August 12, 2017

Insights on Today's Reading

Jeremiah 18 - Can the potter make his clay jar anything he wants?  And if he is disappointed with it can he make it again?  These two questions are asked and answered in the affirmative.  If that is so, can God do that too with that which He makes?  God's people are like the clay in a potter's hand.  Jeremiah also received another threat, verse 18 and Jeremiah presents his response in prayer to His God, verses 19-23.

Jeremiah 19 - Continuing with the "Lesson of the Potter," Jeremiah takes a potter's flask and brings the elders to the Potsherd Gate, verse 2 and preaches to them of Judah's forsaking God, verse 4, and then uses the flask to symbolize Judah and smashes the pottery, verse 10, to symbolize God's judgment.  Afterwards, Jeremiah continues to preach against Judah's sin.  Jeremiah is showing the boldness God had promised.

Jeremiah 20 - Jeremiah is attacked by Pashur, a priest.  Jeremiah is placed in stocks.  Jeremiah rebukes Pashur, and then cries out to God, verse 7-18.  He speaks of trying not to prophesy, but He said God's word in his heart was like a "burning fire" and he could not hold back preaching, verse 9.

Jeremiah 21 - Jeremiah responds to a request from King Zedekiah and tells the king he has two options, verse 8-10, either give up to the Chaldeans (Babylonians) or suffer death at their hands.  Jeremiah pleads once again with the people of Judah to obey God, verses 11-14.

Jeremiah 22 - Jeremiah continues to speak to Zedekiah, verses 1-9 and then speaks against two other kings of Judah, Shallum, another name for Jehoahaz, verse 10-12, and against Jehoiakim, verses 13-30.  There is a prophecy against Jehoiakim, also known as Coniah, in verse 30 that is controversial.  If no one of his descendants will sit on the throne of David, how does that affect Jesus' birth and right to reign as King?  This is where Jesus' birth has two lines of lineage, one through Joseph, the royal-line, which is from Coniah's line, but also through Mary, which is directly from David's son, Nathan, which gives Christ the blood-line.  Christ does qualify to be King of David's throne!