O Sovereign God,
May we truly know you,
May we truly worship you,
May we truly give you the glory that is Yours.
May we live in the reality that you are sovereign and that you work all things for good. We pray in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Today’s Hymn

Words: Words: Augustus M. Toplady, 1774.

FOUNTAIN OF NEVER CEASING GRACE
Click here for tune.
Fountain of never ceasing grace,
Thy saints’ exhaustless theme,
Great object of immortal praise,
Essentially supreme;
We bless Thee for the glorious fruits
Thine incarnation gives;
The righteousness which grace imputes,
And faith alone receives.

Whom heaven’s angelic host adores,
Was slaughtered for our sin;
The guilt, O Lord was wholly ours,
The punishment was Thine:
Our God in the flesh, to set us free,
Was manifested here;
And meekly bare our sins, that we
His righteousness might wear.

Imputatively guilty then
Our substitute was made,
That we the blessings might obtain
For which His blood was shed:
Himself He offered on the cross,
Our sorrows to remove;
And all He suffered was for us,
And all He did was love.

In Him we have a righteousness,
By God Himself approved;
Our rock, our sure foundation this,
Which never can be moved.
Our ransom by His death He paid,
For all His people giv’n,
The law He perfectly obeyed,
That they might enter Heav’n.

As all, when Adam sinned alone,
In his transgression died,
So by the righteousness of One,
Are sinners justified,
We to Thy merit, gracious Lord,
With humblest joy submit,
Again to Paradise restored,
In Thee alone complete.

Our souls His watchful love retrieves,
Nor lets them go astray,
His righteousness to us He gives,
And takes our sins away:
We claim salvation in His right,
Adopted and forgiv’n,
His merit is our robe of light,
His death the gate of Heav’n.

Thought Provoker

Does God cause “bad things” to happen or does he “merely” allow them to happen? What does it really mean to say that, “God is sovereign”?

Dad’s Study

The main point of this chapter is that: God is going to bring great calamity upon His own people As we look through this chapter we are going to note:

I. That God, Himself, is going to do this
II. The extent of the calamity
III. Why God is going to bring the calamity

And then we will consider putting the truth in this chapter into practice.

I. Read through the chapter and note how many times God says that He, Himself is going to bring the calamity using words such as “I am” or similar. After you have read through the chapter, you can check your findings against the following:

Jer. 19:3…”Behold I am about to bring a calamity upon this place, at which the ears of everyone that hears of it will tingle.

Jer. 19:7 “And I shall make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem…and I shall cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies…and I shall give over their carcasses as food for the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth.

Jer. 19:8 “I shall also make this city a desolation and an {object of} hissing; everyone who passes by it will be astonished and hiss because of all its disasters.

Jer. 19:9 “And I shall make them eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters…

Jer. 19:11 and say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Just so shall I break this people and this city…

Jer. 19:12 “This is how I shall treat this place and its inhabitants,” declares the LORD, “so as to make this city like Topheth.

Jer. 19:15 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I am about to bring on this city and all its towns the entire calamity that I have declared against it…

From these verses should we conclude that God is directly involved in these events, or that He merely stands by and allows people to do what they want apart from His decretive will?

II. The extent of the calamity

Now read through the chapter and note and discuss the terrible extent of the calamity.

Verse 9: “And I shall make them eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and they will eat one another’s flesh in the siege and in the distress with which their enemies and those who seek their life will distress them.”‘ was actually fulfilled in Nebuchadnezzar’s siege of 586 B.C.-see Lamentations 2:20

“Topheth” is mentioned several times-This was a place just outside of Jerusalem where disobedient Judeans had conducted vile sacrifices (including human ones) to false gods and demons. Josiah defiled this place in his reformation (2 Kings 23:10,20) so that it was a prime example of wickedness and judgment.

Jer. 19:10 “Then you are to break the jar in the sight of the men who accompany you.

Jer. 19:11 and say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Just so shall I break this people and this city, even as one breaks a potter’s vessel, which cannot again be repaired; and they will bury in Topheth because there is no {other} place for burial.

Jer. 19:12 “This is how I shall treat this place and its inhabitants,” declares the LORD, “so as to make this city like Topheth.

Jer. 19:13 “And the houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will be defiled like the place Topheth,

Jer. 19:15 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I am about to bring on this city and all its towns the entire calamity that I have declared against it.

III. Why God is going to bring the calamity Find and discuss the reasons for God to bring such calamity:

Jer. 19:4 “Because they have forsaken Me and have made this an alien place and have burned sacrifices in it to other gods that neither they nor their forefathers nor the kings of Judah had {ever} known, and {because} they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent.

Jer. 19:5 and have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal, a thing which I never commanded or spoke of, nor did it {ever} enter My mind;

Jer. 19:13 “And the houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will be defiled like the place Topheth, because of all the houses on whose rooftops they burned sacrifices to all the heavenly host and poured out libations to other gods.”

Jer. 19:15 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I am about to bring on this city and all its towns the entire calamity that I have declared against it, because they have stiffened their necks so as not to heed My words.’”

Key issues:
In their false worship the people did:
Jer. 19:5…a thing which I never commanded or spoke of, nor did it {ever} enter My mind; In all the people had
Jer. 9:15…stiffened their necks so as not to heed My words.’”

Click here for Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

Truth in Practice

First see that God is serious about sin. On the Judgment Day God is going to bring even worse calamity on those who have not looked to Christ for forgiveness-look to Christ for salvation!

If you had asked the Judeans upon whom God brought this calamity, the y would have said that they were true believers “Christians, today” and that they went to church, prayed, tried to obey the 10 commandments and so on, yet they were so far from God. Let us make sure that we are really living in the reality of the New Covenant, that we are really living in Christ and not in superficial, external religion.

Finally see the things that God hates and avoid them- we may be tempted to say that we would never do the things mentioned, but do consider verses 5 and 15.

Catechism

Question 53

Q. What is required in the fifth commandment?

A. The fifth commandment requires the preserving the honour, and performing the duties belonging to every one in their various positions and relationships as superiors (Ephesians 5:21, 22; 6:1, 5; Romans 13:1), inferiors (Ephesians 6:9), or equals (Romans 12:10).

Merciful Father have your way with my heart. Mold and shape my heart so that it is pleasing in your sight. Exercise your sovereign will over me that I may be made into the image of my Lord Jesus Christ. Lord I know if I was left to my own devices I would stray from you, instead direct me by your power, your Word and your Spirit into truth and sanctification. Amen.

Today’s Hymn

Words: Words: Augustus M. Toplady, 1774.

FOUNTAIN OF NEVER CEASING GRACE
Click here for tune.
Fountain of never ceasing grace,
Thy saints’ exhaustless theme,
Great object of immortal praise,
Essentially supreme;
We bless Thee for the glorious fruits
Thine incarnation gives;
The righteousness which grace imputes,
And faith alone receives.

Whom heaven’s angelic host adores,
Was slaughtered for our sin;
The guilt, O Lord was wholly ours,
The punishment was Thine:
Our God in the flesh, to set us free,
Was manifested here;
And meekly bare our sins, that we
His righteousness might wear.

Imputatively guilty then
Our substitute was made,
That we the blessings might obtain
For which His blood was shed:
Himself He offered on the cross,
Our sorrows to remove;
And all He suffered was for us,
And all He did was love.

In Him we have a righteousness,
By God Himself approved;
Our rock, our sure foundation this,
Which never can be moved.
Our ransom by His death He paid,
For all His people giv’n,
The law He perfectly obeyed,
That they might enter Heav’n.

As all, when Adam sinned alone,
In his transgression died,
So by the righteousness of One,
Are sinners justified,
We to Thy merit, gracious Lord,
With humblest joy submit,
Again to Paradise restored,
In Thee alone complete.

Our souls His watchful love retrieves,
Nor lets them go astray,
His righteousness to us He gives,
And takes our sins away:
We claim salvation in His right,
Adopted and forgiv’n,
His merit is our robe of light,
His death the gate of Heav’n.

Thought Provoker

When I was in grade school we had to take art class. I say “had” to take because it wasn’t one of my favorites. Sometimes the art media we worked in was clay. We would take modeling clay and could form it into anything we wanted. Here was one reason why I didn’t like art class, I could never think of anything to make. I could never really determine what I wanted to mould the clay into. Today, God through Jeremiah, teaches us about His sovereignty over creation through the example of the potter’s ability to mould the clay into whatever he desires

Dad’s Study

This was a common teaching method of Jesus to have His hearers observe a common task of their day and then use it to illustrate a heavenly truth. God tells Jeremiah to go to the potter’s house and watch him work. I am sure Jeremiah observed many things, however he records only one; that a spoiled vessel he was attempting to make was re-made by his hand into whatever the potter desired. God would use this to instruct Israel how He would sovereignly deal with them. In verse 6 we read, “O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.” God teaches them of His mercy in repentance and forgiveness and of His wrath in judgment for the stiff-necked. God had called to them to repent of their spiritual adultery and to cease from following after false gods and return to Him on many occasions. Once again, He shows them His mercy and long-suffering through the potter one final time. He shows them that if a nation or kingdom repents and turns from it’s wickedness He will forgive and relent in judgment. This, the great Jehovah did in Ninevah, when the people of that wicked city repented at the preaching of Jonah, put on sack cloth and mourned over their sin. But what was Israel’s response to their merciful and long-suffering God who had delivered them and made them the apple of His eye? They did the most abominable thing, verse 13. They became stiff-necked and determined to follow their own evil schemes according to the wickedness of their hearts, verse 12. They certainly proved the words of the preacher true in Ecclesiastes 7:29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. The virgin of Israel had been given the oracles of God and yet they abandoned God, His ways, His precepts and His statutes. They forgot God as if He didn’t exist and went after false gods and perverse ways. Like the spoiled vessel of the potter, so too Israel had become a spoiled vessel. Rather than being a vessel for honorable purposes they had become a vessel fit only for wrath and judgment.

Click here for Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

Truth in Practice

We also see the sovereign right of the potter reflected in Romans 9:19-29 in the great doctrinal truth of God’s unconditional election of His saints. God chooses whom He will make a vessel for honorable use and whom He will make a vessel for dishonor; but even in this God is patient with those vessels of wrath prepared for destruction. Through His patience He displays the riches of His glory through vessels of mercy. Christians are His vessels of mercy, those who once were lost and dead in trespasses and sins but now have been brought into the kingdom of light by His great mercy. Unlike the virgin of Israel who pursued after their own evil schemes those who have been saved by grace answer the call of God to repent. Be a vessel of mercy, hear the gospel call, do not shut up your ear as the virgin of Israel had done but instead heed the call, repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ who drank the full cup of God’s wrath in atoning for the sins of the Christian.

Catechism

Question 53

Q. What is required in the fifth commandment?

A. The fifth commandment requires the preserving the honour, and performing the duties belonging to every one in their various positions and relationships as superiors (Ephesians 5:21, 22; 6:1, 5; Romans 13:1), inferiors (Ephesians 6:9), or equals (Romans 12:10).

Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. Psalm 2:1, 5, 11-12

Today’s Hymn

Words: James Montgomery, Songs of Zion, 1822, alt.

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD
Click here for tune.

The Lord is my Shepherd, no want shall I know;
I feed in green pastures, safe folded I rest;
He leadeth my soul where the still waters flow,
Restores me when wand’ring, redeems when oppressed.

Through valley and shadow of death though I stray,
Since Thou art my Guardian, no evil I fear;
Thy rod shall defend me, Thy staff be my stay;
No harm can befall, with my Comforter near.

In midst of affliction my table is spread;
With blessings unmeasured my cup runneth o’er;
With perfume and oil Thou anointest my head;
O what shall I ask of Thy providence more?

Let goodness and mercy, my bountiful God,
Still follow my steps till I meet Thee above;
I seek, by the path which my forefathers trod,
Through land of their sojourn, Thy Kingdom of love.

Thought Provoker

I remember as a child when I would misbehave while Dad was at work. If it was something really bad Mom would let my Dad deal with it. All she would say to me was, “Wait until your Dad gets home”. I always dreaded that because I knew the punishment would be severe. Read Jeremiah 16:21, do you get this same sense of dread when you hear God say to disobedient sinners that they will know His hand and know His might?

Dad’s Study

Again, the prophet denounces the sins of Israel and pronounces their judgment. Their judgment will be so severe that all the normal institutions of society will be utterly destroyed. There will be no mourning for the dead and they will not even be buried. No one will attempt to comfort anyone because all will be in distress. There will be no joy or rejoicing, there will be no feasts, no weddings, all of this will be eliminated from Israel.

Why does God bring such severe justice upon Israel? Because of 3 sins found in verses 11-12:
1. They forsook God and followed after false gods.
2. They did not keep God’s law.
3. Each man did what was right in his own sight and ignored God.

These are serious charges. As a family discuss, “Are there ways that we too commit these sins today?” Do we forsake God and follow after the false gods the world puts before us? (wealth, health, possessions, beauty, rest, relaxation, recreation, etc) As a sinner how do I fail to keep God’s law? (Have each family member examine their own hearts for personal sin) Are there times where I disregard the law of God and instead do what I think is right or what I want? (sins of convenience or self-indulgence)

Click here for Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

Truth in Practice

Does such an examination of the heart in light of verse 21 cause you to fear? It should. God stands ready to pour out His wrath on your sin, but there is hope. Verses 14 and 15 speak of restoration to a right relationship with God. This is accomplished by God seeking us out and drawing us to Him, verse 16. He will punish iniquity, but He is also merciful (Exodus 34:6, 7) and will be our strength and refuge in this day of distress, verse 19. Flee to Christ, flee to the God of wrath and plead for mercy that He might appease His wrath in Christ’s sacrifice allowing you to be restored to Him by faith.

Catechism

Question 52

Q. Which is the fifth commandment?

A. The fifth commandment is, Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

February 12, 2008
Jeremiah 15

Prayer

We marvel at the greatness of your grace extended to undeserving sinners in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the Scriptures You have declared Yourself to be the God who is slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin. But you have also made it plain in Your Word that You will by no means leave the guilty unpunished; that Your lovingkindness is as high as the heavens toward those who fear You; that You have fixed a Day in which You most certainly will judge the world in righteousness and without partiality; that Your kindness and mercy in the meantime are intended to lead sinners to repentance. O Lord, keep us from presuming upon Your kindness and mercy. May we take seriously both the promises of the gospel and the threats of coming judgment, that we might be brought speedily to Christ in faith and repentance.

Today’s Hymn

Words: James Montgomery, Songs of Zion, 1822, alt.

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD
Click here for tune.

The Lord is my Shepherd, no want shall I know;
I feed in green pastures, safe folded I rest;
He leadeth my soul where the still waters flow,
Restores me when wand’ring, redeems when oppressed.

Through valley and shadow of death though I stray,
Since Thou art my Guardian, no evil I fear;
Thy rod shall defend me, Thy staff be my stay;
No harm can befall, with my Comforter near.

In midst of affliction my table is spread;
With blessings unmeasured my cup runneth o’er;
With perfume and oil Thou anointest my head;
O what shall I ask of Thy providence more?

Let goodness and mercy, my bountiful God,
Still follow my steps till I meet Thee above;
I seek, by the path which my forefathers trod,
Through land of their sojourn, Thy Kingdom of love.

Thought Provoker

Seven year old Jonathan was fascinated with the kitchen stove. It was a gas stove. Not only did he like the pretty blue flame that emitted from the burners, but he especially liked the click, click, click sound of the starters. On several occasions Jonathan’s parents caught him playing with the knobs on the stove. Again and again they warned him to leave the stove alone, but Jonathan didn’t listen. His fascination with the stove was too great. In spite of his parents’ repeated warnings, a day came when Jonathan was in the kitchen alone. The stove caught his eye. He went over to it and turned one of the knobs. Click, click, click- and the pretty blue flame came forth. What Jonathan didn’t see, however, was a kitchen towel that was a little too close to the flame. The towel caught on fire- then the counter top, then the cupboards. Thankfully, Jonathan’s mother came into the kitchen in time to put the fire out. But when it was all over, there was considerable smoke and fire damage in the kitchen, and Jonathan had to be taken to the hospital with a burned hand. Jonathan learned a valuable lesson that day about listening to warnings.

God’s patience is the only one of His attributes that is not eternal. He warns sinners again and again that they should turn away from their sins and believe in His Son. Now is the day of mercy. But one day His mercy will come to an end and it will be time for judgment. Eventually, those who remain obstinate in their disobedience cross a line. They go beyond the point of any return and their judgment is irreversibly sealed. Though we can never determine with any certainty if or when that line has been crossed during the lifetime of an individual, it is certain that those who die in their sins without repenting and believing upon Christ will have no more opportunity for salvation (Hebrews 9:27). For them, the day of mercy is past. In every case without exception, death is the line that finally determines where God’s patience ends. We all must take God’s warnings seriously before the day of mercy passes us by.

Dad’s Study

Jeremiah chapter 2 through chapter 20 contains prophecies which Jeremiah announced throughout the twenty-three year period from the thirteenth year of Josiah king of Judah until the fourth year after Josiah’s death. These prophecies commenced one year after Josiah began his reforms and concluded in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. (See Jer. 25:1-3) The prophecies of this period are primarily announcements of coming judgment upon the nation for its unfaithfulness to Jehovah. In chapter after chapter the bell of coming judgment tolls with a steady din. In the midst of this section is the announcement in chapter 14 of a terrible drought that will come upon Judah (14:1-6). Jeremiah’s efforts to intercede on behalf of the nation are rebuffed by the Lord, since God has determined to bring judgment, and there is no turning back from that determination.

Jehovah’s response to Jeremiah’s intercession begins in 14:10 and throughout the remainder of the chapter, a kind of dialogue ensues between the prophet and his God. The chapter closes with Jeremiah making one final effort to plead for mercy (14:19-22).

Chapter 15 begins with Jehovah’s response to this ple
A. Though Moses and Samuel were to intercede for the nation, nothing would change. The sins of Manasseh have irreversibly destined the nation for exile (15:1-4). In his characteristic fashion, Jeremiah laments over the impenitent nation and the judgment that justly awaits it (15:5-9). Then in the remainder of the chapter, Jeremiah expostulates with God. Here we are given a glimpse into the inner struggles and wrestlings of the prophet. He is embarrassingly honest with God. He complains of the difficulty of his work (15:10). God graciously and encouragingly responds to Jeremiah (15:11-14). Another exchange between God the prophet follows. Jeremiah humbly pleads his integrity and complains of his hardships (15:15-18). Again God graciously responds (15:19- 21).

Click here for Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

Truth in Practice

· Manasseh’s sins were the legacy he left to the subsequent generation. Though he found personal forgiveness (2 Chron. 33:12, 13), his legacy remained. What does this teach us about the impact of our actions upon our posterity? How can we use this as an incentive to obedience? List some specific situations where our actions are certain to have a decided impact upon our posterity.
· Consider Jeremiah’s wrestlings with God. Did Jeremiah sin against the Lord in thinking and praying as he did? Was God unfaithful to His Word in His unswerving determination to judge the nation? Why or why not? Was God unkind to Jeremiah in His dealings with him? Why or why not?
· How has God warned you of judgment to come in your life? Through what avenues has He brought these warnings? [reading the Bible, reading other Christian literature, hearing preaching, the warnings of parents, friends, Christians]
· Have you heeded those warnings? If not, why not?

Catechism

Question 52

Q. Which is the fifth commandment?

A. The fifth commandment is, Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper (Psalm 1:1-3) Amen!

Today’s Hymn

Words: James Montgomery, Songs of Zion, 1822, alt.

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD
Click here for tune.

The Lord is my Shepherd, no want shall I know;
I feed in green pastures, safe folded I rest;
He leadeth my soul where the still waters flow,
Restores me when wand’ring, redeems when oppressed.

Through valley and shadow of death though I stray,
Since Thou art my Guardian, no evil I fear;
Thy rod shall defend me, Thy staff be my stay;
No harm can befall, with my Comforter near.

In midst of affliction my table is spread;
With blessings unmeasured my cup runneth o’er;
With perfume and oil Thou anointest my head;
O what shall I ask of Thy providence more?

Let goodness and mercy, my bountiful God,
Still follow my steps till I meet Thee above;
I seek, by the path which my forefathers trod,
Through land of their sojourn, Thy Kingdom of love.

Thought Provoker

On my office desk I have a big, cold, hard rock that I found perfectly shaped like a heart. Over the years it has become a great teaching reminder of how hard our hearts can become from sin. It would take an extraordinary tool to break the rock apart. The diamond engraving bit is one of the few cutting tools that is hard enough to surgically etch its way through the rock. Today, Jeremiah reminds us that the hearts of Judah had become so hard from sin that it would take nothing less than the diamond bit of God’s judgment to break it loose (v. 1).

Dad’s Study

Sin had become entrenched in Judah. Their idolatry and wickedness had increased as it was passed on from generation to generation (vs. 2-3). This brings us to the heart lessons of Jeremiah’s prophecy. First, there are only two kinds of men. There are those who trust in themselves (vs. 5-6) and those who trust in God (v. 7). Those who trust in themselves think that man is the solution to all of life’s problems. They are cursed by God. God withdraws His blessings from their lives. They become like dried up plants in the desert (v. 6). But the man who puts his trust in God is blessed. He is like the tree planted by the river and does not cease to bear much fruit in life (v. 8).

Why is it that so few trust in God? Why is it that the vast majority of mankind, in futility, continue to trust in themselves? You have to look no further than your own fallen heart (v. 9).The natural heart has two things wrong with it. First is that it is deceitful. It appears to be what it isn’t. It masks its true nature. It has the ability to convince itself and others that it is good and true and full of love when in fact it is corrupt to the core. It is a poisoned well from which springs all wickedness.

Who can understand his own heart? No one except God can accurately searches out the heart. Without Him revealing it you will blindly keep making excuses for your sin. You will be like the singer on the television talent show who gives it his best in front of the judges only for the song to sound flat and lifeless. With all thumbs down the judges agree that he cannot carry a tune. How does the singer respond? He stubbornly leaves, calling the judges names and arguing that they don’t know what they are talking about. He argues, “I’m a great singer! Everyone loves my singing!” What’s wrong with the singer? He’s deceived. He cannot hear the awful notes coming off of his liPsalm He continues to make bad music, deceived into thinking that he is something he is not.

Click here for Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

Truth in Practice

How then can a man’s heart ever be changed? How can you know your heart? God must first reveal it and then change it. God calls you to the throne of Christ (v. 12). There you will find Jesus who has died on a cross to purchase life and forgiveness to all who cry out for mercy, salvation and healing (v. 14). Like the diamond drill, only God can chisel away at your heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh. If you are still trusting in yourself, come to Christ for forgiveness and blessing. If you have been delivered from your sins by His matchless grace, stop and give Him thankful praise for His loving kindness, and purpose to live before Him uprightly!

Catechism

Question 52

Q. Which is the fifth commandment?

A. The fifth commandment is, Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Heavenly Father, let us never play loosely with your patience, but see it as a call to glorify You with all that we are. Amen.

Today’s Hymn

Words: James Montgomery, Songs of Zion, 1822, alt.

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD
Click here for tune.

The Lord is my Shepherd, no want shall I know;
I feed in green pastures, safe folded I rest;
He leadeth my soul where the still waters flow,
Restores me when wand’ring, redeems when oppressed.

Through valley and shadow of death though I stray,
Since Thou art my Guardian, no evil I fear;
Thy rod shall defend me, Thy staff be my stay;
No harm can befall, with my Comforter near.

In midst of affliction my table is spread;
With blessings unmeasured my cup runneth o’er;
With perfume and oil Thou anointest my head;
O what shall I ask of Thy providence more?

Let goodness and mercy, my bountiful God,
Still follow my steps till I meet Thee above;
I seek, by the path which my forefathers trod,
Through land of their sojourn, Thy Kingdom of love.

Thought Provoker

Have you ever been cheated by someone at the very time that you were trying to do good to them? That kind of experience deeply troubles and grieves us. In this chapter, we will see God’s reaction to those who sinned against His patience and goodness.

Dad’s Study

This is a fearful chapter. It teaches us that there is a time at which God’s patience reaches an end, a point where He determines destruction on those who have turned away from Him. Jeremiah is pleading for his people, just as Daniel did for Israel when he saw the coming years of sorrow for them that Jeremiah had prophesied about (see Daniel 9). But the Lord tells Jeremiah not to pray for this people (v11). This is an astounding thing, and it is a rare sight in the Scriptures. But, there are indeed times when God leaves a people to their own devices. The flood of Noah was such a time. The turning away of Christ and the apostles from the stubborn unbelief of the Jews was such a time. And so is this time in Judah’s history. There is a time in the lives of individuals, and in the existence of nations, at which God’s patience reaches an end. This is a fearful chapter. It teaches us that there is a time at which God’s patience reaches an end, a point where He determines destruction on those who have turned away from Him. Jeremiah is pleading for his people, just as Daniel did for Israel when he saw the coming years of sorrow for them that Jeremiah had prophesied about (see Daniel 9). But the Lord tells Jeremiah not to pray for this people (v11). This is an astounding thing, and it is a rare sight in the Scriptures. But, there are indeed times when God leaves a people to their own devices. The flood of Noah was such a time. The turning away of Christ and the apostles from the stubborn unbelief of the Jews was such a time. And so is this time in Judah’s history. There is a time in the lives of individuals, and in the existence of nations, at which God’s patience reaches an end. God’s patience is astounding. Our very existence is a testimony to His patience toward each of us individually. But the very frequency and greatness of God’s patience can be responded to sinfully. Judah was responding that way when the message of this chapter about the drought came. Perhaps they thought they were special, and immune to judgment. Perhaps they were hanging on to a few rituals and believing they were righteous and good before God. Whatever it was, the Lord has given them over here. After years, or rather, generations of patience, the time has come for God’s wrath to come on Judah. Jeremiah’s prayers will not help; even the prayers of Moses and Samuel (who both interceded for obstinate and disobedient people) would not have helped. They have pressed beyond the boundary of God’s patience. It is an eerie and fearful thing to consider. There is such a boundary, such a line, after which the judgment of God is certain against those who go on in their sins. Perhaps nothing is more offensive to God than an arrogant, scornful attitude toward grace and patience (see Romans 2:3-6).

Click here for Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

Truth in Practice

The application of this chapter is simple: Beware of attempting to take advantage of the patience and goodness of God. It is an unusually evil heart that takes advantage of someone’s kindness and acts wrongfully in return for good done to them. It ought to greatly convict us if we have ever treated someone wrong because we knew they were patient and good, and we could get away with it. But also, we must realize that no one “gets away with it” when they deal with God this way. God is never taken advantage of. If you despise His grace, you will see His wrath. Take to heart these statements of God about Judah: “When they fast, I will not hear their cry; And when they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them.” God have mercy on you if you are responding to God’s patience as Judah did! Pray for God to change your stubborn heart!

Catechism

Question 52

Q. Which is the fifth commandment?

A. The fifth commandment is, Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.