PERHAPS

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 26-28

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

A menorah stands atop a table at the altar of Christ Church in Jerusalem. This church is known as the Jewish Church and is the oldest Protestant church in Israel. It is located just inside the Jaffa (Joppa) Gate on the areal where Herod’s Palace once stood. Today’s reading mentions the vessels of the Temple several times. The menorah was one of these which was taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar and then returned by Cyrus. This happened exactly as was prophesied.

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

Key Verse: Jeremiah 26:8

Now it happened, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, “You will surely die!…”

Jeremiah 26 tells us that while Jeremiah did not die, his fellow true prophet, Urijah, did die for repeating and confirming Jeremiah’s words. Urijah was one of the unsung heroes of faith spoken of in Hebrews 11:36-40. Jeremiah was well aware of the price he might pay for speaking what God had commanded him to speak. However, Jeremiah’s love for God and his commitment to obey God were greater than his desire to be accepted by his peers.

Chapter 27 begins with a repetition of 26:1. Obviously Zedekiah was now king (verse 3b). Scholars agree that here is an example of a mistake by the scribe who copied this passage. This verse is omitted in some other manuscripts. Remember that the original in Hebrew was inspired by God and is correct. God allows human error. In fact, some mistakes like this can be good. Why? Because if someone at a later date was trying to cover up a copying error, it would put in question the accuracy of the record in other places. The fact is that those who copied the scrolls got it right 99.999% of the time.

Chapter 28 features one of the false prophets, Hananiah. Jeremiah said “70” years in Babylon and Hananiah said “2” years. They could not both be right. Jeremiah said “Amen” to “2” years because he wished it could be so. We always hope for what is the most optimistic outcome. Jeremiah finally said, “Hear now, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, but you make this people trust a lie” (Jeremiah 28:15).

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, I pray for a willingness to trust You completely, even when my limited mind cannot fully understand Your ways. I surrender myself to You that Your will may be done in my life. In the Name of the One who always did Your perfect will, Jesus Christ. Amen!!! (I’ve just prayed the prayer Jesus taught His disciples to pray: “Our Father, Who art in Heaven…”)

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

Jeremiah was severely persecuted, and his fellow prophet who supported him was murdered by a corrupt government. The same thing is happening today over and over. I’ve done my best through the years to speak out against these evil acts of persecution around the world. A great guest who appeared on 100 Huntley Street television several times was Rev. Richard Wurmbrand of Romania, Founder of Voice of the Martyrs. The communist authorities imprisoned him and beat him severely in order to try to silence him. They did not succeed! My favourite part of his story was his description of how he would worship, making music with the clanging of the chains fastened to his wrists. He would demonstrate for us on TV and say to a beat, “Cling clang! Cling Clang!” A great sense of joy would fill the studio as he sang. I was always challenged to my very core by this man as to my level of commitment to Christ!

Here’s Pastor Wurmbrand on video, recorded in the 1960’s. He would have understood all that Jeremiah was going through (click here).

Yours for being faithful to God and His Word, whatever the cost!

David