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Devotional thoughts (Monday through Thursday mornings) from the pastor of Exeter Presbyterian Church in Exeter, NH // Sunday Worship 10:30am // 73 Winter Street

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Jeremiah 19

In the previous chapter God sent the prophet Jeremiah to observe a potter working at his wheel. God gave words to Jeremiah on that occasion based on what He brought Him to see in that place. In chapter 19, the prophet is a more active player in a second living illustration. Now a vessel will be broken by Jeremiah in order to prove a point.

This does not sound like much to read, but it was probably very startling to see, particularly combined as it was with words that told the spiritual point of it all in a very plain way. The people who were there to witness this event were not insignificant. There must have been some recognition of the importance of the man giving the message in order to gather these religious and political dignitaries.

When He speaks, Jeremiah addresses the highest leaders of the nation, though it is their deputies who are actually present. He makes it clear that He is speaking for God. Perhaps we get so used to the words “Thus says the Lord” in the prophets that we forget that what we have in these accounts is God’s speech to men, words that should be very carefully considered. God is going to bring a shocking disaster upon Jerusalem and Judea.

Judea has faced the danger of being overwhelmed by foreign powers for decades by this point. Perhaps when people live with that kind of trouble for such a long time, they may begin to think that the situation, though precarious, will never reach the awful conclusion that might be feared. Perhaps they begin to lose a sense of the great risks that they face. One thing is for certain, God was not ignoring the significance of their shocking behavior.

It is a sad day when the sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob turn to the foolish religious systems of other nations. It is sad when they fill Immanuel’s land with objects of false worship. It is especially sad when they pick up the base immorality of false worship, even burning their own offspring. This is a most unnatural activity to say the least. Judah has filled the land with the blood of innocents. This strange occurrence is not the result of an increase in general violence. It is the fulfillment of their false religious philosophies that they have borrowed from their spiritually-deceived ancient adversaries. These activities are unnatural on a very basic human level. One can be sure that such practices of child sacrifice are traditions that have come from the suggestions of demonic powers. Such gross actions have nothing in common with the heart of our God. His people have agreed to the murder of their own children for some strange religious rituals. Now the Lord announces that they who were a people called by His Name, must die by the sword. They will be eaten by the birds of the air. In their distress they will now be starved to the point where they would even choose to eat the flesh of their own offspring.

This is quite a speech to give before a group of dignitaries, but imagine if you can this extra detail. The hand of the prophet is suddenly raised and a pottery vessel is suddenly smashed to the ground and broken in pieces at the feet of the assembled guests. This is very unexpected and would have had a big impact. The message of the broken pottery is very troubling. God has made up His mind, and He will break this city in such a way that it can never be mended.

In due course men like Ezra and Nehemiah would lead the people the people back into the land, but there would be no son of David to sit on the throne. Israel would remain a subjugated people. The place of idolatry where Jeremiah has chosen to enact this incident will face an abrupt end. It is no wonder that God would bring this judgment since idols have been worshiped from the rooftops there. It will be a place that is defiled by all the dead bodies that will soon be coming. Then Jeremiah traveled to the temple and announced again God’s judgment in the court of the temple. Why has all of this happened? Because the people have stiffened their necks against their Creator, and they now refuse to hear His Word.

One might suppose that this would simply be the end of the story for Judah. The reader of earlier prophetic revelations through Moses and others would have to know that God had mad promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that still had to be fulfilled. Surely there must be the coming of the seed of the woman who would crush the head of the serpent. This great Word would not be thrown away. God would still do what He had said in the day of the fall of mankind.

God would send that One most perfect vessel, the promised Son of David, filled to overflowing with the fresh water of the Holy Spirit. The prophet Jesus would take His own body and allow it to be cast to the ground and broken in pieces through the death of the cross. Yet in truth, not one bone of His would be broken, and He would be given a grave with the rich at His death. The Lord would prolong His days, for no grave could ever hold this Seed of the woman from the resurrection that was His destiny.

Now we who claim to be filled with the same Spirit that enlivened Jesus mortal body, must be clear on a few points. The Lord of Glory was crushed for our iniquities. The purpose of the Lord’s grace will be fully accomplished. The time has come for the people of God to have a ready ear to hear the word of the Lord. The day of ignorance and deception is over. The time of the Saints of the Most High has come. Now we follow Jesus outside the camp, outside the gate of the city, and we minister a word of hope to the penitent and suffering outcasts, for we have a God of hope to serve and to love. Not one of His promises shall ever fail.

posted by Pastor Magee @ 7:00 AM

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