Category: Babylonian captivity

Jeremiah 29:11 and Right Division #5

Friday, May 24, 2024

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11 KJV).

What is the truth about today’s Scripture?

If we resort to quoting Jeremiah 29:11 in a desperate attempt to be comforted that God will bless us with good fortune, we are also forced to “name and claim” these curses in Jeremiah!

“For I have set my face against this city for evil, and not for good, saith the LORD: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire” (Jeremiah 21:10). “Go and speak to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished in that day before thee” (Jeremiah 39:16). “Behold, I will watch over them for evil, and not for good: and all the men of Judah that are in the land of Egypt shall be consumed by the sword and by the famine, until there be an end of them” (Jeremiah 44:27). God would curse unbelieving Israel for breaking the Old Covenant, but, as today’s Scripture asserts, He would then bless them under the New Covenant at Christ’s Second Coming and subsequent Millennial Kingdom.

As opposed to taking Israel’s verses and making them our own, we can see the writings of our Apostle Paul—God’s spokesman to us (Romans 11:13)—and rejoice in His promises to and about us. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:…” (Ephesians 1:3). “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Romans 8:37). “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;…” (2 Corinthians 4:17). “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).

There are still other Pauline promises to us….

Jeremiah 29:11 and Right Division #4

Thursday, May 23, 2024

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11 KJV).

What is the truth about today’s Scripture?

It is extremely easy to isolate Bible verses from contexts. After all, it has been done for centuries upon centuries upon centuries—and, blindly following this example, a great many sincere souls do not realize their error. Since whole theological systems and entire denominations have been constructed on these “proof-texts,” such a habit of ripping verses out of their settings is not so readily abandoned. To complicate matters, religious tradition is difficult to address because it is a personal, sensitive topic. Still, if we have any hope of understanding and enjoying the Bible, we must start treating the Scriptures with more respect.

All of the Bible is for us, it is all for our learning (Romans 15:4), but not all of the Bible is to us or about us. Whenever we find good news in Scripture—such as the promise of a blessing (see today’s Scripture, Jeremiah 29:11)—that does not automatically mean God the Holy Spirit is addressing us. If we will believe the verse, we must also believe the context when it restricts the verse to a specific audience, time, and/or place.

Since it is shoddy handling of the Holy Bible, we must forsake our tendency to leave all the curses for Israel while claiming all the blessings for ourselves. In Jeremiah chapter 29, both the blessings and the curses belong to Israel instead of us. If we do “name and claim” today’s Scripture as applicable to us, we must also “name and claim” the fact we will be deported to Babylon for 70 years (verse 10). Such Bible usage makes no sense, does it? At this point, someone inevitably voices a concern: “But is it not true that God has something good in store for us as members of the Church the Body of Christ?” Definitely, without a doubt, we have some wonderful promises from God—but we do not have to commit spiritual larceny (steal Israel’s verses) to “name and claim” them!

Let us see God’s Word to and about us….

Jeremiah 29:11 and Right Division #3

Wednesday, May 22, 2024

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11 KJV).

What is the truth about today’s Scripture?

So as to appreciate the full meaning of today’s Scripture, we have to look at it in context. Jeremiah’s focus is the Babylonian Captivity of the Kingdom of Judah, which commenced approximately 600 years before Christ. Judah’s people have violated the Law of Moses by engaging in idol worship, so the curses or punishments are now being meted out. Yet, false prophets were spreading lies about how no such chastisement was coming. They supposed Judah’s people exiled to Babylon would soon return to the land of Canaan. Such wrong information deceived their audience, and the LORD through Jeremiah exposed them. They needed to settle in Babylon because they would remain in that foreign territory for seven decades.

Re-read verses 5-10: “[5] Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; [6] Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished. [7] And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace. [8] For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed. [9] For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD. [10] For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.”

Now, today’s Scripture: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” This is Judah’s return to Canaan and restoration from the Babylonian Captivity….

NOTE: Regarding our New Testament Survey Project, we have now finished Romans verse-by-verse and will soon begin 1 Corinthians verse-by-verse. All Romans videos are archived here.

Jeremiah 29:11 and Right Division #2

Tuesday, May 21, 2024

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11 KJV).

What is the truth about today’s Scripture?

Today’s Scripture in context: “[1] Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon; [2] (After that Jeconiah the king, and the queen, and the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem; ) [3] By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon) saying,

“[4] Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon; [5] Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; [6] Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished. [7] And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.

“[8] For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed. [9] For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD. [10] For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. [11] For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

Here is how we comprehend today’s Scripture….

The Centurions #4

Monday, February 19, 2024

“And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,…” (Matthew 8:5 KJV).

What are “centurions?”

After persistent pagan idolatry—disobedience to the Law of Moses—the nation Israel gradually lost its political might in the Earth. This was one of the punishments or curses of the Law (see Leviticus 26:14,15,17-19,23-25,27-39). Beginning in Judges 2:11-15, after the Israelites worshipped and served Baal and Ashtaroth (their neighbors’ heathen idols), Gentile armies begin invading the Promised Land and conquering Israel. By the time of Samuel and Saul, the Philistines are triumphant. Under David, however, Israel enjoys victory; under Solomon, Israel experiences peace.

Eventually, upon Solomon’s death, Israel splits into two kingdoms (10 tribes of Israel in the north, two tribes of Judah in the south). The idolatrous northern tribes are exiled to Assyria, whereas the idolatrous southern tribes are deported to Babylon. David’s throne is lost to Gentiles until Christ’s return, as disclosed in Daniel 2:36-45. The LORD God has now removed Israel’s political blessings, and a series of Gentile rulers govern Israel in the Promised Land.

As world history testifies, Babylonians (Nebuchadnezzar) conquer Israel, Medians-Persians overthrow Babylonians, Greeks defeat Medians-Persians, and the Romans overpower the Greeks a few centuries before Christ. Caesars—the Roman emperors—have replaced King David’s sons as monarchs. The Roman centurions and their military subordinates therefore patrol Israel’s land during Christ’s earthly ministry and Acts. Those centurions or Roman military leaders serve as a constant reminder to Israel of their nation’s political fall. By maintaining submission, order, and peace, the centurions ensure the Israelites serve the emperors’ best interests.

There was a Roman military post in Capernaum (northern shore of the Sea of Galilee); thus, a centurion appears there in today’s Scripture. Rome’s political/administrative capital in the land of Israel was Caesarea (on the Mediterranean Sea)—Cornelius’ residence in Acts chapter 10. As many as 1,000 Roman soldiers lived in a fort at Jerusalem, equating to 10 centurions. Some of these troops escorted Paul from Jerusalem to Caesarea in Acts chapter 23. One such centurion conveyed Paul and other prisoners by sea from Caesarea to Rome in the closing chapters of Acts.

We can offer another notable reason for centurions in the Holy Scriptures….

A Family Enterprise #4

Wednesday, February 7, 2024

“The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger” (Jeremiah 7:18 KJV).

What is their family enterprise?

Mother-goddess worship can be traced back to the Tower of Babel 4,000 years ago. Her original name was Semiramis. When the LORD God scattered the nations from Babel (Babylon) because of their pagan idolatry (Genesis 11:1-9), they took with them worldwide that concept of a mother goddess.

Consequently, all peoples paid her homage, though under various names because of language differences: Nana (Sumerians), Indrani/Isi (Indians), Disa (Scandinavians), Venus/Fortuna (Romans), Nutria (Etruscans), Aphrodite/Ceres (Greeks), Shingmoo (Chinese), Hertha (Germans), Venus/Fortuna (Romans), Isis (Egyptians), Cybele (Asians in Turkey), Virgo/Patitura (Druids), Astarte/Ashtaroth (Phoenicians—see Judges 2:13, Judges 10:6, and 1 Samuel 7:3), and Diana/Artemis (Ephesians—see Acts 19:24,27-28,34-35). In fact, she is the Virgin Mary of Roman Catholicism, and Mother Earth or Mother Nature (also known as Gaia)!

The Jews during Jeremiah’s ministry (today’s Scripture) knew God’s attitude about pagan idolatry, especially mother-goddess worship, but they engaged in anyway. This resulted in their deportation to Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzar. Even after the Babylonian exile was underway, they kept worshipping her. Jeremiah chapter 44: “[17] But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil. [18] But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine. [19] And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?”

How sad it was that (in today’s Scripture) they even brought their children into this heathen darkness….

Spellbound! #8

Saturday, August 26, 2023

“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:17,18 KJV).

Let us analyze these “good words and fair speeches.”

Continuing the theme of 2 Peter 2:1-3, verse 18 describes false teachers as follows: “For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.” A companion passage is Jude 16: “These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.”

Using these “great swelling” (extravagant, immoderate, or arrogant) words, false teachers convert followers. “Having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage” aligns with Tertullus’ speech in Acts 24:1-4; the talker aims to profit from his audience, so he resorts to cheap flattery. Second Peter 2:18 sums it up as “vanity” (emptiness, worthlessness). Sounding impressive on the surface, a closer examination reveals it to be valueless. It was just a cruel ploy to take from the gullible!

Recall 2 Peter 2:1, how there were false prophets among the ancient people of Israel. One example is in the Book of Jeremiah, 600 years before Christ. “They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:14). “For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 8:11). Whereas the LORD was judging the apostate Jewish people because of their habitual idolatry (disobedience to the Law of Moses), the false prophets reassured Israel that all was well and no evil would come upon them (just like the feel-good teachers and preachers of modern Christendom!). Jerusalem would fall to the Babylonian army, and no amount of wishful thinking, “inspirational messages,” or “positive thinking” would alter that fact.

Observe today’s Scripture to appreciate how false teaching adversely affects us, the Church the Body of Christ….

God’s Profaned Name #5

Saturday, August 12, 2023

“And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes” (Ezekiel 36:23 KJV).

How was God’s great name “profaned among the heathen?” In what way will He “sanctify” it?

The word “name” denotes all that the person, place, or thing is. For example, read Exodus 34:5-7: “And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.”

When the LORD proclaimed the name of the LORD, it was not God repeating over and over, “The LORD! The LORD! The LORD!” No, rather, it was an enumeration or listing of everything the LORD was and is—He is full of mercy, grace, longsuffering, goodness, truth, and so on. These are His attributes, characteristics, or traits. All that He stands for, all that He does, all that He believes is wrapped up in His great name.

Once Israel officially became the LORD’S nation coming out of Egypt and the Red Sea, whatever they did would either exalt the LORD’S name (righteous living) or tarnish it (sinful living). Unfortunately, like all sinners, they were not perfect, so the (Mosaic) Covenant of Law was doomed right from the start. God knew it, but they refused to accept it. When their evil deeds finally resulted in eviction from the Promised Land (a poor reflection of JEHOVAH God’s name), they continued their sinful acts in the Gentiles’ lands (another poor reflection of JEHOVAH God’s name). In the eyes of the non-Jews, the God of Israel (the one true God) was no different from their idols. Israel so miserably (!) failed (!) to be God’s light to the world, but God in His faithfulness will accomplish His will in the Earth through Israel regardless….

God’s Profaned Name #4

Friday, August 11, 2023

“And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes” (Ezekiel 36:23 KJV).

How was God’s great name “profaned among the heathen?” In what way will He “sanctify” it?

After Israel’s departure from Egypt, her people chose to enter a covenant relationship with the LORD God: “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel…. And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD” (Exodus 19:5,6,8). Obedience would bring blessings, but disobedience would merit curses, as elaborated on later in Leviticus chapter 26 and Deuteronomy chapter 28.

True to His promise to remove the Jewish people from the Promised Land because of their habitual violation of the Law of Moses, the LORD God meted out the fifth and final course of chastisement or judgment (see Leviticus 26:27-39; Deuteronomy 28:62-65; cf. Leviticus 18:24-28; Leviticus 20:22-24). Now, as this curse took effect, the land of Palestine would be vacant, with the Israelites exiled or scattered to Assyria (north) and Babylonia (east).

Nevertheless, the LORD God states in today’s Scripture how the Jewish people continued their evil ways outside of Palestine. As they lived amongst the heathen or Gentiles, the Israelites were not reflections of the Creator’s will. When the nations observed this nonsense, they could not help but snicker and mock. Instead of, “What a wise and understanding people” (Deuteronomy 4:6), it was “What a foolish and clueless people!” Israel did not walk in her identity the LORD gave her coming out of Egypt (separation from sin, Satan, and the world). She wanted to be like everyone else—and she indeed thought and acted like everyone else.

Israel “profaned” the name of the LORD in this manner….

Whom God Helps #7

Sunday, August 28, 2022

“These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep” (John 11:11 KJV).

Behold, he whom God helps!

Ezekiel’s vision of the Valley of the Dry Bones is interpreted in chapter 37: “[11] Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. [12] Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. [13] And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, [14] And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.”

Although Israel was scattered worldwide via invading Gentile armies centuries before Christ, God will reverse the curse and re-gather them into the Promised Land at Christ’s return (see Matthew 24:30,31). This national resurrection, deliverance from functional death, fills Israel with the Holy Spirit and makes her God’s earthly people!

Ezekiel chapter 37 resumes: “[21] And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: [22] And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all. [23] Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.”

We now summarize and conclude this devotionals arc….