JewishOrNotWondering

  • Subscribe to our RSS feed.
  • Twitter
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • Facebook
  • Digg

Thursday, 26 May 2011

Don't go back to Egypt

Posted on 05:22 by Unknown
Today's reading is from Jeremiah 42, 43, 44, 45

Much of the passages in Jeremiah occur after the captivity has begun. Jeremiah was granted the ability to stay in the land, along with others who were left by the Babylonians. Most of the nation was taken into captivity, but these few were left - and Jeremiah.

it wasn't long before the remnant of Jews began to think of leaving the land and heading for Egypt - presumably because Egypt would represent safety, prosperity, and a life apart from Babylonian rule. Jeremiah wants none of it. He hears from the Lord and conveys it quite clearly - we are not to go back to Egypt. While he knows there is fear from being under the Babylonian authority, he knows that Egypt will not serve as a safe-haven; in fact, the Lord shows him that those who go there will be less safe than those who stay behind.

Still they do not listen. In fact, what comes forth is not so much the issue of safety, but rather the issue of worship. There are those in the remnant who no long worship God, but have chosen a faith in an Egyptian deity - "The Queen of Heaven". To Jeremiah it represents the very reasons the nation fell to the Babylonians in the first place - their unfaithfulness to God and their casting their faith on to other deities.

In the end, Jeremiah gets a message from God: "Should you then seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them. For I will bring disaster on all people, declares the lord, but wherever you go I will let you escape with your life.'"

The remnant will prove to be as unfaithful as the others, but Jeremiah's faithfulness will keep him in God's protection.

It's hard for any of us to translate all of this to our own day. Yet, it remains a principle that I believe is still true: "Be faithful to me and I will be faithful to you." That is my hope and prayer.

Peace

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest
Posted in | No comments
Newer Post Older Post Home

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Popular Posts

  • Roots
    Taking a look outside I see the snow gone, the ground has soaked up lots of moisture over the last week with rain coming almost every day; a...
  • Father's Day - Honoring our Church Fathers
    With the U.S. and England both celebrating Father's Day today, I thought it would be good to say a word about some Father's we often...
  • Resurrection Hopes
    Today's readings are from Isaiah 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 I was struck today about the number of encouraging promises of God that in spite of ...
  • Day 12 - Going Home
    We're headed off to the airport in a little while. If all goes well we'll be back home by tonight - late - but I'd rather be ho...
  • Persevering Faith -
    My readings these days have taken me through the book of Hebrews.  Arguably one of the most theological of all the New Testament letters - a...
  • Lent - Day 40, Tenth Station of the Cross
    Our Scripture Readings today are: Psalms 24, 29, 103; Zechariah 9:9-12 & Zechariah 2:9-13:9; and 1 Tim 6:12-16 and Matt 21:12-17 It is ...
  • New Beginnings are Exciting
    Hi Folks, Tomorrow Christian Life College - Madison launches into existence. The registration and orientation for the first semester's ...
  • The Second Sunday in Lent
    1 John 1:5-2:2 (ESV) 5  This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all...
  • Don't go back to Egypt
    Today's reading is from Jeremiah 42, 43, 44, 45 Much of the passages in Jeremiah occur after the captivity has begun. Jeremiah was gran...
  • Peace on Earth
    In my readings today, I came across this Advent theme of "peace on earth". It seems like peace evades so many people. We live in...

Blog Archive

  • ►  2013 (76)
    • ►  August (1)
    • ►  July (2)
    • ►  June (12)
    • ►  May (1)
    • ►  April (10)
    • ►  March (29)
    • ►  February (18)
    • ►  January (3)
  • ►  2012 (113)
    • ►  December (27)
    • ►  November (5)
    • ►  October (2)
    • ►  September (2)
    • ►  August (4)
    • ►  July (5)
    • ►  June (8)
    • ►  May (8)
    • ►  April (8)
    • ►  March (21)
    • ►  February (13)
    • ►  January (10)
  • ▼  2011 (216)
    • ►  December (31)
    • ►  November (5)
    • ►  October (5)
    • ►  September (7)
    • ►  August (5)
    • ►  July (11)
    • ►  June (8)
    • ▼  May (23)
      • Ezekiel's Dilemma
      • Honor where honor is due
      • The end of Jeremiah
      • Nations come and Nations Go
      • Don't go back to Egypt
      • Violence Upon Violence
      • Faithfulness
      • In the Dominican Republic
      • The New Covenant
      • Living in Hope, Planting a tree
      • Reflections in Patriotism
      • Spiritual Pain
      • The Barren
      • The Sacrifice of the Lord's Servant
      • Cyrus - Prophesied Servant
      • The Servant of the Lord
      • God is Big
      • Highways of Holiness
      • Speaking "Woe"
      • Resurrection Hopes
      • God & the Nations
      • Evil and Justice
      • Promises
    • ►  April (32)
    • ►  March (30)
    • ►  February (28)
    • ►  January (31)
  • ►  2010 (33)
    • ►  December (24)
    • ►  November (4)
    • ►  September (1)
    • ►  April (1)
    • ►  February (1)
    • ►  January (2)
  • ►  2009 (62)
    • ►  December (23)
    • ►  November (1)
    • ►  September (2)
    • ►  July (1)
    • ►  June (1)
    • ►  May (1)
    • ►  April (12)
    • ►  March (21)
Powered by Blogger.

About Me

Unknown
View my complete profile