I am continuing my journey into Jeremiah 3 verses 6 - 25. This is a tough book to go through but I am going to plow ahead. "During the reign of King Josiah, the LORD said to me, “Have you seen what faithless Israel has done? She has gone up on every high hill and under every spreading tree and has committed adultery there. I thought that after she had done all this she would return to me but she did not, and her unfaithful sister Judah saw it. I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear; she also went out and committed adultery. Because Israel’s immorality mattered so little to her, she defiled the land and committed adultery with stone and wood. In spite of all this, her unfaithful sister Judah did not return to me with all her heart, but only in pretense,” declares the LORD. The LORD said to me, “Faithless Israel is more righteous than unfaithful Judah. Go, proclaim this message toward the north: Return, faithless Israel,’ declares the LORD, I will frown on you no longer, for I am faithful,’ declares the LORD, I will not be angry forever. Only acknowledge your guilt— you have rebelled against the LORD your God, you have scattered your favors to foreign gods under every spreading tree, and have not obeyed me, declares the LORD. Return, faithless people, declares the LORD, for I am your husband. I will choose you—one from a town and two from a clan—and bring you to Zion. Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding. In those days, when your numbers have increased greatly in the land, declares the LORD, people will no longer say, ‘The ark of the covenant of the LORD.’ It will never enter their minds or be remembered; it will not be missed, nor will another one be made. At that time they will call Jerusalem The Throne of the LORD, and all nations will gather in Jerusalem to honor the name of the LORD. No longer will they follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts. In those days the people of Judah will join the people of Israel, and together they will come from a northern land to the land I gave your ancestors as an inheritance. I myself said, How gladly would I treat you like my children and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation.’ I thought you would call me ‘Father’ and not turn away from following me. But like a woman unfaithful to her husband, so you, Israel, have been unfaithful to me,” declares the LORD. A cry is heard on the barren heights, the weeping and pleading of the people of Israel, because they have perverted their ways and have forgotten the LORD their God. “Return, faithless people; I will cure you of backsliding.” “Yes, we will come to you, for you are the LORD our God. Surely the idolatrous commotion on the hills and mountains is a deception; surely in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel. From our youth shameful gods have consumed the fruits of our ancestors’ labor— their flocks and herds, their sons and daughters. Let us lie down in our shame, and let our disgrace cover us. We have sinned against the LORD our God, both we and our ancestors; from our youth till this day we have not obeyed the LORD our God.” . May the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.
The Prophet Jeremiah was shown a vision of the destruction of Judah because of the disobedience of this nation and their desire to worship the false gods and idols of the land they occupied. Instead of being an example of obedience to the love and commandments of God, they instead chose to adopt and adapt to the customs of the non-Jews. Jeremiah was sent to remind them that the Promise was given to the children of Israel because of the faith of their fore fathers Abraham, Issac and Jacob. That God had sought to re-establish a relationship with man kind after the fall and had provided the promise to Abraham. Instead of embracing this relationship, the tribes of Israel and specifically Judah chose to ignore the Love of God and instead embrace the fleeting pleasures that come with satisfying the lusts of the flesh and mind. God is reminding the children of Israel that Sin must be put away out of their hearts, to be put away out of God's sight; God desires that we put Him on the throne of our lives so that we can experience all the Love He has for us. God cannot exist in the same space as sin therefore our hearts must be open before Him and free from the desire to worship other gods that occupy the space in our hearts that belongs to God Jehovah. Even people who say they don't believe in one supreme being, believe in that premise which then becomes their demi-god. Even people who believe morality is enough have "morality" or the pursuit thereof as their "god"; the guiding principles by which they order their steps. Man was created to "worship"; it is in our DNA. We can't help ourselves. We have to worship something. God's only message is to worship and commune with the One True Creator who stands at the ready to love us back as the "perfect" bridegroom that loves His bride. We are the true Church for whom Christ sacrificed His life. Our job is to love Him back by having an attitude of service for His Will.
Eric no longer sees through a glass darkly. He came face to face with God and all the years of his FAITH was fulfilled on May 25, 2011. Eric crossed over the River called Jordan and he now is toiling with all the saints as we continue to the Kingdom building efforts here on earth. The simple message is that God loves us and wants us to love Him back. So simple and yet so hard. Once you cross the river called Faith, the trip becomes easy.
Now may the LORD bless you and keep you; may the LORD make His face to shine on you and be gracious to you; may the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace. Amen.
Stephanie
The Prophet Jeremiah was shown a vision of the destruction of Judah because of the disobedience of this nation and their desire to worship the false gods and idols of the land they occupied. Instead of being an example of obedience to the love and commandments of God, they instead chose to adopt and adapt to the customs of the non-Jews. Jeremiah was sent to remind them that the Promise was given to the children of Israel because of the faith of their fore fathers Abraham, Issac and Jacob. That God had sought to re-establish a relationship with man kind after the fall and had provided the promise to Abraham. Instead of embracing this relationship, the tribes of Israel and specifically Judah chose to ignore the Love of God and instead embrace the fleeting pleasures that come with satisfying the lusts of the flesh and mind. God is reminding the children of Israel that Sin must be put away out of their hearts, to be put away out of God's sight; God desires that we put Him on the throne of our lives so that we can experience all the Love He has for us. God cannot exist in the same space as sin therefore our hearts must be open before Him and free from the desire to worship other gods that occupy the space in our hearts that belongs to God Jehovah. Even people who say they don't believe in one supreme being, believe in that premise which then becomes their demi-god. Even people who believe morality is enough have "morality" or the pursuit thereof as their "god"; the guiding principles by which they order their steps. Man was created to "worship"; it is in our DNA. We can't help ourselves. We have to worship something. God's only message is to worship and commune with the One True Creator who stands at the ready to love us back as the "perfect" bridegroom that loves His bride. We are the true Church for whom Christ sacrificed His life. Our job is to love Him back by having an attitude of service for His Will.
Eric no longer sees through a glass darkly. He came face to face with God and all the years of his FAITH was fulfilled on May 25, 2011. Eric crossed over the River called Jordan and he now is toiling with all the saints as we continue to the Kingdom building efforts here on earth. The simple message is that God loves us and wants us to love Him back. So simple and yet so hard. Once you cross the river called Faith, the trip becomes easy.
Now may the LORD bless you and keep you; may the LORD make His face to shine on you and be gracious to you; may the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace. Amen.
Stephanie
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