The cost of serving God.
The prophet Jeremiah’s life illustrated how costly serving the Lord can be.
He faced struggles.
He faced heartaches because people do not want to listen to him.
He faced resentment toward God for giving him such task.
But faithfully fulfilled his call.
Hello:
Book of Jeremiah Challenge – Day 18 Jeremiah 1, 2 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
4 The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew[a] you,
before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” 6 “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” 7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. (Jeremiah 1:4-7)
I have seen Christians trying to appropriate the call of Jeremiah as their own, especially the verse 7, “See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” I don’t think there is a need for that appropriation. Jeremiah had a special call on his life, every Christian has also a very important call in his life. We are Christ’s ambassadors, called by the Lord Jesus to fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20).
May the Lord richly bless you!
Hello:
Book of Jeremiah Challenge – Day 18 Jeremiah 3, 4 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
“If a man divorces his wife
and she leaves him and marries another man,
should he return to her again?
Would not the land be completely defiled?
But you have lived as a prostitute with many lovers—
would you now return to me?”
declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 3:1)
The Lord describes his relationship with Israel in terms of one of the most painful experiences that a man can ever live through, that of the jilted husband left out for a bad lover. It reminds us of the nineties song, “When a man loves a woman”. God’s love for his people has always been a passionate love. The Lord was willing to accept back Israel after she had left him for multiple false gods (3:1). We also read in 1 John 3:16, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.” Jesus died for us because God loves us so much.
May the Lord richly bless you!
Hello:
Book of Jeremiah Challenge – Day 20 Jeremiah 5, 6 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
“Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem,
look around and consider,
search through her squares.
If you can find but one person
who deals honestly and seeks the truth,
I will forgive this city.
2 Although they say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’
still they are swearing falsely.” (Jeremiah 5:1-2)
We can make a big positive difference on the lives of the people around us. God was willing to forgive a whole city for the sake of one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth (v. 1). God is still seeking for such people, those who worship him in the Spirit and in truth (John 4:23,24). Could it be for your sake that Lord spared your family, your church, your place of employment, and even your whole community? We are more important than we think we are.
May the Lord richly bless you!
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Book of Jeremiah Challenge – Day 23 Jeremiah 7, 8 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
4 Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!” 5 If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, 6 if you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, 7 then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your ancestors for ever and ever. 8 But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless.(Jeremiah 7:4-8)
Self-deception in spiritual matter is the worst of deceptions because such deception blocks repentance. When we think that a message is for someone else instead of ourselves we cannot change. We ought to seek out the truth, even the more painful truth, the truth about ourselves. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).
May the Lord richly bless you!
Hello:
Book of Jeremiah Challenge – Day 23 Jeremiah 9, 10 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
23 This is what the Lord says:
“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom
or the strong boast of their strength
or the rich boast of their riches,
24 but let the one who boasts boast about this:
that they have the understanding to know me,
that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight,”
declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 9:23- 24)
Self-esteem which is not based on the eternal truth that one is a child of God is transitory. Worldly wisdom, physical strength, political power and riches can be wiped out in an instant. But those who recognize their intrinsic value because they know that they are children of God has something to boast about that nothing can take away from them.
May the Lord richly bless you!
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Book of Jeremiah Challenge – Day 24 Jeremiah 11, 12 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
18 Because the Lord revealed their plot to me, I knew it, for at that time he showed me what they were doing. 19 I had been like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter; I did not realize that they had plotted against me, saying, “Let us destroy the tree and its fruit; let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more.” 20 But you, Lord Almighty, who judge righteously and test the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance on them, for to you I have committed my cause. (Jeremiah 11:18-20)
Only God can judge perfectly. He knows which enemy is a real enemy or not, he sees the actions of all men, their motivation and their intention. Our best course of action is to commit our cause to the Lord. “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord (Matthew 12:19).”
May the Lord richly bless you!
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Book of Jeremiah Challenge – Day 24 Jeremiah 13,14 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
20 We acknowledge our wickedness, Lord, and the guilt of our ancestors; we have indeed sinned against you.
21 For the sake of your name do not despise us; do not dishonor your glorious throne. Remember your covenant with us and do not break it.
22 Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies themselves send down showers? No, it is you, Lord our God. Therefore our hope is in you, for you are the one who does all this. (Jeremiah 14:20-22)
Jeremiah was relentless on his intercession for God’s mercy on the people of Judah and Jerusalem. May we have the heart of the intercessor who cries out day and night to the Lord for his mercy on his people! “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17)”
May the Lord richly bless you!
Hello:
Book of Jeremiah Challenge – Day 26 Jeremiah 15, 16 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
Then said the Lord unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.
2 And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the Lord; Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for the captivity, to the captivity. (Jeremiah 15:1-2)
" If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death" (1 John 5:16-17).
May the Lord richly bless you!
Hello:
Book of Jeremiah Challenge – Day 27 Jeremiah 17, 18 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will let you hear my words.” 3 So I went down to the potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel. 4 And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.
5 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 6 “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. (Jeremiah 18:1-6)
The Bible tells us that we are being transformed into the image of the Lord from glory to glory (2 Cor. 3:18). We are in God’s hand like a piece of clay in the potter’s hand, being reworked into a vessel of glory. We may not feel that our lives are moving into victory, but God is always at work in our lives to make us conform to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29) until our will is completely subordinate to God’s will so that we can say as Jesus said in the Garden of Gethsemane, “... yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).
May the Lord richly bless you!
Hello:
Book of Jeremiah Challenge – Day 28 Jeremiah 19, 20 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
You deceivedme, Lord, and I was deceived; you overpowered me and prevailed. I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me.
8 Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long.
9 But if I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in indeed, I cannot. (Jeremiah 20:7-90
God doesn’t give us the whole map of or calling. He leads us step by step. When we move to the first post, we find the assignment for the next post, and so on. Should we preach messages that make people clap or push them to tear of repentance? Jeremiah had no choice but to be a prophet proclaiming violence and destruction.
May the Lord richly bless you!
Hello:
Book of Jeremiah Challenge – Day 29 Jeremiah 21, 22 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
13 “Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms by injustice,
who makes his neighbor serve him for nothing and does not give him his wages,
14 who says, ‘I will build myself a great house with spacious upper rooms,’ who cuts out windows for it, paneling it with cedar and painting it with vermilion.
15 Do you think you are a king because you compete in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink
and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him. 16 He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well. Is not this to know me? declares the Lord.
17 But you have eyes and heart only for your dishonest gain, for shedding innocent blood,
and for practicing oppression and violence.” (Jeremiah 22:13-17)
Why does God care so much about the poor? I believe that he cares so much about the poor because he is the Father in Heaven. Jesus identifies himself so completely with his flowers that he said in Matthew 25:40 that whatever we do for one of the least of the brothers and sisters of his, we do for him.’
May the Lord richly bless you!
Hello:
Book of Jeremiah Challenge – Day 30 Jeremiah 23, 24 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
5 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’ (Jeremiah 23:5-6)
This prophecy of Jeremiah was fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our righteousness. “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile” (Romans 3:22).
May the Lord richly bless you!
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Book of Jeremiah Challenge – Day 1 Jeremiah 25, 26 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
12 Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and all the people, saying, “The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the words you have heard. 13 Now therefore mend your ways and your deeds, and obey the voice of the Lord your God, and the Lord will relent of the disaster that he has pronounced against you. 14 But as for me, behold, I am in your hands. Do with me as seems good and right to you. 15 Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city and its inhabitants, for in truth the Lord sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears.” (Jeremiah 26:12-15)
Because of message none of us will face the threat of death as Jeremiah did, but will we stand fast if the opposition to the Gospel rises up? Jeremiah was willing to die for his message, will we be willing to go through great lost because of our message?
May the Lord richly bless you!
Hello:
Book of Jeremiah Challenge – Day 2 Jeremiah 27, 28 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
Early in the reign of Zedekiahson of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 This is what the Lord said to me: “Make a yoke out of straps and crossbars and put it on your neck. 3 Then send word to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre and Sidon through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. 4 Give them a message for their masters and say, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Tell this to your masters: 5 With my great power and outstretched arm I made the earth and its people and the animals that are on it, and I give it to anyone I please. 6 Now I will give all your countries into the hands of my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him. 7 All nations will serve him and his son and his grandson until the time for his land comes; then many nations and great kings will subjugate him. (Jeremiah 27:1-7)
A lack of humility is one of the greatest obstacles to success. By a decree of God, five kings added to King Zedekiah needed to submit to the authority of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. Will they do it? We know that Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar who totally defeated him and destroyed Judah. “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).
May the Lord richly bless you!
Hello:
Book of Jeremiah Challenge – Day 3 Jeremiah 29, 30 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
10 This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” (Jeremiah 29:10-14)
Jeremiah 29:11 is a classic known and cherished by all Christians, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” It is comforting to know that right in the middle of our difficulties the Lord has a wonderful plan for our lives. We have a bright future in Christ.
May the Lord richly bless you!
Hello:
Book of Jeremiah Challenge – Day 4 Jeremiah 31, 32 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
38 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. 39 I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. 40 I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. 41 I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul. (Jeremiah 32:38-41)
People in general think that God is more willing to punish than to bless. However, this is the opposite that we find in the Bible. God rejoices in doing good to his people. God wants to do good to you. “I will rejoice in doing them good (32:41).” He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32).
May the Lord richly bless you!
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Book of Jeremiah Challenge – Day 5 Jeremiah 33, 34 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the guard: 2 “Thus says the Lord who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it—the Lord is his name: 3 Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. (Jeremiah 33:1-4)
“In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me (Psalm 120:1).”
May the Lord richly bless you!
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Book of Jeremiah Challenge – Day 6 Jeremiah 35, 36 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
18 But to the house of the Rechabites Jeremiah said, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father and kept all his precepts and done all that he commanded you, 19 therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Jonadab the son of Rechab shall never lack a man to stand before me.”(Jeremiah 35:18-19)
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” (Ephesians 6)
May the Lord richly bless you!
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Book of Jeremiah Challenge – Day 7 Jeremiah 37, 38 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
16 When Jeremiah had come to the dungeon cells and remained there many days, 17 King Zedekiah sent for him and received him. The king questioned him secretly in his house and said, “Is there any word from the Lord?” Jeremiah said, “There is.” Then he said, “You shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.” 18 Jeremiah also said to King Zedekiah, “What wrong have I done to you or your servants or this people, that you have put me in prison? 19 Where are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, ‘The king of Babylon will not come against you and against this land’? (Jeremiah 37:16-19)
The courage and integrity of Jeremiah in proclaiming God's Word in the face of great danger should be a warning to both preachers and church members who listen to their messages. “The king questioned him secretly in his house and said, “Is there any word from the LORD?” Jeremiah said, “There is.” Then he said, “You shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon. (38:17)” Jeremiah gave the word of the Lord straight to the king. What about us? Do the pastors preach what the people want to hear or do the people encourage the preachers to boldly tell them the truth of their spiritual conditions from the word of God?
May the Lord richly bless you!
Hello:
Book of Jeremiah Challenge – Day 8 Jeremiah 39, 40 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
5 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. And when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, at Riblah, in the land of Hamath; and he passed sentence on him. 6 The king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah at Riblah before his eyes, and the king of Babylon slaughtered all the nobles of Judah. 7 He put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in chains to take him to Babylon. 8 The Chaldeans burned the king's house and the house of the people, and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. 9 Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, carried into exile to Babylon the rest of the people who were left in the city, those who had deserted to him, and the people who remained. (Jeremiah 39:5-9)
The fear of God takes away all other fears. Zedekiah knew exactly what he needs to do to save himself, his family and his people. He needed to surrender to the king of Babylon, but his fear of his officials kept him from doing the right thing. At the end, he lost everything. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Zedekiah was a good man at heart, but being a good man at heart is not enough, one must take a stand for the Lord no matter the consequences, just as Jeremiah did.
May the Lord richly bless you!
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Book of Jeremiah Challenge – Day 9 Jeremiah 41, 42 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
5 Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the Lord be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act according to all the word with which the Lord your God sends you to us. 6 Whether it is good or bad, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God to whom we are sending you, that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the Lord our God.” (Jeremiah 42:5-6)
If we did not know the rest of the story, we would have thought that the people had really come around in repentance, and that they were now ready to serve the Lord. But, it took them only ten days to forget about their promise to obey the voice of the Lord. They took the very opposite direction given to them by God through the prophet Jeremiah, they went to Egypt. They feared a man, the king of Babylon, more than God.
Only the love of God can overcome the fear of men. Perfect love drives out fear (1 John 4:18). The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7).
May the Lord richly bless you!
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Book of Jeremiah Challenge – Day 10 Jeremiah 43, 44 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
4 So Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces and all the people did not obey the voice of the Lord, to remain in the land of Judah. 5 But Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces took all the remnant of Judah who had returned to live in the land of Judah from all the nations to which they had been driven— 6 the men, the women, the children, the princesses, and every person whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan; also Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch the son of Neriah. 7 And they came into the land of Egypt, for they did not obey the voice of the Lord. And they arrived at Tahpanhes. (Jeremiah 43:4-7)
May the Lord richly bless you!
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Book of Jeremiah Challenge – Day 11 Jeremiah 45, 46 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
And do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not, for behold, I am bringing disaster upon all flesh, declares the Lord. But I will give you your life as a prize of war in all places to which you may go.” (Jeremiah 45:5)
Do you seek great things? No problem? But do you seek great things for yourself? For yourself? That is where the danger lies. I read that in America, a lot of small church pastors are burned out and leave the ministry because they refuse to admit to themselves that there are Small Church pastors. No matter what they do, their church will never see big growth. But they keep comparing themselves to Megachurches pastors and they burned themselves out. Are we seeking great things for ourselves or for the Lord?
Maybe Baruch wanted a double portion of the anointment of Jeremiah, similar to what Elisha got for serving Elijah faithfully. But it was not the time for such thing. They were living in a difficult time, not a time to desire great things for oneself.
May the Lord richly bless you!
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Book of Jeremiah Challenge – Day 12 Jeremiah 47, 48 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the Philistines, before Pharaoh struck down Gaza.
2 “Thus says the Lord:
Behold, waters are rising out of the north,
and shall become an overflowing torrent;
they shall overflow the land and all that fills it,
the city and those who dwell in it.
Men shall cry out,
and every inhabitant of the land shall wail. (Jeremiah 47:1-2)
May the Lord richly bless you!
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Book of Jeremiah Challenge – Day 13 Jeremiah 49, 50 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
6 “My people have been lost sheep;
their shepherds have led them astray
and caused them to roam on the mountains.
They wandered over mountain and hill
and forgot their own resting place.
7 Whoever found them devoured them;
their enemies said, ‘We are not guilty,
for they sinned against the Lord, their verdant pasture,
the Lord, the hope of their ancestors.’ (Jeremiah 50:6-7)
One of the most necessary prayers is the prayer for the people in leadership position. They represent the people and their actions determine in a great part the welfare of a whole country. We must pray for our leaders so they can have a heart to do what is right and just for the people. Imagine for a moment what would happen if all the leaders of Haiti had a sincere desire to do what is right and just in the eyes of God. The Haitian people would in and instant jump out of the persistent poverty that bedevils their country for so long.
May the Lord richly bless you!
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Book of Jeremiah Challenge – Day 14 Jeremiah 51, 52 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
We have reached the end of the Book of Jeremiah Challenge, tomorrow we start the Book of Lamentations Challenge.
6 By the ninth day of the fourth month the famine in the city had become so severe that there was no food for the people to eat. 7 Then the city wall was broken through, and the whole army fled. They left the city at night through the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden, though the Babylonians[a] were surrounding the city. They fled toward the Arabah,[b] 8 but the Babylonian[c] army pursued King Zedekiah and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him and scattered, 9 and he was captured.
He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced sentence on him. 10 There at Riblah the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes; he also killed all the officials of Judah. 11 Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon, where he put him in prison till the day of his death. (Jeremiah 52:6-11)
May the Lord richly bless you!
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Book of Lamentations Challenge – Day 17 Lamentations 4 & 5 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
We have reached the end of the Book of Lamentations Challenge, tomorrow we start the Book of Ezekiel Challenge.
19 You, Lord, reign forever;
your throne endures from generation to generation.
20 Why do you always forget us?
Why do you forsake us so long?
21 Restore us to yourself, Lord, that we may return;
renew our days as of old
22 unless you have utterly rejected us
and are angry with us beyond measure. (Lamentations 5:19-22)
Indeed, the Lord had punished his people for their sins. But had he forsaken them? Can the Lord forsake us? We must always remember the promise of the Lord when we are facing difficulties. We are encouraged with the words of Joshua to the Israelites, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deut. 31:6)
May the Lord richly bless you!