Consequences for Evil Overflow

Ezekiel 18-20

Devotion by Pastor Jeff Fletcher – originally posted for SeekGrowLove on March 24, 2017, for Ezekiel 20-21.

In Ezekiel 20 God reviews Israel’s history.  Over and over God provided for His people, over and over He warned them to get rid of their idols, keep His commands and observe His Sabbaths.  Over and over Israel failed to obey God and experienced the consequences.  Over and over God was compassionate and loving and forgave His people and restored them to blessings.

Israel has repeated this history again.  They failed to get rid of idols, they failed to keep his commands and observe his Sabbaths, and now they were about to experience the consequences of their sins.  God would once again treat them with mercy, not as their sins deserved and restore them to their land.

Ezekiel juxtaposes God’s promise to be merciful and restore His people with the threat that His judgment is coming and that both the evil and the good will be cut off from the land and the city and the temple.  Yes, everyone will suffer the consequences of the evil behavior of some.

There is tension throughout Ezekiel.  The wicked will suffer for their sins and the righteous will not suffer, except that at first they will suffer for the sins of others.  Sometimes when God brings his judgment designed to bring people to repentance there is collateral damage.  Good people suffer when bad people sin.  It’s how it was then, it’s still how it is today.  God’s salvation is coming, earth will one day be restored and made whole and good, but in the meantime, good people will suffer alongside the wicked.  Christians are martyred in places like Pakistan and Syria.  Christians sometimes suffer persecution in the United States.  Trials may come to God’s people during times of judgment, but those who trust God and repent of their sins will be saved.

Reflection Questions

  1. How often do we fall into the same cycle of disobedience that the Israelites followed for generations? What can be done to help break the cycle for you personally?
  2. How does God’s mercy and justice coexist throughout Ezekiel and today?
  3. What trials are you willing to persevere to avoid disobedience to God?

Has God Left the Building?

Ezekiel 9-12

Devotion by Pastor Jeff Fletcher – originally posted for SeekGrowLove on March 21, 2017, for Ezekiel 10-13.

“Elvis has left the building.”   That’s what they used to say to the throngs of screaming fans after one of Elvis Presley’s concerts back in the day.  They would rush Elvis out the back door into his waiting car or bus and whisk him off to safety.  Hopefully, the fans would calm down after they knew he was no longer there… there would be no more encores for this performance.

In Ezekiel ten- YHWH has left the building.  The building in question was the Temple of Jerusalem.  Since the time of Moses and Aaron in the wilderness when Israel worshipped in the Tabernacle, to the time of Solomon and beyond, when they worshipped YHWH in the Temple of Jerusalem, YHWH was present with His people.  They knew that there, in the holy of holies, the shekhinah glory of God was present with his people.  Yes, there was a veil which separated the holy of holies from the rest of the temple, and only the high priest was permitted to enter into the presence of YHWH once a year to atone for the sins of the people, yet they could always look up to the tabernacle or later Temple atop Mt. Zion and know that God was with them.  But no longer.  Ezekiel saw a vision of God’s glory leaving the Temple.  Because of their extreme disobedience and their worship of idols, God could no longer remain among his people.  It was a time for judgment, and God had to leave.  How sad that must have been for Ezekiel, to watch God leaving.

In Ezekiel eleven, judgment is proclaimed against Israel’s leaders.  “You haven’t obeyed my laws” YHWH complains.  “You’ve conformed to the standards of the nations around you.”

God is gracious, even in the midst of judgment, he promises to bring some of them back from exile and give them back the land which he had given to their forefathers.  God promises to bring about change in their hearts.  vs. 19 “I will remove their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.”  God still loves His people and offers them hope in the midst of judgment.  Ezekiel shared this vision with the exiles so that they would understand the consequences of their sins.

In Ezekiel twelve,  God warns that even their ruler would be forced into exile.  They kept hoping that this would happen in the distant future, but God assures them that judgment is coming soon.

In chapter thirteen, God turns his judgment from the leaders to the false prophets.  These people told lies in the name of YHWH.  They said “thus saith the Lord” when God didn’t say it.  God condemns them for leading their people astray.  They “whitewashed” over the truth about God’s coming judgment against sin and substituted their lies about a false peace.  “you encouraged the wicked not to repent”.  He blames the false prophets for the sins of the people, therefore, they will come under God’s harsh judgment.

Israel had a wonderful building in which to worship, they had clear rules to follow, they had leaders to teach them, they had priests to offer sacrifices, they had prophets to bring them words from God- and yet that wasn’t enough.  They were not content to live as God’s holy and separate people and act as a witness to the rest of the nations around them.  Instead, they worshipped the false gods of their neighbors, they ignored God’s laws, their prophets failed to warn them for their sins and assured them of false peace when God was preparing to bring his judgment.  It seems not much has changed.  One would be tempted to see the same kinds of things going on today.  How many buildings today allow idolatry and false gods to be worshipped?  How many people falsely claim to be speaking God’s word when they are instead peddling the words of men?  Some days we might even wonder “has God left the building” when we follow the sinful standards of the world rather than remaining faithful to God’s holy word?  We’d like to think judgment is far away just as they thought then… but perhaps it’s much closer than you might think.

Reflection Questions

  1. Has there been a time when you have felt that God’s presence and glory has left?
  2. Have you ever conformed too much to the standards of people around you?
  3. According to Ezekiel 11, who qualifies to receive the heart transplant from stone to flesh, and who does not? What is the purpose and the result of this heart transplant?

Hearing God’s Word is Not the Same as Following It

Jeremiah 41-45

Devotion by Dustin Farr (South Carolina)

After Jerusalem fell to Babylon, a small remnant remained in Judah under the leadership of a man named Gedaliah, who was appointed governor by Babylon. During this time there was stability but it was short-lived due to a man named Ishmael. Ishmael was a royal descendant of the line of David and desiring power created a plot to assassinate Gedaliah and his council. He didn’t stop there but then also killed the Babylonian guards, and even murdered Judeans who were with him. His violence went further when seventy men from Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria came to bring grain and incense to the temple. Ishmael lured them in and slaughtered them, sparing only ten who bribed him with hidden supplies. These were not acts of justice. They were fueled by pride, ambition, and a willingness to kill the innocent to secure power.

In the aftermath, fear spread through the remnant of the Judean people. Johanan and the other leaders gathered and the survivors approached Jeremiah the prophet, asking him to pray to the LORD for direction. They promised to obey whatever God revealed. For ten days, Jeremiah waited for God’s answer while the people appeared willing to hear it. In reality, they had already decided on their course…fleeing to Egypt for safety.

When God’s answer came, it was direct. Stay in the land, and He would protect them; go to Egypt, and judgment would follow. The message was a test of trust. Would they believe God could preserve them under Babylon’s rule, or would they seek security on their own terms? Their response revealed their hearts. They accused Jeremiah of lying and acting under Babylonian influence, then forced him and Baruch to go with them to Egypt.

Once in Egypt, they returned to idol worship. They knew God’s commands and yet chose to break them. But their disobedience would have consequences. They knew God’s commands and yet chose to break them. Their disobedience would not go unanswered. God made it clear that the very place they sought for safety would be the place of their destruction. The sword, famine, and plague they feared in Judah would meet them in Egypt.

In the middle of this message of judgment, God also spoke to Baruch, Jeremiah’s scribe. While others were seizing power or chasing their own plans, Baruch was called to remain faithful in the work God had given him. God told him not to pursue “great things” for himself during this time, and in return promised to preserve his life. It was a reminder that in seasons of uncertainty, real security comes from God’s hand, not from self-promotion or human strategy. This passage highlights how meaningless it is to ask the LORD for guidance, if you don’t plan on adhering to it. True obedience means submitting to His direction even when it opposes our plans. Faithfulness matters more than personal ambition, and security apart from God is an illusion.

Reflection Questions:

  1. Have you ever sought God’s direction but deep down hoped it would match what you already wanted?
  2. How does this account challenge you to submit to God’s will even when it conflicts with your plans?
  3. What would faithfulness look like for you in your current situation?

Disrespecting God

2 Kings 24-25
2 Chronicles 36

In Chronicles 36 the people of Judah continually disobey God. One of the ways they disobeyed God was by mocking Him and His message.

“But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy.” 2 Chronicles 36:16.

Have you ever mocked God? Mocking is belittling God and it doesn’t just mean to ridicule Him out loud. Mocking means to outright disrespect God. Some examples would include picking and choosing what is commanded of us and ignoring what we don’t want to follow. It’s being hypocritical with our faith. It includes being complacent in consuming media that disrespects God and the faith. Now, ask yourself again, have you ever mocked God?

So, what do you do if you have mocked God like the people in 2 Chronicles 36? The first thing to do is repent and ask for forgiveness.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

We have to talk highly about God with the respect he deserves. We have to nurture our spiritual growth. That means the recognition of the mockery we may have been adding to our life has to stop and it needs to be replaced by praise.

Reflection Questions

  1. How have you turned your back from God?
  2. In what ways can you express gratitude for who God is?
  3. How can you move away from mocking God and move to recognizing the beauty of God?

Brooke Cisneros

(I apologize for not getting this devotion sent out earlier today!)

A Time to Uproot – THEN – A Time to Plant

Jeremiah 32-34

In today’s reading in Jeremiah 32-34, God is furious with His people and promises to punish them. It won’t be pretty for a while, but eventually God’s love and mercy makes it back on the scene. We learned in yesterday’s reading how important God’s discipline is for shaping our character and turning us back to Him. I hope whoever is reading this realizes that you are never too far gone from God’s love and mercy. Yes, He might teach you a lesson to help you learn from it, but true repentance will lead to restoration. God will not stay mad at you if you choose to turn from your sinful ways. Maybe you’re holding back because you feel so embarrassed and humiliated at your poor choices and feel completely unworthy of God’s love. Maybe you feel like the prodigal son sheepishly returning home and expecting your father’s wrath, but you’re so desperate you will work as a servant in order to survive. Maybe you’re afraid you’ll receive a cold and resentful reception like the older brother gave the prodigal son. Don’t let fear of others’ judgment of you stand in the way of restoring your relationship with your Heavenly Father. His opinion of you is the only one that truly matters.

We can take comfort in God’s character revealed in 33:26 “…For I will restore their fortunes and have compassion on them.” God will meet your repentance with compassion and restoration, but you first have to face the reality of your sin and the damage it has done to your life and your relationship with God. 

-Kristy Cisneros

Reflection Questions

  1. What are some of the consequences of sin in your life? Have you experienced a time when your own personal true repentance has led to restoration? What might that look like – both today and in the future?
  2. How does God’s justice and mercy work together?
  3. Realizing there are still consequences for sin, how might God expect us to mirror His mercy to the repentant? How can your justice and mercy work together?

Death Threats

Jeremiah 26-29

You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 10:22).

In chapter 26, Jeremiah experienced hate on account of obedience to God. He was obedient to telling the people God’s message and they wanted to kill him for it. In our current day, the world is trying very hard to normalize certain sins and they spew a lot of vitriol toward Christians for not supporting it and promoting it. We see in certain areas of the world where Christians are even being killed for their beliefs. 

Did Jeremiah crumble under the threat of death? He absolutely did not. In the face of the threat of death, he stood his ground and continued to be obedient to God’s call to warn the people. God wants us to not have a spirit of fear and timidity but to be bold—even in the face of danger. Thankfully, we don’t need to rely on our own limited power, because we have a far greater source of strength. 2 Timothy 1:7 says,  “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

If we are practicing obedience to God’s word, we can be sure that we will receive push back from the world. We need to be resolute like Jeremiah and not conform to the wickedness of the world, but instead call it out so that we can help bring as many people as possible into God’s kingdom.

-Kristy Cisneros

Reflection Questions

  1. What might you be thinking and feeling and doing if you were in Jeremiah’s shoes? Is there anything you find particularly admirable about Jeremiah?
  2. What is the purpose behind speaking up (not omitting a word) even when it is not positively received?
  3. Have you ever faced a potentially fearful situation because of your faith? How do you think you (with help from the Spirit of God) might handle it today if you ran into persecution for believing in and speaking for God?
  4. What might you be able to do today to strengthen your faith in order to speak every word from God AND perhaps handle persecution better in the future?

Running with Their Message

Jeremiah 23-25

Jeremiah’s heart was broken over the ungodliness and wickedness he witnessed among God’s people. As noted in 23:11, the priests and prophets were particularly godless. Their wickedness was so immense that God compared them to Sodom and Gomorrah. The prophets were not speaking inspired words, but rather what came to their own minds. I can’t help but wonder if these prophets told the people simply what they wanted to hear. In other words, they were good old fashioned con artists. My mind immediately went to the concept of today’s prosperity gospel and how preachers like Joel Osteen tickle the ears of the people with assurances that God wants you to be wealthy. Or there are even pastors who justify, minimize or normalize sins that are clearly spoken against in God’s word. God issues a clear warning in Jeremiah 23:16-17 about not listening to those who are sharing their own ideas as opposed to God’s inspired word.

16 This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you;
    they fill you with false hopes.
They speak visions from their own minds,
    not from the mouth of the Lord.

Someone who is truly sharing the word of God will compel people to repent of their sins and turn toward God. Be wary of anyone who always tells you just what you want to hear.

22 

But if they had stood in my council,

    they would have proclaimed my words to my people

and would have turned them from their evil ways

    and from their evil deeds.

To whom are you listening? If those people are making you feel complacent with your sin, encouraging you to follow after ungodly things or not make the kingdom of God a priority, then you know that they are leading you astray and that will have dire consequences if continued. 

32 Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” declares the Lord. 

“They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least,” declares the Lord.

– Kristy Cisneros

Reflection Questions

  1. How do you discern what is a godly message and what did not come from Him?
  2. When have you seen people chasing after a message that did not come from God?
  3. To whom are you listening?
  4. How can your words better align with God’s message? What would God have you say, and to whom?

“I Feel Put Upon”

 Jeremiah 18-22 

When my son was little, we spent a lot of time watching Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. One of Thomas’s friends was an engine named Percy. Percy was good at his job, but sometimes he just felt he was given way too much work and it was unfair. “I feel put upon!” Percy would declare at various times. While reading today’s chapters, I think Jeremiah was saying the same thing (but in Hebrew 😀). 

And really, I don’t blame him. God had him observe a potter creating and destroying vessels at his pleasure to demonstrate what God will do with His people. Then He had Jeremiah buy a clay jar and smash it in front of the leaders of Judah to demonstrate what God will do to Judah. And what does Jeremiah get for his obedience? Beaten and mocked. Not only that, but Jeremiah saw that nothing was happening to the evil people, in fact, they seemed to be doing quite well. He was frustrated and felt defeated. I think I would have, too. Any half-way mature person knows that life isn’t fair, but sometimes it’s hard not to be frustrated when you always seem to be on the unfair end of things and that’s where Jeremiah is here. But despite his anger and frustration, he still acknowledges that no matter what, Jeremiah would praise Him and continue to prophesy in His name. Which is probably a good thing because after years of warnings, God begins moving His hand against Judah. 

In chapter 21, we see that the warning of destruction of kings was no longer a vague, general mourning. People are being named. King Zedekiah was told he would be captured by the Babylonians, King Josiah’s eldest had been exiled, and his next son, Jehoiakim’s death was predicted to be un- mourned and dishonorable. Then it’s Jeremiah’s job to try to convince the people to surrender to Babylon so they will go “easy” on them and not kill them. No wonder this guy wasn’t very popular. I hadn’t really given it much thought before but in verse 20:18, Jeremiah mentions his friends. They certainly aren’t good friends as they are plotting to kill him. But unlike Jonah who was commanded to go and preach to a far off nation, Jeremiah was preaching to the people he grew up with and lived around. The people he traded goods with, the people he talked to while on the way to the temple, people who had been a part of his everyday life. Between being scorned for delivering these messages and knowing what was in store for his community, no wonder Jeremiah was down and depressed. He WAS put upon. 

We’ll have to keep reading to find out what happens to Judah and Jeremiah. But in the meantime, think about the times you’ve felt “put upon” by the Lord. What happened? Did He stay with you? Like Jeremiah, did you praise Him anyway? 

Prayer: 

Dear Lord, 

There are times in life when You have given us a burden and we feel “put upon”. Help us to have an attitude of peace and contentment at these times because You have chosen us to carry that burden. Please give us the strength to do it with pleasure. 

In Christ’s Name, 

Amen 

-Maria Knowlton

Reflection Questions

  1. “Think about the times you’ve felt ‘put upon’ by the Lord. What happened? Did He stay with you? Like Jeremiah, did you praise Him anyway?”
  2. Have you ever delivered warnings from God to someone you know? What was the hardest part? What did this person think of you? What do you think God thought of you? What happens when no one warns?
  3. Would you rather…speak for man or for God?

“Per My Last Email”

Jeremiah 14-17

“Per my last email.” I’ve never actually used those words in text or speech, because everyone knows what that means, “ I ALREADY TOLD YOU THIS INFORMATION!!!” It’s a little passive-aggressive, so I’ve only ever thought it. I’ve often wondered throughout scripture, if God has thought similarly. In Jeremiah 14, Judah begins to experience a serious drought. The people begin crying as they start to notice God is not hearing their prayers. WHY are You treating us like a stranger ( 13:8)? WHY are You acting like You can’t do anything for us (13:8)? WHY have You afflicted us so that we cannot heal (13:19) I can only imagine God was thinking, “per my last PROPHET, I ALREADY TOLD YOU WHY!!!!” By this time, at least according to my study Bible’s timeline, Jeremiah had probably been warning the people of Judah for well over 15 years. The people could not claim ignorance of God’s coming judgment and this drought was just the beginning. It does dawn on some of the people that , oh yeah, maybe this has something to do with our complete disregard for Your laws and decrees. Or maybe, it wasn’t even that many people realizing their sins in this passage…maybe it was just Jeremiah…which means it really wasn’t much of an apology at all. 

In chapter 15, God gets a little graphic with His description of Judah’s destruction, using the sword, dogs, birds, and beast (15:3). And that sets the tone for the first half of the chapter. In the second half, Jeremiah and God have a heart to heart chat. I really feel for Jeremiah. It is really hard when you’ve tried so hard to be good, only to have people treat you bad. In this case, make plans to murder you (thankfully, although I can relate with the former, I can’t with the latter)! Jeremiah also expresses disappointment in feeling God has abandoned him. But God assures him He has not, and He will reward him. But not before chapter 16. 

God then asks Jeremiah to go into a type of self exile. He was forbidden from marrying, having kids, or participating in funeral traditions. As God used Hosea as a living object lesson, He uses Jeremiah to live out an example of what God’s coming punishment would be like. Families would be destroyed and so many would die there would be no time for mourning. 

All of this, including chapter 17 is a bleak description of Judah’s folly and God’s wrath. But then oddly, in the middle of the listed curses, is a blessing (17:7-8). If the people would trust in the Lord, they would be planted firmly and withstand the droughts and coming destruction. 

Today’s reading ends with a reminder of God’s command to keep the Sabbath holy. Apparently, the people had given up on this command and were treating the Sabbath just like every other day. ( We could have a very long discussion about what that means for us now… but that’s for another day). 

Unfortunately, like a previous email, the people of Judah disregard all of the Lord’s instructions and decrees brought to them by Jeremiah. 

Just like the people of Judah, we too have been warned, comforted, educated, and instructed by the Holy Word of God. When it comes to the final judgement, we can’t claim ignorance. WE GOT THE EMAIL! Let us put into the practice all we have read and heard until the day of Christ’s return! 

Prayer: 

Dear Father, 

You have given us all we need to come to an understanding of You, Your love, and Your decrees. Please open our hearts to greater learning and understanding so that You know we take Your word seriously. 

Im Christ’s name we pray, 

Amen 

-Maria Knowlton

Reflection Questions

  1. What do you tend to think and feel when someone “under” you completely ignores directions you gave? What happens to your relationship? What are your thoughts and feelings when/if they apologize and return to following directions well? What are the similarities and differences when it is God over you and you are His child who has ignored His direction?
  2. When/in what regards might God be telling you: “Per my last email”?
  3. What benefits do you find in reading and studying God’s Word- his “original email” to you? What are the problems and dangers of not reading and studying His Word?
  4. What is needed beyond reading and studying His Word?

Sorting Through the Muck

Jeremiah 10-13

 In nursing school, we were taught to remind patients not to google their symptoms because of all the “muck” there is out there. And given the right combination of benign systems, you can diagnose yourself with the black plague pretty quickly. But I can tell you right now not a single one of my patients under the age of 100 didn’t google their symptoms as soon as they surfaced. In conversations with my patients, I quickly learned that an admonishment against googling wasn’t going to work. I needed to help my patients navigate through all the muck of the internet to find information that is actually helpful (sites that are sponsored by hospital systems such as Mayo Clinic or Cleveland Clinic, or associations such as the American Heart Association or Cystic Fibrosis Foundation are generally reliable). 

Since you’ve probably visited the internet before, you probably already know much muck exists in the writings of any topic you look up. Even in looking up commentary on the book of Jeremiah, I came across writings that were complete perversions of the scriptures. The writers added “facts” to twist scripture to their agendas. I wonder if they even noticed the irony that their writings on Jeremiah are EXACTLY the kind of things God was warning Judah about. 

We saw in chapter 7 and now in 10 that the people of Judah added their idol worship to their worship of the ONE TRUE GOD. And clearly, people are still doing it today. 

I learned, through what seems to be a much more godly commentary site, that this is called syncretism. Syncretism is “the amalgamation or attempted amalgamation of different religions, cultures, or schools of thought.” (Internet dictionary). The writer of the commentary notes, “ YHWH hates syncretism. He has given us clear instruction on how we are to live, behave, and worship Him. He does not take lightly when we decide to trust more in our wisdom and modify His instructions as we see fit.” 

In chapter 12, we really start to feel bad for Jeremiah. He’s asking God why the evil are getting away with everything and seem to prosper and God’s response was that it was going to get a lot worse! In light of our present circumstances and prophecy, we may feel the same way. 

Then in chapter 13, God uses an object lesson to show what will happen to Judah if they do not turn to Him. The NASB calls it a linen belt and the Message calls it shorts. Either way, Jeremiah was commanded to wear it right away. As this belt or shorts was worn close to the body, it represented how closely the Lord holds Judah to Himself. God then has Jeremiah take them off and stick them between some rocks and retrieve them a few days later. Not surprisingly, they were completely tattered and torn (though being a guy, Jeremiah probably wore them anyway 😀). Just like time, weather, and lack of care ruined the shorts, God promised to ruin Judah if they continued to ignore His commands. In verses 15-16, God tells the people to hear, pay attention, do not be arrogant and give God the glory and He would not destroy them. Stay tuned to find out if they heed this warning…or not. 

Jeremiah was not called “The Weeping Prophet” for nothing. But I think the more tragic thing is that society hasn’t changed much. There are those who are doing the EXACT same things for which God severely punished the practitioners. Jeremiah would be appalled. He would be weeping that there are so many sinking in so much muck. 

Praise God that we don’t need to wade through the muck of untruths that surround us. No matter the person or their credentials, we must always hold up their teachings to the only source for truth, the Holy Bible, because God and His truth are not hiding from us nor are far from us! (Acts 17:24-28) 

Prayer: 

Dear Lord, 

Please let me be aware if there are any thoughts, beliefs, or behaviors that contradict your decrees. Please help me to keep my offering of worship pure and true. 

In Jesus’ Name, 

Amen 

-Maria Knowlton

Reflection Questions

  1. What ailments does the world have today? What symptoms do they have? What is the prognosis? Is there any cure available? How many will ignore the warnings of the wise doctor (and nurse)?
  2. What muck have you seen others and/or yourself following or mixing with Bible truth? Continue praying for God to show you truth – and keep seeking it in God’s precious Word.
  3. What are your thoughts and feelings reading through all of God’s warnings to Judah through the prophet Jeremiah? Who needs to hear these warnings today? Are there words God wants you to speak? Ask him.