THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may go to the archive below and find it.
Bruce McGee, Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418
We have a great friend in Gary Godard. He has set up an archive page. To view ALL the prior devotions by Scripture, just clik
Bro. Bruce's commentaries for
the books of Genesis through 2Kings are
now available in hard copy for $7.50. Just mail your request for
COMMENTARY ON (BOOK NAME) to the address above.
Jeremiah
CHAPTER 8
1 At that time, saith the LORD, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves: 2 And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth. 3 And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith the LORD of hosts.
"At that time" refers to the time when the Babylonians would take Jerusalem captive.
It was a practice of some armies in those days to defile the burial places of particularly important people. They would look for "treasures" buried with the people, and also bring shame to the captives.
The greatness of our being in the earth is defiled enough by death. Death is a reminder that we are sinners against a Holy God and do not deserve life.
Some people do accomplish good things, and therefore leave a good legacy for their descendents. However, when their descendents squander the good things and waste them on selfishness, the memory of those who have done well is tarnished and defiled.
Our forefathers in America sacrificed greatly in order to leave a good legacy and wonderful country for their descendents. I feel that the "barbarous" conquerors of evil (abortion, gambling, pornography, homosexualism, etc.) have tarnished and defiled their memory!
4 Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return? 5 Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. 6 I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.
Many times in the past, God had allowed difficulty in the lives of Israel, and the nation had repented, turning again to Him. Even now, God would have helped them if they would REPENT!
But they had grown so hardened they wouldn't even LISTEN to the calling of God's prophets to repent.
One of our greatest problems in America today is that the world influences the church more than the church influences the world. Have Christians become so hardened by world influence that they are no longer LISTENING to God?
7 Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD. 8 How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain. 9 The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?
The animals of earth follow their instincts to survive. Once, and old Indian man was telling his grandchildren about Jesus. One of the grandchildren asked, "But HOW does Jesus save us?" The Indian man took a caterpillar, and placed it in a ring of grass. Then he lit the grass with a match. The caterpillar went round and round, trying to find a way of escape, but he couldn't. Finally, the caterpillar raised the front half of his body toward the sky. Then the old man put his finger down and the caterpillar crawled to safety.
It is only when we LOOK to God that He will save us.
Are we, in America, truly looking to God? How is it that the "law of the LORD is with us" when no one pays attention to it? Why are justices declaring that "in God we trust" is unconstitutional? How is it that justices are declaring that the ten commandments should not be placed in schools? How is it that justices are declaring that "one nation under God" should not be included in our pledge of allegiance?
Indeed, God's LAW is "in vain" if we don't LISTEN!
10 Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. 11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. 12 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.
Basically, Jeremiah has preached this before (see Jeremiah 6:13-15).
The nation has become covetous -- selfish. Even the priests and the prophets esteem their pay and self-acceptance more than the truth of God's Word. When God's truth brings controversy, they compromise.
And the leaders don't even "blush" when they are exposed in great sin!
13 I will surely consume them, saith the LORD: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them. 14 Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD. 15 We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble! 16 The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein. 17 For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the LORD. 18 When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me. 19 Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the LORD in Zion? is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities?
Because of their unrepentant sinfulness, God promised to "consume" them. He began with destroying crops. The rains no longer came in the proper seasons (which God controls, by the way). And just as the farmer thought he was going to have a good crop, along came drought or too much rain (verse 14)!
Friends, we are seeing this trend in America today!
God said the sound of "strong ones" was being heard in "Dan" -- the North country. The Assyrians had already come and destroyed the Northern ten tribes, taken them captive, and scattered them throughout the earth.
Yet God is STILL WITH Judah (verse 19). And if they would REPENT, He would HELP!
My friends, the signs are all around us that God is working to bring America to repentance. Crops are failing, the country is steeped in debt, the stock market is unstable, and sickness and disease is running rampant in our country. Do we not see that God is calling America to acknowledge HIM and REPENT?
Today, more money is spent on gambling than on groceries! This year, over 5.5 million people will be infected with HPV (Human Papilloma Virus), which is a sexually transmitted disease. Wastefulness and promiscuity are RUINING our nation.
The country is because of God's law of reaping. People reap what they sow. And furthermore, people reap MORE than they sow.
"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." (Galatians 6:7-8)
20 The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. 21 For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me. 22 Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?
The summer was over, and the harvest was poor. There was no monetary salvation in the crops, and the people were in mourning (verse 21).
They had SOWN, but they had not REAPED what they sowed because they had also sown spiritual corruption.
Today, in America, there is no monetary salvation in the stock market or the crops of our nation because the people are sowing spiritual corruption.
Even then though, God describes HOPE! There IS "balm in Gilead." The "balm in Gilead" referred to a resin which was used medicinally for healing purposes.
God was saying that HE was still in the midst of the people, and could provide healing!
The same applies to America today. So then, WHY are we not being healed? It is simply because we are much like Israel was in those days: hardened to spiritual truth by worldly desires!
If we would only turn to God in true repentance, God would provide HEALING!
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." (2Chronicles 7:14)
PLEASE CONTINUE IN BIBLE STUDY WITH US TOMORROW.