Copr. Bruce N. Cameron, J.D., 1996.
INTRODUCTION: JEREMIAH'S LIFE WAS DIFFICULT IN MANY WAYS. THIS WEEK WE LOOK AT THE SIN THAT CREATED THE PROBLEM IN JUDAH, AND THE HARDSHIP THAT JER FACED IN WARNING OF THAT SIN.
I. THE PROBLEM WITH THE PEOPLE OF JUDAH
A. READ JER 1:16; 2:11-13
B. WHAT ARE THE TWO FUNDAMENTAL SINS OF THE PEOPLE? (THEY FORSOOK THE SPRING OF LIVING WATER. AND THEY CREATED THEIR OWN WHICH COULD NOT HOLD WATER.)
1. LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THE PARALLELS. THE BEST THING FOR A FARMER WAS TO HAVE A SPRING ON HIS PROPERTY. IN THE ABSENCE OF THAT, HE WOULD DIG A CISTERN INTO THE LIMESTONE HILLS AND THEN PLASTER THE BOTTOM SO IT WOULD HOLD RAIN WATER WHEN IT RAINED. THE PROBLEM WITH THESE PLASTER CISTERNS WAS THAT THEY WOULD LEAK AND THE WATER SEEP OUT.)
2. WHAT IS THE LIVING WATER THAT GOD PROMISED? (ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH JESUS.)
3.WHAT IS DIGGING OUR OWN CISTERNS? (DEPENDING ON SELF. THIS IS A WORTHLESS SUBSTITUTE.)
a. NOTICE THAT GOD SAYS THAT THESE ARE TWO PROBLEMS. DO WE HAVE THESE TWO PROBLEMS TODAY, STILL? (YOU BET.)
b. IN JER 2:11 GOD ASKS, "HAS A NATION EVER CHANGED ITS GODS?" NOBODY THAT I KNOW OF BOWS DOWN TO AN IDOL. BUT DO WE HAVE IDOL WORSHIP TODAY?
c. DO CHRISTIANS CHANGE THEIR GODS TODAY?
d. WHAT ARE THE GODS THAT WE MIGHT CHANGE TO? (SELF OR NATURE: THESE ARE THE PERENNIAL "gods.")
II. THE REACTION OF THE REPROVED.
A. IN JER 11 GOD TOLD JER THAT THE PEOPLE HAD BROKEN HIS COVENANT AND WERE NOT KEEPING HIS LAW. WE ARE GOING TO STUDY THE DETAILS OF HOW THEY DID THIS IN TWO WEEKS.
B. THIS WEEK, HOWEVER, WE LOOK AT THE REACTION OF THE PEOPLE TO THIS KIND OF REPROOF. READ JER 11:18-23.
C. LETS BE SURE WE HAVE THE PICTURE HERE. WHAT DID THE MEN OF JER'S HOME TOWN TELL HIM? (v.21: "DO NOT PROPHESY IN THE NAME OF THE LORD OR YOU WILL DIE BY OUR HANDS.")
1. DO YOU THINK THEY WERE SERIOUS? (YES. v.19 SAYS THAT THEY ACTUALLY HAD A PLOT TO KILL JER.)
2. THAT TELLS US TWO THINGS: FIRST, THEY WERE DEAD SERIOUS. SECOND, JER OBEYED GOD INSTEAD OF MAN AND KEPT PROPHESYING.
D. HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF YOUR HOMETOWN PEOPLE WERE TRYING TO KILL YOU? (MY "HOMETOWN" IS BERRIEN SPRINGS, MICH. I LOVE TO GO THERE AND SEE PEOPLE WHO KNEW MY FOLKS AND KNEW ME WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BOY AND WHEN I WAS A TEEN. RECENTLY, MY BROTHER AND I SAT DOWN IN CHURCH (HE IS 40) AND I HEARD SOMEONE WHISPER, "ARE THOSE THE CAMERON BOYS?" YOU CAN'T BEAT THAT! THEY LOVE TO ASK ME ABOUT MY FAMILY AND MY CASES AND I LOVE TO TELL THEM. WE ENJOY AND ADMIRE EACH OTHER AND IT FEELS GREAT.)
E. IS THIS REACTION TO JER AN ISOLATED MATTER, OR CAN ALL OF US EXPECT THIS IF WE ARE FAITHFUL WITNESSES? (CHRIST CERTAINLY EXPERIENCED THIS AND SO DID THE APOSTLES (ACTS 13:50) IF YOU LOOK AT REV 2:10 AND HEB 10:33 IT SEEMS THAT PERSECUTION OF THIS NATURE IS NOT A CONSTANT THING FOR MOST PEOPLE. SO NOT A NECESSARY ELEMENT OF BEING A CHRISTIAN.)
F. LETS READ JER 12:6. DOES THE PROBLEM GO BEYOUND THE HOMETOWN GROUP? (YES. HIS FAMILY IS PART OF THE PLOT!)
1. HOW WOULD THAT MAKE YOU FEEL? YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR HOMETOWN OUT TO GET YOU?
2. DO YOU GET THE FEELING FROM v.6 THAT JER DID NOT KNOW THAT HIS FAMILY WAS PART OF THE PLOT? ("THOUGH THEY SPEAK WELL OF YOU.")
G. WHO WAS ON JER'S SIDE AND WHAT DID HE DO ABOUT IT? (GOD WAS ON HIS SIDE. HE TIPPED JER ABOUT THE PROBLEM (11:18) AND GOD WAS GOING TO DESTROY THEM (11:21-23.)
H. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT HIS PICTURE OF GOD? WHEN THE ISSUES OF RIGHT AND WRONG SO STRONG THAT PEOPLE WANT TO KILL THE TRUE WITNESSES? DO YOU WANT GOD WADING IN AGAINST THE ENEMY OF HIS PEOPLE?
1. OR IS EVERYTHING, TO QUOTE GEORGE BUSH, "KINDER AND GENTLER" NOW?
2. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE WOULD BE GLAD FOR A MIGHTY WARRIOR ON OUR SIDE AND THAT WE WOULD WANT TO BE VERY SURE THAT WE ARE ON THE SIDE OF THOSE WHO ARE PLOTTED AGAINST INSTEAD OF THE PLOTTERS.
I. LETS CONTINUE BY FOLLOWING JER TO CHPT 20 WERE WE FIND MORE TROUBLE FOR HIM. READ JER 20:1-6.
1. WHAT HAPPENED TO JER? (HE WAS BEATEN -- LESSON SAYS NOT MORE THAN 40 LASHES -- AND THEN PUT IN STOCKS.)
2. WHAT WAS HIS CRIME? (THAT HE WAS PROPHESYING ABOUT THE FALL OF JUDAH.)
3. PASHUR IS ALSO A PROPHET. WHY WOULD ONE PROPHET BE BEATING ANOTHER PROPHET? (v.6 SAYS THAT HE WAS PROPHESYING LIES.)
4. READING BETWEEN THE LINES OF 20:6, WHAT WAS PASHURE PROPHESYING ABOUT AND WHOSE PROPHESIES WERE MORE POPULAR? JER OR PASHURE? (CLASSIC PROBLEM THAT PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR. WHO WANTS TO HEAR THAT YOUR COUNTRY IS GOING TO BE DESTROYED? AND YOUR PEOPLE CAPTURED?)
5. DOES GOD IMPOSE PUNISHMENT UPON PASHUR FOR THIS FALSE PROPHESY? (THE VERY THING THAT HE SAID WAS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO HIM AND HIS FRIENDS. HE WILL DIE IN BABYLON.)
6. GOD SAYS THAT PASHUR WAS GOING TO BE A TERROR TO HIMSELF AND HIS FRIENDS. HOW WAS THAT? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT TODAY? (PASHUR WAS A TERROR TO HIS FRIENDS BECAUSE HE DID NOT TELL THEM THE TRUTH. IF HE HAD, HE MIGHT HAVE SAVED THEM. WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT JUST PUSHING SIN UNDER THE RUG AND NEVER CONFRONTING IT.)(PEPPIE, NOT A TANK, ATTACKING OTHERS, BUT A CLEAR WITNESS ON WHAT IS RIGHT AND WRONG. AND IF ASKED, AN HONEST AND TACTFUL FRIEND.)
J. READ JER 20:14-18. JOB EXPERIENCED NOT ONLY PHYSICAL HARDSHIPS, YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT HE ALSO SUFFERED FROM DEPRESSION.
1. WHAT DOES JER HAVE AGAINST THE GUY WHO TOLD HIS FATHER THAT HE HAD A SON!?
2. WHY NOT JUST CURSE HIS PARENTS? AT LEAST THEY HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH HIS BEING BORN? (TO CURSE GOD OR YOUR PARENTS WAS A CAPITAL OFFENSE (LEV 20:9)
3. BY THE WAY CELESTE, IF YOU ARE RIGHT THAT LIFE BEGINS WHEN THE BABY TAKES A BREATH, JER COULD NOT SPEAK OF BEING "KILL[ED]" IN THE WOMB," NOW COULD HE?
4. HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL TO KNOW THAT JER, A MAN CHOSEN BY GOD TO SPEAK FOR HIM, WAS SO DISCOURAGED THAT HE WANTED TO DIE?
5. WHEN SOMEONE IS THIS DISCOURAGED, CAN WE EXPECT THEM TO BE RATIONAL? (NO.)
6. WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST WE DO FOR PEOPLE LIKE JER? LETS SEE WHAT GOD SAID TO HIM. TURN TO JER 15:16-21.
a. IS IT FAIR TO SAY THAT GOD IS SAYING (v.19) "PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSD TO BE DOING. QUITE TALKING NONSENSE?"
b. IS THIS THE RIGHT APPROACH TO THE DEPRESSED? (GOD KNOWS WHETHER IT WAS THE RIGHT APPROACH TO JER. WE ARE NOT GOD, SO DO NOT KNOW, BUT SOMETIMES IT SEEMS TO BE HELPFUL TO HAVE THE PERSON LOOK REALISTICALLY AT THEIR WORLD.)
III. THE REACTION OF THE KING.
A. READ JER 36:1-3. THE TEXT THEN GOES ON TO SAY THAT JER DICTATED THIS MESSAGE TO BARUCH WHO TOOK IT ALL DOWN ON A SCROLL. AND THEN HE HAD BARUCH GO READ IT TO THE PEOPLE. ULTIMATELY, ONE OF THE LEADERS HEARD ABOUT THIS AND SENT FOR BARUCH TO HAVE HIM READ IT TO A GROUP OF THE LEADERS. THEN THEN TOLD BARUCH AND JER TO HIDE AND THEY MADE SURE THE KING GOT THE SCROLL.
B. LETS CONTINUE READING: JER 36:21-24. IN ONE WORD, HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE THE KING'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS GOD'S WORD?
1. ARE THERE PEOPLE LIKE THAT TODAY?
2. IN THE CHURCH?
C. THE REAL POINT OF COMPARISION IS WITH JOSIAH, THE FATHER OF THIS KING. IN 2KINGS 22:10-20, WHEN THE HIGH PRIEST FOUND THE WORD OF GOD AND IT WAS READ TO JOSIAH, HE TORE HIS CLOTHES AND CRIED BECAUSE OF THEIR FAILURE TO FOLLOW WHAT THE LORD HAD SAID. (GOD SPARED THEM.)
D. ASK YOURSELF TODAY IF YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS GOD'S WORD IS TO IGNORE IT OR WHETHER YOU ARE UPSET AT YOUR FAILURES AND DETERMINED TO OBEY.
IV. NEXT WEEK: "NO OTHER GOD." WE WILL GET INTO THE ISSUE OF IDOLATRY.