I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.
The leaders of the various armed bands and their followers approached Jeremiah and requested that he ask God what they should do and where they should go. Jeremiah told them that he would do as they asked and tell them everything that God told him. They swore that they whatever Jeremiah told them that God said that they should do. After ten days Jeremiah received a reply from God. He called the people to him and gave them the message. Jeremiah told them that God said that if they stayed in Judah, He would build them up and protect them. They would not need to fear the king of Babylon. On the other hand, if they went to Egypt, war and famine would follow them there. They would die in Egypt from war, famine and disease. Jeremiah then told them that he knew that they would not listen and that they would insist on going to Egypt. That despite their promise to do whatever Jeremiah told them to do, they would go to Egypt. Jeremiah told them that his prophecy would be fulfilled and they would die there from war, famine and disease.
The leaders of the armed bands believed that Jeremiah was lying to them. Instead of listening to Jeremiah they fled to Egypt bringing the people with them, including Jeremiah. When they got to Egypt, Jeremiah prophesied that Nebuchadnezzar would conquer the city where the people of Judah had fled and all of Egypt. Once the people had settled in, Jeremiah had another prophecy for them. He condemned them for continuing to worship other gods. The people replied that they would not give up their worship of other gods, even now that they had been driven out of their homes in Judah.
How often are we like the people in this passage? We ask for God’s guidance on what to do, then, when we get it, we do something else anyway. How often is our failure to receive God’s guidance because we don’t like the answer He is giving us?
Paul reminds Timothy that the things Timothy had heard Paul preach had been confirmed by reliable witnesses. Paul then tells Timothy that he should live as a good soldier. He should not get tied up in affairs of “civilian life.” This is a message to me not to get tied up in things that do not involve spreading God’s Word. Paul goes on to tell Timothy (and us) to work hard and be a good worker. We should avoid foolish talk that leads to godless behavior. God knows who are His and those who belong to God will turn away from evil. We should strive to keep ourselves pure so that we may be a special utensil to God that is reserved for honorable use rather than a utensil made of wood or clay that is for everyday use.
It is indeed good to give thanks to the Lord. I will proclaim His unfailing love in the morning and His faithfulness in the evening. God is mightier than the raging seas. When the tides and waves of life crash against me, I will trust in the Lord and rely on Him.
We have three proverbs about fools today. The first tells us that fools will not be guided by anything other than punishment. The second and third appear to contradict each other. One tells us not to answer the foolish arguments of fools because to do so risks becoming a fool as well. The other tells us that we should answer the foolish arguments of fools or they will think themselves wise. I think this means that one should be very careful when making a case to a fool so as to not get caught in their foolish thought processes, but nevertheless to point out the foolishness of their arguments.