The Family Bible Journey Podcast

Jeremiah does a great act of faith, in buying for himself a field in the midst of the siege. He knows that Isreal will be restored, so his apparently foolhardy investment is a a bold proclamation of faith, even in the face of defeat.

This great chapter of prophecy was uttered under seige! We hear great promises of Pentecost, and a sad prophecy of the Slaughter of the Innocents by wicked King Herod. But the difficult things are happening, to open heaven's doors for God's children Israel.

The writer of the Hebrews warns his readers about the dangers of human nature, which is inherently turned away from God. He reminds them that we are saved not by human effort or will, but simply for the sake of Christ, who has become our eternal High Priest. May we also find our assurance in the accomplished sacrifice of Christ, instead of our faulty faithfulness.

Here we hear very clear prophecies of the Messiah, God Himself, who will become a man to save us! Were it not for God taking our sins upon Himself, there would be nothing for us but judgment and punishment. But in Christ, through the forgiveness of sin, we are assured of a future full of hope, life and peace.

God promises that He will restore His people, even though they are going into exile for their stubborn rejection of Him. These chapters are sunny rays of grace and mercy in the midst of death caused by disobedience. We cherish the gift of God's love that is ours in Christ Jesus.

In this section of Hebrews, we are reminded of that enigmatic character from the Old Testament named Melchizedek. How does this person, only appearing shortly during the life of Abraham, teach us much of Christ? In Melchizedek, we see a number of types of Christ! 

There is a growing "prophetic" movement in America today. These "prophets" often claim to have foreseen events after they happen. Their prophecies are vague and subject to interpretation. Jeremiah, and all true prophets are allowed to speak clearly about the future, but only when God allows. Instead of presumptuously claiming to be something we are not, or listening to those who lie, let us test t...

Jeremiah is here imprisoned and faces capital punishment, is threatened with death, for preaching the truth. Here we see that often the godly suffer at the hands of the godless. Jeremiah is a great encouragement to those who are called to speak the truth in love and suffer for doing so. Ahikam is a great example for those who are called to support prophets and pastors called to speak truth, regard...

God's Word is not inert. It is the very power of God for salvation. Having warned against ungodliness and unbelief, the writer to the Hebrews assures us of God's ever-present work and power in our lives.

Good people produce good fruit, and evil people produce bad. Even though sin lives in everyone of us, Christians are led by the Holy Spirit to turn from sin and live. If we refuse, we are destined to follow the ways of the world and our sinful flesh. When we do bad, and are punished, we get what we deserve. When we do good and are blessed, God gets all the glory and honor.

God's Word, we are told, is as a hammer that breaks hard hearts to pieces. God breaks hearts of stone to soften them for His life-giving gospel. It is only when He breaks our stubborn hearts of pride that we are receptive to His love in the gospel.

We are challenged with the uncomfortable reality that some walk away from God. If it is possible for us to walk away from God, how can we be sure of our salvation? Only when we look to Christ, the founder and perfecter of our faith, will we find the full assurance of the forgiveness of sins and life everlasting.

God's Word is truth and life, even when we don't believe it. As the Babylonians drew near to Jerusalem, Jeremiah encouraged the people to turn themselves over that they may live. This earthly mercy is a foreshadowing of God's eternal mercy shown to those who turn from sin in this life to receive life and forgiveness eternally in Christ.

Jeremiah is thrown into the stocks for faithfully carrying the Lord's Word to His obstinant people. Sometimes we suffer for doing the right things, not the wrong. God's opponents can't take their anger out on the Lord, so they often take it out on God's people. When this is the case, and we despair even of life, it is good to know that the Lord is on our side and will deliver us in the end.

We learn here how even Jesus was perfected through suffering. God's love overcomes sin and death for us by experiencing the pain, even of death, for us. God is not unjust when we suffer, but rather redeems even our suffering, when He suffers for us and with us.

Jeremiah uses yet another object lesson to dramatically depict the total destruction awaiting God's people. God did not say these things because He hated them, but because He loved them. He wanted them to come to repentence when unimaginable suffering came down upon them. Here we learn to be honest about even our shortcomings and turn to the Lord before its too late.

We think so much of ourselves, we don't like being compared to a lump of clay in the hands of a potter. But God is God and we are not. This Old Testament object lesson reminds us who is really in charge, whether we like it or not.

Hebrews is a mini Old Testament within the New. Written to Hebrew believers, it faithfully demonstrates how God, in Christ Jesus, has fulfilled God's plans for humanity. His Word does not change because it doesn't have to. It is right, and God is justified because He is holy.

We hear echoes of Psalm 1 when Jeremiah compares the faithful to a tree planted by streams of water. It bears fruit even in seasons of drought. This was likely a great comfort to Jeremiah who was bearing fruit for the Lord, but suffering mightily for it.

Jeremiah despaired even of life itself when the people fixed all their anger and frustration on him. In this passage, we see that Jeremiah was a type of Christ. We also see back-to-back laments that give us encouragement to be honest with God when we are weak or beaten, because He will answer our prayers according to His mercy.

Philemon was a slave owner and Onesimus was his slave. Paul sent this letter to Philemon by the hand of Onesimus. In this short epistle, we see the power of God's redeeming love that saves us for eternity and redeems our earthly relationships.

God used chaffing and underwear to show HIs people how He felt about their behavior. They forced His hand, by continually running away from Him. This Old Testament parable, as uncomfortable as it may be, gave them a clear picture of how He felt about their insolence.

The love of the Lord is our strength! In these chapters, we hear a beautiful description of the Lord's love that went all the way through the cross and the grave to earn our salvation. We draw strength from His love when we struggle in this life, because Christ has overcome the world! In Him, even when we lose, or feel like we're losing, we still win!

Baptism is God's gift to us, whereby He blesses us in every way by His Holy Spirit's power. Too many empty baptism of its redeeming power by reducing it to a human work. We instead receive it as a great blessing whereby God redeems us with saving faith in Christ Jesus.

In Jeremiah's day, people chose to worship "gods" they made and decorated, instead of the God who made and clothed them. We also get to choose who we worship. Would you rather worship a god who expects everything from you, or the God who's given all for you?