Daily Bible Devotionals

“Against the Ammonites. Thus, says the Lord: ‘Has Israel no sons? Has he no heir? Why then does Milcom (Molech) inherit Gad, and his people dwell in its cities? Therefore behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘that I will cause to be heard an alarm of war in Rabbah of the Ammonites; it shall be a desolate mound, and her villages shall be burned with fire. Then Israel shall take possession of his inheritance,’ says the Lord.” Jeremiah 49:1-2 (NKJV)

Every kid loves a "snow day." For you people living in Hawaii or Los Angeles who may not know, a snow day is when children don’t have to go to school because the icy roads are deemed too dangerous for school buses. One year, when I was in Jr High, my friend Jeff and I were making the most of our snow day by throwing snowballs at cars driving by.   Most people would laugh, honk and wave when we hit their cars, but one guy got very angry! He got out of his car and chased us through the neighborhood. When Jeff and I decided to split up, the psycho driver chose to chase me! Like any scared kid, I ran home. I figured I would be safe if I could lock myself in my house. I made it home, hopped the fence, and shot straight for my back door, but it was locked! Then the psycho driver hopped my fence! No bueno!

Just when I thought all was lost, my mom looked out the window and saw an angry stranger about to attack her son. Immediately, the pursuer was being pursued by a butcher’s knife-wielding mom!! When my father got home, he already knew the whole story. Apparently, my snowball had struck one of his company cars. The psycho driver was one of my dad’s co-workers. I got a spanking for disrespecting other people’s (aka company) property. And my dad was right. I deserved it.

If you can understand that story, perhaps you can understand how God was justified in His punishment of Israel’s idolatry, as well as in His punishing Ammon, whom He used to punish Israel’s idolatry. It was the people of Ammon who had enticed Israel to sin with their false idol worship of Molech in the first place. And worship of Molech was particularly evil.

“You are not to make any of your children pass through the fire to Molech. Do not profane the name of your God; I am YHWH.”  Leviticus 18:21 (HCSB)

Israel had chosen to turn away from God and His Word, choosing to affiliate with worldly Ammon, to the point where they were sacrificing their children to Ammon’s false god, Molech, by burning them! Lest we get self-righteous, consider who many followers of Jesus seek to justify abortion in our generation.  

But was God done with Israel? No! He sought to punish them by the same people they idolized, but He also sought justice on their behalf. And that is the difference between God’s rebuke of His children and His punishment of unbelievers: Mercy. God loves His own, even though He does not condone all their behavior. Choose Him today! His grace is offered to all who, by faith in Jesus, would believe.

“The one who does the Lord’s business deceitfully is cursed, and the one who withholds his sword from bloodshed is cursed. Moab has been left quiet since his youth, settled like wine on its dregs. He hasn’t been poured from one container to another or gone into exile. So his taste has remained the same, and his aroma hasn’t changed. Therefore look, the days are coming— this is the Lord’s declaration when I will send those to him, who will pour him out. They will empty his containers and smash his jars. Moab will be put to shame because of Chemosh, just as the house of Israel was put to shame because of Bethel that they trusted in.” Jeremiah 48:10-13 (HCSB)

There is always a war going on somewhere. Even if you are not a member of the armed forces, you have to recognize at least you are a citizen of a country that is pretty much always at war with someone all of the time. I’m not a professional “warrior,” but I know that soldiers amid battle do not take their jobs lightly. And those who do have a higher probability of becoming casualties. No, warfare demands the blood of the enemy before they spill yours.

Today’s passage begins with a reminder that we are in the midst of spiritual warfare. That is, we must realize that Satan is our mortal enemy, and sin is his weapon. He will never cease his efforts to kill us. So, why do we keep trying to negotiate peace with our sins, searching for a compromise that will allow us to retain “pet” sins, taking the Lord’s business carelessly?  

You see, the Lord, alone, is holy. His “business” is making His holiness known, and He will not stand for anyone (or anything) to steal the worship that is rightfully His. By tempting us to sin, Satan seeks to steal worship from God, separating us from the Lord. If we are truly to be about the Lord’s business, then our business should be comprised of 1) directing worship towards Him, and 2) doing away with sin in our lives.  

The sin that Moab, Israel, and the nations were judged for was idolatry. Moab had abundant money, power, and resources, and they attributed their success to their “non-god” Chemosh. Each nation had their “homegrown” gods, and Israel worshiped pagan gods (both foreign and of their own design) at Bethel.

God’s indictment was that they had all taken His business carelessly and withheld His Word (the sword) from its rightful task, which is intended to drive sin out of our lives...killing it, as it were.

So, how seriously are you taking the Lord’s business in your life? Are you seeking His Word daily? Do you allow it to embolden you to trust God and put away your idols, those things you ascribe power and worship to, instead of God?

This Groundworks Ministries Podcast is coming soon! In the meantime, click the “Read Full Chapter” button above to study Jeremiah 47.

“But you, My servant Jacob, do not be afraid, and do not be discouraged, Israel, for without fail I will save you from far away and your descendants, from the land of their captivity! Jacob will return and have calm and quiet with no one to frighten him. And you, My servant Jacob, do not be afraid—this is the Lord’s declaration—for I will be with you. I will bring destruction on all the nations where I have banished you, but I will not bring destruction on you. I will discipline you with justice, and I will by no means leave you unpunished.” Jeremiah 46:27-28 (HCSB)

Let’s refresh our memories on the Jewish people's history after King Solomon's reign. Solomon was succeeded by his son, Rehoboam. After his coronation, the elders of the kingdom assembled to ask Rehoboam if he would be hard on them or if he would ease their labor. Instead of heeding Solomon's former advisors' advice (to lighten the people’s burdens), Rehoboam sought advice from his young, who encouraged Rehoboam to increase their burdens.

At that time, a leader named Jeroboam arose and convinced ten of Israel’s twelve tribes to follow him. To entice the people, he built two golden calves for them to worship instead of worshipping at the temple in Jerusalem. This entered the era in Jewish history called the “Divided Kingdom.”  Henceforth, in Scripture, the Jewish people were split into Northern and Southern kingdoms. The Northern Kingdom (aka Israel) was comprised of ten tribes. The Southern Kingdom (aka Judah) was comprised of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, plus a small number of people from the other ten tribes who defected to Judah to worship God in Jerusalem.

Because the Northern kingdom of Israel departed straightway into idolatry, their eventual demise came swifter than the Southern kingdom of Judah’s demise. Assyria defeated Israel, deporting its inhabitants to other nations while filling the Northern land with foreigners from other nations Assyria had defeated. At that time, God allowed Assyria to destroy and defeat only as far as Jerusalem in the kingdom of Judah. He spared Judah because of the faithful prayers of its king, Hezekiah. After Hezekiah’s death, the bulk of Judah’s kings led the people deeper into idolatry. So, God eventually judged Judah as he judged Israel. God will not be mocked!  

Judah’s idolatry was more sophisticated. It developed as worldliness crept into Torah-observant YHWH worship. Eventually, God judged Judah as He had judged Israel through Assyrian defeat. But this time, His tool of rebuke was Babylon.

Today’s chapter begins with God’s stern declaration to the inhabitants of Judah that because they sought refuge from Babylon in an Egyptian alliance, instead of repenting and seeking God, they would be destroyed by Babylon in Egypt! But the chapter ends with a kind word to the exiled Northern Kingdom of Israel: Their time of exile would soon end. They would someday be restored to the land! God rebukes His children, and sometimes very sternly. But His mercy to His children is that His rebuke does not last forever! God, judge our nation, but in Your mercy.

“This is the word that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch son of Neriah when he wrote these words on a scroll at Jeremiah’s dictation in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Joash, king of Judah: This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says to you, Baruch: You have said, ‘Woe is me because the Lord had added misery to my pain. I am worn out with groaning and have found no rest.’” Jeremiah 45:1-3 (HCSB)

Biblical authors do not always report God’s Word in chronological order. Often, they skip around as the Lord leads, much like a teenager tells a story. Today’s chapter can best be understood through the lens of chapter 36, which puts today’s chapter in its proper timeline.

“In the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ‘Take a scroll and write on it all the words I have spoken to you concerning Israel, Judah, and all the nations from the time I first spoke to you during Josiah’s reign until today.’…  So Jeremiah summoned Baruch, son of Neriah. At Jeremiah’s dictation, Baruch wrote on a scroll all the words the Lord had spoken to Jeremiah. Then Jeremiah commanded Baruch, ‘I am restricted; I cannot enter the temple of the Lord, so you must go and read from the scroll which you wrote at my dictation – the words of the Lord in the hearing of the people at the temple of the Lord on a day of fasting.’” Jeremiah 36:1-2, 4-6a (HCSB)

Enemies of God’s Word are always out to silence it. At this time, Jeremiah was held captive and barred from entering the Temple. Jeremiah was banned from the Temple because he was prophesying God’s Word to the people, and Judah’s King and his officials would not accept it. Of course, nothing can silence God, so Baruch was summoned to be Jeremiah’s (i.e., God’s) mouthpiece. Lesson: Kill the prophet, and God will raise up another. That’s a great idea, as long as your name is not Baruch!

Baruch had the opportunity and responsibility of carrying God’s Word, unsupervised, to the Temple. This posed an opportunity for the young Baruch to compromise to “save face” with his colleagues at the Temple. This was such a temptation for Baruch that the Lord decided it was necessary to give him a warning at the onset of his calling.  

“This is what you are to say to him: This is what the Lord says: ‘What I have built, I am about to demolish, and what I have planted I am about to uproot – the whole land! But as for you, do you seek great things for yourself? Stop seeking! For I am about to bring disaster on every living creature’ – this is the Lord’s declaration – ‘but I will grant you your life like the spoils of war wherever you go.’” Jeremiah 45:4-5 (HCSB)

So, what is our takeaway? It is of utmost importance to God that we receive His Word and deliver it to people without compromising. We should not be concerned with whether people are offended by our gospel message. We should be concerned with offending God by watering down what He has called us to share!

“But Jeremiah responded to all the people – the men, women, and all the people who were answering him – saying, ‘As for the incense you burned in Judah’s cities and in Jerusalem’s streets – you, your fathers, your kings, your officials, and the people of the land – did the Lord not remember them? He brought this to mind. The Lord can no longer bear your evil deeds and the detestable acts you have committed, so your land has become a waste, a desolation, and an object of cursing, without inhabitant, as you see today.’” Jeremiah 44:22-23 (HCSB)

Today’s dialogue between Jeremiah and the evil, idolatrous remnant of Judah is similar to the apostle Peter’s exhortation to the dispersed Jews (and young-in-the-faith believers) of his time. For instance, Jeremiah preached that God’s patience should not be misconstrued as approval of their idolatry. Furthermore, Peter exhorts that God’s slowness does not mean He will not keep His promises. Both Jeremiah and Peter send a clear and relevant message to us: Know & obey the Word of the Lord!

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV)

“‘This will be a sign to you’ – the Lord’s declaration – ‘that I am about to punish you in this place, so you may know that My words of disaster concerning you will certainly come to pass. This is what the Lord says, ‘I am about to hand over Pharaoh Hophra, Egypt’s king, to his enemies, to those who want to take his life, just as I handed over Judah’s King Zedekiah to Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar, who was his enemy, the one who wanted to take his life.’” Jeremiah 44:29-30 (HCSB)

“But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief; on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness as you wait for and earnestly desire the coming of the day of God. The heavens will be on fire and be dissolved because of it, and the elements will melt with the heat.” 2 Peter 3:10-12 (HCSB)

“I will punish those living in the land of Egypt just as I punished Jerusalem by sword, famine, and plague. Then a remnant of Judah – those going to live for a while there in the land of Egypt – will have no fugitive or survivor to return to the land of Judah, where they are longing to return to live, for they will not return except for a few refugees.”  Jeremiah 44:13-14 (HCSB)

“But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.” 2 Peter 3:13-14 (NIV)

“Now it happened, when Jeremiah had stopped speaking to all the people all the words of the Lord their God, for which the Lord their God had sent him to them, all these words, that Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men spoke, saying to Jeremiah, ‘You speak falsely! The Lord our God has not sent you to say, “Do not go to Egypt to dwell there.” But Baruch the son of Neriah has set you against us, to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they may put us to death or carry us away captive to Babylon.’  So Johanan the son of Kareah, all the captains of the forces, and all the people would not obey the voice of the Lord, to remain in the land of Judah.” Jeremiah 43:1-4 (NKJV)

Why do you seek the Lord? A UCLA study on the rise of spirituality on college campuses showed that 87% of college students seek the Lord for what He can do for them. That means only 13% of college students pursue spirituality to learn what God requires of them. Is it any wonder that non-believers perceive Christians as being self-focused and uncaring? Of course, when we become the central focus of our worship, it is impossible to be others-. Self-focused worship is contrary to the teaching of Jesus.

“Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. And He said to them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called “benefactors.” But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.’” Luke 22:24-27 (NKJV)

When our worship is focused on pleasing ourselves, we cease to please the Lord, who calls us to live selflessly. And self-focused worship causes us to trust in worldly ways & means for protection & provision. (Idolatry)  Selfish believers (oxymoron) refuse to see, forsaking to submit to God’s Word by merely obeying it half-heartedly.  

“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”’” Revelation 3:14-16 (NKJV)

The inhabitants of Judah followed the Lord half-heartedly. They wanted His blessing but denied Him their faithfulness. That led them to trust in worldly sources (i.e., Egypt) to supply a life they believed God was either unwilling or unable to deliver. That NEVER works out well! Rescue is only found in returning to the Lord. Do not seek the Lord vainly (half-heartedly). Deliverance does not come by escaping God’s rebuke; instead, by enduring it. Surrender your whole self to His Lordship. “Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up!” (1 Peter:5-6)

“So Jeremiah the prophet said to them, ‘I have heard. I will now pray to the Lord your God according to your words, and every word that the Lord answers you I will tell you; I won’t withhold a word from you.’” Jeremiah 42:4 (HCSB)

We are living in desperate times here in the United States. More and more, the values that built our nation (primarily Judeo-Christian values) are being redefined and presented to us as if they have evolved into something Worldly to become more inclusive and tolerant. And I am amazed at how few followers of Jesus are standing up to lend a prophetic voice to our generation. Sadly, many align themselves with the World, standing against believers who adhere to God’s Word.  

Other believers are so afraid of being rejected by friends, family, and neighbors. So, while they may have Biblical answers, they withhold from sharing the whole counsel of God. In seeking not to offend people, they have no problem offending God by rejecting His directive to be His voice, even amid persecution. It may surprise you to hear that this season of history does not surprise me. The Lord told us this season would come.

“I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and because of His appearing and His kingdom: Proclaim the message; persist in it whether convenient or not; rebuke, correct, and encourage with great patience and teaching. For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear something new. They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths. But as for you, be serious about everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:1-5 (HCSB)

The days of Jeremiah were not unlike what we are facing today. The people approached Jeremiah and asked if he would seek the Lord on their behalf, and Jeremiah agreed. But the Word of the Lord will always be at odds with compromise. God does not negotiate unless your negotiation involves surrender. At that point, you are not negotiating as much as you are aligning yourself with His Word with no further resistance.  

God’s response was gracious yet unwavering: If you will repent, I will relent. Does that mean God changed His mind? Absolutely not! God’s intent has always been clear: Follow Him, and He will bless you. Depart from Him, and He will rebuke your rebellion. When people humble themselves and return to the Lord, it is they who have changed, not God.  

Sadly, the people of Jerusalem chose to reject the Lord’s message through Jeremiah. Will the same be said of the United States? In many ways, it all depends on people like you, who must be determined to seek, obey, and share God’s Word.

“In the seventh month, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, of the royal family one of the king’s chief officers, came with ten men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah. They ate a meal together there in Mizpah, but then Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him got up and struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, with the sword; he killed the one the king of Babylon had appointed in the land. Ishmael also struck down all the Judeans who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, as well as the Chaldean soldiers who were there.” Jeremiah 41:1-3 (HCSB)

Gedaliah faithfully attempted to bring some order out of the chaos resulting from Jerusalem's fall.

‍“And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, took an oath before them and their men, saying, ‘Do not fear to serve the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will be well with you. Behold, I will live at Mizpah to serve the Chaldeans who will come to me: But you, gather your wine, and summer fruits, and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities which you have chosen.’” Jeremiah 40:9-10 (NKJV)

There was no doubt of the sincerity, loyalty, and wisdom of Gedaliah, but almost immediately, a plot was formed against his life. Johanan and the “leaders of the forces in the open country” reported to the governor that Ishmael, of the royal family, one of the chief officers of the king, had been sent by the ruler of the Ammonites to assassinate Gedaliah. In his naïve trust, Gedaliah did not believe the reports. Johanan even offered to protect Gedaliah by secretly killing the intending murderer. But the unsuspecting victim replied, “You shall not do this thing, for you speak falsely about Ishmael.”

Gedaliah did not doubt the loyalty of Ishmael, and no one would have believed the depth of his treachery. Of course, today’s passage tells the story. Ishmael was not a man to be trusted with the life of the governor, nor the Jews in his company or the Chaldeans who were attending to the governor. The slaughter was so overwhelming that no one knew of the “murder of Gedaliah” the next day when a company of 80 pilgrims approached Mizpah.

These pilgrims exhibited signs of deep sorrow and carried offerings with them as they were on the way to Jerusalem, possibly to mourn for the destruction of the Temple. Another slaughter ensues, and seventy pilgrims are killed while the remaining ten beg for their lives, using hidden desert storehouses as bargaining chips.

So, what are we to glean from these tragic events? Desperate times lead to desperate measures. For the ungodly, their desperation leads to evil. Those who choose to follow the Lord become all the more desperate to follow Him.  

It is also important for us to not be so trusting, not just of the non-believer but also of the professing follower of Jesus. There is a simple formula for trust: Trust = Character/Time. Just because a person professes to be a believer doesn’t mean they can be fully trusted to babysit your children, for instance. If they sustain a Messiah-like character over time, then they can be entrusted with more responsibility.