The Crimson Thread - May I Gently Suggest?

Jerusalem, the city of gold, is no more. Everything appears hopeless. The final plea of the book is that God restore His people to Himself.

God says that He preferred Jacob over Esau. While all of His reasons are not clear, one character trait of Esau's that stands out is his lack of gratitude. His behavior closely mirrors what Moses warns about in Dt 8. He seems to believe that it is his own skill and effort that have given him success and has not given thanks to God for his talents. In this we can see the prevalent attitude in the U...

This central chapter of the book provides a ray of hope in the sea of trouble. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases and He will not cast off Israel forever.

Making good decisions can lead to life and blessing; bad ones to calamity or death. What does the Bible have to say about how to make decisions and how to inquire of God in difficult circumstances?

Jerusalem lies in ruins and the joyful throngs who went up for the feasts are no more. God has driven Judah into exile for her transgressions of the Covenant.

In Genesis 18 Abraham negotiates with God over the destruction of Sodom. His argument is that it would be unjust for God to destroy the city if there were as many as ten righteous in the place. God agreed. It turns out that there is a deep connection between that negotiation and Sarah's unbelieving laugh when God announces she will have a son. Inspired by Rabbi Fohrman at AlephBeta.org

Continuing from chapter 51 the prophet declares God's vengeance on Babylon. This because she used her economic power to lead the nations away from God. Since much of this chapter is echoed in Revelation 18, it is not always clear when Jeremiah is speaking of the conquest by the Medes or of the eventual destruction at the end.

In Genesis 15 God makes promises to Abram. Abram believes those promises which is counted to him for righteousness. In Romans 1-4 Paul builds an argument for human responsibility on that passage. He also demonstrates that God's law is a gift of grace and was never intended to save. Only faith will do that.

Beginning a two chapter prophecy about the end of Babylon, Jeremiah lays the blame for Israel's exile on her shepherds. Those leaders who were supposed to keep the nation on course but instead exploited the flock. The prophecies extend to the end times and are repeated in Revelation.

The United States today is awash in emotion. Every bad idea or nefarious cause comes packaged with a strong emotional appeal. The Bible describes the untrained heart, the seat of emotion, as 'desperately wicked' and unreliable as a guide to life. Recognizing our tendencies, the Bible also provides a program of training the heart so that we are not manipulated by the wicked.

Beginning with Egypt the prophet describes what God will do to the surrounding nations. In the case of Egypt, part of the problem is the flight of the remnant after the assenation of Gedeliah. In the case of the other nations it is because of their treatment of Israel when God was chastising her.

In the first four chapters of Genesis we are told of our purpose, our nature and God's nature. We learn that we can have a relationship with our creator. We also learn that He gives us free will and does not interfere with its exercise. We learn that choices have consequences. We learn that the related sins of covetousness and envy lead to death. Finally we learn that God allows us to choose betwe...

Gedaliah was left as governor of Judah by the Babylonians. He was murdered by Ishmael at the instigation of the Ammonites. This caused the rest of Judah to panic and flee to Egypt against the wishes of God. In Egypt Jeremiah called them to cease making offerings to the Queen of Heaven. This advice was angrily rejected.

God's appointed times throughout the year help to keep us mindful that He has a plan and that we have a part to play in that plan. Succot reminds us that this world is not our ultimate home and that we look for another while we sojourn here. Looking around, it appears that history is at an inflection point similar to that which spawned the Reformation. The established order has lost control of the...

Jeremiah warns the king and other government officials that Jerusalem is about to be destroyed and gets thrown into a muddy cistern for his efforts. His prophecy is fulfilled and the Babylonians take the city completely eliminating the leadership of Judah and giving the cities and fields to the poor. The Babylonians have been given instructions to treat Jeremiah well in all of this. (Note that my...

Moses' final instruction to his people is a song which tells of Israel's history past and future. It is intended to provide them with hope and a way back after the long series of calamity and exiles that they would suffer if they forgot God. What does that song tell us today? How is it relevant to our current situation?

During the time between Yom Teruah and Yom Kippur it is good to focus on your purpose and on where you have fallen short during the past year. It is also a time for repairing damaged relationships if possible. There is a process for doing this.

Jeremiah gave a very dire prophecy about Jehoiakim and had it written down on a scroll. When the king's ministers heard it, they had it read before the king. As each page was read, the king cut it from the scroll and threw it into the fire. This attempt to 'destroy the prophecy' did not work.

Secular science is being dragged to the realization that everything was created by God. While that is not news to believers, it does have some very interesting ramifications which have bearing on the Holy Days coming up. A creator outside of the universe means that He has a purpose in view and we have meaning within that purpose. Further it means that standards of conduct are given by Him and not...

In another bit of 'performance prophecy' Jeremiah is instructed to purchase a field in Anathoth because he is the redeemer. Since Judah and Jerusalem are about to be destroyed, Jeremiah himself will not possess the field. The act then is a statement by God that He will restore Israel and Judah and that the original property rights will also be restored. In this continuation of His description of t...

Deuteronomy is Moses' final set of instructions to the people he has led for 40 years. In Ki Tavo he winds up the list of curses by saying that they will come about because of a lack of joy in their relationship with God. In John 14-17 Y'shua prepares his disciples for his crucifixion. There also the overwhelming message is one of joy. What is this joy and how does it differ from mere happiness?

As Jerusalem is about to be destroyed by Babylon, God sends a message of hope to the people who are about to go into exile. He promises a future restoration and a new covenant with a reunited Israel. The only difference between the New Covenant and the old one is the medium upon which it is written. Moses wrote on tablets of stone symbolizing Israel's hard heart. God will write the same words but...

In capturing a city, it might be that a warrior finds a beautiful woman among the captives and desires her. Dt 21:10 explains the process of turning such a captive into a wife. This may seem archaic and a bit barbaric today, but it has profound meaning in God's plan of redemption. It also is important to us as we prepare for the High Holy Days.

False prophets were saying that the Babylonian captivity was going to end quickly and that everything would be restored to normal. Jeremiah put on a yoke symbolizing the Babylonian occupation. He spoke both locally and by letter to the exiles in Babylon saying that they should settle down and prepare for a seventy year stay. In being good citizens and seeking to benefit Babylon they would find pea...

At the Last Supper Y'shua gave a final briefing to His Disciples telling them what was to come. While they did not fully comprehend, He was preparing them for His Resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit. In this briefing He describes the ministry of the Holy Spirit.