Reflections from Jeremiah/Yirmiyahu
Okay my friends, here is a place to dialogue regarding the book of Jeremiah/Yirmiyahu. Feel free to share your questions, comments and reflections from the daily readings.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
32 Comments
April 22, 2023 at 7:34 pm /
Shalom Keith, where can i find the teaching on day 179?
July 5, 2019 at 7:26 am /
Day 186- Today we are reading chapters 51-52 of Jeremiah/Yirmiyahu.
July 4, 2019 at 6:38 am /
Day 185- Today we are reading chapters 49-50 of Jeremiah/Yirmiyahu.
July 3, 2019 at 6:53 am /
Day 184- Today we are reading chapters 46-48 of Jeremiah/Yirmiyahu.
July 3, 2019 at 9:14 pm /
This section leaves me struck by how loving Yehovah is. Does that sound completely nuts? Let me explain.
While the prophecies here are harsh and unforgiving, for Egypt, Moab, and Israel there is hope. The promise at the end of all the prophecies against them is that they will return to their lands. That’s incredible to me.
Proverbs 13:12 says that Yehovah disciplines the one He loves. These prophecies are clear indications that He loves the Gentiles. He disciplines them, but then brings them back.
I love our Father.
July 2, 2019 at 7:41 am /
Day 183- Today we are reading chapters 43-45 of Jeremiah/Yirmiyahu.
July 2, 2019 at 1:11 am /
Well I have been reading it along as well, nice and slow, and have been blessed both by the word and insights as well, and plan on staying the course.
July 2, 2019 at 7:10 pm /
We’re half way through! I think we’re going to make it ?
July 1, 2019 at 9:22 pm /
After reading this portion it makes me think about how asking God what we should do in a situation is serious business!
July 2, 2019 at 7:27 am /
Hi, Tracy.
I didn’t get an opportunity to post yesterday but I was thinking along those same lines. I was also thinking about all the times in my life that I’ve asked our Father for specific instructions about what I should do in a given situation and didn’t get them like these folks did.
I sometimes wish I had a tried and true navi to ask questions of, one who’s prophecies always seemed to be accurate so that I could do what these Israelites did, ask what I should do. But would I do what the navi said or not?
I hope I would do what Yehovah said to do, or not do, but until you’re in the situation you just don’t know. Of course, I think a warning like what they received would certainly get my attention, but who knows. If I’m afraid enough, I might just ignore the warnings.
July 1, 2019 at 10:50 am /
That guy Keith Johnson sure seems to be doing all the posting anymore.
July 1, 2019 at 10:05 pm /
Hey Jack it’s ok. We have a bunch of folks around the world who simply love to read the Book!
July 1, 2019 at 7:50 am /
Day 182- Today we are reading chapters 40-42 of Jeremiah/Yirmiyahu.
June 30, 2019 at 7:45 am /
Day 181- Today we are reading chapters 37-39 of Jeremiah/Yirmiyahu.
June 29, 2019 at 8:13 am /
Day 180- Today we are reading chapters 34-36 of Jeremiah/Yirmiyahu.
June 28, 2019 at 7:13 am /
Day 179- Today we are reading chapters 31-33 of Jeremiah/Yirmiyahu.
June 27, 2019 at 7:08 am /
Day 178- Today we are reading chapters 28-30 of Jeremiah/Yirmiyahu.
June 26, 2019 at 7:08 am /
Day 177- Today we are reading chapters 25-27 of Jeremiah/Yirmiyahu.
June 25, 2019 at 6:41 am /
Day 176- Today we are reading chapters 22-24 of Jeremiah/Yirmiyahu.
June 24, 2019 at 7:00 am /
Day 175- Today we are reading chapters 19-21 of Jeremiah/Yirmiyahu.
June 23, 2019 at 7:00 am /
Day 174- Today we are reading chapters 16-18 of Jeremiah/Yirmiyahu.
June 22, 2019 at 6:19 am /
Day 173- Today we are reading chapters 13-15 of Jeremiah/Yirmiyahu.
June 22, 2019 at 7:05 pm /
(All quotes are taken from the Israel Bible complete with its capitalizations.)
This is such a difficult part of Jeremiah for me because I can picture so clearly both his and Yehovah’s desperation. I know that sounds weird – Yehovah’s desperation – as if this surprised Him. It didn’t, but I can hear their combined pain over what Yehovah must do because of Israel’s disobedience.
One of the things that is mentioned is something that always delights me, though. In 13:11 Yehovah reminds them that He made Israel to be His “people, for fame, and praise, and splendor.” They were to have fame and praise and splendor so that people would see them and want what they had, and so come to know their God, Yehovah who chose them out of the world to be His special possession, a “light to the nations”.
Instead “they would not obey” and therefore He was forced to bring about all the curses He had promised and “smash them one against the other, parents and children alike…(13:14a). Because of their arrogance and disobedience He was forced to declare, “[N]o pity, compassion, or mercy will stop Me from destroying them” (13:14b). Instead of the fame, praise and splendor they should have had through obedience, He had to “make them a horror to all the kingdoms on the earth…” (15:4a). Instead of being known for Yehovah’s blessing, no nation would pity them, console them, or even inquire after their welfare (15:5).
These words that Jeremiah brought to his people broke his heart. Throughout this passage you hear his agony. In 13:13 he begs his people to honor Yehovah and in v. 14 he tells them that if they won’t heed his warning his “inmost self must weep… [his] eye must stream and flow With copious tears…” I believe he was speaking for Yehovah as much as for himself. This is not what the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had wanted for His people.
Then in chapter 15 we get a glimpse of Jeremiah’s heart. He bemoans his birth (15:10) because of what he is enduring for the words of his God. He wants his people to repent but is tired of their insults and their abuse. He even goes so far as to ask Yehovah to avenge him on those who have mistreated him (15:15). Yehovah promises that if Jeremiah stands fast and produces “what is noble Out of the worthless”, he will continue to be His spokesman and the people will come back to him, not he to them (15:19); Yehovah will save him from the wicked and the violent (15:20 & 21).
As difficult as these things are to read I’m glad the words of the prophets were preserved for us today. They can bring us up short if we allow them to, reminding us of the importance of truly doing what Yehovah has instructed, and they can bring us some comfort when we are doing all we know how to do and yet the wicked continue to prosper. At the right time, when the sin has reached its fullness, Yehovah will put a stop to it.
Jeremiah was alive to see Jerusalem fall just as he said it would, with plague and famine and sword. But he also has the opportunity to tell the exiles that the exile would end (coming up later). Isaiah wasn’t so fortunate; he was killed by those who didn’t want to hear his message. Maybe those of us who want to do our Father’s will, will be alive to see His vengeance, maybe we won’t, but either way we are blessed to have these words to give us hope in either case.
June 21, 2019 at 1:07 pm /
Oh my! What a reading this was today! A lot of meat to digest for sure! Jer. 10:2 Not to be dismayed at the signs of the heavens as the heathen are! Then of course the verses about idol worship. Verse 11 what to say to the heathen. 12 and 13 how YHVH created. 16 has me puzzled. Ahh, but verse 24 amen and amen! That’s just chapter 10. Should I go on?
June 22, 2019 at 3:58 pm /
I completely agree with you, Denise. These chapters are incredibly instructive.
I looked at verse 16 in the NASB and the Israel Bible (essentially the Jewish Publication Society version but with some minor alterations). They’re very similar.
NASB: The portion of Jacob is not like these; For the Maker of all is He, and Israel is the tribe of His inheritance; The LORD of hosts is His name.
IB: Not like these is the Portion of Yaakov; For it is He who formed all things, And Yisrael is His very own tribe; LORD of Hosts is His name.
I think the comparison of the “portion” has to do with verses 14 & 15 where men are dull and making their own “gods” whereas Yehovah “created” Israel and called him “His very own tribe”. In other words, I think it makes sense to understand Israel as Yehovah’s portion and therefore they will not completely perish in “their hour of doom” (v. 15 in IB) like all the other nations who created their own “gods”. Since Israel belongs to Yehovah – is really created and chosen by Him – a remnant will survive even when other nations completely perish.
That’s not very clear, I know. It seems clear to me but I’m not explaining it very well. What do you think?
June 23, 2019 at 7:50 am /
Thank you for your reply! I went to Bible Hub and it helped to clarify as well!
June 21, 2019 at 7:40 am /
Day 172- Today we are reading chapters 10-12 of Jeremiah/Yirmiyahau.
June 20, 2019 at 3:13 am /
Day 171- Today we are reading chapters 7-9 of Jeremiah/Yirmiyahu.
June 20, 2019 at 2:45 pm /
7:16 hits me especially hard, “…do not pray for this people, and do not lift up cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with Me; for I do not hear you” (NASB).
I’ve felt this way about America for a couple of years now, but truly our Father has never actually said these words to me so I need to repent and begin praying again.
In general as I read Jeremiah I can’t help think of the Christian church. If they were not completely divorced from the “The Book” we are reading, would they be able to see themselves in it instead of simply the country (America) or the Jews of the time?
Where is the trust in Yehovah? Does the church not trust in human ways and human governments? Has the church not failed to uphold justice and righteousness?
And yet the people say, “Look, our church, our church, our church” as if their buildings will save them.
May their eyes be opened to the wonderful hidden things of Torah even as ours as we share this year immersed in the Tanack.
June 19, 2019 at 7:01 am /
Day 170- Today we are reading chapters 4-6 of Jeremiah/Yirmiyahu.
June 18, 2019 at 8:55 am /
It appears that Jeremiah 3:22 is still yet future. Gay parades anyone?? 🙁
June 18, 2019 at 7:59 am /
Day 169- Today we are reading chapters 1-3 of Jeremiah/Yirmiyahu.
Connect With Us
Yes! Add a donation to BFA to my order.
Thank you
Your feedback has been received.
Don't show this again.