SATURDAY, 9 DECEMBER 2023
TEXT:
Jeremiah 43:1-13
1:
When Jeremiah had finished telling the people all the words of the Lord their
God—everything the Lord had sent him to tell them—
2:
Azariah son of Hoshaiah and Johanan son of Kareah and all the arrogant men said
to Jeremiah, “You are lying! The Lord our God has not sent you to say, ‘You
must not go to Egypt to settle there.’
3:
But Baruch son of Neriah is inciting you against us to hand us over to the
Babylonians, so they may kill us or carry us into exile to Babylon.”
4:
So Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers and all the people disobeyed
the Lord’s command to stay in the land of Judah.
5:
Instead, Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers led away all the
remnant of Judah who had come back to live in the land of Judah from all the
nations where they had been scattered.
6:
They also led away all those whom Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard
had left with Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan—the men, the women,
the children and the king’s daughters. And they took Jeremiah the prophet and
Baruch son of Neriah along with them.
7:
So they entered Egypt in disobedience to the Lord and went as far as Tahpanhes.
8:
In Tahpanhes the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah:
9:
“While the Jews are watching, take some large stones with you and bury them in
clay in the brick pavement at the entrance to Pharaoh’s palace in Tahpanhes.
10:
Then say to them, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I
will send for my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and I will set his
throne over these stones I have buried here; he will spread his royal canopy
above them.
11:
He will come and attack Egypt, bringing death to those destined for death,
captivity to those destined for captivity, and the sword to those destined for
the sword.
12:
He will set fire to the temples of the gods of Egypt; he will burn their
temples and take their gods captive. As a shepherd picks his garment clean of
lice, so he will pick Egypt clean and depart.
13:
There in the temple of the sun in Egypt he will demolish the sacred pillars and
will burn down the temples of the gods of Egypt.’”
(New
International Version Holy Bible)
TOPIC:
DO NOT LISTEN TO A GOSPEL THAT APPROVES YOUR SINFULNESS
The
remnants had vowed to obey God's command - whether favourable or not. But when
the answer came, they were not comfortable with it.
Azariah
led a team of godless men to challenge Jeremiah, accusing him of lying and
altering the word of God. These same people had derived pleasure in false
prophets who promised peace to Judah.
In
568 BC, Nebuchadnezzar besieged Egypt as Jeremiah prophesied and the remnants
paid a heavy price for their disobedience.
QUESTION:
Do you sometimes love listening to a gospel that approves your sinfulness?
PRAYER:
Dear Lord, help me to believe Your Gospel which challenges me to live a holy
life. Amen.
Remain
Blessed
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