Today's Reading:

Jeremiah 21
Jeremiah 22
Jeremiah 23
Jeremiah 24

God told the kings of Judah to do what was just and righteous, to protect the oppressed, and not to shed innocent blood. If they obeyed, then David’s line would keep the throne in Jerusalem. But they did not obey; therefore, the earthly throne ended with Zedekiah (586 BC).

So why did the bloodline continue? Because God’s promise to David in 2 Samuel 7 was ultimately unconditional. He said He would discipline disobedient sons but never remove His steadfast love or end the dynasty. The earthly throne was conditional on obedience. The bloodline and eternal throne were not.

God preserved the line through exile (even after the curse on Jehoiachin) so the Righteous Branch (Jeremiah 23:5–6) could come. Jesus is the perfect King who fulfills the everlasting throne. In Grace, they failed the condition, but God kept the promise anyway.

Where else in Scripture, or even in your own life, does God seem to close a door with one hand while quietly keeping another open with the other?

The book of Jeremiah is loaded with parables like the linen belt, wineskins, and the broken jar. Zedekiah was the last king of Judah before it was overtaken by Babylon. Zedekiah sent two officials to see Jeremiah. One was Zephaniah, the priest in charge during these final days (not the prophet from the book of Zephaniah). The other was Pashhur (not the same temple official Pashhur who put Jeremiah in the stocks). King Zedekiah wanted Jeremiah to ask the Lord on their behalf because King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was attacking. Judah had ignored God before, but now they wanted a miracle on demand. Jeremiah answered King Zedekiah and said that in God’s anger He was going to fight against Judah. Those in the city would die of plagues, and God would take away their weapons. Anyone who survived the plague would be taken into exile without mercy. As usual, though, God offered the people mercy, but it was their choice to accept it or not. They could surrender to Babylon or die in the city. Jerusalem would be destroyed by fire. This was the opposite of what the people expected to hear. It is a reminder that God’s ways are not our own.

In chapter 22, God then sent Jeremiah down to the palace of the king of Judah to see Zedekiah. (“Down” to the palace was down in elevation from the Temple). He told him to do what was right and just with no shedding of innocent blood or oppression. Of course, there was no repentance or change. The palace was like Gilead was beautifully made out of cedar, but it would not save them. God would turn it into firewood (Jeremiah 22:7). God told Jeremiah not to weep for the dead king Josiah (the last good king), but to weep for the exiled (Shallum/ Jehoahaz, who was Josiah’s son and reigned for 3 months before Pharaoh Necho removed him, and he died in Egypt (2 Kings 23:31-34). Jehoahaz would never come back home. Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness (Jehoiakim). He would get a burial like a donkey.

There was no patience from God for those who oppress others and take advantage of the poor while they live in luxury. Since the Israelites time in Egypt, they had been warned but refused to listen.

Even if his son, Jehoiachin, was like the powerful signet ring with all authority, God would pull it off and toss it away. God removed his position and then asked a rhetorical question, “Is Jehoiachin a despised, broken pot?” Meaning good for nothing. The corruption was so deep that God was removing them from power. Even though through genealogy it showed he had children, he was recorded as if he had none because none of his children would sit on the throne.

Chapter 23 started with “Woe to the shepherds (leaders) who destroy and scattered the sheep (God’s people) of God’s pasture,” not just in Israel and Judah. God would gather the remnant Himself from ALL nations. There was a prophecy of Jesus in 23:5-6, where God would raise up a shepherd, Righteous Branch and they would no longer be afraid. The Righteous Branch (Jesus) is righteous on our behalf, for us. That God had banished them was a strong phrase. Then God went to the false prophets because of the false hope they gave. Judah broke the covenant. They had abandoned God, so He went farther than exile to banishment. He used “banishment” to show complete separation from God. The sin of Judah and its capital, Jerusalem, was worse than Israel’s capital, Samaria. God said the false prophets were like the wind, a lot of noise without substance. God’s words were like a fire and like a hammer that tests quality and breaks rock into pieces. The false prophets were only telling the people what they wanted to hear. God would not send anymore true messages since He had forsaken His people, for any who prophets that were false and lying. Disgrace and shame would come to them,

God showed Jeremiah an analogy of two baskets of figs. During the 70 years of exile, one good outcome that would come was the remnant that would be watched over and saved. The bad figs were Zedekiah, the bad leaders, priests, and false prophets. They would be judged because they were rotten fruit. Those who were taken to Babylon as exiles were the blessed group, while those who fled to Egypt were not, because sometimes being taken out of one bad situation and put into another is actually God’s mercy.

Today's Discussion question:

Where else in Scripture or even your own life, does God seem to close a door with one hand while quietly keeping another open with the other?

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