THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
Little Johnny was 7 years old. Summer was over, and he went back to school.
The first day, the teacher called and said, "Mrs. Jones, Johnny is misbehaving at school."
Mom said, "Now just a minute! Johnny was home with me almost THREE months! I never called and told YOU he was misbehaving!"
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________SCRIPTURE____________________________________________________________________
Jeremiah 16:17-21
17 For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes.
18 And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double; because they have defiled my land, they have filled mine inheritance with the carcases of their detestable and abominable things.
19 O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.
20 Shall a man make gods unto himself, and they are no gods?
21 Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause them to know mine hand and my might; and they shall know that my name is The LORD.
KJV
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_______THOUGHT______________________________________________________________________
God was telling Jeremiah that His people were misbehaving. And God was also telling Jermiah that He would discipline them. God's discipline included allowing the people to be taken into captivity!
All through their history, Israel had been susceptible to worshipping idols. Especially when they felt those idols would bring them good luck!
The Hebrew word for "recompense" (verse 18) is shalam. It can mean to be safe, or it can mean to make right. God is saying BOTH to His people. He will make them safe by making things right.
It is not right for people to, on the one hand say they have only one God, and on the other hand to worship many gods. This defiles their worship and defiles the name by which God has called them. It defiles their witness to truth in the world.
God said He would "make right" by allowing them to suffer for their sins of idolatry, and then He will "make safe" by showing them the importance of focusing their attention upon Him and Him alone.
People have not really changed. Even today, many of God's people worship the idol of luck!
Jeremiah questioned God about the disciplinary procedure. He asked, "What will the Gentiles think?"
God's answer to Jeremiah's question teaches that man's imaginative "gods" are NOTHING! There is only ONE GOD!!
Our relationship with God is more than enough for every fiber of our being!
Love ya,
Bruce