Saturday, February 13, 2016

BABYLON OR EGYPT?

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 42-44

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

 

The temple of Edufu was dedicated to the falcon god Horus and is one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt. The walls of the temple are covered in inscriptions that tell many stories. The gods of Egypt are mentioned twice in today’s reading.

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

 

Key Verses: Jeremiah 42:6, 42:20-21a

Whether it is pleasing or displeasing, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God to whom we send you, that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the Lord our God…For you were hypocrites in your hearts when you sent me to the Lord your God, saying, “Pray for us to the Lord our God, and according to all that the Lord your God says, so declare to us and we will do it.” And I have this day declared it to you, but you have not obeyed the voice of the Lord your God…

 

These people probably did not intend to disobey God. Someone has said that “The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.” It seemed reasonable to them to ask Jeremiah for direction from God. But their hearts were hypocritical, not reasonable. Fear, a heart condition, won the day. “Egypt” is mentioned 22 times in these 3 chapters. No doubt they still celebrated “Passover” to help them remember that God had delivered Israel from Egypt (Exodus 12:12-14).

It seems that Jeremiah was forced to go with them back to Egypt. When they arrived, Jeremiah again warned them of their folly (43:10-13).

Jeremiah 44:7 is a commentary on the human heart and the foolishness of the human mind that decides to go our own way rather than God’s way. God says, “Why do you commit this great evil against yourselves, to cut off from you man and woman, child and infant, out of Judah, leaving none to remain?” Most of them died in Egypt, never to return. This was not to be the case of the Babylonian captives. They returned to rebuild the Temple and Jerusalem.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, I pray that I will reason, according to the Scriptures, and obey You with both my mind and heart. Deliver me from the hypocrisy of saying one thing and doing another. I ask this through the Person and work of the One Who always said exactly what He intended to say, and then did what He said, the Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

Babylon or Egypt? Neither place was God’s highest plan for His people. Judah was still there as an option. King Zedekiah and many others were forced into Babylon because of their stubborn resistance to the Word from God, and in today’s reading, and later Johanan and the remnant still in Judah, exercised their own free will (they were called “proud men”) and went to Egypt where they died. Again and again I’ve had to simply obey what I believed God was saying to me through His written Word, the still small Voice within me, or through the counsel of men and women of God!

In yesterday’s blog I mentioned the first ever conference of Christian leaders which gathered in Moscow from all 15 Republics of the Soviet Union. It was obvious that communist rule was an utter failure and that the people would shortly be freed from this curse on the human family. Several pastors who had resisted the cruelties of communism, and like Daniel in Babylon kept the faith, referred to “THE 70 YEARS OF THE DARK RED NIGHT OF COMMUNIST RULE,” boldly proclaiming that their 70 years of captivity (roughly 1917 to 1987) was now over. At the time of this conference, the Communists were still in power. In fact, the Pastor that I referred to yesterday said, gesticulating with his twisted fingers on his right hand, “The communists even called me the other day and offered to break my fingers again to straighten them back, this time in hospital under anesthetic, but I refused. When I preach and lift my hand to make a point (this was said with laughter from himself and the other Pastors at my table), people really pay attention!” Perhaps this will help explain my statement yesterday, that I felt totally unworthy to be in this man’s presence and felt like crawling under the table, let alone be the preacher for two nights of the conference. That night I preached with God’s help on “The Church Through the Centuries After Persecution Ceases.” I had studied the history of persecution over the past 2,000 years and came to the conclusion that the Church is the greatest blessing when the Gospel is preached fearlessly, whether under persecution or freedom!!!

Yours for “OBEDIENCE” to God!

David

19 thoughts on “Saturday, February 13, 2016

  1. Amen, David. Heart wrenching stories from yesterday and today. Hard to imagine such persecution! Am praying for recent ones in prison and the refugees on the border of Turkey. Thanks for relaying these stories David which helps us to be more thankful. Take care saints of God!

  2. Fear and anxiety regarding our security and our future can lead us into poor decisions. Looking to the world/our job/our families for the ultimate assurance is easy to do. Lord Jesus, help us look to you and you alone to meet our deepest needs.

  3. Amen Sherry ,when we obey our Lord Jesus our needs will be
    given …full pressed down and running over , Praise you Lord Jesus….R…

  4. Please pray for my Senior’s Pastor Doug and his wife Elaine. They are leaving tomorrow night go to Turkey. They have an opportunity to go there and Minister for three months, at first they thought to themselves, no way are we going to that troubled place. However, God showed them that they needed to obey His voice and go, they Will be back on Mother’s Day. Thank you in advance for your prayers and Happy Valentines Day to all, may we all Praise the love of our live Jesus Christ.

      • Lord Jesus I agree in prayer with Eleanor for protection over the Senior Pastor and his wife, that your angels go before them and be with them in all they do, and come back home safe in Your arms, in Your Mighty Name Jesus I pray, AMEN!!!

    • May God grant them safety in their travels and may He grant them the Word & Sacrament to bring to the people in Turkey!
      In Jesus Name We Pray AMEn!

  5. Amen to all the beautiful prayers and saints of the blog. The love of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ–crucified, personified and living within us–be with you, now and forever. We humbly bow and sing our praises to You, Lord! Amen! Peace and love be with you, fellow saints!

    Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Ps 122:6 (KJB)

    And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 1 Cor 13:2 (NET)

    Above all (Crucified) with Lyrics
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuASQodoO4g

  6. I don’t believe anyone will really know the WHOLE truth behind the refugees! Something is not right! It is very easy to manipulate pictures on TV! Lord God I pray that YOU will boot the devil out of this whole situation and help us to see the true story, give guidance, wisdom, discernement to those groups that are involved in raising money for these cases! I pray Lord YOU will seek the truth of these stories and that YOU will help us to see the truth! I ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord and Saviour AMEN!

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