Today’s passage: Jeremiah 36:1-32

Helpful thoughts:

• You may have noticed, these events are not being recorded in perfect chronological order.  The last few chapters have been bouncing around from king to king, not in order.  More likely, they are recorded in this order for thematic reasons.
• This fasting would have been scheduled to try to get God to prevent Judah from being defeated.  It should have been a time for the people to be receptive to God’s ministry to them through Jeremiah.  Some were receptive (The princes), others were not (The king and his servants).
• If the king had called the fast, it certainly seems strange that he would also destroy God’s word without fear.  He wasn’t getting the results he wanted.

Questions to consider:

1. Why didn’t the king’s men find Jeremiah and Baruch (Verse 26)?  When are we “safe” and when are we in “danger” in following the Lord?  Who ended up being the one who was not “safe” (Verses 30-31)?
2. What motives could have been behind the idea to call a fast in Judah during this time of crisis?  What results would the people have desired depending on what their motives were?
3. How do these events help us to understand that full meaning of God’s promise to Isaiah when He said His words would never return void and always accomplish what He purposed (Isaiah 55:11)?  When we share the Gospel with others, are we only ever successful when they repent and get saved?

Today’s passage: Jeremiah 35:1-19

Helpful thoughts:

• The Rechabites were Kenite nomadic people who were descended from Moses’ father-in-law (Judges 1:16).  They had traveled into the Promised Land with Israel.
• This passage is not telling the Jews that they were supposed to live in tents and never drink wine or plant vineyards like the Rechabites.  The point was to show that there are people who here instructions from humans and obey them.
  • The Rechabites had obeyed a man’s instructions for generations.  Israel disobeyed God over and over.
• God’s fulfilled promise to the Rechabites is evidenced in Nehemiah 3:14 where the Rechabites participate in the rebuilding of Jerusalem after Israel’s return from exile.

Questions to consider:

1. Why might it seem easier for us to obey people than to obey God?  Why are we prone to fear people more than God?
2. Assuming the best, Jonadab had good reasons to instruct his descendants to follow these rules.  What motivates the good, loving God of the universe to instruct His children?  Why does it make perfect sense to obey God?  Why do we still struggle to do it?
3. What do we learn about God when we consider how illogical and rebellious we are to disobey Him, and yet, He still sent Christ to die for us?  How great is the love, mercy and grace of God?  How are these attributes a great motivation to follow Him today?

Today’s passage: Jeremiah 34:1-22

Helpful thoughts:

• Jeremiah’s prophecy was fulfilled in 2 Kings 25:6-7.
• The people obeyed the Lord’s command to free their slaves until it looked like they were out from under pressure.  Their obedience was not motivated by worship of the LORD but by fear of negative consequences.  Once they got what they wanted, they went right back into their sin.
• The cutting of animals in two and walking through the parts was a formal and serious way of establishing a covenant promise.  Those who walked through were effectively swearing on their life to keep their promise.

Questions to consider:

1. How can seeing prophecy fulfilled within the history of Israel give us confidence for prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled?
2. Why wasn’t the people’s repentance concerning slavery long-lasting?  If we are doing right things in order to get stuff from God, what will the long term fruit of that thinking be?  Why is that view of God and of us unbiblical and untrue?
3. Why is it right to do the right thing, regardless of the earthly consequences? (Romans 11:33:12:2)  How can we be motivated to do what is right and love people even if they have never loved us or might never love us back? (1 John 4:19)

Today’s passage: Jeremiah 33:1-26

Helpful thoughts:

• The people of Judah and the Babylonians thought they were in control of what was about to happen, but God alone is sovereign.
  • God has chosen to show His grace to the remnant of Israel, they will receive His grace.
• God’s people receive the greatest delight and satisfaction when we know we receive it from Him (Verse 9-10).
• The Branch of verse 15 is Jesus Christ and the time referred to here is His second coming.

Questions to consider:

1. Why will Israel be called, “The LORD is Our Righteousness?”  What will the people understand about where their righteous record comes from to acknowledge this important truth?  How does this name tie future Israel to the same Gospel we believe for our salvation?
2. Why is it right to praise the goodness of God?  How is God’s goodness a certifier of the authenticity, authority, reliability and accuracy of the Bible?  How does God’s goodness give us reason to rest in Him and His will even in the midst of troubling times?
3. If God chose not to keep His covenants, what would He cease to be (What attributes would we no longer be able to ascribe to Him)?  How does the fact that God never changes (Immutability) give us great confidence in His promises?

Today’s passage: Jeremiah 32:1-44

Helpful thoughts:

• Jeremiah was arrested by the king of Judah for prophesying the truth.  The good news of the false prophets was preferred.
• Verses 16-25 contain Jeremiah’s appeal and question, the rest of the chapter contains God’s response.
  • Jeremiah knew what was coming and wondered why he should buy the field.
  • The purchase served as a picture of God’s fulfilled promises to come.
• God’s heart for His people will result in their repentance.  This is His gift to His people.
  • He will do it with all His heart and soul! (Verse 41)

Questions to consider:

1. When did Jeremiah obey God’s command, before or after he got the explanation?  Why was it right for Jeremiah to obey in this way?  What do we know about God that makes obeying Him entirely logical?
2. What do we learn about the love of God in this chapter?  What was His response to the sins of Judah?  What is His desire for His children?  What does He intend to do about it?
3. How do these truths about God’s heart for Israel help us to grow in our understanding of the fear of God?  How can God’s grace encourage us all the more to pursue holiness?

Today’s passage: Jeremiah 31:31-40

Helpful thoughts:

• Here are some New Testament scriptures to look up for more information on the New Covenant:
  • Romans 11:1-27
  • Luke 22:20
  • 1 Corinthians 11:25
  • Hebrews 8:7-13, 9:15, 10:14-17, 12:24, 13:20
• In order for man to follow God fully, we need a “heart” transplant.  God promises this to us in verse 33.  We will know the truth, no more confusion.  We will always want to do what is right.
• Verses 38-40 describe the still future city limits of Jerusalem.

Questions to consider:

1. What did man do with the old covenant?  If it were up to man’s performance, what would we do with any new covenants?  Upon whom is the burden placed to uphold the New Covenant?  How will He do it?
2. In what way(s) are we already enjoying the benefits of the New Covenant?  In what way(s) is the New Covenant yet to be enjoyed to its full extent?
3. How does thinking about that day when God makes everything right help us to persevere and grow in the here and now?  What kind of perspective can it give us?

Today’s passage: Jeremiah 31:1-30

Helpful thoughts:

• The beginning of verse 1, “At that time” let’s us know this chapter continues God’s proclamations from chapter 30.
• Matthew would later refer to verse 15 in response to Herod’s murder of the male children in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:17-18).
• Ephraim was used to refer to the northern 10 tribes of Israel by this time.

Questions to consider:

1. How does knowing that God is the shepherd who does not lose His sheep (Verse 10) give us a right perspective on who’s really in charge and responsible to keep things on track?
2. Which attribute of God does He say is truly satisfying to our souls (Verse 14)?  What kinds of things do we often look to for satisfaction?  Why is this attribute of God (And…God Himself) superior to all other contenders?
3. How does God’s perfect goodness also qualify Him to give us perfect truth in revelation and make Him a perfect judge?  What confidence does His goodness give us in knowing that Christ truly and sufficiently paid the penalty of our sin?

Today’s passage: Jeremiah 29:1-32

Helpful thoughts:

• Even in exile, the Jewish people would continue to receive false prophecies.
  • Jeremiah even tells then not to believe their dreams.  People can dream dreams that seem prophetic.  Having a dream does not mean that the Lord sent it.
• Jeremiah 29:11 is part of a letter written to Israel during their exile about their return to the promised land.
  • The promise of this verse has implication for the future as well, but people have often taken this verse too far in modern times.  It is not a verse that promises us peace and prosperity every day.
• God’s words and plans show He is still very much in control in a time where the Jews would have felt like He wasn’t.

Questions to consider:

1. What do you think Nebuchadnezzar’s first response would have been to verse 4?  Whom would he have credited with defeating Judah?  How would the culmination of the prophecies of verses 21-23 have given him reason to believe (If he remembered this letter)?
2. What does God do with false prophets?  If people have a desire to prophesy like an Old Testament prophet today, why should they think twice about it?  How does Ephesians 2:19-21 help us understand the extent of the timeframe for the ministry of prophets (and apostles)?
3. Jeremiah 29:11 is a great verse!  What is it’s true meaning and right interpretation (Think: the Gospel and the fulfillment of all God’s promises in the future for His kingdom)?  In what way would it be encouraging to a Christian today?  Why is the real meaning of 29:11 even better than how people have misused it?