August 23 2012 … Our God Reigns !!!

Chronological Bible Reading Plan - Day 236

Blogger’s Note: Before reading here, please go to this link and take a few minutes to worship our God, …. Who Reigns !!! …

Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Jeremiah 51-52 To study these chapters, go to this link - 
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 Highlight Passage: Jeremiah 51: 1-2; 5-6; 11-12; 17-19; 33; 51-53; 59 :[NLT] … 1 This is what the LORD says: “I will stir up a destroyer against Babylon and the people of Babylonia. 2 Foreigners will come and winnow her, blowing her away as chaff. They will come from every side to rise against her in her day of trouble. … 
[To the remnant of Jews in Babylon and the people of Babylonia] 5 For the LORD Almighty has not forsaken Israel and Judah. He is still their God, even though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel.” 6 Flee from Babylon! Save yourselves! Don’t get trapped in her punishment! It is the LORD’s time for vengeance; he will fully repay her. … 
11 Sharpen the arrows! Lift up the shields! For the LORD has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes to march against Babylon and destroy her. This is his vengeance against those who desecrated his Temple. 12 Raise the battle flag against Babylon! Reinforce the guard and station the watchmen. Prepare an ambush, for the LORD will fulfill all his plans against Babylon. [see Joel’s prophesy in Joel 3: 9-10] … 
[From Jeremiah’s song of praise to God] 17 Compared to Him [YAHWEH], all people are foolish and have no knowledge at all! They make idols, but the idols will disgrace their makers, for they are frauds. They have no life or power in them. 18 Idols are worthless; they are lies! The time is coming when they will all be destroyed. 19 But the God of Israel is no idol! He is the Creator of everything that exists, including his people, his own special possession. The LORD Almighty is his name! … 
33 For the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Babylon is like wheat on a threshing floor, about to be trampled. In just a little while her harvest will begin.” … 
[God, through Jeremiah to the remnant in Babylon] 51 “We are ashamed,” the people say. “We are insulted and disgraced because the LORD’s Temple has been defiled by foreigners.” … 52 “Yes,” says the LORD, “but the time is coming when Babylon’s idols will be destroyed. The groans of her wounded people will be heard throughout the land. 53 Though Babylon reaches as high as the heavens, and though she increases her strength immeasurably, I will send enemies to plunder her,” says the LORD. … 59 The prophet Jeremiah gave this message to Zedekiah’s staff officer, Seraiah son of Neriah and grandson of Mahseiah, when he went to Babylon with King Zedekiah of Judah. This was during the fourth year of Zedekiah’s reign.
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Highlight Passage: Jeremiah 52: [NOTE: Chapter 52 is an historical journal/chronicle of the destruction of Jerusalem and the captivity of 4600 of God’s chosen who were taken into Babylon.]

My Journal for Today: I’m not going to write much in my journal entry today. These last two chapters of Jeremiah’s journal (book) are mostly reflections on Babylon and how they destroyed the Temple [Chapter 52]; and Chapter 51 is God’s message to the people of Babylon and for the Jewish remnant captive there to trust in the God of Jacob, Who would utterly destroy Babylon for having destroyed God’s Holy Temple. And we know from history and the Bible how God raised up the Medes, in alliance with the Persians, under King Cyrus, to consume the much more powerful Babylonian empire.

 And the message, at least to this humble student of God’s word in this chronological trek through the Bible today, was … OUR GOD REIGNS! And I hope you’ve taken the link to the You Tube piece with Chris Tomlin and Christy Nockels, singing their tribute to our sovereign God. If you can make it through that piece, with an attitude of worship with no tears (of joy), you are a stronger – or much less emotional – person than I.

These chapters today are the last in the book of Jeremiah, who really was given a mega-challenge by God to bring His truth to a people who were recalcitrant, rebellious, and idolatrous; and though Jeremiah’s ministry extended to the people surrounding Judah, including their ultimate captors, Babylon, the primary emphasis was for believers and the remnant of faithful in Judah, from which would ultimately bring forth our Messiah.

Jeremiah had a tough gig as a minister of God’s word; and we should use him as a hero and model as we, who are charged by the Great Commission, to take God’s light to a very dark world (i.e., Matthew 5: 16; 28: 19-20). Jeremiah, who was ridiculed, jailed, beaten, and almost killed, just kept bringing God’s truth to the people. No wonder he was called “the weeping Prophet.” But Jeremiah’s credo was … God calls … God leads … I follow! And that should be our mantra of calling and personal ministry as well.

My Prayer Today: … To my dying day, Lord, I will follow You! Amen