In Jeremiah 14 we read again of the LORD’s plan to judge and punish the people of Israel and Judah. The LORD once again tells Jeremiah not to pray for them, because He will not answer the prayer. We have a new group introduced in this chapter: the false prophets. They tell the king and the people that no sword or famine will come to them. The LORD tells Jeremiah the sword and famine will come to each of the false prophets, and the ones to whom they prophesy. In any age, false prophets always seek to offer the positive future that is not going to come, or the doom and gloom that will not. As the Scriptures teach so clearly, the way to know whether a prophet is false or true is whether what they say is going to happen does. If their prophecies don’t come true, then they are false prophets.
In Jeremiah 15 the LORD reiterates His coming punishment on Judah, and tells us it is because of the sin of King Manasseh. Jeremiah complains to the LORD that he has done nothing wrong, but tells the people what the LORD has told him to say. Yet, the people curse him and want to kill him. The LORD promises no harm shall come to him, but He will protect him.
In Jeremiah 16 after more pronouncements of judgement, the LORD promises after the people are repaid double for their sins, He will bring them back. He will restore them. The last word with the LORD is always mercy. Thankfully, the LORD’s rejection of His people is not permanent.
As we turn to John 20, we read about the most amazing miracle in history: Jesus’ resurrection! Mary Magdalene was the first to go to the tomb and find it empty. She didn’t realize the implication, that Jesus had risen, but ran back and told the apostles. Peter and John ran to the tomb, and while John arrived first, it was Peter who entered the tomb first. They saw the empty tomb, and the grave cloths that had been wrapped around Jesus, with the head cloth in a separate place. That was enough for John. He believed, but both went back to their hiding place. Mary returned and saw two angels in the tomb. They told her Jesus was alive. Then Mary turned and there stood Jesus, but she didn’t recognize Him. She thought Jesus was the gardener or grounds keeper, so she asked where he had placed the body. Jesus spoke one word, “Mary,” and she recognized Jesus. Jesus told her to go back and tell His brothers He was alive. She did, but no one believed it. Then that evening, Jesus appeared among them. They were amazed. We’re told He breathed on them and they received the Holy Spirit. Thomas wasn’t at the meeting, so when the others told him about it, he didn’t believe them. Then eight days later, Jesus appeared again, this time Thomas was there. Although Thomas had said he would need to put his hands in the nail prints in Jesus’ hands, and feel the hole in His side to believe Jesus was alive, when he saw Jesus, he bowed in worship. Jesus offered a powerful statement for all of us. He said, “Thomas have you believed because you have seen? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed. That is us, or more properly “That is we.” We haven’t seen Jesus, yet we believe. John closes out the chapter by telling us Jesus did many more signs and wonders, but if they were all written down the world wouldn’t contain all the books. Then he told us, “These were written that you might believe Jesus is the Christ or Messiah, the Son of God, and that believing you might have life in His name. That is the key: Believing in Jesus!