I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? - Jeremiah 32:27

Today’s Scripture Reading (May 31, 2020): Jeremiah 32

I can hear Simon Cowell on any of his “Talent Shows” ask the question. So, what is the dream? Sometimes the dream is unrealistic; it doesn’t match up with the talent of the performer. Sometimes the dream only appears to be impractical. When Simon asked the question of a frumpy Susan Boyle on “Britain’s Got Talent,” she responded that she wanted to be a professional singer, maybe as successful as Elaine Paige. It was a reality Simon, and the other judges, clearly believed, in the beginning, was a step beyond reality, but her voice proved that it was at least possible that the aspiration was not misplaced.  

“What is the dream” is also a question that we sometimes place beside the sentiment coming from God that asks, “Is anything too hard for me?” It is the exact question that was asked of Abraham after his visitors revealed that his wife, Sarah, was going to become pregnant and bear a son in her elder years. To Abraham and Sarah, such a reality was an impossibility. If Sarah was unable to become pregnant during the best of her childbearing years, how was she going to become pregnant now that she was well into menopause? The response that the couple received was, “Is anything too hard for the Lord” (Genesis 18:14)? Sarah’s pregnancy was the dream that had long been unfulfilled. But God could do anything.

But the question takes a surprising turn during the days of Jeremiah. The dream, from Judah’s point of view, was that the Babylonian army would disappear from the Jerusalem in the same manner that the Assyrian Army had vanished from the City of David more than a century earlier. After all, is anything too hard for God. He had done it once; he could do it again. And many within the city walls believed that it was only a matter of time. Not only could God do it again, but he would do it again.

But God speaks to Jeremiah using the same words that were spoken to Abraham and Sarah. “Is anything too hard for me?” But this time, he was not speaking of Jerusalem’s deliverance, but rather the city’s destruction. Sometimes the dream survives and flourishes, but sometimes the dream also withers and dies. And for Jerusalem, the dream was about to die. Babylon would take the city and destroy it, not because God was unable to save it, but because God had declared that the pathway to salvation for his people lay in his people spending some time in the heart of the Babylonian Empire. As unlikely as Jerusalem’s destruction as an integral part of the people’s salvation might have sounded to the citizens of the city, it was a reality that God had thrown his weight behind. For the dream to become a reality, Jerusalem had to be destroyed. To the people of Jerusalem, that sounded like an impossible contradiction. But, is anything too hard for the Lord?

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 33

For the LORD will deliver Jacob and redeem them from the hand of those stronger than they. -Jeremiah 31:11

Today’s Scripture Reading (May 30, 2020): Jeremiah 31

Our national reactions to certain stimuli are often based on national experience. We expect different things. For instance, Nate White, a London (England) based copywriter, wrote a piece trying to explain why British people do not like Donald Trump. Is it because he stops in the middle of a field and forces the 90- year old Queen of England to walk around him? (The real question should be, what was President Trump doing walking in front of the Queen in the first place? Doesn’t he know how to walk?) Probably not. But the basic idea of White’s piece really comes down to a difference in the social situation.

For instance, the British don’t like bullies, and that is part of the character set for President Trump. He is often like a big, petulant child who wants his way. And when he doesn’t get it, well, he begins to lash out at those less powerful than he. Of course, that all changes when he is the company of bullies. Then, suddenly, the President of the United States “transforms into a snivelling sidekick.” For White, it is an almost inexplicable transformation.

There are unspoken rules to this stuff – the Queensberry rules of basic decency – and he breaks them all. He punches downwards – which a gentleman should, would, could never do – and every blow he aims is below the belt. He particularly likes to kick the vulnerable or voiceless – and he kicks them when they are down (Nate White).

Of course, this fits the national reality. There is no opponent in the same weight class as the United States. They are the world’s superpower; all the rest of the nations are only the want to be or hope to be’s. If the United States is going to punch, it is going to have to punch downward, a case that Donald Trump frequently makes. All of which makes his behavior when in the company Vladimir Putin and other national bullies even more mystifying. Not all American’s are comfortable with that reality, but enough are comfortable to make Donald Trump President.

Israel, during the reign of David, seemed to be at least a regional superpower. They were feared by their neighbors, and probably those who lived around them felt like they were the bullies residing on the block. But that reality was stuck solidly in the past; God does not seem to make a promise that those days would ever be revisited. Instead, God makes it clear that he will restore Judah from the hands of those who are stronger than they. And in making that comment, God makes explicit something that we understand about his nature. God could be a bully, as many of the other local gods were considered to be. But Yahweh was not. He was the one who continued to stand up against the bullies for “the least of these.” And in the current situation, that meant that he stood in the corner with Judah, promising help and restoration.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 32

Ask and see: Can a man bear children? Then why do I see every strong man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor, every face turned deathly pale? – Jeremiah 30:6

Today’s Scripture Reading (May 29, 2020): Jeremiah 30

“If you can keep your head when everybody around you is losing theirs, then it is very probable that you don’t understand the situation.” The parody of Rudyard Kipling’s poem “if” seems to have first appeared in the “High School Bulletin” section of a newspaper printed in the state of New York in 1935. The quote is offered anonymously, although it has been used and parodied by several authors since then. Sometimes I wonder if Kipling understood the power that his poem would hold over those who read, and lampoon, the poet’s words. Of course, the poet wanted to promote level headed thinking, even amid stress. And Kipling comes to a very different conclusion then the unknown author did in 1935. According to the poet, if you can keep your head in stressful situations, then;

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And — which is more — you’ll be a Man, my son (Rudyard Kipling, “If”)!

Or, maybe, you just don’t understand the situation. I have to admit I have met a lot of people over the past few weeks who seem to be on the “losing their heads” side of the equation, instead of on the “keeping” side. And they seem to treat with disdain those who seem to be better at keeping their heads, often arguing that these people “simply don’t understand.”

Jeremiah places this poetic image in the mouth of God. “Can a man give birth to children? You say no, and yet I see a lot of men around me who are doubled over in pain as if they are about to give birth.” At least pregnant women have a reason for their pain, but what purpose can a man have. Stand up straight, even in the worst of times, and you will be ready to make a positive difference in the future that approaches us. Greet each morning with courage and set the example for those who gather around you. Jeremiah’s message is not that we should ignore the realities of life; that message doesn’t fit with the rest of his writings. But it is that we be ready to do our best, no matter what our situation might be. And best seldom comes from a position of being paralyzed with fear. A woman in childbirth at least has a baby after the trial has passed. A man has nothing, and worse than that, he has squandered an opportunity to make a difference.

We live in trying times. But we need to make an effort to at least try to greet each morning with courage because I suspect that Kipling is right.

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies, . . .

             Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,

And — which is more — you’ll be a Man, my son (Rudyard Kipling, “If”)!

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 31

This was after King Jehoiachin and the queen mother, the court officials and the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the skilled workers and the artisans had gone into exile from Jerusalem. – Jeremiah 29:2

Today’s Scripture Reading (May 28, 2020): Jeremiah 29

Louis Antoine of France was the eldest son of Charles X, King of France. In what has become known as the July Revolution, masses of angry demonstrators pressured Charles to abdicate his position of King. On August 2, 1830, Charles X gave into that pressure; he renounced his place as King, allowing his eldest son, Louis Antoine, to become Louis XIX, King of France.

Precisely what happened next is unknown, although we do have the gossip of the day that describes the events that took place as the document of abdication was signed. It would have been interesting to have sat in the room with Louis XIX at the moment of his father’s abdication. Apparently, Louis was with his father Charles at the moment of the signing, and, according to the rumors, Charles X wept after had signed the document of abdication. Louis tried to comfort his father, while Louis’s wife, Marie Therese of France, made arguments to her husband about why Louis should not follow in his father’s footsteps by signing his own document of abdication. What we do know is that this situation inside of the palace lasted for about twenty minutes. Because it was less than twenty minutes later that Louis XIX signed his document of abdication, ending his reign as King of France. The signing of the document of abdication makes Louis XIX one of the shortest reigning monarchs, he reigned over France for less than twenty minutes, in the history of the world.

King Jehoiachin came to power in Judah in 598 B.C.E after the death of his father, King Jehoiakim, during the second siege of Jerusalem. The particulars of Jehoiakim’s death is unknown, history leaves us with several scenarios, but what we do know is that the Babylonians took and dealt with the body of the dead King. It was at this stressful moment for the nation that Jehoiachin began his reign as King.

Jehoiachin’s reign lasted longer than Louis XIX, but only because Jehoiachin refused to abdicate his throne. The reign of Jehoiachin lasted for three months and ten days. It ended when the Babylonians came back into Jerusalem and forcibly removed him as King and deported him to Babylon among fears that the young King would try to avenge his father’s death.

It is in the midst of this situation that Jeremiah writes his letter to the exiles, those who had already been taken into captivity in Babylon. Zedekiah, Jehoiachin’s Uncle, was now on the throne of Judah, but the struggle of Jerusalem was far from being over. And, at least in the eyes of Jeremiah, the hope for Judah was now living in Babylon. And he has a two-fold message for this hope. The first and probably most depressing part of the message was that this was not going to be a short battle. The people taken into captivity would likely die in Babylon and never return home. In this, Jeremiah supports one of the central messages of Ezekiel, who was ministering among the captives in Babylon at the same time that Jeremiah ministered in Jerusalem.

But the second part of the message was that God still had a plan. God was still on the throne, and Babylon would not be able to remove him. And God would not abdicate his responsibilities. The letter climaxes with what is probably the most well-known phrase found in Jeremiah’s writing. “‘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’” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 30

 

In the fifth month of that same year, the fourth year, early in the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, the prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon, said to me in the house of the LORD in the presence of the priests and all the people … - Jeremiah 28:1

Today’s Scripture Reading (May 27, 2020): Jeremiah 28

People disagree. It is the reality of life, and to be honest; I often like the disagreement. I don't like fights or feuds, but disputes between intellectually honest people can be enriching, and often both sides can learn. But I want to see the evidence. I want to know why you believe what you do. And often, the reality is that we may discover different ideas within the same evidence. And then, we get a chance to demonstrate that we can disagree and still welcome each other as brothers and sister in Christ. I believe that this is the way disagreements within the church should take place. We aren't going to agree on everything, but if our attitudes are right, we can learn from each other, even amid our disagreements.

Hananiah disagreed with Jeremiah. Jeremiah was prophesying that if Judah tested the resolve of Babylon, Babylon would come and completely defeat and destroy Judah. Jeremiah had heard the voice of God. The end had come for the Northern Kingdom of Israel just over a century earlier because of their disobedience. Shiloh had been destroyed at the end of the time of the Judges because of Israel's disobedience. Judah was currently displaying defiance in the face of their God. There was no reason to believe that God would let the disobedience continue. At some point, God would be faithful to his word and just the sins of the nation.

But Jeremiah also believed that there would be salvation in the defeat of the nation. Yes, a significant defeat was coming, but Judah would rise out of the ashes a better country because of the loss that they would suffer at the hand of the Babylonians.

Hananiah disagreed. The problem was that Hananiah had not heard the voice of God, but he believed God to be a gracious God. His belief in this gracious God was reflected in the prophet's name (Hananiah means ‘God is gracious’). Hananiah’s struggle was that he wanted to believe that good things would always come to the nation. That God would never judge them for their sin. He was someone who thought that the grace of God would always win the day. But more than that, he believed that no harm could come to Jerusalem. Jeremiah was a pessimist and Hananiah was an optimist. And there is nothing wrong with being an optimist. Hananiah’s sin was that he refused to listen to God, and he refused to be moved by Jeremiah’s argument.

Instead, he confronted the prophet with a false message publicly in front of the people. While Jeremiah was attempting to speak truth to power, Hananiah tried to defend power against the truth. And that was a defense for which Hananiah and Jerusalem would pay a high price.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 29

 

I gave the same message to Zedekiah king of Judah. I said, "Bow your neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon; serve him and his people, and you will live." – Jeremiah 27:12

Today's Scripture Reading (May 26, 2020): Jeremiah 27

We don't surrender easily. There is something inside of us that says that we need to fight, even if the battle is against impossible odds. It is a facet of humanity that our fiction often tries to explore. In an episode "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," it is a reality that becomes all too real for the fictional Dr. Julian Bashir as he corroborates with some genetically enhanced social misfits. The group comes to the informed decision that the Federation (good guys) cannot win against the Dominion (bad guys). Bashir is given the task of taking the news to the Federation leaders, telling them if they will make peace now and serve the Dominion, countless lives will be saved. Of course, the powers that be thought that the fight was worth it, even if success was a long shot.

It is a situation that is mirrored in our history books. It is likely the way that the Allied Powers felt in the early days of World War II. It seemed inevitable that Germany would gain control of almost all of Europe, and winning against them was a long shot. And yet, as France and other European nations fell to the Axis Powers, Winston Churchill announced his resolve.

Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and if, which I do not for a moment believe, this island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God's good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.

Even if we fail, we will fight. We will not let evil win this war. And we believe that somehow, at some point, if we are persistent, we will win. Things might look desperate now, but in the future, right will win over wrong.

I can't imagine what it felt like for Jeremiah to walk into the presence of the King and tell him that it was time to surrender, especially because when Jeremiah made his pronouncement, it seemed that Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians might be vulnerable. Jeremiah's words did not seem to match the outward reality of the situation.

But the core part of Jeremiah's message was simple; God had stopped fighting for Israel and had now taken a stand against Zedekiah and his nation. It didn't matter if Zedekiah had an overwhelming military advantage, which he did not. God had begun to fight on the other side, and until the nation could come to a sincere repentance and a commitment to follow God, there was no use in taking up the fight against their enemies. The God of Israel had to be made the priority of the nation, and everything else had to be a distant second.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 28

Why do you prophesy in the LORD's name that this house will be like Shiloh and this city will be desolate and deserted?" And all the people crowded around Jeremiah in the house of the LORD. – Jeremiah 26:9

Today's Scripture Reading (May 25, 2020): Jeremiah 26

When the Israelites first entered the Promised Land, they stopped to place twelve stones that had been gathered from the center of the Jordan River as a monument to all that happened to the nation as they had crossed the mighty river. Joshua told those gathered on that day that "In the future when your descendants ask their parents, 'What do these stones mean?' tell them, 'Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground' (Joshua 4:21-22). As well as leaving this monument of stones, they left the Tabernacle there as well. The place was called Gilgal.

For the next few years, as Israel conquered Canaan, the Tabernacle remained at Gilgal. But, once Canaan was finally defeated, the priests came and moved the Tabernacle to a place that was a little more central among the tribes. The new home for the Tabernacle was a place called Shiloh. For the next three centuries, the Tabernacle stood proudly among the tribes of Israel at Shiloh.

But during the days of Eli, the High Priest, Israel went to war with the Philistines. The war was not going well for Israel. Eli's sons struck on the idea that maybe if they brought the Ark of the Covenant, the seat of the God of Israel, into the battle, that that might make the difference. And so, they sent for the Ark of the Covenant to be brought to the frontline of the fight. But the presence of the Ark did not change the outcome of the battle. The Ark of the Covenant, the crowning jewel of the Tabernacle, was lost to the Philistines. It also appears that at the same time, Shiloh itself fell to the Philistine onslaught, even though the Tabernacle was present in that place. The year was about 1050 B.C.E.

Four hundred and fifty years later, Jeremiah begins to talk about the fall of Jerusalem. And it seems that one of the arguments against the idea that Jerusalem could fall was that the Temple was present in the city. After all, God would do whatever was necessary to protect his house. And Jeremiah's response to this argument was that the presence of the Tabernacle had not protected Shiloh during the days of Eli and Samuel.

The people were incensed. They were aware of the sins that had been committed during the days of Eli and believed that those days would never come again. Maybe they thought the Ark of the Covenant in the Temple would protect Jerusalem, when at Shiloh, the Ark had already been removed from the Tabernacle. Of course, there is little evidence that the Ark still resided in the Temple during the days of Jeremiah. Many scholars believe that the Ark had already been either moved or looted years or generations earlier. Without the Ark, the Temple was once again an empty shell of a building. While the people might want to believe that they were safe inside the Holy City, Jeremiah realized that Jerusalem and Shiloh shared much, including a similar fate.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 27

For twenty-three years—from the thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah until this very day—the word of the LORD has come to me and I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened. – Jeremiah 25:3

Today's Scripture Reading (May 24, 2020): Jeremiah 25

Ernest Hemmingway argued that "When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen." Maybe more accurately, we listen, but we listen to reply rather than listen to understand. We all do it. We have this inward need to develop a response to what someone is saying, to put forward our own beliefs on the subject matter, rather than listening to understand the opposition opinion. And our political arguments underscore that reality. Everyone ultimately wants the same thing, but we refuse to listen to each other and really understand that reality. We live in a world of soundbites, and the problem with that is that these little snippets of a conversation rarely convey the intended meaning of the speaker. But it is to these soundbites that we prepare our response and our opposition.

Jeremiah is about halfway through his ministry. He has already seen a great change in the nation, and he knows that much more change is on its way. For almost twenty years, he has prophesied under the reign of Josiah. Josiah had taken the words of the prophet seriously. Josiah was a good king who wanted to place the nation on a godly footing. After the death of Josiah, his son Jehoahaz took over control of the country. Jehoahaz only reigned over Judah for three months, but in those three months, he tried to undo every good thing that his father had attempted to accomplish. At the end of three months, the Egyptians were so disappointed with his leadership that they removed him and sent the Jehoahaz into exile in Egypt. Jehoahaz would never return from Egypt, and he was replaced by his older brother, Jehoiakim.

As Jeremiah writes these words, he is about three years into the reign of Jehoiakim, and it is becoming evident that Jehoiakim intends to follow the example of his brother and not that of his father. And Jeremiah is frustrated. It is not that he has not spoken the word of God that has come to him, but rather that his audience is not listening. Or more precisely, his audience has listened, but that they refuse to understand. They have listened to respond, and their response is that Jeremiah is misled. God would never let his chosen nation fail. In the last moment, when the situation is desperate, God has always shown up to save the day. Why would this moment be any different?

Jeremiah wishes that they would listen to his words and understand their meaning. This time is different because of the rebellion of the nation has reached a point where God cannot idly stand by and watch. He wants more for Judah, and it is evident that saving them once more is not going to provide the hoped-for outcome. As much as God wishes to protect the nation, ultimately their salvation can only be accomplished through their failure. The defeat that was coming could be the starting point for a success that was possible later in the history of the nation. But first, the leaders had to stop trying to listen to respond to the words of the prophet and just listen to understand all that was happening in their midst.                                                                                                                                                                                          

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 26

I will make them abhorrent and an offense to all the kingdoms of the earth, a reproach and a byword, a curse and an object of ridicule, wherever I banish them. – Jeremiah 24:9

Today's Scripture Reading (May 23, 2020): Jeremiah 24

Once upon a time, there was a boy who was placed in charge of keeping the sheep safe in the pasture, not far from a small town. But the task was a lonely one, and the boy longed for company or even some kind of excitement. And so, one night, he struck on an idea. With the loudest voice that he could muster, the boy cried out, “Wolf!” The message was not lost on those who heard the boy’s cry. A wolf had found itself among the sheep, and unless something were done, there would be no flock left for which to care. The men stormed toward the pasture, armed with whatever weapons were at hand, ready to take care of the wolf. But when they arrived at the field, they only found a bored boy and some safe sheep. The boy seemed amused that his call had brought the adults running.

The next night, the boy, still lonely and bored, cried out one more time, “Wolf!” As had happened the night before, the men of the village stormed the pasture ready to dispatch the wolf from among the sheep, but once again, there was no wolf, only some sheep and a lonely and bored boy smiling back at them as they arrived.

On the third night, a wolf showed up among the sheep. The boy was terrified. There was nothing that he could do to protect the sheep or even to defend himself. He needed help. And so, he cried, “Wolf!” once again. And then he waited for the armed men of the village to come over the hill to the pasture, but this time no one came. The wolf had his way with the sheep and the little boy. No one believed that the boy was telling the truth, when the previous nights, he had been telling a lie.

“The Boy Who Cried Wolf” is a cautionary tale that tries to teach moral behavior. In this case, the teaching is don’t lie, because if you do, people won’t believe you when you are telling the truth. It is a dilemma that most of us have experienced in some way. One of the most fundamental questions that we ask ourselves is, “who is it that we can believe?” Most conspiracy theories that circulate through our social media pages argue that most people are lying to us and that there is no one left to trust. Of course, the irony is that most of those conspiracy theories are also trying to peddle a lie.

God tells Jeremiah that he has divided Israel into two. Some, he has sent out of the nation for their protection. But Zedekiah and his court, he will deal severely with, and his name will become a cautionary tale of what happens to evil people who believe that they are self-sufficient and have no need for either advisors or God. The name of Zedekiah would become a curse word in Israel. The king would be remembered as the one who lost the kingdom. After Zedekiah, there would be no Israel, and no Judah, left in the world.

Just a note on dating, Jeremiah's prophecies are chronologically mixed up. This prophecy would seem to date to a time before Judah fell to the Babylonians and suffered their third and final exile. Jeremiah appears to have intended that these words would be a warning to Zedekiah and his court and that there was still time for the King to change the nation’s direction. If that change does not come, Jeremiah argues that God will deal with Zedekiah and his officials “whether they remain in this land or live in Egypt” (Jeremiah 24:8). We know that Zedekiah did neither; he was blinded and then taken captive to live out his days in Babylon. Zedekiah died as a pauper and a prisoner, instead of the King that he once had been. A fitting ending to an extraordinary cautionary tale.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 25

“Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!” declares the LORD. – Jeremiah 23:1

Today's Scripture Reading (May 22, 2020): Jeremiah 23

President Ronald Reagan argued that “the greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.” In our partisan world, one that seems to be dominated by echo chambers that never allow us to hear an opposing point of view, it is actually the idea of leadership that becomes the casualty. Leadership becomes impossible when the only message we have to speak applies to only a part of the total constituency. Leadership also becomes unworkable when the potential audience will only listen to the voices with whom they already agree. I have been pleased over the past few weeks to have heard the voices of leaders, many of whom I have had severe policy differences, make positive steps in governing the nation. Over that same period, I have been disappointed by some leaders, with whom I agree on policy, decide to play only to their base. True leaders have an essential ability to build people up and to gather them together. Real leaders help us to focus on the things that unite us, and there is a lot on which most of us can agree, rather than highlighting the areas where we cannot find agreement. In our current culture, true leaders have become a rare breed.

Jeremiah speaks to the shepherds of Israel. In our contemporary understanding, a shepherd often takes on the meaning of a spiritual leader, but that context was absent in Jeremiah’s day. A shepherd was simply someone who has been given the mantle of leadership in some aspect of society. Shepherds were kings and political leaders, as well as priests and prophets.

And so, Jeremiah speaks a message of woe to these leaders. He complained that the leadership had abdicated from their responsibility to lead. These shepherds are busy tearing down the people who have been placed under their care. And rather than unifying the people, they were busy scattering them. And destroying people rather than building them up and scattering them rather than being a unifying force is the opposite of what a leader, or a shepherd, does.

The reality is that tearing down people is easy; building them up, even the ones who criticize you, is hard. In the same way, scattering people is easy; unifying people from different backgrounds and different belief systems is hard, which is why leaders are so rare. Often all we want to do is to take the easy road, but that is not what a leader does. But that was the path the shepherds of Jerusalem had chosen to take, and in the process, they had stopped being leaders.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 24

Do not weep for the dead king or mourn his loss; rather, weep bitterly for him who is exiled, because he will never return nor see his native land again. – Jeremiah 22:10

Today's Scripture Reading (May 21, 2020): Jeremiah 22

A couple of weeks ago, I presided over the memorial service for a good friend who had lost her battle with cancer. In this day of social distancing and mass gathering restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is a hard thing to do. And so, a few of us gathered in a room and sang songs and remembered a life, while sharing the experience through Facebook Live to friends and family that stretched from coast to coast. It was a strange experience.

During the service, I spoke about Jesus's tears at the death of Lazarus. I told those who listened that Jesus's tears were not for Lazarus because he already knew that he was going to raise his friend from the dead. His tears were for Mary and Martha, Lazarus's sisters and friends of Jesus, who were in great pain because of the passing of their brother. And that pain was very real, regardless of the pans that Jesus had for his deceased friend.  On this day as we mourned the loss of our friend, we were in pain, because the one who has died has made a difference in our lives. That is a good thing. We don't cry for the one who has died; we cry because their death leaves an unhealable hole in our souls. But one thing is sure; notwithstanding the reason, we still cry.

Jeremiah does not place a prohibition on mourning here, as some might seem to argue. Grief is a natural reaction to the death of someone who has made a significant difference in our lives. But he does state a reality that applied to the Jerusalem that Jeremiah knew. The truth that Jeremiah spoke to was that for the one who has died, the battle is over. Those who are left behind are the ones who have to continue the fight. In the days leading up to the fall of Jerusalem, Jeremiah argued that the blessed ones are the ones who die, finishing their battle while the walls of the city still stand, and while at least some hope for tomorrow still survives. These were the lucky ones.

The unlucky ones were those who had to carry on the fight. They are the ones who will be forced to kneel before a Babylonian King. These survivors are the ones who will be humiliated in various ways. They will be torn from their homes and their possessions and forced to march from Judah to Babylon. These are the unlucky ones who will look over their shoulders as they leave Jerusalem only to see the walls of the city being torn down, and their beloved Temple leveled and burned. And these are the people who will never be allowed to return home again.

Don't weep for the dead; their battle has already concluded. Weep for the ones who will continue, and will do so in a strange land, devoid of the hope they once thought was their inalienable right. These are the ones for whom you should mourn, because it is their pain that will be considerable, and that pain still resides in what increasingly looks like a hopeless future.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 23

I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and a mighty arm in furious anger and in great wrath. – Jeremiah 21:5

Today's Scripture Reading (May 20, 2020): Jeremiah 21

As the Assyrian army gathered around Jerusalem, Hezekiah sent for a trusted advisor, Isaiah. Isaiah was a prophet of Israel, but he seemed to have an intimate relationship with the King. In my imagination, I can see the King walking the walls of Jerusalem, looking out over the vast Assyrian army that had gathered its might against the city, with Isaiah marching at his side.

But on this day, Hezekiah is scared, Sennacherib, the leader of the Assyrians, had openly spoken to the people of Jerusalem, telling them that Hezekiah is lying to them. There is no hope for salvation. The only possibility for the people of Jerusalem to escape the coming trial is to walk out the front gates and surrender their fates to the attacking Assyrians. Hezekiah fears that the people will listen and leave the city. But he is more scared that Sennacherib is right; that there is no hope for Judah's capital city.

And so, Hezekiah sends his servants to go and find Isaiah. How is it that the prophet of Israel is responding? Surely, he has heard the message of Sennacherib. He must be feeling something as he hears the Assyrian voice his threats against the city.

The servants find Isaiah and pose the King's question to the man of God. And Isaiah responds.

Isaiah said to them, "Tell your master, 'This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid of what you have heard—those words with which the underlings of the King of Assyria have blasphemed me. Listen! When he hears a certain report, I will make him want to return to his own country, and there I will have him cut down with the sword'" (2 Kings 19:6-7).

More than a century later, another King of Judah knows well the story of Hezekiah and Isaiah. And so, King Zedekiah sends for his prophet, Jeremiah, and hopes that the assurance of Isaiah to King Hezekiah, as that King led the city against the Assyrians, still holds as Zedekiah leads Jerusalem against the Babylonians. He wants Jeremiah to tell him that one day the Babylonians are going to disappear, in the same way that the Assyrians disappeared during the days of Hezekiah.

But Zedekiah receives a very different response from his prophet. Jeremiah tells Zedekiah that not only are the Babylonians here to stay but that God has personally taken up the campaign against Jerusalem. The sins of the city had finally crossed a line where God had decided that the future needed to take a different turn. It was not Nebuchadnezzar who was attacking the city; it was God. And as a result, there was a reason for Zedekiah to be very afraid.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 22

Personal Note: Happy Birthday to my daughter-in-law, Michelle.

So in the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army. He encamped outside the city and built siege works all around it. The city was kept under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. – 2 Kings 25:1-2

Today's Scripture Reading (May 19, 2020): 2 Kings 25

Darren Shan, in his book, Living Nightmare, the first book in his young adult book series "Vampire Blood Trilogy" or the "Cirque Du Freak" series writes;

The thing about real life is, when you do something stupid, it normally costs you. In books the heroes can make as many mistakes as they like. It doesn't matter what they do, because everything works out in the end. They'll beat the bad guys and put things right and everything ends up cool.

In real life, vacuum cleaners kill spiders. If you cross a busy road without looking, you get whacked by a car. If you fall from a tree, you break some bones.

Real life's nasty. It's cruel. It doesn't care about heroes and happy endings and the way things should be. In real life, bad things happen. People die. Fights are lost. Evil often wins.

I just wanted to make that clear before I begun.

And Darren is right. Real-life often works differently than fiction. In real life, the cavalry is not waiting on just the other side of the hill, ready to ride in and free us. Salvation often comes too late, second chances are rare, and doing stupid things can really cost us. We often seem to live with the misconception that says that if we got away with doing something wrong once, we would always get away with it. But that is a childish idea. Things eventually catch up with us. It is the way that the real-world works. Of course, Darren Shan has a specific story that he wants to tell.

I have a different story, but Darren's words work as well for my account as they do for his. After all of the warnings, words, models molded out in clay, and the drama's enacted before the people. After all of the words of the prophets, both the ones that have been written down and those which are lost in antiquity, had been heard or read. When all of the jokes had been old and all of the laughs had been had. After all of the tears that had been shed over the city, the day finally arrived when Babylon surrounded Jerusalem with their armies and siege works. I don't know if it surprised some people that this day had finally arrived, or if some still believed that their salvation was hiding just over the hill. For the next two years, Babylon would wait, and no one would come to Jerusalem's rescue.

Actions have consequences, and stupid actions often have stupid consequences. At this moment, Jerusalem was about to suffer the result that they should have been expecting. The consequences being served on them was according to the deeds that they had committed. Although, I am sure that they were holding onto the dream that somehow the Babylonian army would go away just like the Assyrians had disappeared during the days of Hezekiah

But Babylon wasn't going anywhere.   

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 21

Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will stir up your lovers against you, those you turned away from in disgust, and I will bring them against you from every side – Ezekiel 23:22

Today's Scripture Reading (May 18, 2020): Ezekiel 23

Why do your friends like you and want to spend time around you? What does it mean to be a friend? In our culture, the reality is that most of our friendships are often transactional; I am your friend because of what I can get from you. We call it networking, and the friendships we invest in are often the ones from which we believe we can gain a tangible benefit. And it always has been that way. When Jesus tells the story of the Lost Son, part of the story is about the unconditional love of the father, who searches the horizon for the return of his son every day, and the conditional friendship that the son experiences during his journey into society. The son had friends as long as he had the money to keep the party going, but once the money disappeared, so did the friendships. And the story of Job tells a similar story. Yes, the friends of Job came to him after he had lost everything, but they came to explore Job's sin and prove that they were more moral and more a friend of God than Job could possibly be.  

The idea of conditional friendship was a reality in the history of Judah. Continually, Judah had made friendships with the nations that existed around her, only to see them come back to do her harm. She was used and then tossed aside as her lovers pursued other goals, and as Judah had nothing more that they could offer their temporary friends.

And in this allegory about two prostitutes, God calls Jerusalem, Oholibah. The meaning behind the name is "my tabernacle is within her." The name carries a reminder of the great blessing that God had placed within her walls. And yet it was not God to whom the city had cried out. Jerusalem continued to give herself to the foreign powers who only wanted to take advantage of her, rather than to God, who had the nation's best interests in mind.

And in the past, Jerusalem had cheated on God only to come rushing back in hard times and experience his salvation. But this time, salvation was not coming. Just as Judah had experienced transactional friendships with the nations in whom they had placed their trust, so Judah had treated God the same way. Rather than enjoying the blessings that God intended for them, they had chased away the prophets that God had sent and pursued other nations and other gods, believing that somehow these other nations would give them more than God ever would. The country who refused to provide true friendship to their God, also never received real friendships from the ones that they pursued.

And now there was a price to be paid.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 25

Son of man, will you judge her? Will you judge this city of bloodshed? Then confront her with all her detestable practices … - Ezekiel 22:2

Today's Scripture Reading (May 17, 2020): Ezekiel 22

There is a difference between committing sin in ignorance and committing sin knowing that the action is wrong. We are not all equal, and different things are expected from each of us. I have to admit that I am often frustrated by conspiracy theories on my social media account. But what frustrates me the most are conspiracy theories, that appear to be based on hate, that are being perpetrated by Christians. And the reason for this frustration is that we should know better. Our task, given to us by God, is to strengthen and build-up, and not to tear down, especially during a time of crisis needlessly. What is needed is our support to get through the crisis. We are here to love, and not to perpetuate hate against people. But sometimes we refuse to do what we know we should do. And because of that, our guilt is more significant.

Jerusalem was the Holy City. Within its city walls was Solomon's Temple, a symbol of God's presence here on earth. Within its walls, the prophets had spoken God's declarations directly to the residents of the city. This custom of speaking God's truth to the people was a process that now continued with the ministry of Jeremiah, working among the men. It was a process that continued with the presence of Huldah, one of the "seven prophetesses," according to Jewish tradition, working among the women of the city. There was no reason for them to miss God's message to Israel. And yet they did.

And so, Ezekiel does not call Jerusalem the Holy City; he labels it the city of bloodshed. It appears that Ezekiel borrowed the name from the prophecies of Nahum a century earlier. Nahum had written;

Woe to the city of blood,
    full of lies,
full of plunder,
    never without victims (Nahum 3:1)!

What is significant is that Nahum was speaking of Nineveh. By using the phrase "city of bloodshed" to describe Jerusalem, Ezekiel seemed to be saying that Jerusalem was as bad and as evil as the Assyrian capital city.

So was that true. From an objective point of view, probably not. A comparison of the cities would probably still hold the violence and sins of Nineveh were more grievous than those of Jerusalem. But Ezekiel makes the comparison because Jerusalem should have known better, and yet she still fell into needless violence and sin. Nineveh did not have a Jeremiah walking around inside its walls. It did not have the benefit of a Huldah teaching among the woman. Jerusalem is judged to be as bad as Nineveh because Jerusalem was given advantages that Nineveh had been denied.

In a similar way, Jesus condemns the cities and towns who refused to welcome him and his disciples. "If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town" (Matthew 10:14-15). It is not that the acts of inhospitality committed by the towns of Jesus day were worse than those of Sodom and Gomorrah, but rather that the cities of Jesus day had been given a benefit which had been denied to Sodom and Gomorrah. They should have known better.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 23