"At that time," declares the LORD, "I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people." – Jeremiah 31:1

Today's Scripture Reading (July 13, 2023): Jeremiah 31

Family comes in many variations. It is not just single-parent, dual-parent, same-sex parent households. It is so much more than just that. It varies in immediate, extended, and near and separated families. The family grows bigger and bigger depending on how far we want to go back. Through its various branches, I can trace my line to Sir William Atte Wode, who lived in England from the late 1200s until 1346. Atte Wode was the Captain of the King's guard at the Palace of Westminster during the reign of King Edward III and may have been related to the King. Of course, when you go back that far, the family gets very big. When I go back that far, I find some interesting people in my significantly extended family, a family that stretches to includes Diana, Princess of Wales. William Atte Wode is our most recent common ancestor, who lived seven hundred years ago.

In Israel and Judah, people could trace their ancestors for over 700 years. Each person belonged not just to a family but to a tribe. And they took much pride in the tribe from whence they had come. Each tribe could trace its roots to a son of Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel and lent his name to the nation. Each had its heroes within the tribe and land that had been given to the tribe, as well as a heritage that had been passed down to that tribe.

In later years, the Kingdom of Israel, home to ten of the tribes born from the sons of Jacob, had been sent into exile by the Assyrians, never to return. But that didn't mean there weren't still proud men and women who could trace their lineage back to those proud tribes. And, of course, there were still the two tribes of the Kingdom of Judah, Judah and Benjamin, and the priestly tribe of Levi, who knew precisely from whom they were descended. I must admit that sometimes I envy their knowledge of their ancestral line.

Jeremiah has just commented, "In days to come you will understand this" (Jeremiah 30:24b). It is a comment that indicates the latter or the last days. And in that day, it seems that God will remain interested not just in the tribes but also in the smaller family units of the tribe. Tribes will still be important, but he will be known as a God who is also interested in the family and the person. In the latter days, Jesus would remind us of this God who cares for the family when he tells his followers, "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows" (Matthew 10:29-31).

In the last days, he will be the God of the World as much as he is the God of the Tribe, but he will also be the God of the family, the person, and even the sparrow. God cares about you, and every little detail of your life can be brought to this God who is with us "in the days to come."

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 32

This is what the LORD says: "Your wound is incurable, your injury beyond healing." – Jeremiah 30:12

Today's Scripture Reading (July 12, 2023): Jeremiah 30

We live in a world marred by prejudice, and one of the deepest seems to be antisemitism or prejudice against the Jews. I know some might want to argue with me, but the racial prejudice suffered by Jews is broader, deeper, and has been exhibited over a longer time than any other I know. It is broader in that it is exhibited by almost every race part of the human race. It is deeper in that antisemitism encompasses almost every aspect of life. Antisemitism hits racial, economic, business, religious, and every other aspect of life that we can imagine. And it is longer in that we have proof of antisemitism that dates back to the 3^rd century B.C.E. and Alexandria, when Manetho, an Egyptian, wrote derisively of the Jews and their practices and even the "absurdity of their Law," rules, and regulations. And the anti-Jewish edicts issued by Antiochus IV Epiphanes around 170 B.C.E. resulted in the Maccabees Rebellion during the 2^nd Century B.C.E.

Considering all of these factors, I am amazed at holocaust deniers who do not accept the horrors committed against the Jews during World War II. It wasn't the first time such a thing had happened. And it likely won't be the last, although I sincerely wish that wasn't true. As Christians, we must be willing to stand against prejudice wherever we find it.

And maybe this broad, deep, and long prejudice dates back to this time in history. Speaking to his people, God says that the wound inflicted on his people cannot be cured, and the injury they have suffered cannot be healed. Their allies are gone, and no one will be on their side. No one that is, except for God.

One theme we need to look for in the Bible is whenever God says something is impossible, it is at that time that God also asserts, "But I can do it." And that is true here. God stresses that coming back from this situation cannot be a reality, except that God can make it a reality.

The world may not love the Jews, but their God, the world's creator, does. No one was going to come alongside them and plead their cause, but God would hear their plea anyway. Israel had a history of crying out to foreign gods, yet the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had not left them. He was still willing to do the impossible on behalf of his children.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 31

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. – Jeremiah 29:10

Today's Scripture Reading (July 11, 2023): Jeremiah 29

In our culture, we sometimes have this unbiblical idea about forgiveness; we seem to believe that forgiveness means that I will not have to pay for the consequences of my behavior. But that isn't the definition of forgiveness. I had a couple of friends whose marriage struggled a few years ago. Eventually, with much prayer and work on my friends' part, this couple got back together. In the end, they forgave each other for the things that had happened in their marriage that had torn them apart. Forgiveness meant they would not continually accuse each other; they were letting each other off the hook and refusing to hold the other responsible for what had happened.

But they quickly found out that that didn't mean that there weren't consequences that reflected back to their marriage struggles. For one, the family unit was different. It wasn't just them that had gone through the turmoil; their children also had experienced loss and hurt, which would not be quickly healed. A trusting relationship with the kids would have to be rebuilt, which would take time.

They also found that their good friends could not adjust as quickly as they had. In a time when they needed their friends the most, their friends were still caught up in the fight, blaming one or the other for what had happened in the marriage. Real forgiveness had happened, but that didn't mean there weren't real consequences that would still shape the marriage as it continued.

This is precisely what Jeremiah is saying to the exiles. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that the Babylonian exile resulted from the sin of Israel. And so, the people were crying out for God to forgive them. The hope was that God would step down from heaven, forgive the people's sins, and deliver them from their current situation. And God responds to them. You are forgiven. And I am moving. After seventy years, I will come to you and bring you back to this place. Depending on your age, you might not see it, and your children might live out the rest of their days in Babylon. But your grandchildren will be brought back to this place. You are forgiven, and I love you; I will be with you in Babylon, but 70 years is the price of your disobedience. Understand, the penalty stands; the seventy years in exile happened not because you could not do what is right but because you chose not to do what is right.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 30

Within two years I will bring back to this place all the articles of the LORD's house that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed from here and took to Babylon. – Jeremiah 28:3

Today's Scripture Reading (July 10, 2023): Jeremiah 28

Earlier in my ministry path, I took a position that many people above me in the ecclesiastical hierarchy didn't want me to take. And one bishop-like person even made a prophecy. He said I would crash and burn within a year of assuming the position. Actually, I admit that he was right; I did crash and burn, although I think I also learned a lot through the experience. There are many things that I would do differently if I could do it all over again, but not taking the position is not one of my regrets. Where this bishop was in error was that I didn't crash and burn within that first year; it took seven years. My bishop apologized after the passing of that first year without my demise. And I almost wish he hadn't. I feel that my relationship with him has been restored, and I still have a lot of respect for him, maybe even more than before he uttered the ill-fated prophecy.

Hananiah is prophesying that this time of trial is coming to an end. Yes, Babylon had the upper hand, but that would end. And when it did, everything that Babylon had removed from the Temple would be returned. For people who were scared and suffering, it was welcome news. And people sought Hananiah out to listen to his words. I mean, who would you rather listen to, someone who prophesies that wealth is just around the corner or someone who wants you to confront the sin in your life? Yes, I know the answer; I have read your Facebook pages. It is filled with memes saying, "Send this to ten of your friends, and God will bless you with the desires of your heart." I am still waiting to see the meme that asserts, "Send this to ten of your friends, and God will confront you with the unconfessed sins of your life," just sayin'.

Hananiah was prophesying, and the reality was that Hananiah was right. The yoke of the Babylonians would be broken. Okay, it wouldn't be Nebuchadnezzar on the throne at the time of the breaking; it would be one of his descendants. And the breaking would be the final step in a significant decline of the Babylonian Empire that the Media Persian Empire would author. But, at that time, Cyrus, the Persian King, would return the things that had been removed from the Jewish Temple. 

So, it wasn't that Hananiah was utterly wrong, but that his purpose was wrong. Hananiah wanted to comfort the people of Israel when God needed them to take a long, hard look at their lives and the things they believed. Good times were coming, but first, the hard times would overtake them. Hananiah's big mistake was when he said the good times were just a couple of years away. They were more like eighty years away, and Hananiah would not live long enough to see the good times arrive.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 29,

'They will be taken to Babylon and there they will remain until the day I come for them,' declares the LORD. 'Then I will bring them back and restore them to this place.' – Jeremiah 27:22

Today's Scripture Reading (July 9, 2023): Jeremiah 27

If you have ever had something stolen from you, you know the dream that those things might be returned to you one day. This is especially true of the things that have value to you both as something that is valuable monetarily as well as something that comes to you as a gift from someone who matters to you. I have a couple of things that fall into that category, and it is a nightmare to think that I might lose these items or have them destroyed somehow. Things are often replaceable if all they are is something we have purchased. But things that come with an emotional connection are irreplaceable.

For generations, there had been a loss of items removed by foreigners from both the Jerusalem Temple and the Palace. This drain may have started soon after the Temple was completed in the days of Solomon. One of the most valuable items taken from the Temple was the Ark of the Covenant (cue "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark"). When the Ark was lost is a bit of a mystery. And among the possible destinations for the Ark would include both the Assyrian and Babylonian Empires. It is possible the Ark and other valuable items were either stolen or even freely given to either of these Empires in exchange for Judah's freedom. But one of the more radical theories is that the Ark is in a house in Ethiopia, and it was taken there by the Queen of Sheba as a gift to her from King Solomon.

Is the Ark really in Ethiopia? Opinions vary, but most scholars say no. They have something, but it is not the Ark. Most argue that what the Ethiopians possess is an empty box that dates back to the Middle Ages, maybe 500 to 1000 years ago, not 3000-year-old Ark.

One of the prophecies of Jeremiah's day was that all the things taken from the Temple would be returned. It was a furthering of their prophecy that the Babylonians would not take any more captives. Not only were the people who had been taken to Babylon soon be coming home to Judah but with them, some of the lost treasures would also be returned.

Through Jeremiah, God argues the reverse. Not only would the stolen items not be returned soon, but what remained in Jerusalem would be taken away from the Temple and the Palace. These items would come home, but not until God decided that it was time for them to be returned. Ezra would see the day come when God would return these items to the Temple.

You and your fellow Israelites may then do whatever seems best with the rest of the silver and gold, in accordance with the will of your God. Deliver to the God of Jerusalem all the articles entrusted to you for worship in the Temple of your God. And anything else needed for the Temple of your God that you are responsible to supply, you may provide from the royal treasury (Ezra 7:18-20).

The items taken would come home, but not now. Time would have to pass before anything was returned to Jerusalem.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 28

As for me, I am in your hands; do with me whatever you think is good and right. – Jeremiah 26:14

Today's Scripture Reading (July 8, 2023): Jeremiah 26

I am interested in the idea of government and the evolution from various stages or kinds of government as society moves toward a democracy or an autocracy based on something other than a hereditary monarchy. As a result, the reign of Charles I of England has been of interest beyond his characterization in various works of fiction.

Historically, King Charles, I was indicted for treason in January 1649. It was the first time an English King had been subjected to such a charge. Initially, the House of Lords rejected the charge, declaring that the King couldn't be tried for treason because he was the nation, and anything the King did had to be legal. But Charles was tried anyway. And Charles did not assist in the trial in any way. Every time the King was asked to enter a plea to the charges that had been made against him, Charles responded, "I would know by what power I am called hither, by what lawful authority...?" A fuller explanation of Charles's belief concerning his trial was also offered, invoking the Bible as the basis for his power.

No earthly power can justly call me (who am your King) in question as a delinquent ... this day's proceeding cannot be warranted by God's laws; for, on the contrary, the authority of obedience unto Kings is clearly warranted, and strictly commanded in both the Old and New Testament ... for the law of this land, I am no less confident, that no learned lawyer will affirm that an impeachment can lie against the King, they all going in his name: and one of their maxims is, that the King can do no wrong.

The trial was quick, and the execution even quicker. Charles was executed for treason on January 30, 1649. At about 2:00 p.m., the King said a prayer, then placed his head on a block and signaled that he was ready by stretching out his hands. He was executed with a single, clean stroke.

Jeremiah could have argued something similar. God had called him to prophesy in Jerusalem. The leaders in Jerusalem opposed him, arguing that he was prophesying what was in his mind and not what God had told him. The charge of false prophesy carried with it the death penalty. And the leaders in Jerusalem argued that the weeping prophet should die.

Jeremiah's response? He told the leaders that he would continue to prophesy whatever God had told him, regardless of whether those prophecies met with the approval of leadership or not. As for what happened, he understood that he was in the hands of leaders; they could do with him what they would. But Jeremiah believed that, while he admitted to being in these national leaders' hands, God ultimately held his future firmly in his hands. And what would happen would only be what God had approved. And whatever that was, it was okay with Jeremiah.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 27

But when the seventy years are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon and his nation, the land of the Babylonians, for their guilt," declares the LORD, "and will make it desolate forever. – Jeremiah 25:12

Today's Scripture Reading (July 7, 2023): Jeremiah 25

Nebuchadnezzar II reigned over the Neo-Babylonian Empire from August 605, B.C.E. and the day that his father, Nabopolassar, died, until his own death at the age of eighty on October 7, 562 B.C.E. At the time of Nebuchadnezzar's death, he left an empire that was relatively healthy and strong, and the city of Babylon was likely the largest city in the world at that time, and the first city to grow beyond the 200,000 people mark.

But the Empire didn't stay prosperous. For whatever reason, after the death of Nebuchadnezzar, the nation began to decline. While Nebuchadnezzar reigned for over forty years, the Kings that followed him reigned over the Empire from a matter of weeks (the length of time that Labashi-Marduk was able to hold onto power) to seventeen years (for the final Babylonian King, Nabonidus). The Persians defeated the Babylonian Empire in 539 B.C.E., a mere sixty-six years after Nebuchadnezzar rose to power.

As Jeremiah starts this prophecy, he remarks that the prophecy came to him in the first year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. As a result, we know the year that Jeremiah received this communication; it was 605 B.C.E. According to the prophecy, God would punish Babylon after seventy years had passed. It is almost eerie that the Persians defeated the Empire in 539 B.C.E., after a passage of sixty-six years, or almost the seventy that Jeremiah had predicted. It is quite possible that the actual decline of the city didn't begin immediately but began a few years later, possibly closer to the seventy-year mark. However, sixty-six is quite close to the prophesied time that would elapse.

Babylon would never rule over the world again. But the desolation of the nation wasn't immediate. The beginning of the decline might not have been even noticeable to those watching on that day. But by 275 B.C.E., the turmoil in Babylon had left the city virtually empty. Today, over 2,500 years after the rise of Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon remains in ruins; the city that once held more people than any other in the world is home only to the inhabitants of the desert.

Saddam Hussein, the former President of Iraq, styled himself as the "Son of Nebuchadnezzar" and had plans to rebuild Babylon as part of his new Presidential Palace. But those plans died with the demise of his presidency, and today, God's curse over Babylon remains in effect.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 26