Day 39 - 50 Day Journey To Christ

Daily Reading:

Jeremiah 11

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Reminder of the Covenant

1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Listen to the words of this covenant and tell them to the men of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem. 3 You must tell them: This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let a curse be on the man who does not obey the words of this covenant, 4 which I commanded your ancestors when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace.’ I declared: ‘Obey Me, and do everything that I command you, and you will be My people, and I will be your God,’ 5 in order to establish the oath I swore to your ancestors, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is today.”

I answered, “Amen, Lord.”

6 The Lord said to me, “Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem: Obey the words of this covenant and carry them out. 7 For I strongly warned your ancestors when I brought them out of the land of Egypt until today, warning them time and time again, ‘Obey My voice.’ 8 Yet they would not obey or pay attention; each one followed the stubbornness of his evil heart. So I brought on them all the curses of this covenant, because they had not done what I commanded them to do.”

9 The Lord said to me, “A conspiracy has been discovered among the men of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem. 10 They have returned to the sins of their ancestors who refused to obey My words and have followed other gods to worship them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah broke My covenant I made with their ancestors.

11 “Therefore, this is what the Lord says: I am about to bring on them disaster that they cannot escape. They will cry out to Me, but I will not hear them. 12 Then the cities of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods they have been burning incense to, but they certainly will not save them in their time of disaster. 13 Your gods are indeed as numerous as your cities, Judah, and the altars you have set up to Shame—altars to burn incense to Baal—as numerous as the streets of Jerusalem.

14 “As for you, do not pray for these people. Do not raise up a cry or a prayer on their behalf, for I will not be listening when they call out to Me at the time of their disaster.

15 What right does My beloved have

to be in My house,

having carried out so many evil schemes?

Can holy meat prevent your disaster

so you can rejoice?

16 The Lord named you

a flourishing olive tree,

beautiful with well-formed fruit.

He has set fire to it,

and its branches are consumed

with a great roaring sound.

17 “The Lord of Hosts who planted you has decreed disaster against you, because of the harm the house of Israel and the house of Judah brought on themselves, provoking Me to anger by burning incense to Baal.”

18 The Lord informed me, so I knew.

Then You helped me to see their deeds,

19 for I was like a docile lamb led to slaughter.

I didn’t know that they had devised plots against me:

“Let’s destroy the tree with its fruit;

let’s cut him off from the land of the living

so that his name will no longer be remembered.”

20 But, Lord of Hosts, who judges righteously,

who tests heart and mind,

let me see Your vengeance on them,

for I have presented my case to You.

21 Therefore, here is what the Lord says concerning the people of Anathoth who want to take your life. They warn, “You must not prophesy in the name of Yahweh, or you will certainly die at our hand.” 22 Therefore, this is what the Lord of Hosts says: “I am about to punish them. The young men will die by the sword; their sons and daughters will die by famine. 23 They will have no remnant, for I will bring disaster on the people of Anathoth in the year of their punishment.”

(Note: Read Jeremiah 25)

Key:  Bold - Verse of the Day

Reflection:  Jeremiah was the Lord's prophet, hand picked from an early age (like Samuel), the Lord placed His words into Jeremiah's mouth (Jer 1:10).  When YHWH spoke to the people of Jerusalem, He spoke through Jeremiah.  This did not make Jeremiah a very popular person, nor the book of Jeremiah a very popular book.  In today's selection the Word of the Lord is calling us to examine ourselves, reminding us that we are His, and we must return to Him.  We have put other things, priorities and altars before our God.  We have made it more about the program, and not the Programmer; the gifts and not the Gift; the lights and not the Light; the tree and not the Tree. We fill our lives with things to do, promising to say grace @ dinner, and go to church on Sunday.  We must repent.  We must turn back to God.  Examine your heart before its too late.  We too have been sealed by a covenant, we too are guilty of the sins of Israel. 

Discussion Topic:  What idols do you have in your own life that you are not aware of?   

Join the Discussion on G+

Prayer:  Father in Heaven, Your grace overwhelms my heart, Your judgment my soul.  I long to be made whole in You.  Thank You for Your Covenant, thank You for Your Law.  Holy Spirit, please search my heart and reveal to me the idols I have suppressed  or passed off as normal or tolerable.  Show me, Lord, the things I do that keep me from the fullness of Your grace.  Lord Jesus, thank You for Your obedience, that despite my disobedience, You gave up Heaven to come to earth for my salvation.  You were led to slaughter, docile. You were chopped down for our sins.  Teach me to always make it about You.  It is for Your name, in Your name, and because of Your name I pray.  Amen. 

Acknowledgements: Text - BibleGateway.com, Artwork - Stories Of