never seen the suffering his family and friends endured. Devastation has never hit my home and my community as it did his.

Or, I’ve become desensitized to violence, destruction, abuse, and killing. Jeremiah didn’t see any of that on television or in movies. He experienced it first hand, and it was like a punch to the gut.

It bothers me that I’ve been desensitized. Can I get that back, or is that just the way I’m going to react to the world around me now?

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Broken

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Brandon Stoll on Unsplash

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Jeremiah 19.

“Go, and buy a potter’s earthenware flask…break the flask…and say, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: So will I break this people and this city” (Jeremiah 19:1,10,11).

In contrast to clay being formed by a potter, Jeremiah’s subsequent object lesson is breaking a bottle made of hardened clay, an image of the disaster God will bring on his people, “Because they have stiffened their neck, refusing to hear my words” (19:15).

The first thing that pops in my mind is the scene in Rocky IV, Ivan Drago, the Soviet champion says to Rocky, “I must break you.” Other images include breaking a wild horse, breaking in a new pair of running shoes, breaking up a task into manageable parts, breaking up hard soil for a garden, or breaking a bad habit.

God’s people are no longer moldable, having forsaken God to pursue idol worship with child sacrifice. They’ve closed their ears to God’s repeated warnings and calls to repentance. Mercy isn’t working. It’s going to take enemy invasion and destruction to get their attention. It’s like a house that’s beyond repair. “We’re going to have to tear it down and start over.”

It must have been tough for Jeremiah to proclaim this “no more Mr. Nice Guy” message. Well, actually, it was, because in the next chapter, the priest beats Jeremiah and puts him in the stocks. Jeremiah complains to God about the violent response to the message. He hates this job.

It’s ironic that Jeremiah has been sent to preach to people who refuse to listen. Seems like a waste of time. Yet it sets up an, “I told you so” future moment, as God’s justice and righteousness prevails.

Ultimately, Christ’s body will be broken for so many, like me, who just don’t listen, who find so many other things to worship, and are impossibly stubborn. Just like God’s people always have been.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Why were there so many false prophets?

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Jeremiah 14.

The Lord said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds” (Jeremiah 14:14).

Why were there so many lying prophets at the time of Jeremiah?

On the one hand, you have the prophet Jeremiah warning the congregation of enemy invasion, starvation, and illness (sword, famine, and pestilence).

On the other hand you’ve got “prophets” who say just the opposite, that is, “There will be peace and prosperity.” Their message is nothing but worthless lies, stuff they made up on their own. They will suffer the fate they deny, death by sword and famine.

Throughout history, Satan, always opposes God. The adversary will use what ever means he can, from demons to counter the angels, lies to challenge God’s truths, and false prophets who contradict the messengers of God. Martin Luther said, “Where God builds a church, the devil builds a chapel.” Satan always imitates God for the purpose of leading a person (or a nation) astray.

In 1 Kings 9, Saul is worried about consulting with a man of God because he has nothing to bring him. Fortunately, his servant has a quarter of a shekel they can give to the prophet Samuel. One could make a living acting the part of a prophet, even if you hadn’t been called by God.

How hard is it to tell people what they want to hear? Most people preferred to hear that everything was going to be okay, rather than a real prophet’s threatening call to repentance. False prophets abounded while those who actually called by God were few and far between.

Jesus told his disciples to be on guard against false prophets. They would abound and continue to proclaim lies in the life of the New Testament church.

That is a troubling truth. We sheep better know well the genuine voice of our shepherd.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Jeremiah’s nasty underwear sermon

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Jeremiah 13.

Jeremiah preached with cool object lessons. In Jeremiah 13 God tells him to get a pair of your tighty-whities (a loincloth in Old Testament times), bury them under a rock in a river for a while, and then retrieve them when they were wet, dirty, moldy, rotten, stained, and smelly.

The outline of Jeremiah sermon goes like this: “You won’t listen to God’s word, you do whatever you please, and you worship idols. You are as useful as this nasty pair of my underwear!” (Jeremiah 13:10). (Hold up the boxer briefs for effect.)

It’s a vivid, concrete, offensive, clear, and memorable image. Worthy of a handshake and, “Nice message, Jerry!” How many of us picture ourselves in that way?

You prefer the “God loves me and has a wonderful plan for my life” message, don’t you? I know I do. Who wouldn’t? (Can’t I at least be a nice clean pair of underwear?)

Jeremiah was faithful, but he wasn’t a popular prophet. He cut to the chase, no matter how insulting, gloomy, and insensitive the truth was.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Just get up

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Matias Ilizarbe on Unsplash

When men fall, do they not rise again?
    If one turns away, does he not return?
Why then has this people turned away
    in perpetual backsliding?
They hold fast to deceit;
    they refuse to return. (Jeremiah 8:4,5)

I’m old enough to remember LifeAlert’s 1987 television commercial that featured a woman on the floor, crying out, “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” The LifeAlert system would make sure help was on the way.

Typically, when you fall down, you get up. Babies learning to walk fall back on diaper-padded bottoms and get back up as they find their balance and learn to walk. A pile of football players get up after blocks, runs, catches, and tackles, huddling up to get the next play. My grandkids run around the yard (and house), fall a lot, laugh and get up over and over and over.

But Jeremiah preaches to people who fall and don’t get up. They fall into idolatry and sin, but never repent, never return to God, never get back on the right track. It’s not that they can’t. They won’t. They refuse.

That’s Jeremiah’s congregation. They won’t listen. They refuse to change. They are impossible to teach.

The thing is, God wants to help you get back up. He knows you’re going to disobey, fail, blow it, and make a huge mess of things. But he’s all about forgiveness and restoration. He’ll do whatever it takes to get you back on your feet, even if you come away with a few bruises and lot of hard lessons learned.

So when you fall (fail), will you take his hand, or thumb your nose at God? When Peter walked on the water with Jesus, he suddenly began sinking. Jesus took his hand and pulled him up.

That’s the kind of God he is.

Are you going to pass that up? Are you going to refuse his help when you are out of answers? Are you going to dig in your heels when you know what you should do?

Yes, you will. Yes, I do. I am so thankful for his steadfast love and daily morning mercies!

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

I have a job for you

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Resume Genius on Unsplash

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Jeremiah 1.

Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:4,5)

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Ask that question of you’ll children and you get answers that range from ballerina to firefighter to doctor. Later on, as high school graduation approaches, you need some career aspirations so you can pock your college classes. By the end of college, you may have changed your major a number of times. But the world changes so quickly that your first job may be one that didn’t even exist when you started school.

Jeremiah was on track to be a priest. It was the family business, so to speak. But God had another career in mind for him, picket out a long time ago. Prophet. God appointed Jeremiah to speak to nations on a collision course with a Babylonian invasion, destruction, and exile.

Does God have a career in mind for everyone? That’s a great question. (Spoiler: I don’t have the answer.) He created each of us with strengths, abilities, and aptitudes that move us toward certain jobs. He knows what jobs will exist in twenty years. But I think he leaves that choice up to you and me.

Jeremiah was a special case at a unique time in Judah’s history. God knew he would need someone like Jeremiah, and put him to work at just the right time.

Posted in lessons, Ministry, Rant

I’m pretty sure this is bad soil.

Posted on by William Douthwaite

gabriel-jimenez-241711
Photo by Gabriel Jimenez on Unsplash

How much of ministry is throwing seed onto bad soil? I know that sounds like a strange question. But it came to mind the other night after I spent some time with a couple I really hoped would listen, learn and get their lives together as we started premarital counseling. But I doubt this will happen. I have this sinking feeling that the seed isn’t going to grow.

OK, just bear with me. Keep your sermons to yourself. These are just my thoughts. I know nothing is impossible for God. I know all things are possible for God. I know that his word always accomplishes what he intends. I know we’ve all got issues. But I also know that three of the four soils in Jesus’ parable won’t yield a crop no matter how good the seed or the sower is.

You remember the story. A guy is planting seed. More like throwing it everywhere. Some seed falls on the path. Nothing grows. Birds eat the seed. Other seeds falls on rocky soil. No deep roots. Withers and dies in the heat. Still other seed falls among the weeds. Gets choked out by the faster growing weeds. Finally some falls on good soil and grows.

So does this mean that seventy-five percent of the time, preaching and teaching the word won’t yield much result? Does this mean that preaching and teaching only sinks in one out of every four people?

I’ve been reading a lot of Jeremiah lately. I’m glad I didn’t get that call. His call documents laid out the harsh reality that his congregation wouldn’t listen to him and would eventually die or go into exile. Nice. After some of his sermons they beat him up and put him into stocks.

OK, I don’t have it that bad, so stop complaining, right? Plus, what do I know about farming? That is, what makes me so sure I can size up a person and know they are a rocky road or a weed field?

Or — and I don’t like this possibility — maybe I’m doing this because I’m the one who needs to listen and learn from this. Maybe I need to step in a big pile to understand what some folks deal with every day. Perhaps I need to just chill, suck it up, and do my job.

OK, that’s what I’ll do. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Posted in Grace, Ministry

Advent begins

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I wasn’t really sure what to expect in worship today. It was the first Sunday in Advent, the beginning of a church season I dearly love, from the Advent wreath and candles to the blue of the paraments. But it was also the Sunday after Thanksgiving, so I thought a lot of families might still be out of town or traveling back in time for work and school tomorrow. Even our organist was out of town, having sequenced all her music on the organ for our traditional service.

Though quiet, it turned out to be a moving morning for me. I focused on the Righteous branch of Jeremiah 33, who we know as Jesus. Our hope is found in the promise of his coming, just as it was for Jeremiah’s audience for whom invasion, destruction and exile were inevitable. Don’t let anyone fool you with the nice words, “Everything will be OK.” Both Jeremiah and Jesus tell us it won’t. Things are bad and getting worse, but we have a Savior who is coming. And that is why we have hope.

Rather than getting swept away in the hurried culture of Christmas preparation, the quiet assurance of Advent has already made an impression on me. I “get it” in a way that I don’t think I did before. I’m getting off the ride and spending some time focusing on the Son of God who came and is coming. Who was here and will be back. Who somehow gives me hope.