The Lord will rebuke Israel who have been led astray by false shepherds, then will restore them again.
Jeremiah 13: The Ruined Loincloth
1 Thus says the LORD to me, "Go and buy a linen loincloth and put it around your waist, and do not dip it in water."
2 So I bought a loincloth according to the word of the LORD, and put it around my waist.
3 And the word of the LORD came to me a second time,
4 "Take the loincloth that you have bought, which is around your waist, and arise, go to the Euphrates and hide it there in a cleft of the rock."
5 So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me.
6 And after many days the LORD said to me, "Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take from there the loincloth that I commanded you to hide there."
7 Then I went to the Euphrates, and dug, and I took the loincloth from the place where I had hidden it. And behold, the loincloth was spoiled; it was good for nothing.
8 Then the word of the LORD came to me:
9 "Thus says the LORD: Even so will I spoil the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem.
10 This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who stubbornly follow their own heart and have gone after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be like this loincloth, which is good for nothing.
11 For as the loincloth clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, declares the LORD, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory, but they would not listen.
The Jars Filled with Wine
12 "You shall speak to them this word: 'Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, "Every jar shall be filled with wine."' And they will say to you, 'Do we not indeed know that every jar will be filled with wine?'
13 Then you shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD: Behold, I will fill with drunkenness all the inhabitants of this land: the kings who sit on David's throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
14 And I will dash them one against another, fathers and sons together, declares the LORD. I will not pity or spare or have compassion, that I should not destroy them.'"
Exile Threatened
15 Hear and give ear; be not proud, for the LORD has spoken.
16 Give glory to the LORD your God before he brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the twilight mountains, and while you look for light he turns it into gloom and makes it deep darkness.
17 But if you will not listen, my soul will weep in secret for your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly and run down with tears, because the LORD's flock has been taken captive.
18 Say to the king and the queen mother: "Take a lowly seat, for your beautiful crown has come down from your head."
19 The cities of the Negeb are shut up, with none to open them; all Judah is taken into exile, wholly taken into exile.
20 "Lift up your eyes and see those who come from the north. Where is the flock that was given you, your beautiful flock?
21 What will you say when they set as head over you those whom you yourself have taught to be friends to you? Will not pangs take hold of you like those of a woman in labor?
22 And if you say in your heart, 'Why have these things come upon me?' it is for the greatness of your iniquity that your skirts are lifted up and you suffer violence.
23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil.
24 I will scatter you like chaff driven by the wind from the desert.
25 This is your lot, the portion I have measured out to you, declares the LORD, because you have forgotten me and trusted in lies.
26 I myself will lift up your skirts over your face, and your shame will be seen.
27 I have seen your abominations, your adulteries and neighings, your lewd whorings, on the hills in the field. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! How long will it be before you are made clean?"
Jeremiah 14: Famine, Sword, and Pestilence
1 The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:
2 "Judah mourns, and her gates languish; her people lament on the ground, and the cry of Jerusalem goes up.
3 Her nobles send their servants for water; they come to the cisterns; they find no water; they return with their vessels empty; they are ashamed and confounded and cover their heads.
4 Because of the ground that is dismayed, since there is no rain on the land, the farmers are ashamed; they cover their heads.
5 Even the doe in the field forsakes her newborn fawn because there is no grass.
6 The wild donkeys stand on the bare heights; they pant for air like jackals; their eyes fail because there is no vegetation.
7 "Though our iniquities testify against us, act, O LORD, for your name's sake; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against you.
8 O you hope of Israel, its savior in time of trouble, why should you be like a stranger in the land, like a traveler who turns aside to tarry for a night?
9 Why should you be like a man confused, like a mighty warrior who cannot save? Yet you, O LORD, are in the midst of us, and we are called by your name; do not leave us."
10 Thus says the LORD concerning this people: "They have loved to wander thus; they have not restrained their feet; therefore the LORD does not accept them; now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins."
11 The LORD said to me: "Do not pray for the welfare of this people.
12 Though they fast, I will not hear their cry, and though they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence."
Lying Prophets
13 Then I said: "Ah, Lord GOD, behold, the prophets say to them, 'You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.'"
14 And the LORD said to me: "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.
15 Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name although I did not send them, and who say, 'Sword and famine shall not come upon this land': By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed.
16 And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem, victims of famine and sword, with none to bury them---them, their wives, their sons, and their daughters. For I will pour out their evil upon them.
17 "You shall say to them this word: 'Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease, for the virgin daughter of my people is shattered with a great wound, with a very grievous blow.
18 If I go out into the field, behold, those pierced by the sword! And if I enter the city, behold, the diseases of famine! For both prophet and priest ply their trade through the land and have no knowledge.'"
19 Have you utterly rejected Judah? Does your soul loathe Zion? Why have you struck us down so that there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but no good came; for a time of healing, but behold, terror.
20 We acknowledge our wickedness, O LORD, and the iniquity of our fathers, for we have sinned against you.
21 Do not spurn us, for your name's sake; do not dishonor your glorious throne; remember and do not break your covenant with us.
22 Are there any among the false gods of the nations that can bring rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Are you not he, O LORD our God? We set our hope on you, for you do all these things.
Things to think about…
1. Jer 13:1-11, Jeremiah buys a loincloth and buries it. This garment was unseen yet very personal and necessary for basic dress and hygiene. It was bought new and represented Judah’s pride. Why did the Lord ask Jeremiah to go all the way over to the Euphrates River a trip of over 850 klms and bury it. Would have taken many weeks to walk. Judah’s pride is represented by the loincloth. This pride would be ruined after many days. The description represents the fact that Judah would go into captivity into Babylon. Their pride will be based, ruined. Such is the case with all those who exalt themselves above the Lord’s revealed will. Paul says we are to live quiet and peaceable lives, 1 Tim 2:1, 2. Only a humble spirit will be exalted. It can be a very painful process attaining the humility in the first place. But the Lord’s love and grace for His children will make it happen so they conform to His image, Rom 8:29.
2. In Jer 13:12-14 it says the wine jars will be filled with wine. The hearers agree and say “Do we not indeed know that every jar will be filled with wine?”, vs 12 as if to say ‘what’s your point Jeremiah?’. His point is that they will be filled with derision as if drunk and will crash into each other and be destroyed. Their confused counsel against Jeremiah’s words and the Babylonian invasion will be unstoppable. When we go against the Lord’s revealed will it is never pretty. The Lord’s love will bring us to His holy will. The sooner we learn this the more joy and peace we experience in our daily walk with the Lord.
3. On Jer 13:15-27 the Lord speaks of the impending judgment upon the rebellious inhabitants of Judah. And yet he offers mercy before judgement, “Give glory to the LORD your God before he brings darkness”, vs 16. But they would not listen. Why not? The reasoning is given, “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil”, Jer 13:23. The obvious answer is, no. Judah is corrupt with rebellion from head to foot and the only thing left is judgement. Jesus speaks about this in the parable of the Sower, judgement is determined for those who are not planted in the good soil of Christ’s grace. Purging is never fun, but necessary for the follower of Christ. We are as the Lord says, to be “holy as I am holy”, 1 Pet 1:16. There is no joy for the Lord in any of this. He says “How long will it be before you are made clean?", vs 27. Our Lord Jesus felt the same way when the disciples displayed periods of poor spiritual endeavour when He says, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you?”, Matt 17:17.
4. The Lord sends plenty of warning signs to His people before He finally judges their rebellion. In many cases it is through drought and/or pestilence. In this case it was drought, Jer 14:1-6. Jeremiah then prays for them to receive the Lord’s mercy, vss 7-9. But the Lord answers back “They have loved to wander thus; they have not restrained their feet”, vs 10, “Do not pray for the welfare of this people”, vs 11. Even their fasting, offerings and prayers the Lord will not hear, vs 12. We see what happens when a church’s prayers are not heard because they have walked against the revealed will of God in Rev 2 and 3. Pray that we are sensitive to the Lord’s leading and then have the will to follow.
5. Nobody ever wants to hear bad news. But the reality is actions have consequences. Even so, the prophets in Judah would lie to the people by saying tragedy would not come by saying “You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine…”, Jer 14:13. They would indeed be judged very quickly by Babylon. They were the bad figs Jeremiah would go on to describe in Jer 24. Some do not want to accept the tough truths of judgement either temporal or eternal that are described in the bible. It is folly to stick our heads in the sand and ignore these texts. God is the same yesterday, today and forever, Heb 13:8.
6. Jeremiah says the judgment on the false prophets will be severe for leading the people astray, Jer 14:14-17. There is famine, vs 17 and drought vs 22. Even now Jeremiah prays for the people, vss 18-22. These verses describe how bad things had become. But there had been years or rebellion and no-one faithfully prophesying or listening except the prophet Jeremiah. Sadly, this is the case today, biblical authority and truth is not lifted up as it should be. We have many churches with wonderful uplifting music, stories, testimonies. They have amazing kids ministries and youth groups, but the one thing needful,… the faithful preaching of God’s word and its application in church life is not applied. We have women elders and preachers, very little preaching on the Lord’s eternal judgement or holiness. As such we have Christians that don’t share a message of indwelling sin and the need to repent, but one of ‘come to our exciting church that has wonderful ministries, uplifting messages, great music and awesome coffee’. These churches are growing, the message is working. Lord have mercy. James, the Lord’s brother says it best, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness”, Jam 3:1. He didn’t say ‘sisters’ because that was already understood.
7. I love hearing Jeremiah’s heart. He is ever praying that the rebellious children of the Lord would turn back to the Lord, Jer 14:19-21. They are very religious and invoke His name, they go to the temple and offer prayer, fasting and sacrifices, but then go and live like devils. But even after all of this his signoff in the chapter is “We set our hope on you, for you do all these things”, vs 22. The follower of Christ by Gid’s grace keeps this as their focus even when there is spiritual rebellion. The best days are yet to come!
Vision statement for CBC
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Life groups Wednesday – 6:30pm at church. We will be discussing how Jesus is the Priest in your life.
Prayer Points
1. New people as they settle in
2. Pray for the new treasurer Mathys and outreach.
3. Zac and Suzy as they lead next week, Mathys Communion and Doug as He preaches.
4. Revival over our city.
5. Pray for Kids church and Kids Hope at Karalee State school.
6. Pray for the work we have going on with site development and TMR and the ways forward whether with our friends at the Drive-in or elsewhere.
7. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to increase.
Praise Points
1. New people on Sunday.
2. Members meeting on Sunday was blessed with unity and joy. Thankyou everyone
3. Finances continue to be maintained.
4. The Lord’s grace over our lives and country
5. Café, music, sound and technical team every week
6. Joy, peace and grace we see at CBC. Thankyou Lord
Announcements
1. Ministries this week. Life group, Kids@Church, Kids Hope - Karalee.
2. PlayPatch 1-4yos, Fridays 9:30am at church.
3. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
4. Tune in again this week on our YouTube page. Subscribe to the CBC channel Chuwar Baptist YouTube channel.
Catechism questions for February...
Q. 29. What do we inherit from Adam as a result of this original sin?
