Tuesday, February 2, 2016

HORSE SENSE AND GROUNDHOGS

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 22

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

 

A view looking east over the Old City of Jerusalem towards the Mount of Olives.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

 

Key Verses: Jeremiah 22:25

…and I will give you into the hand of those who seek your life, and into the hand of those whose face you fear — the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and the hand of the Chaldeans.

 

Notice the number of sentences in the Bible that start with the conjunction “and.” Would an English teacher let us away with that today? Not! (as I’ve heard some teens say). People who’ve decided to believe in the verbal (word by word) inspiration of the Bible, might ask, “Why the ‘and’?” It may be that God is never really finished His work until He puts the final period on the last sentence of human history here on this earth as it is in the present.

Our key verse indicates that the time comes when God has been rejected so totally that He can do no other than shift from mercy to judgment. He did not force the Babylonians to conquer Jerusalem, but He knew that He was not wanted by the religious, political, and social elites who were in power, and with great regret He withdrew His presence and, thus, His protection. Three times in this chapter God speaks through Jeremiah of those who “sit on the throne of David.” The last of King David’s descendants, through Solomon, is about to be deposed and taken to Babylon where he will die. BUT a descendent of King David through David’s son, Nathan, is yet to come. Although King Jeconiah and King Zerubbabel are listed in the genealogy of Joseph, Jesus’ foster father, Jesus did not come from Joseph (Matthew 1:6-12); He came as a human Person through the Virgin Mary (Luke 3:31). Legally, Jesus was linked to Joseph, but His DNA was all God and Mary!!! What about that?

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, Your servant, Jeremiah, urges people to “weep bitterly for him who goes away.” I pray for as much of Your great heart of compassion as You know I can handle. You are infinite in Your capacity to grieve, and I’m so very small and finite. Thank You, Lord, for being willing to share a little bit of the heavy burdens You bear with me. In the Name of the One who went into prayer early every morning, bearing our sorrows and griefs (Isaiah 53:3-5). Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

There’s the word “woe” in Jeremiah 22:13! One farmer from my childhood, when they still used horses for just about everything (before most of them had tractors), said that the word “woe (whoa)” to a horse meant “STOP!” That’s horse sense! Horses know enough to stop what they are doing when they hear “woe.” I’ve just checked the dictionary for “Whoa!” It still means stop or slow down. When God says something that sounds like “whoa,” let’s pay attention!

The Lord, through Jeremiah, reminded King Jehoiakim about his dad, King Josiah, whom God said did what was right. Josiah was just and righteous. “He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well!!!” (Jeremiah 22:15-16).

Yours for a “Horse Sense” commitment, something which is all too uncommon…just doing something because it is the right thing to do,

David

P.S. Jeremiah’s detailed prophecies have come true. They are now history. Peter describes the Bible Prophets as giving “the prophetic word made more sure” (2 Peter 1:19a). Today is “Groundhog Day” across North America. It is said that when a groundhog comes out of his underground burrow February 2nd and sees his shadow, it is a prophetic word indicating an early Spring. If this is true it will be chance. Only God knows the future, and He told Jeremiah the “Word made more sure!” Of course, the groundhog folklore is just for fun. God’s prophets were dead serious!

An artistic rendering of the core of Jerusalem created in 1660 AD (from the Library of Christ Church in Jerusalem).

17 thoughts on “Tuesday, February 2, 2016

  1. Thank you Lord for your patience, thank you for your love of the weakest and poorest of society, help me remember my responsibility and obligation to share the blessings you have provided. You take these things very seriously, help me to share your heart.

  2. Thank you David. We are learning so much from your blog about the true , perfect and unchanging message, warnings and protection from God. Learning a lot about the real Jesus who, before going to final glory had to face the governors of this world. Thank you for obeying ‘those many small voices’ that come with a cost, and thus being a good prophet to us. Would you please add in your prayer list, our unsaved daughter ( mid fourties : Charlene. ) I don;t expect an answer as you have mentionned a long while ago. Thank you. Jeannine

  3. Find the geneology fascinating. Tells me also He knows our family tree and us all by name and He has a plan for us. Amen! Enjoy your profound message as always. Concerning the weather, we are enjoying another sunny day and the yard and fields are becoming browner. Thinking of your mother Pam. Blessings!

  4. We have the Holy Spirit that enables us to do more than we ever dreamt! Speak those words over Charlene. Lord, You command us to bring all our concernrs to You in Prayer! Lord, none of us know what is going to happen! I lift Charlene up to You Lord for the Holy Spirit to enter in and to call, gather and enlighten this child to the Word of God! Lord only You know this child, and have known her before she was born! We pray Lord that that small inner voice that we all were born with will speak to Charlene and put her in a place where she will hear and maybe bcome a little uncofmortable but her interest has been tweeked and Lord I pray that Your Word of Grace will enter her heart! I pray Lord that Charlene will be open to hearing this new Voice in her mind! Lord You are the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, You are the Triune God, the Three in Once, Falther, Son and Holy Spirit! I thank you Lord that You will calling Charlene and I thank You Lord thatYou will welcome her with open arms!
    AMAZING GRACE,HOW SWEET THE SOUND; THAT SAVED A WRETCH LIKE ME!
    AMEN

    • Lord God please forgive my typing errors! I get excitied Lord parying for Your precious children to come to know You as their Lord and Saviour! amen

  5. My sister and I just recalled that our brother Nick’s birthday would have been today, Feb. 2nd. He used to make a note of what the groundhog did, but not too seriously. He would have been 102 years old. It was good to recall some of his special ways.

  6. Reading Jeremiah with you…I’m amazed at how often the Lord spoke to Israel about turning away from their wicked ways. If they repented of their evil ways He would forgive them and bless them…and yet they would not listen.
    Father in Heaven, Faithful and loving Father…thank you for Your Great Love for us!!!

    I grew up on a farm and appreciate your comment re “Woe”; yes and a “horse sense” commitment. Something not too common these days.

  7. Thank you Ger for your special comments for my Mother. She had her heart operation today but then her symptoms returned and the surgeon took her back into surgery to repair something. I stayed home today as I knew I would not see her much. My brother spoke with the surgeon who said the second surgery went well and she would be sedated all night. I will visit tomorrow in Kitchener. Thank you for everyone’s prayers. It is very comforting to know we all have this extended family in Christ.

    Amen and amen.

    • Amen and Amen Pam!
      I thank you Lord for the efficient surgeons who realized that Pam’s mom had to be taken back into surgery to do a repair! What a blessing Lord! Lord I truly believe mom and her family will have a wonderful spring and summer. I truly believe Lord that you have repaired the heart of this mom completely! She not only had a pyhsical operation but through the Holy Spirit she has had a Spiritual healing also! This is good news! Thank you Lord, thank you!
      PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!

  8. I posted a comment a few weeks ago about a young girl, a TEENAGER, who found my wallet in front of the drugstore and she took it in and returned it, SHE DID THE RIGHT THING, her name is Camisha and I thanked her and I told her that she will be greatly blessed by God because she did the right thing! Thank you Lord, thank you for parents who taught their child right from wrong, God bless this child for doing the right thing! amen

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