-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)
Luke 8 alone (ironically) has enough material for about 8 devotions all by itself by my reckoning, so please read it thoroughly as we’ll be moving along quickly to get to some other juicy bits today. Aside from the (1)women supporting the ministry (see below), we have (2) the parable of the sower (hugely important concepts) and it’s explanation, (3) the parable of the hidden lamp (nothing is hidden that will not be revealed!), (4) Jesus’ mother and brothers (are the ones hearing and doing the word of God), (5) Jesus calms the storm (and teaches about faith), (6) Jesus casts out demons (into pigs, and gains a follower), (7) Jesus heals a woman who touches him (whose affliction would have kept her from going to the temple to worship), and (8) Jesus raises a dead girl (who he says has “fallen asleep”). Whew. Busy chapter, easily 8 full devotions worth.
The first 3 verses here are interesting because after it mentions Jesus and his disciples (specifically “the twelve”) travelling about and preaching, it also says “certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, and then lists 3 specific names, but says that there were “many others” who were providing for them out of their own resources.
Of the 3 ladies mentioned by name, Susanna has no other references in the bible, Mary Magdalene* has numerous other references in scripture, and then Joanna, who was married to Chuza, has no other mention in the bible. An interesting note though: Joanna was Chuza’s wife, who was Herod’s manager. This would be Herod Antipas, there were 5-6 Herods in scripture starting with “Herod the Great” (who was not so great, and was responsible for the massacre of infants in the Bethlehem area shortly after Jesus birth). Herod Antipas was Herod the Great’s son, and is noted for his rule and roles in the executions of John the Baptist, and Jesus of Nazareth. That Herod. His manager’s wife was a noted follower of Jesus. Interesting, isn’t it? You’re welcome, history nerds!
The Jeremiah reading today is going to be our focus. In Jeremiah 13, God commands Jeremiah to buy a linen loincloth (skivvies). The word used here can also be translated as “belt, waistband, or girdle”, but the idea is that it was a cloth that was worn close to the body around the waist. He’s told to go bury the loincloth and then retrieve it “after many days” and when he does it’s worthless and gross, and this is to be a visual sign to Israel and Judah. As visual signs and prophecies go, as gross as it sounds putting on a nasty ruined loincloth, in this instance Jeremiah could have had it a lot worse (See Isaiah 20 for comparison). This visual prophecy, like most that God gives His people, is another attempt to guide them back to Him, which really speaks a lot toward the character of our loving and merciful God.
Here’s what I’d like to focus on today, though. In Jeremiah 14, false prophets have come among the people of Israel, telling them that everything is going to be fine and not to worry. Jeremiah is upset about this, and mentions it to God, see below:
13Then I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! Behold, the prophets say to them, ‘You will not see the sword, nor will you have famine, but I will give you lasting peace and prosperity in this place.’” 14Then Yahweh said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in my name. I did not send them, nor have I commanded them, nor did I speak to them. They prophesy to you a lying vision, and worthless divination, and the deceptions of their own heart. 15Therefore this is what Yahweh says: As for the prophets who prophesy in my name although I did not send them, yet they keep saying, ‘Sword and famine will not be in this land,’ By sword and famine those prophets will be consumed. 16And the people they prophesy to will be cast out into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword, and they will have no one to bury them—them, nor their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters—because I will pour their wickedness on them. (REV translation)
There are false prophets among the people, they are telling the people what they want to hear, but they are telling lies and God didn’t send them or tell them to say these things. Sound familiar? The point of concern here though is that the people will still be held accountable! God gave us His word as a template, by which we are to measure the words of men. Why is it important to be discerning with your understanding of scripture? Because God has already told us: of His nature, of what is to come, of what our expectations are. We change these precepts, ignore them, or listen to others who speak contrary to these things at our own peril. We will be held accountable.
There are false prophets today, too. In 1 Timothy 4:1 it tells us that in the last days they’ll abound. We generally think that we’re in the last days now. Why would they do such a thing, though? Well, we had a discussion about this just recently at church Saturday morning: it could be people seeking profit or gain, it could be people seeking fame or social status, and it could also be genuine people who themselves have been deceived and are now in all earnestness and good intentions deceiving others. The point is, it doesn’t matter why. If you allow yourself to be misled, you will be held accountable. How then are we to discern what is truth, and what is a lie?
Isaiah 8:20 “Turn to the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light of dawn in them.“ (REV translation used). Think about it. If you listen to someone who speaks against exactly (and only) what the Bible says, they don’t have a morning, and neither will you. Be discerning. Abhor tradition and teachings where it contradicts scripture. In Ephesians 6:10-17 when speaking of the “Armor of God”, among all of the defensive items of armor listed there is only one offensive tool mentioned with which we can fight, and it is the sword of the spirit, the word of God, the scriptures. If you don’t know how to wield it, there’s a good chance you’re going to get murdered. Practice with your sword and read your Bible, for your own sake, and for the love of God.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- How many false prophets can you think of, off the top of your head?
- How many of these do you think are genuinely earnest people, who have themselves been decieved?
- How many times a day/week do you read your Bible? Would you read it more if your life depended on it? (spoiler alert: it does.)
Prayer
Father God, you have warned us of those who have eyes but are blind, and those who have ears but are deaf. Please Father, open our eyes, clean out our ears, and speak to us clearly so that we are not deceived. Lead us and guide us, whisper to us and tell us the way in which we should go. Have mercy upon your people, Lord God, for your own name’s sake. Thank you, in Jesus name, amen.
* Since the rooting out and exposing of unscriptural church traditions has become something of a hobby for me, it should be noted regarding Mary Magdalene that the belief that she was a repentant sex worker or the sister of Martha and Lazarus stems from later church traditions and misinterpretations, not from scriptural text. She was however “healed of seven demons” and contributed to Jesus’ ministry financially, in addition to getting honorable mention in all 4 of the gospels, and being the first to arrive at the empty tomb of Jesus after his resurrection.
