King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Saturday, August 10, 2024
Chapters: Jeremiah Chapters 10-13
Message: Vain Worship
Hello My Friend,
I need to apologize for being a day late getting the devotions out, until my mom can see her primary doctor I cannot get help to care for her so if I do not get into God’s Word before she wakes up I cannot get to it until the next morning. I feel like a failure to no end, but I know that God is in control and working in all of us.
As I began to read the chapters for today this popped up from Charles Spurgeon, [That same voice which brought Lazarus out of the tomb raised us to newness of life. He is now the substance of our spiritual life. It is by his life that we live; he is in us, the hope of glory, the spring of our actions, the central thought which moves every other thought. Christ is the sustenance of our life…As the soldier fights for his captain, and is crowned in his captain’s victory, so the believer contends for Christ, and gets his triumph out of the triumphs of his Master. “For him to live is Christ.”] which led me to this passage.
[Colossians 3:1-5 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:]
So, here is the nation of Israel, they had been divided into two kingdoms since Solomon died. The Northern Kingdom had completely forgotten the Law, turned to every man made god thought of, and even made up their own to which God had taken them out of the land of Israel. The Southern Kingdom had its ups and downs with God, but always managed to pick themselves back up. This time however they have fallen tremendously, and not only became more wicked than their brethren, but the heathens that they had driven off the land. Now, the warnings of the judgment that God has placed on Judah, but they refuse to return to Him. As we continue in the reading of Jeremiah, he pleads with them to listen to God.
[Jeremiah 10:1-5 Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: 2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. 5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.]
[For the customs of the people are vain:] Did you know that there are religions out there who believe that this passage relates to the Christmas tree and that if we put up Christmas trees in the house we are worshiping it? Religion takes things too far, they will either add things to God’s Word to make their people believe that they will be judged for everything or take things away from it to make their people believe that they will be judged for nothing. All of these customs or traditions are vain, and God will call them out, [Mark 7:7-8 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.]
[They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not:] The point that Jeremiah was making here was to show them that idols are not only man made, but are dead. The prophet shows the glory of Israel’s God, and exposes the foolishness of idolaters. Charms and other attempts to obtain supernatural help are taken from the wicked customs of the heathen. We dare not provoke God by giving that glory to some false god which is due to him alone. And yet He is ready to forgive, and save all who repent and believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ. Faith is what teaches these blessed truths from the Word of God, but the only thing customs and traditions leads to are doctrines of vanity. This is exactly what Jeremiah goes on to convey, this time speaking out about idols made of stone and precious metals.
[Jeremiah 10:6-10 Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might. 7 Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee. 8 But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities. 9 Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men. 10 But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.]
[and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.] It is better to be chastened by God than man any day because wicked men are just that, brutes. God’s people would be wise to face His judgments rather than mans or else risk Him sending them if they do not heed the warning to repent. Yes, God is that powerful and Jeremiah goes on to describe how powerful the only living God is.
[Jeremiah 10:12-14,16 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion. 13 When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures. 14 Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. 16 The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The LORD of hosts is his name.]
[and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.] There is a reason why God does not reveal everything to us about creation. You see how science is today, they do not want to God’s secrets just because they are fascinated by Him, they want them to become gods themselves, [1 Corinthians 2:6-8 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.]
Perhaps the thing that angers God more than the lost who are deceived into believing these false gods are those who are teaching these lies. Religion, is the worse thing to happen to man, it is the opposite of everything that God is on every level. Even religions that proclaim Jesus are leading their followers straight to hell because of the lies they teach. And God has a warning for the false prophets and pastors too.
[Jeremiah 10:21-24 For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered. 22 Behold, the noise of the bruit is come, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of dragons. 23 O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. 24 O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.]
[correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger,] There is a difference between God correcting us with righteous judgment and in anger, righteous judgment is what God’s faithful receive whenever they sin and get that Fatherly chastening from Him. It is good for us to be corrected by God as it restores our walk with Him. On the other hand, God correcting His unfaithful in anger is something that everyone knows about and He will send them home in their sin. This time God sends Jeremiah to the people of Judah and pleads with them to get right with God while they still have the chance.
[Jeremiah 11:2-5 Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; 3 And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant, 4 Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God: 5 That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. Then answered I, and said, So be it, O LORD.]
[according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people,] Regardless of how powerful God is, He makes it simple, He does not force anyone to worship Him, but if they choose to do so than they need to worship Him the correct way. This was not about following every command written in the Law, it was about being faithful to God in the one and only command possible to save them and that is to call on Him as their Saviour, [Romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.]
It is our words that will justify or condemn us because they are what come from the heart. God, goes on to point out that the judgment stood because even when they would call out to Him because they were not repentant. Through Jeremiah, God, reminds Israel of the covenant He made with their fathers and the judgment they face because they broke that covenant.
[Jeremiah 11:7,11-12,14 For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice. 11 Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them. 12 Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble. 14 Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.]
[though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them.] There is no one to blame for all the evils that befall them if they choose the sins of the world over their faith. Saved or not, [James 1:13-15 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.]
God, will do whatever it takes to keep true believers from becoming corrupted by the so called believers and those who are only trying to play God themselves. When we proclaim Christ and tell of God’s judgment to come, the religious get very angry, and are going to fight us every chance they get. As Jeremiah was telling the people what God wanted them to know they did not like it and began conspiring to kill him.
[Jeremiah 11:18-20,22 And the LORD hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou shewedst me their doings. 19 But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered. 20 But, O LORD of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause. 22 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will punish them: the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine:]
[Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof,] The religious thought if they killed Jesus that He would be remembered no more, they also thought if they killed Jesus the people would return to their rule and that if they killed Jesus they would be the ones praised with honor and glory. [Mark 12:6-9 Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. 7 But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. 8 And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. 9 What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.]
Of course, Jesus, was talking about the Jews who refused to accept Him as the Messiah, no matter how many miracles they saw Him make. The religious hate the truth of the Bible more than anyone because they know the way they are living is wrong, and instead of repenting, they seek to destroy those who make them feel guilty. Jeremiah tries to understand why no one is listening and are trying to kill him, he asks God why the wicked prosper and do not get punished for the things they do when he is getting punished.
[Jeremiah 12:1-4 Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously? 2 Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins. 3 But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter. 4 How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end.]
[thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee:] There is not one faithful Christian that does not ask God why the wicked seem to be blessed while we suffer. However, we need not fear them because Christ has our back, and while we may be brought to the slaughter, just as Jesus was, we will survive, which is exactly what God said when He answered Jeremiah’s question.
[Jeremiah 12:7,13-15 I have forsaken mine house, I have left mine heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies. 13 They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns: they have put themselves to pain, but shall not profit: and they shall be ashamed of your revenues because of the fierce anger of the LORD. 14 Thus saith the LORD against all mine evil neighbours, that touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit; Behold, I will pluck them out of their land, and pluck out the house of Judah from among them. 15 And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out I will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.]
[I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation,] God, knows exactly what is going on and knows each and every heart, even the saved that refuse to repent. No matter how much affliction they face, He will bring them home so they are no longer a danger to themselves and everyone else around them. You see, since there is an end to all suffering for Christ’s people, the worst thing to happen to us is death, and even then God will restore them because He will not pluck out of His hand anyone attached to Jesus’ hand, [John 10:28-30 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and my Father are one.]
Christ’s people, have an inheritance awaiting them, one that is so grand that even those who already left this earth and are in heaven will receive as well, and that is Jesus Himself. There is not one person who can take that inheritance away no matter how sinful they are as long as they sincerely trusted Him as their Saviour. That does not mean that there are no consequences for sin if one should remain living in it. In God’s eyes an unfaithful child of His is unprofitable, and sometimes God has a strange way of proving that point. Through Jeremiah God instructs him to do something rather odd to convey that message.
[Jeremiah 13:1,3-4,6-7 Thus saith the LORD unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water. 3 And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, 4 Take the girdle that thou hast got, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock. 6 And it came to pass after many days, that the LORD said unto me, Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to hide there. 7 Then I went to Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it: and, behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing.]
[put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.] Jeremiah was instructed to wear this girdle and not wash it after he took it off, then bury it. The people of Israel had been to God as this girdle, He caused them to cleave to Him by the Law He gave them. They had by their idolatry and sins buried themselves in foreign earth, mingled among the nations, and were so corrupted that they were good for nothing. In this same manner I believe Jesus said it this way, [Luke 14:34-35 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? 35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.]
Having experienced the sanctifying power of the Word and Spirit of Christ, every saved born again Christian is like the salt of the earth as they are the ones who preach the life preserving Gospel to the lost through both their influence in the Church and out of it. However if their influence in the midst of an unbelieving world ceases, and if the Church is no longer a preaching “Thus saith the LORD” from the pulpits then they have become unprofitable and unable to be used of God any longer. Through Jeremiah, God addresses how many Christians lose their savor.
[Jeremiah 13:15-17,20,23-25 Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken. 16 Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness. 17 But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the LORD’S flock is carried away captive. 20 Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north: where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock? 23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil. 24 Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness. 25 This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the LORD; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.]
[because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.] While we all have a little bit of evil in us, just like a leopard will always have spots, some people will always be evil. This is not something that God creates, it is something He allows because He gives us all the free will to choose how we live. We are all born with the knowledge of God in us from birth, He is forgotten by whoever raised them as they trusted in the falsehood, [John 8:38,44,47 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 47 He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.]
Jesus Christ Revealed/Magnified: [Jeremiah 10:10 But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. Jeremiah 11:17 For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal. Jeremiah 13:25 This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the LORD; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.]
Today’s Prayer: God, Help me to remain faithful to You and your calling upon my life. Strengthen and grow my faith as I daily search Your Scriptures and apply their truths to my spiritual walk. As I go through the trials and experiences of my earthly journey would You fix my eyes and my heart upon You. Search me, Lord, and if there is any evil in me, break me free from the bondage of it, and let everything I do being glory to You. Let me not forget Your truths or trust any falsehoods, only look to You in every area of my life. I ask this in Your name Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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