Psalm 71 & 116 - God Our Help: Past, Present, and Future

LINK: Psalms 71 &116 

BACKGROUND

Psalm 71

This is an anonymous psalm written by an elderly man who prays in faith because God had sustained him since his birth. Some commentators believe it was written by the aged prophet, Jeremiah; but others believe it may have been one of the temple musicians assigned to praise God day and night in the sanctuary (71:22-24; 134:1). It combines elements from other psalms (22; 31; 35; 40).

The psalmist gives four affirmations about the Lord.

The Lord . . .

1. Helps him in the present (71:1-4)
2. Helped him in the past (71:5-13)
3. Will help him in the future (71:14-21)
4. Will be praised! (71:22-24)

And the psalmist tells us four ways to praise:

1. "I will PRAISE you with the harp."
2. "I will SING PRAISE to you with the lyre."
3. "My lips will SHOUT for joy when I sing praise to you."
4. "My tongue will TELL of your righteous acts."

Psalm 116

This is part of a group of Hallel songs (Psalms 113-118). These songs were sung at the three "great" festivals of Israel when every male was to come to Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 16:16). Those three festivals were Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles. They were also sung on other holy days. Psalms 113-114 were sung before the Passover meal, and Psalms 115-118 were sung afterward. 

This psalm is undated but is often associated with an elderly Jeremiah because of the life-threatening situation the psalmist found himself in. He borrows from Psalms 18, 27, 31, and 56 and has some similarities to King Hezekiah's prayer in Isaiah 37 and the Psalm of Thanksgiving in Isaiah 38.  

REFLECTION (written in 2008)

Psalm 71

We have had so many people ask us how we are surviving in this time of unemployment for George, and we always reply, "This is our sixth time of unemployment in our 18 years of marriage, and God has always been faithful to provide in the past, and He will be faithful to provide now and in the future." We can trust Him! And we can tell of His righteous acts! Sometimes in these times of uncertainty, we must remember with this elderly psalmist that our faithful God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

2011 Update: God ripped George out of that job so that he could get a job smack dab in the middle of a college campus because He knew we would be working with students even before we did! God is SO good. We took a big cut in pay but a big INCREASE in eternal benefits!

Psalm 116 

I was not facing death like the psalmist, but on June 16, 2006, I was released from something that was trapping me and killing me spiritually.  I prayed through this psalm today and reflected on that time in my life

I claim Psalm 116 for a particular June 16 when He "freed me from my chains" (116:16).    

APPLICATION

Do you sometimes have trouble trusting God or have had experiences that were really difficult? Be like the psalmist and take a trip down memory lane with your God and recall how He has been a "help in ages past" and "freed you from your chains." 

There are several ways to take that trip:

Journals - If you have kept them over the years, set aside some time and start reading! You will see a pattern of God's faithfulness throughout your life and walk away from the time refreshed and encouraged! Recalling God's faithfulness in the past helps you to trust Him in the present and future.

Timeline - Do some recollecting of the past and chart out a timeline of your life either by journaling memories throughout the years or by plotting significant events on an actual timeline. Here are some questions to consider when doing it.

1. SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES

What have been the “spiritual markers” in your life? A spiritual marker is “a time of transition, decision, or direction when you clearly knew that God had guided you.”[1]

What things did God use in your life to bring you to where you are today? What people, circumstances, or events did God use to woo you to Himself? Reflect upon your desires, passions, longings, and struggles in your early years. How have they affected your spiritual journey in positive and negative ways? What have been the most meaningful and decisive times with God in your life? When were the times that you were not growing? What were the circumstances surrounding that time?

2. PAINFUL EXPERIENCES

And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. (1 Peter 5:10)

God uses everything for His eternal purposes. I talked to a young single mother today who has a Down syndrome child. When her child was first born, she was mad at God. As a single mother, it has been tough for her to cope, but she sees how God has used this for her growth and maturity in Him. God never wastes a hurt.

What are the problems, hurts, and trials that you have learned from? You may have already covered these when you answered the questions for your spiritual experiences because often God uses painful experiences to help us grow spiritually! Don’t worry about the overlap.

3. MINISTRY EXPERIENCES

How and where have you served God in the past in the church, in the community, and/or out in the world? How have those experiences confirmed your gifts or made you realize you were outside of your gifting?

[1] Henry Blackaby, Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God p.101

These exercises are adapted from a SHAPE class that I teach and are real faith boosters! May we be able to praise God for his help in our old and gray years like this psalmist!

Here is another handout that I use in reviewing your life: 

Timeline Reflection Questions

2023 Update: Since writing this, I participated in a Discovery process that goes through your timeline. This organization has both online and in-person.

Discovery Event

PRAYER

"Oh God Our Help in Ages Past" is a classic hymn written by Isaac Watts in 1719. As you have reviewed your life, this is a beautiful expression of praise to Him for all He has been in your life.

Here is a beautiful video of it being sung in Westminster Abbey:

https://youtu.be/rsHIwXTjAOU

Put Lamentations Back on the Prophets Shelf

Congratulations! There are 77 more days of reading until Jesus!

Lamentations 4 & 5 - Hope When We Call on Him and Confess

LINK: Lamentations 4 & 5

BACKGROUND

Lamentation 4 is the fourth dirge or lament and parallels the judgment in Lamentations 2. Like the previous three chapters, it has 22 verses that correspond acrostically to the letters in the Hebrew alphabet. After describing the response of the individual (Jeremiah) amid judgment in Lamentations 3, Jeremiah returned to give a "before" and "after" siege snapshot of Jerusalem (4:1-11), explained the cause of the siege (4:12-20), and called for vindication for Zion and a bitter cup of judgment to be passed to Edom, representing all Gentile nations who profited at Jerusalem's expense (4:21-22). Lamentations 4 is the only chapter that does not include a prayer.

Lamentations 5 is the final dirge and is not an acrostic poem but a prayer of lament. It is a call for God to remember their condition (5:1-18) followed by a call for God to restore Judah (5:19-22). It is a call to restore both the land and the blessings of the covenant in Deuteronomy 30:1-10.

REFLECTION

The Book of Lamentations ends on a note of hope. God would not totally abandon His people because He was a covenant-keeping God despite Israel's disobedience. There was hope if His people would call on Him and confess their sins.

That is the character of our compassionate and sovereign God. He has made a covenant with you through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, and there is hope for you if you humbly come to Him, confess, and call on His name.

It really is that simple.

APPLICATION

I sense some of you may be far away from Him today. Come to Him, dear one. Enter in with confidence and cling to Him! He will show you the next step.

Maybe you do not feel far away. Pray for those who do. Lift them up to the throne of grace.

PRAYER

It is only to Your cross that we can cling, Lord. We are weak and disobedient people. We are so prone to wander and leave You! Lord, we come to You today and call upon Your infinite mercy and grace to reveal to us our sin and our need of You. We lay it all down and cling to You. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Lamentations 3 - God's Loyal Love

LINK: Lamentations 3

BACKGROUND 

Lamentations 3 is 66 verses because it is a triple acrostic with three verses corresponding to each letter.

It is a positive interlude between the sin and suffering of Lamentations 1-2 and 4-5. It is hope amid affliction. Jeremiah assures his listeners that God does not afflict willingly but does it only for our good. In this time of judgment, the people could cling to the assurance that God had been faithful in the past and would be faithful in the future. God is a God of "loyal love" (Hesed in Hebrew). 

REFLECTION 

It is hard in times of darkness to see hope, isn't it?  My husband is facing a 20% cut in pay next month. We had already taken a 40% cut four years ago.

We went for a walk and prayed. I laughed to George that this would not be the first time we have had to live on less. We have been through so many job changes, and God has ALWAYS been faithful to provide each and every time. He will not leave us forsaken. We can recall His faithfulness in the past and know that He will be faithful in the future. 

Praise Him!

APPLICATION

Lamentations 3:22-23 are key verses to memorize:

The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, 

For His compassions never fail. 

 They are new every morning; 

Great is Your faithfulness.

This is from the Topical Memory System. I recently found a nice little companion to help you in your memorizing of the verses from this great discipleship tool with meditations by Leroy Eims, one of my favorite people of faith: Discipleship Library Topical Memory System.  

Lamentations 3:22-23 is in the "C pack" of the Topical Memory System titled, "Rely on God Resources" and under the category of "His Faithfulness." Here is the particular meditation by Leroy Eims in a PDF and MP3. 

I heartily recommend listening to the MP3, it will encourage you today, and the MP3 is actually Leroy Eim's voice. I had breakfast with him once. He was a spry guy! Loved him!!!! A great hero of the faith!

2023 Update: Oh, my heart, that was so GOOD to listen to. What a memory to have breakfast with him. I was 22 or 23 years old. 

 PRAYER

You are a God of great faithfulness. I praise You today that You will continue to be faithful in our lives. Amen. 

Lamentations 1 & 2 - Jeremiah Weeps

LINK: Lamentations 1 & 2

BACKGROUND 

Book of Lamentations

Jeremiah turns his deeper feelings about the fall of Jerusalem (586 B.C.) into poetic form. Since we have been discussing the book of Jeremiah for many weeks, you can refer back to it to get a more contextual background for this book. 

The Book of Lamentations is written in the style of ancient Jewish funeral songs or chants. It contains five poems (or dirges) that correspond to the five chapters. The first four chapters are acrostic or alphabetical with each verse in each chapter beginning with a successive letter of the 22-letter Hebrew alphabet. Lamentations 3 is 66 verses because it is a triple acrostic with three verses corresponding to each letter. Other examples of acrostics are Psalms 37; 119, and 145, and Proverbs 31:1-31. 

Each year, this book was read aloud to the Jews to remind them that their city fell because of their sinfulness. 

This book teaches us that disobeying God can lead to disaster! It also shows us that even though God is angry at sin, He is also compassionate, loving, and faithful (Lamentations 3:22-23). 

Lamentations 1

Jeremiah grieves deeply over the destruction of Jerusalem. Jerusalem turned from God's protection to foreign alliances and their false gods, but none of that protected them from destruction. 

Lamentations 2

Continuing in the funeral dirge, Jeremiah emphasizes God's anger at sin. The leadership of Zion led very poorly. The prophets were false and ineffective. The priests could no longer practice since the temple was destroyed. What a horrible state of affairs!

Jeremiah grieves over the famine of the children and the scoffing of the enemy. He calls the people to "pour out their hearts like water in the presence of the Lord" (Lamentation 2:19). 

He also reminds them that this was the Lord's doing because of their sins. 

REFLECTION

Jeremiah and Jesus have something in common: they both wept over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41). 

Do you weep over the spiritual condition of your city? We do not have an obvious army, but we do have a real enemy who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). 

I pray and "walk for the world" daily, but that also includes praying for the welfare of my city just as Jeremiah exhorted the exiles to do:

Seek the welfare of the city 
where I have sent you into exile, 
and pray to the Lord on its behalf; 
for in its welfare 
you will have welfare.
(Jeremiah 29:7)

APPLICATION

I love to go downtown during a busy Farmer's Market day and walk by and pray for the people hurrying here and there. I love to walk through my neighborhood and pray for each house. Take a walk through your city and pray for its welfare. 

For years, I have prayer walked in the weeks leading up to Easter, I walk and pray through a great prayer tool called "Seek God for the City." 

2023 Update: Sadly, 2022 was the last year they wrote it. But the website it is linked to has fabulous resources for prayer walking. 

PRAYER

We invite Your rule and reign in the cities in which we live. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. 

Psalm 120 & 137 - Captivity Songs

LINK: Psalm 120 & 137

BACKGROUND 

Psalm 120 

This psalm is the first of a group of Psalms (120-134) called the "Songs of Ascent." "Ascent" is from a root that means "to go up," as ascending a stairway.  They were sung by Jewish travelers on their way up to the temple in Jerusalem for the three annual feasts (Exodus 23:14-19; 34:22-24) - Passover in spring, Pentecost in early summer, and Tabernacles in the fall. Jerusalem was the highest city in Palestine. So, the pilgrims spent much of their time ascending to the city and then ascending the steps to the temple. The family of Jesus was taking the journey to Passover in Luke 2:41-52. 

Each psalm is a "step" along the journey. The Talmud (a collection of ancient Rabbinical writings) states that the fifteen Psalms correspond to the fifteen steps leading up to the temple. 

Psalm 120 begins in a hostile, distant land, Psalm 122 pictures them arriving in Jerusalem, and the rest of them are about moving toward the temple and ascending the temple steps while contemplating various characteristics of God. While on the journey, the pilgrims would contemplate the blessings of walking with God. 

What a beautiful picture! Eugene H. Peterson writes in A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society : 

But the ascent was not only literal, it was also a metaphor: the trip to Jerusalem lived a life upward toward God, an existence that advanced from one level to another in developing maturity -- what Paul described as "the goal, where God is beckoning us onward -- to Jesus" (Philippians 3:14, The Message).  p. 18

Psalm 120 is one of those psalms written by an anonymous author. The psalmist laments that he is far from home and surrounded by a pagan culture that could have been Babylon. 

Psalm 137 

This is a captivity song as the exiles wept over the destruction of Jerusalem beside the "rivers of Babylon" which was probably the Euphrates and the waterways stemming from it. 

REFLECTION on Psalm 120

Eugene Peterson writes:

People submerged in a culture swarming with lies and malice feel as if they are drowning in it: they can trust nothing they hear, depending on no one they meet. Such dissatisfaction with the world as it is in preparation for traveling in the way of Christian discipleship. The dissatisfaction, coupled with a longing for peace and truth, can set us on a pilgrim path of wholeness in God. 

A person has to be thoroughly disgusted with the way things are to find the motivation to set out on the Christian way. 

Psalm 120 is the song of such a person, sick with the lies and crippled with the hate, a person doubled up in pain over what is going on in the world. But it is not a mere outcry, it is pain that penetrates through despair and stimulates a new beginning -- a journey to God that becomes a life of peace.  (p. 25)

Are you disgusted with the way things are? Does your dissatisfaction with the world lead you to pray for it? I do not think we are shocked anymore at what is happening around us. I really believe that the media has sanitized us to the shock of the world and compassion for it that leads us to prayer. 

I say this as someone who grew up "glued to the TV screen."  We had them in every room, including the bathroom. My brother and I both had small ones in our room. Yep. We were all addicts. (My brother still is.) 

In the summer of 1980, I turned off the tube. I said no. Realizing that I was addicted to soap operas, I kissed the television goodbye. In 1995, someone felt sorry for us and gave us an old black and white, and I would let my kids watch Sesame Street and other "approved" PBS shows. We moved to Malaysia, and, for five dollars a month, we could get English-speaking news. Since all the news was censored there, it was a nice thing, but I started to get hooked back on it, even after 17 years of not watching it!

Since we have been back in the States, I have let more and more shows creep in, and I found myself not being as "shocked" by the world. Granted, most of what I watch is news, but I pulled the plug again on Memorial Day of this year, and I have not missed it AT ALL. It is amazing that in one month of not watching when I do happen to see something on the screen when it is on in places I visit, I am already shocked! 

Not all TV shows are bad, but the advertisements between shows and advertising of other shows that I would never watch can be pretty disturbing! (What was it with that "GCB" Show? I hope it got canceled [just checked, and it did after only 10 episodes]). Never watched it, but the trailers were disgusting!

I have pulled the plug from Memorial Day to Labor Day before, but I am not going to go back to regular viewing after Labor Day this year. I will check the internet for news now and then. If my husband wants to watch something occasionally, I will let him be the guide because he is much more disciplined than I am about television, having grown up out in the country where they only got two stations!

I want to be disgusted with the world, but I do not want to isolate myself from it either. I want to continue to stay informed, but I want to let that information lead me to prayer as my heart breaks for the things that break God's heart!

APPLICATION

How are you doing in your exposure to the world through different media? 

PRAYER

Lord, help our hearts to break for the things that break Your heart. Amen.

Psalm 85 & 102 - Restore Us Again

LINK: Psalm 85 & 102

BACKGROUND

Psalm 85

This was written by '"the 'sons of Korah,' who formed a leading part of the Kohathite singers (2 Chr. 20:19), were entrusted with the arranging and singing of Ps. 42, 44–49, 84, 85, 87, and 88" (Easton's Bible Dictionary, Psalms)

I put this psalm here because it could have been right after the destruction of Jerusalem since they were begging God by saying, "Revive us again." But some scholars think this was written after the people of Israel returned to the land after seventy years of captivity in Babylon (Jeremiah 29) because of its emphasis on the land (85:1, 9, and 12). It also speaks of God's anger against His people (85:3-5). They went to praise and to pray for revival that will lead to peace and His glory dwelling in the land.  Others think the "captivity" could have referred to "any great evil (Ps 14:7)" (A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments, Ps 85:1). 

Psalm 102

This is both a penitential psalm (see 6) and a Messianic psalm (vv. 25–27 = Heb. 1:10–12). The anonymous author probably wrote it long after the destruction of Jerusalem (vv. 8, 14, 16), about the time he thought Jeremiah’s prophecy of the seventy-year captivity was about to be fulfilled (v. 13; Jer. 25:11–12; 29:10; see Dan. 9:2). According to the title, the psalmist was afflicted and faint (61:2; 77:3; 142:3; 143:4) and burdened to present his complaint (“lament,” NIV).to the Lord. He was groaning in distress (vv. 2, 5) and weeping over the ruins of Jerusalem (v. 9). His opening prayer in verses 1–2 draws from a number of other psalms, giving us an example of what it means to pray the Word of God (See 18:16; 27:9; 31:2; 37:20; 59:16; 69:17; 88:2.). (Wiersbe, W. W. Be Exultant, p. 44)

REFLECTION/APPLICATION/PRAYER

There is nothing more fun than praying Scripture. Pray through Psalm 102 as your application and prayer today! (How to Pray the Psalms is helpful if this is new for you.)

Psalm 74 & 79 - Destruction and Crying Out to God

LINK: Psalm 74 & Psalm 79

BACKGROUND

The attributions for these psalms say they were written by Asaph. In previous psalms, we have learned about an Asaph in David's time yet this Psalm refers to the destruction of the temple, and the only historical event that matches this is the destruction when the Babylonians invaded in 586 B.C.  Maybe this Asaph is a "later member of the Asaph musical guild" (Bible Knowledge Commentary: Vol 1, p. 848).

These psalms appear to be strongly connected to the events in 2 Kings 25. To review, in January of 588 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia besieged Jerusalem. On July 16, 586 B.C. they broke down the wall. On August 16, 586 B.C., they burned down every important building in Jerusalem, including the temple and royal palace which had stood for four centuries. Following this, seventy-two leaders were executed. All this made Israel an object of scorn to the surrounding nations.

Psalm 74

In this Psalm, Asaph lamented over the destruction of the sanctuary by an enemy, and he appealed to God for help by showing His right hand which is a symbol of His power. He reminded Him of the past when He helped Israel across the Red Sea (74:12) and His power over nature (74:15-17). He also referred to having crushed Leviathan, a seven-headed monster that symbolized Egypt's power. He finally appealed to God to "consider the covenant" and that His name was being spurned because of the triumph of the pagan enemy.

Psalm 79

This Psalm of Asaph is an appeal to God not to remember their sins and to deliver them "for the glory" of His name. The psalmist sees the destruction of God's people as a blot on His reputation. In ancient times, when a nation conquered another nation, it was proof that its gods were stronger than the gods of the conquered nation. Asaph knew this was not true and did not want God's name dishonored. If God would answer, His people would praise Him forever. It is similar to Psalm 74.

God had chosen Babylon to chasten Judah for her sins, but Asaph was more burdened about how Babylon had slandered God's name. 

God did answer Asaph's prayer because the Persians conquered Babylon in October 539 B.C. Then, King Cyrus of Persia issued a proclamation in 538 B.C. that allowed the Israelites to return to Judah and rebuild their temple. The sons of Asaph were among those who returned to praise the Lord (Ezra 2:41; 3:10; Nehemiah 7:44; 11:17, 22: 12:35-36)!

REFLECTION

I have never been amid a city burning, but I visited Fallbrook, California after the devastating wildfires in October 2007

(See here for the whole set)

We listened with horror to the story of our friend, Jerome Marroquin, who, literally, had to flee for his life along with his kids.

So, I cannot even begin to imagine the utter despair of being a resident of Jerusalem, like Asaph, and seeing the temple, that had stood there for centuries, burn to the ground!

When outraged by tragedy, some of us cry out to God, like Asaph, and some of us cry against God. Jerome cried out to God amid this tragedy, and it was really wonderful to hear about how he trusted in Him through the whole ordeal.

I hope and pray I can respond to tragedies like Asaph and Jerome!

APPLICATION

How have you responded to injustice and tragedy in the past? It is OK to be angry, but do you blame God and rail out against Him or do you cry out to Him for help?

Enjoy some worship and recall God's power in the past just like Asaph did!

PRAYER

Lord, we praise You for Your power. Your right arm is not too weak to save, and we give You praise for that even though sometimes we must wait for Your long arm of deliverance to come. Help us to know that You are in sovereign control of all things and that Your timing is absolutely perfect. Allow us to press into You in our trials rather than rail against You. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Put Jeremiah Back on the Prophets Shelf

Yahoo! You are done with another book.

 JESUS is coming!

Jeremiah 52 - The Hope and Lesson from Jeremiah

LINK: Jeremiah 52

BACKGROUND

This chapter contains more detailed information about the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple already recorded in Jeremiah 39 and is nearly identical to 2 Kings 24:8-25:21 so we will not go into any background here. This chapter was probably put at the end of the book to show that Jeremiah's prophecies of judgment were fulfilled and his words about Judah's release from Exile were about to be fulfilled. It is believed this was added to encourage the remnant still in captivity.

The important addition to this chapter is that King Jehoiachin was released from prison in Babylon on March 21, 560 BC (Jeremiah 52:31) signifying that Jeremiah's prophecies of future blessings for the exiles were beginning to come true. In the favor shown on this covenant-breaking king, there was hope for future restoration by a covenant-keeping God!

No doubt these words of hope echoed in the ears of two young deportees named Daniel and Ezekiel whom God would use to continue His message to the exiles. Stay tuned for them later in September and October. 

REFLECTION

Jeremiah's life inspires and encourages me to endure a life of loving truth before God and man regardless of how "popular" that truth may be with others.

I thought this was a very beautiful summary of Jeremiah's life:

Endurance is not a common quality. Many people lack the long-term commitment, caring, and willingness that are vital to sticking with a task against all odds. But Jeremiah was a prophet who endured.

Jeremiah's call by God teaches how intimately God knows us. He valued us before anyone else knew we would exist. He cared for us while we were in our mother's womb. He planned our lives while our bodies were still being formed. He values us more highly than we value ourselves.

Jeremiah had to depend on God's love as he developed endurance. His audiences were usually antagonistic or apathetic to his messages. He was ignored; his life was often threatened. He saw both the excitement of a spiritual awakening and the sorrow of a national return to idolatry. With the exception of the good King Josiah, Jeremiah watched king after king ignore his warnings and lead the people away from God. He saw fellow prophets murdered. He himself was severely persecuted. Finally, he watched Judah's defeat at the hands of the Babylonians.

Jeremiah responded to all this with God's message and human tears. He felt firsthand God's love for his people and the people's rejection of that love. But even when he was angry with God and tempted to give up, Jeremiah knew he had to keep going. God had called him to endure. He expressed intense feelings, but he also saw beyond the feelings to the God who was soon to execute justice, but who afterward would administer mercy.

It may be easy for us to identify with Jeremiah's frustrations and discouragement, but we need to realize that his prophet's life is also an encouragement to faithfulness. (The Life Application Bible, p. 1287)

APPLICATION

What have you learned from your study of Jeremiah? Take some time to reflect upon this and journal about it. I highlighted some important points in the character analysis.

PRAYER

Lord, we know that the Scriptures were not given to increase our knowledge but to change our lives. Lord, teach us lessons for our own lives through the life of Jeremiah. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Jeremiah 51 - More Bad for Babylon

LINK: Jeremiah 51

BACKGROUND

"Leb Kamai" is a cryptogram for Chaldea which is Babylon. Even though Babylon was the "gold cup" of judgment from which God made the whole earth drink (Jeremiah 25:15-29; Revelation 17:3-4; 18:6), they would experience judgment through the king of the Medes (539 B.C. by Darius [Daniel 5:31] and subsequent kings). God's vengeance was strong because of "all the wrong they had done in Zion" (51:24) by destroying the temple of God (50:28).

Jeremiah 51:15-19 are almost synonymous with 10:12-16 where Jeremiah speaks of God's sovereignty and power.

In this chapter, he summons the three warlike nations of Ararat (present-day Armenia), Minni (Western Iraq), and Ashkenaz (near the previous two) to lay waste the land of Babylon.

Jeremiah sent this message via Seraiah who was a staff officer to the king, cared for the comforts of the army, and was probably the brother of Baruch, Jeremiah's scribe (32:12). The scroll was to be tied with a stone and thrown into the Euphrates to announce that Babylon, like the scroll, would sink and rise no more (Revelation 18:21).

These were Jeremiah's final words!

REFLECTION

Even though God used an evil empire to bring judgment upon His people, he would not let the evil of that empire go unpunished. The guilty will not go unpunished, and we must trust in His sovereignty, power, and justice.

APPLICATION

Meditate on the sovereignty and power of God by praying through 51:15-19 below!

PRAYER

It is He who made the earth by His power,

Who established the world by His wisdom,

And by His understanding He stretched out the heavens.

When He utters His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens,

And He causes the clouds to ascend from the end of the earth;

He makes lightning for the rain

And brings forth the wind from His storehouses.

All mankind is stupid, devoid of knowledge;

Every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols,

For his molten images are deceitful,

And there is no breath in them.

They are worthless, a work of mockery;

In the time of their punishment they will perish.

The portion of Jacob is not like these;

For the Maker of all is He,

And of the tribe of His inheritance;

The Lord of hosts is His name." 
(Jeremiah 51:15-19)

Jeremiah 50 - Bye-Bye Babylon

LINK: Jeremiah 50

BACKGROUND

God's main purpose for Babylon was to be His instrument of punishment for Judah's sins. Once this was accomplished, Babylon would be punished for their own sin. Babylon was destroyed by a "nation from the north." They were destroyed by the Medo-Persians (Daniel 5:30-31) in 539 BC under King Cyrus. Its complete destruction was accomplished by later Persian kings. 

By the third century B.C., Babylon was little more than a desert, but archaeologists in the 19th century uncovered its ruins. The nation of Iraq had plans to restore Babylon, but the Gulf War did not allow that to happen. There is a military base near the ruins now.

Jeremiah 50:17-20 looked to a future time when God would gather His scattered flock back to the land and would forgive the nation's sins and establish His New Covenant through the Messiah.

God was against Babylon because they defied Him (50:29) because of their pride (50:31-32) and because they made the Jews suffer (50:33). In spite of the oppression of Babylon, the Jews' Strong Redeemer would free them by pleading their case and bringing rest to their land (Micah 7:9; Zechariah 3:1-5; 1 John 2:1). 

Stay TUNED! That Strong Redeemer is coming very soon!

REFLECTION and APPLICATION

Look over some previous applications that you might want to apply.

I hope you are keeping up with us! You are on the HOME STRETCH of the Old Testament. WOOHOO!

PRAYER

Lord, thank You for our Strong Redeemer, Jesus. Thank You that our sins have been forgiven and washed away because of the New Covenant of His blood. We are grateful today. Amen.

Jeremiah 49 - More Judgment on the Nations

LINK: Jeremiah 49

BACKGROUND

(Source and rights for picture)

Ammon (blue on the map)

Still moving from west to east, God pronounced prophetic judgment on Ammon located east of the Jordan River, Gilead, and the Dead Sea. Like the Moabites, the Ammonites were descendants of Lot through an incestuous relationship with one of his daughters (Genesis 19:30-38). During the Exodus, they prohibited the Israelites from passing through their lands. Other than being allied with Judah during its final revolt, both nations had been in conflict throughout history.

When the northern kingdom went into captivity in 722 B.C., Ammon seized it for herself. They also worship the god Molech and made child sacrifices to him. Jeremiah 49:6 says their problem was pride. They were to be destroyed, but God vowed to restore their fortunes.

Edom (yellow on the map)

Edom was located south of Moab and east of the Dead Sea. It was a rock fortress where modern-day Petra in southern Jordan is located. The Edomites were descended from Jacob's brother, Esau. There was constant conflict between the Edomites and Israel. Jeremiah's imagery is very much like that in Obadiah.

Teman was associated with wisdom, and one of Job's friends, Eliphaz, was from this city (Job 2:11). Dedan was a flourishing city that supported the caravans.

Edom was destroyed because of her pride (49:16). Unlike Egypt, Moab, and Ammon, Edom was not given the promise of future restoration. The prophecy was fulfilled in the intertestamental period when the Nabateans drove the Edomites from their land. They were forced to migrate to southern Judah and were called Idumeans. In 125 B.C., John Hyrcanus I, a Maccabean, made them accept Judaism after subjugating them. After this period, they were assimilated into Judaism and were no longer a separate national group.

Damascus (teal on map)

Damascus was the capital of Aram, north of Israel. It was defeated by the Assyrians and Babylonians. Nebuchadnezzar defeated Damascus in 605 B.C. (Amos 1:4,5). Ben-Hadad was the name of the dynasty that ruled in Damascus in the ninth and eighth centuries BC (See I Kings 15:18, 20; 20:1-34; 2 Kings 6:24; 8:7; 13:3, 24).

Kedar and Hazor

Kedar was a nomadic tribe from the second son of Ishmael (Genesis 25:13) that traveled in the Arabian Desert. Hazor was an unknown place somewhere in the Arabian Desert and not the city of Hazor in Israel. Nebuchadnezzar destroyed them in 599 BC.

Elam

Elam was east of Babylon in what is now the country of Iran. It was attacked by Nebuchadnezzar in 597 BC but became the center of the Persian Empire (Daniel 8:2). Susa was located in Elam (Ezra 4:9, Nehemiah 1:1, Esther). God promised to restore Elam's fortunes in the future also.

APPLICATION

There are Muslim people groups in many of the places mentioned in this chapter. Pray for those in Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Iran today! Syria especially has a terrible crisis going on with millions of people fleeing the country. There are many refugees fleeing their countries. If you would like to give to a group that cares for them in my city, donate to Corvallis for Refugees.

2023 Update: Syria still has a terrible crisis. The number of refugees has skyrocketed, and they also had a terrible earthquake. Pray for them. 

Download this:

Prayer Guide for Syrian Children

PRAYER

Lord, while You had judgment for nations who defied You, You also have compassion for all those who sincerely seek You. I pray for Muslims from the Middle East to seek You with all their heart and come to know You! I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Jeremiah 46-48: Fall of Jerusalem's Neighbors

LINK: Jeremiah 46-48 (read over the next two days) 

BACKGROUND 

By Briangotts on en.wikipedia and Slashme on en.wikipedia [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons

Remember that Jeremiah's prophecies are topical and not chronological. Jeremiah 46:1-52:34 is God's judgment on foreign nations. These nations thought they would be free of God's judgment and punishment for their sin. Just like Jerusalem, these nations would also receive God's judgment.  

Jeremiah 46 - Egypt (west of this map) 

Pharaoh Necho ("the big noise") defeated Judah and killed King Josiah at Megiddo in 609 B.C. (2 Chronicles 35:20-27). Then Nebuchadnezzar of the Babylonians defeated the Egyptians at the battle of Carchemish in 605 B.C. making Babylon the dominating world power. Eventually, Nebuchadnezzar invaded Egypt in about 568-567 B.C., just as Jeremiah had prophesied (43:8-13; 44:13-26). God was stronger than all the Egyptian gods (46:25).

Egypt's army contained mercenary soldiers for Cush (southern Egypt, Sudan, and northern Ethiopia), Put (Libya), and Lydia (west coast of Asia Minor). It was strong, but the Lord was stronger. Egypt would be destroyed. 

By איתן פרמן - Own work, CC BY 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2863193

There would not be a "balm from Gilead." This was a healing resin from the storax tree (picture on the left) that was grown in Gilead, east of the Jordan River (Genesis 37:25; Jeremiah 8:22; 51:8; Ezekiel 27:17). 

Despite Egypt's defeat, God did promise that they would be restored (46:26).

Note in 46:27-28 that God tells Israel to not fear or be dismayed because they would return from exile, enjoying peace and security (31:1-6).






Jeremiah 47 - Philistia (grey on the map) 

The Philistine people are believed to have come from Crete (Caphtor, 46:4; Amos 9:7; Zephaniah 2:5). They had been warring with Israel for a long time. They were a wealthy nation because of their sea trade and their allies were Tyre and Sidon (47:4; Ezekiel 27-28), but they would not be able to help these places when judgment came.

Being caught in the struggle between Babylon and Egypt, Gaza was attacked by the Egyptians (Jeremiah 47:1), and Ashkelon was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in November-December 604 B.C. (Jeremiah 36:9).

Jeremiah 48 - Moab (yellow-green, east of the Dead Sea, north of Zered River, and south of the Arnon River) 

Like the Ammonites, the Moabites were descendants of Lot through an incestuous relationship with one of his daughters (Genesis 19:30-38). They led Israel into idolatry (Numbers 25:1-3). Chemosh was their national god (48:7; Numbers 21:29 1 Kings 11:7), and child sacrifice was a part of their worship (2 Kings 3:26, 27). 

Salt was a symbolic way of showing the total destruction of a city (48:9; Judges 9:45). Moab had enjoyed peace throughout their history (48:11). So, they were arrogant and prideful (48:29). 

Despite the destruction, God promised that some of these neighboring countries would be restored: Egypt (46:26), Moab (48:47); Ammon (49:6); and Elam (49:39). Many commentators believe this is through the restoration of Jesus Christ. "Gospel blessings, temporal and spiritual, to the Gentiles in the last days, are intended" (A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments, Je 48:47).

REFLECTION 

In this chapter (Jeremiah 46), we gain several insights about God and his plan for this world: 

(1) Although God chose Israel for a special purpose, he loves all people and wants all to come to him. 

(2) God is holy and will not tolerate sin. 

(3) God's judgments are not based on prejudice and a desire for revenge but on fairness and justice. 

(4) God does not delight in judgment but in salvation. 

(5) God is impartial - he judges everyone by the same standard.  (From The Life Application Bible, 46:1, page 1363)

This is the drum I have been tapping since the beginning of the Bible Book Club. God wants to bless ALL nations (Genesis 12:1-4). He wants to be their God. 

APPLICATION

The countries mentioned today are all in the Arab world, and they are going through tremendous changes. Pray for Egypt as they forge a new nation, post-Mubarak. Also, pray for peace between Arabs and Israelis in Palestine. Pray for the people of Gaza (former Philistine area) too. 

PRAYER

Lord, while You had judgment for nations who defied You, You also have compassion for all those who sincerely seek You. We pray for the countries of Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Libya, and Palestine. We pray the peoples would seek You. We ask for leaders who fear You and can lead their nations into peace. It is in Your name we pray. Amen. 

Jeremiah 44 & 45 - Do Not Seek Great Things for Yourself

LINK: Jeremiah 44 & 45

BACKGROUND

Jeremiah 44 was given in 580 B.C., and he reminded them that destruction would come upon them because they had followed other gods and relied on them for their help. That destruction did come for them when Nebuchadnezzar invaded Egypt in 568 - 567 B.C.

The events in Jeremiah 45 are a repeat of what happened in Jeremiah 36:1-8:

Jeremiah 36 - The Scroll

The events in Jeremiah 36 began in the fourth year of the reign of King Jehoiakim (605-604 B.C.). They happened before the events in Jeremiah 34 and 35.

God wanted all the prophecies of Jeremiah written down and read in hopes that the people would hear about everything that Jeremiah had said was going to happen and repent. Baruch wrote them down, and it was read three times. The first time was on a fast day in the house of the Lord. At that time, fast days were only called in times of emergency. Babylon was destroying city after city. So, they were in an emergency mode. Micaiah, the grandson of Shaphan (the man who read the book of the Law to King Josiah in 2 Kings 22), was concerned and brought it to the king's house and read it the second time to the officials who trembled and went to the king. The third reading to the king was rejected, and the king cut the scroll and had it burned! Consequently, God had Jeremiah write another scroll with the addition of a special judgment against the disobedient king.

This particular chapter adds "color" to this chapter by giving us a glimpse into Baruch's attitude. He was discouraged by the message, but the message to him was to not let his personal aspirations of greatness get in the way of God's purposeful judgment. His attitude should have been one of thankfulness for being spared the judgment. His eyes needed to be fixed on God. 

REFLECTION

But you, are you seeking great things for yourself? 

Do not seek them. 

(Jeremiah 45:5)

At one time or another in our lives, most of us have sought out personal gory. It is a hard habit to break when we are fleshly and self-centered human beings who feel like we deserve a pat on the back or a little applause now and then. 

I have seen people more concerned with being published or well-known in Christian circles than having a heart set on devotion to the Lord. They were territorial about "their ministry" and were threatened and competitive with others around them. I have even seen some who have lied and slandered to maintain their "glorified status." God does not want us to see our own glory but to seek Him. 

Sure, acclamation may come as a result of our seeking the Lord and being His vessel, but that acclamation will simply become material for sacrifice in praise and adoration of Him for the great things HE has done in us!

It is ALL about Him and not about us.

APPLICATION

Are you seeking great things for yourself? “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" (Matthew 6:33).

It might be time to have a heart-to-heart talk to God about this. 

PRAYER

Lord, "Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen!