And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.

Ezekiel 2

And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people. v6

Ezekiel is called to be a prophet - to deliver God's words to the Israelites.  In the Old Testament, God spoke directly only to select individuals and through prophets.  The Israelites at large learned of God's words through these prophets and later through teachers of the law.  Although God led them out of Egypt through Moses, Aaron and Joshua, the Israelites rejected God as their king and instead asked Samuel to appoint an earthly king. With a few clear exceptions, including David, this decision by the Israelites marks a turning point and a turn from God and His rule to monarchy and a reliance on earthly power.

Ultimately, God's plan includes raising up His Son as the King of Kings and through Jesus, the Holy Spirit, His Word, etc., God can talk directly through and to us...and Jesus wants us to talk to others about Him...and just as Ezekiel 2:6 states, He wants us to speak boldly and fearlessly (see Acts 4:20).

Some of us may be gifted with the ability to prophecy (see 1 Corinthians 12-14) but I would highly recommend a watch of this interview with John Piper on the difference of prophecy between the New and Old Testament.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God and You sent Your Son so that we may have the same power - the Holy Spirit - that raised You from the dead available to us.  Thank You Jesus!  What an amazing God!  I love You Jesus.  Yet I am not worth all that You do for me.  I miss the mark - I am often harsh with my words and actions.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

Ezekiel 1

This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking. v28

Ezekiel - referred to as God's watchman (see also chapter 33) - has a vision of God's throne (much like John's in Revelation).  Ezekiel is defined as someone that "looks out" for God, implying that others must know of God's presence and His words. 

We should be watchmen in our lives for where Jesus is - and we should remember that Jesus lives within us as we are temples (1 Corinthians 3:16-17) and He resides in our hearts.  And we should recognize that God is always at work within us - this is the Holy Spirit.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God and I know that You are within me and at work in me - thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love.  I miss the mark.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Restore us to yourself, Lord, that we may return; renew our days as of old unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure.

Lamentations 5

Restore us to yourself, Lord, that we may return; renew our days as of old unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure. v21-22

Sin separates us from God.  In the Old Testament, animal sacrifices and the spilling of animal blood was used as part of ceremonial law to atone for sins and to help restore and reconcile individuals back to God.  Jeremiah is correct that he and the exiled Jews needed to be restored, and Jeremiah also delivered prophecies pointing to Jesus, whose death on the cross permanently eliminated the need for animal sacrifice.  While Jesus does want us to repent and confess our sins, He does not want animal sacrifice.  Instead, He wants our lives to be about Him and for Him - we are to sacrifice FOR Him:


Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who laid down His life for me...for me...amazing!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such an act.  I miss the mark. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

How the precious children of Zion, once worth their weight in gold, are now considered as pots of clay, the work of a potter’s hands!...Your punishment will end, Daughter Zion; he will not prolong your exile.

Lamentations 4

How the precious children of Zion, once worth their weight in gold, are now considered as pots of clay, the work of a potter’s hands!...Your punishment will end, Daughter Zion; he will not prolong your exile. v2, 22

As Jeremiah continues to "lament" over the destruction of Jerusalem, we also see signs of hope, some of which point to our Savior Jesus Christ.

In verse 2, we see a reference to the Jews as pots of clay - fragile, of less esteem than pottery of more fine material (vs gold), disposable, yet created by and mold-able by God who so often uses difficulties as a way to shape and refine us into who He desires us to be.  See various commentaries on this here.  In the New Testament, Paul refers to persecuted Christians as "jars of clay" (2 Corinthians 4:7) "to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." 

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. 2 Corinthians 4:7-12

We should desire to be "jars of clay" so that others see Jesus in us.  No one desires to be broken but Jesus' words to Paul that "[His] grace is sufficient" should give us strength.

In verse 22, Jeremiah indicates that this exile is not permanent - see also my post from yesterday.  

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves us and who died for us - thank You Jesus!  What an amazing God You are - the gratest gift of all time!  I am not worth such love.  I am often harsh with my words and actions.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of cancer.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.

Lamentations 3

For no one is cast off by the Lord forever.  Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.  For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone. v31-33

Given Jeremiah's relationship with God - his proximity to God and his resulting relationship - he is able to remain hopeful for himself and for the Jewish people.  Although Jeremiah is pained by the punishment experienced by the Jewish people, he knows it is not an indiscriminate anger - God did not lash out hastily.  It is a thoughtful, rational response that is part of a plan to bring the Jews back to Him.

We know that God sent His Son - this is God's plan.  Therefore, God uses this punishment as a means to an end, not as an end in itself. 

See John Piper provides this excellent brief commentary on these verses.

See also previous posts on punishment as training. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an awesome God You are that You provided Your Son to redeem my sins, to cover my sins and to give me and everyone the opportunity to have freedom from the sting of sin and death.  We simply need to accept You into our lives and to accept this gift of grace with You as our Savior.  Thank You Jesus for the greatest gift of all time. I am not worthy of such a gift. I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Let all their wickedness come before you; deal with them as you have dealt with me because of all my sins. My groans are many and my heart is faint.”

Lamentations 1

Let all their wickedness come before you; deal with them as you have dealt with me because of all my sins.  My groans are many and my heart is faint. v22

As this overview points out:

"Lamentations is a moment of self-awareness: anyone reading the scroll would remember why Jerusalem fell and why the survivors were taken to Babylon. But the book also would have been a hearty (and solemn) encouragement to those who return in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah: no matter how faithless His people are, God remains faithful."

God is faithful indeed.  God loves us even when we sin, even during our punishment, and He always keeps His promises. 

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

We can also count on God's perfect justice - in Lamentations 1:22 Jeremiah pleads with God to bring justice to all - not just the Jews.  Clearly, the Jews are surrounded by sin and wickedness, yet they (and we!) need not concern themselves about justice - God is the Judge and all will be judged. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me, even when I sin!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worthy of such love.  Please forgive me Jesus for my worry and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind  and help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

In those days, at that time,” declares the Lord, “search will be made for Israel’s guilt, but there will be none, and for the sins of Judah, but none will be found, for I will forgive the remnant I spare.

Jeremiah 50

In those days, at that time,”declares the Lord, search will be made for Israel’s guilt, but there will be none, and for the sins of Judah, but none will be found, for I will forgive the remnant I spare. v20

Over the course of chapters 47-51 the Lord metes out a severe punishment for the Philistines, Ammon, Edom, Moab, Damascus, Kedar and Hazor, Elom, Babylon, and in chapter 52 Jersualem falls.  Yet once again we see God's grace through the remnant which He spares and uses to rise up a savior - whom we know to be Jesus.

God, always - always - keeps His promises.

Plus, He sent His Son so that would be free from the sting of sin and death as the Christ broke the cycle of sin and shame that previously bound us.

Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance?  You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. Micah 7:18-19

 

My Prayer:  Jessus, what an awesome God You are!  You died on the cross so that I could have freedom from the sting of sin and death!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such grace.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.