Jeremiah's conflicting emotions

JEREMIAH     CHAPTER 9

Jeremiah cries for the people and for the sins they have committed. He knows the types of lies they tell and that they are going from bad to worse. He warns them to beware of their neighbor, their own brother, for they slander each other with lies. Therefore the Lord will melt them in a crucible and test them with metal. The Lord says he should avenge himself against such a nation and make Jerusalem a heap of ruins. And make Judah full of ghost towns.

The Lord gave the people laws which they refused to obey. Instead they followed their own desires and worshipped Baal. So God will scatter them all around the world and they will be strangers in distant lands and their enemies will chase them until they are all destroyed.

God tells them to think about what is going on around them. To open their ears to what the Lord has to say. He specifically asks the women to teach their daughters to wail and lament. For children no longer play in the streets. God says to let not the wise man gloat in his wisdom, or the mighty man in his might, or the rich man in his riches. He says the time is coming when all will be punished who are circumcised in body, but not in spirit. Like all pagan nations, the people of Israel have uncircumcised hearts.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW:In verse 25, the Lord talks about those who are circumcised in body but not in spirit- this means the Egyptians, Edomites, Ammonites, Moabites and people living in distant places. Circumcision went back to the time of Abraham as a symbol of their covenant with God. By Jeremiah's time, the people had forgotten the spiritual significance of circumcision.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? Jeremiah wanted to weep forever and wished to go lock himself in a shack in the desert to keep from watching his people who were going to be slaughtered. He was angry, but at the same time he felt compassion. Jesus would have those same feelings when he stood before Jerusalem in Matthew 23-37. Can you imagine being in Jeremiah's place and watching this whole thing taking place? Do you see parallels in today's society? In those days people admired wisdom, power, and riches. Aren't these the same things our society admires today? What would you like people to admire you for? If you answered your love of Christ, or your love for your fellow man or family - or ability to seek justice  or a righteous quality like that, then go seek that quality and work hard for it. God will help you reach a higher plane.

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:


HEALTH: Pray for Gabe.

Pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life.

Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer and for her sister Wanda’s soul which went to heaven.

Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with a form of MS.

Pray for Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.

Pray for Gary Summers, my friend from church, who has cancer.

Pray for Judy’s husband who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Pray for her too, that she can deal with the side effects of his illness.

Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who is undergoing chemo for his prostate cancer. Update on Robert: he has one more treatment and then three months of waiting for his psat test to come back clean.

Pray for James’s sister Cynthia whose chemo has lost its effect as the cancer grows powerful.

SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary

RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John

LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian

SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake, survivors of the devastating tornadoes in our southernmost states and Joplin, Missouri. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.