Chris Marshall Resources

In Ezekiel 12, the LORD tells Ezekiel to pack his baggage as for exile, and to go to the city wall in the evening and dig through it.  When the people ask what he is doing, Ezekiel is to say this is what will happen to the prince and to his troops.  They will be carried away into exile after they have dug through the wall in an attempt to escape.  The prince will die in Babylon, and many others will be scattered to the wind.  But…a remnant will be preserved!  This is the “good news” we find in the midst of bad news throughout God’s word.  The LORD also tells Ezekiel to eat his food and drink his water with quaking, to symbolize the people will eat and drink in this way as they are being taken to exile.  The final point of this chapter is the LORD tells Ezekiel to let the people know the time of the exile is soon. The vision is not for a time that is far off but will be fulfilled in the near future.

In Ezekiel 13, the LORD tells Ezekiel to call out the false prophets who proclaim “Declares the LORD…” when the LORD had not spoken.  The chapter is rather long, but it says the same thing over and over: the false and lying prophets will be destroyed for leading the people astray.

In Ezekiel 14, the LORD condemns the elders of the city who have practiced idolatry.  As the false prophets ought to have spoken only the truth, so the elders ought to have remained faithful to the LORD, but because of their unfaithfulness, they will be destroyed.  In the remainder of the chapter, the LORD tells Ezekiel that even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in the city of Jerusalem at the time of the coming judgment, only they would be saved. Their goodness would not save anyone else.  Think of that: three of the greatest men in the history of Israel could not influence the LORD to preserve more than themselves in this time of destruction!

As we return to Matthew 19, the Pharisees come to Jesus to ask Him whether a man can divorce his wife for “any reason”? Jesus asks them what the Law of Moses says about it?  They say Moses said it was okay. Jesus tells them that was because of their hardness of heart, but from the beginning it was God’s intention that a man and woman would be united in marriage permanently.  He condemns the practice of divorce except for reason of marital unfaithfulness.  Next, Jesus blesses children who are brought to Him to be blessed, even over the disciples’ objections that Jesus doesn’t have time for such activity.  Jesus reminds them once again that the Kingdom of heaven is made up of such as them.  Finally, a rich, young man comes to Jesus to ask what he must do to inherit eternal life.  Jesus tells him to obey the commandments in the Law.  The man tells Jesus he has done so.  Jesus tells him he lacks one thing: to go sell all he has, give it to the poor, so he will have riches in heaven, and then come and follow Him.  The man turns down the opportunity, because he couldn’t give up his wealth.  The disciples were astounded, but not because the man wouldn’t give up his wealth.  Jesus’ request astounded them.  They thought wealth was a sign of God’s blessing, but Jesus told the man it was what was getting in the way of his discipleship.  Jesus told the disciples this was so as well.  We must never let material wealth get in the way of our spiritual wealth.  That is the key to following Jesus.  When we recognize every material blessing belongs to Him, and is to be held lightly, even given away if Jesus asks us to do so, we can follow Jesus wherever He calls us.  But when we cling to the “stuff” of life, we can’t go where He calls, or follow where He leads.

Ezekiel 8 has the LORD showing Ezekiel the blatant sin of Judah’s officials in the Temple as they worship idols, the sun, and other pagan deities even as they stand in the Temple.  The LORD tells Ezekiel this is why His judgment is being poured out on the land.

Ezekiel 9 is a gory depiction of the LORD’s judgment on all those who have committed idolatry before Him.  He has one of his messengers mark all those who have sinned, and then His destroyer comes behind and slays them.  Ezekiel asks whether He will kill the entire remnant of His people?  No answer comes as the chapter ends.

Ezekiel 10 recounts the departure of the LORD from the Temple.  In great detail, Ezekiel describes the cherubim who are in the Temple, and the commands given to the man clothed in linen to take hot coals from the altar and spread them all over the city.  Then the LORD and His entourage leave the Temple. Consider the symbolism: The LORD has never been bound to a building, from the time King Solomon constructed the first Temple to this very day, but He has always dwelt among His people. But here, He tells Ezekiel He is departing.  He will have nothing to do with this sinful group of people who have abandoned Him totally.

Ezekiel 11 starts with more judgment for the leaders who have led the people astray to idols.  They are told they will die, and their leader does.  But then, the chapter takes a turn and the LORD tells Ezekiel a remnant of the people will be preserved from those who have gone into exile and will return to Jerusalem.  The LORD will be with them, but once again He reminds those who have turned from Him and committed on-going sin will be destroyed.  As always, the LORD’s mercy is evident even with a people who have been so completely filled with idolatry. Those who repent will be redeemed.

As we return to Matthew 18, the disciples ask a vital question, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?”  Jesus doesn’t answer with the name of a specific person but says whoever turns and becomes like a child will be the greatest.  This raises the important matter of the distinction between childlikeness, which Jesus affirms here, and childishness, which He does not affirm.  The childlike traits that makes us great in God’s kingdom are trust, love, joy, and being “all in.”  Little children have a natural (supernatural?) exuberance and joy for living that often gets trained out of them as they grow. Jesus warns that any who lead one of His little ones astray will face severe punishment.  He also points out how precious every single person is, when He compares it to a shepherd looking for one lost sheep, even though He has 100 sheep. In the same way, the LORD is not willing for even one of His little ones to perish.

As we move on, Jesus offers the process for us to follow when someone sins against us.  The process is simple, but not always easy to carry out in life.  First, we go to the person and confront the situation.  If the person repents, we receive him or her back.  If not, we take a couple of the elders or mature members of the church and confront again.  If the person repents, we receive him or her back.  If that doesn’t work, we bring the person before the entire church and ask him or her to repent.  If that doesn’t work, the person is to be cast out and treated as a “tax collector.”  Peter followed up these instructions by asking Jesus how many times we must forgive someone who sins against us?  He asked if it were up to seven times?  Jesus answered that it wasn’t seven times but seventy times seven. Jesus then told a parable about a master who forgave the massive debt of one of his servants, because the servant begged him to do so.  But afterward, the servant had a fellow servant thrown into prison for a small debt.  When the other servants told the master about this, the master brought the servant back in, called him wicked, and then had him cast into prison for not forgiving as he had been forgiven.  Jesus’ punchline was: My Heavenly Father will also treat you the same way if you do not forgive those who sin against you.  Forgiveness is the core of our faith.  Jesus forgave us the sin that had condemned us to hell.  That means we must forgive one another, regardless of the weight of the sin.  That doesn’t mean we say the other person was right.  It means we release the other person to the mercy of God!

Ezekiel 5 pronounces specific judgment against the city of Jerusalem.  The LORD tells Ezekiel to cut his hair and beard with a sword and then to divide it into thirds.  He is to burn one third of the hair in the midst of the city, another third he is to take around the city and cut with a sword, the final third he is to scatter to the wind.  This is the way the city will be judged: one third will die of pestilence; one third will die by the sword, and one third will be scattered to the wind.  The situation will be so bad that fathers will eat their sons, and sons will eat their fathers.  The LORD tells Ezekiel the extent of the judgment will be so extreme that nothing like it will ever happen again. 

Ezekiel 6 pronounces judgment against the mountains and hills of Israel.  Specifically, judgment is pronounced against the people for their worship of idols.  The LORD compares Himself to a husband and the people have been “whoring” against Him with the idols of the other nations.  Once again, we’re told people will die by famine, sword, and pestilence.  But a remnant will remain, so they can remember what the LORD has said, and so they will one day return to worshiping Him.

Ezekiel 7 pronounces the judgment of the Day of the LORD, a day of wrath against the people.  This is more of what has been pronounced in the previous chapters.  The day is coming and the people in the fields will die by the sword, while the people in the city will die of famine and pestilence.  Some will remain alive and will be witnesses of the LORD’s fierce judgment for the evil the people did against Him.

As we return to Matthew 17, we read the record of Jesus being transfigured with Moses and Elijah before Peter, James, and John.  The event is recorded in similar fashion Mark’s gospel, but in Matthew Jesus is more explicit about the significance of the event, that it is foreshadowing His crucifixion.  He also tells the Peter, James, and John clearly John the Baptist was the Elijah who was to come.  After this the four of them return to the bottom of the mountain, where Jesus heals a demon-possessed boy, which the nine remaining disciples of Jesus couldn’t heal.  The detail is limited, as Matthew tends not to be as explicit in showing the shortcomings of the disciples as Mark is, perhaps because Mark was not one of them.  In any case, Jesus simply tells the disciples this kind of demon can only be cast out through prayer and fasting.  Following this Jesus announces once again He is going to be killed, and the disciples are filled with grief.  In Mark’s gospel, we’re told following this announcement, they argued among themselves about who would be greatest. Finally, Jesus has Peter catch a fish that has a coin in its mouth.  This permits Peter to pay the Temple tax for Jesus and him.   This is one more example of Jesus fulfilling all righteousness.

Today, we turn to the Book of Ezekiel.  Ezekiel was both a priest and a prophet.  He served for more than twenty years, from about ten years before the people of Judah were carried off into exile, until well after they were in living in Babylon.  His message started as one of impending judgment, and then turned to a message of hope for the future, including the famous vision of Israel and the valley of dry bones.  As we read this prophet’s message, it will at times seem like a replay of Jeremiah, but overall Ezekiel offers more hope than the “weeping” prophet.

Ezekiel 1 offers us one of the most spectacular visions in the entire Bible!  Ezekiel sees a “creature” who seems like four different creatures, who has heads with the facets of a person, an ox, a lion, and an eagle.  The creature also has wheels under it, and all four of the creatures move in synchrony wherever the Spirit leads.  This creature has an expanse above it, and fire flows from it.  We see by the end of the chapter that the creature is the LORD.

The LORD calls Ezekiel in chapter 2, and we read repeatedly that he is to speak the LORD’s message to a “rebellious” people.  He is to continue to present the message whether they receive it or whether they don’t.  At the end of the chapter, the LORD gives Ezekiel a scroll, and as he reads it he finds words of lamentation and woe.  As with Jeremiah, Ezekiel’s message will be a message no one wants to hear.

In Ezekiel 3 the LORD gives Ezekiel a scroll to “eat” and as he does it tasted sweet in his stomach.  The meaning is the message was pleasing to him.  The LORD said the message would be easy for the people to understand, but they would not listen, because they are a rebellious people.  As the LORD’s message continues the creature picks Ezekiel up and takes him to Tel-Abib as he does he is so overwhelmed he is unable to speak for seven days.  The message Ezekiel receives is that he is to be the LORD’s “watchman.”  He offers Ezekiel a principle: if the LORD pronounces condemnation on the one who sins, but Ezekiel doesn’t present the message, the man shall die in his sin, and Ezekiel will be held accountable for the man’s blood, but if Ezekiel tells the man of his sin, and he does not repent, the man will die, but Ezekiel will be innocent of his blood.  In the same way if a righteous man is turning to evil, but Ezekiel doesn’t correct him, he will die, and the blood will be on Ezekiel, but if Ezekiel warns him and he sins anyway, the blood of the man will be on himself.  This is a key principle, which the Apostle Paul picked up on nearly 600 years later when he told the Ephesian elders he had been faithful to tell everyone the message of salvation in Jesus and was therefore innocent of “every man’s blood.”  The chapter ends with the LORD telling Ezekiel he is going to be bound, and will obviously be mistreated, because his tongue will stick to his mouth so he won’t be able to speak for a time.  Then he will be able to speak again, but the people won’t hear, because they are a rebellious people.

In Chapter 4 the LORD tells Ezekiel to make a brick and put it in front of himself.  He is to place “siege works” against it, and to put a skillet before it to show it is under siege.  Then he is to lie on his left side for 390 days to symbolize Israel being exiled for 390 years.  Then he is to lie on his right side for 40 days to symbolize Judah being in captivity for forty years.  While he is doing this, he is to eat sparingly, and drink sparingly to show the hardship of the people during their times of captivity.

As we return to Matthew 16, The Pharisees and Sadducees come to Jesus and ask Him to show them a sign.  Jesus responds that an evil generation seeks a sign, and the only sign they will receive is the sign of Jonah.  That sign is just as Jonah was three days in the belly of a great fish, so Jesus will be three days in the tomb.  After this, Jesus told His disciples to beware of the “leaven” of the Pharisees.  At first, the disciples thought Jesus was reprimanding them for not bringing any bread, but then Jesus reminded them how he had fed thousands of people twice with only a few loaves of bread.  Then they realized Jesus was talking about the teaching of the Pharisees as their leaven.  Next, Jesus and the disciples went to Caesarea Philippi and Jesus asked them who people said He was.  Then He asked them who did they say He was?  Peter answered Jesus is the Christ the Son of the living God.  Jesus affirms Peter for this truth, which was revealed to him by the Heavenly Father. Then, He tells the disciples not to tell anyone.  Next, Jesus tells the disciples He is going to Jerusalem where He will be arrested, and ultimately crucified, but then He will rise again.  Peter rebukes Jesus for saying such a thing.  Then Jesus rebukes Peter for being “Satan,” and for thinking of things from a human perspective rather than God’s perspective. This shows us a person can be mightily led by the Lord in one moment, and then turn the opposite direction the next.

Lamentations 4 offers explicit details about the devastation of the nobles and priests in Judah during the time of their overthrow.  They were once dressed in purple.  They were “stones of gold,” but now have become black and shriveled.  The writer tells us the people of Sodom were better off, because they were destroyed in a moment.  Those who were killed by the sword were better off, because they didn’t suffer.  But these who waste away with hunger and disease, bear their suffering, and nothing and no one is there to help them.  The LORD is the one who did this, because of the people’s rejection of Him, because of their sin.  One hint of hope comes at the close of the chapter when Edom is condemned.  We’re told there will be no redemption for Edom, but the house of Zion will return.  No additional information is offered, but at least some hope for the future remains.

Lamentations 5 is a cry to the LORD to restore the people. The writer recounts the heavy burdens the people endure.  Women are raped, boys stagger under heavy loads, princes are hung by their hands, and the elders are shown no respect.  The writer asks if the LORD will forget them forever.  He calls on the LORD to restore them, but the book ends without a response from the LORD.  We know from history the LORD answered this cry.  Israel was restored on more than one occasion, and now the nation of Israel is a sovereign nation once again.  When we experience the heavy burdens of life, let’s remember to call out to the LORD, to call on His mercy and ask Him for deliverance and restoration.

As we return to Matthew 15, we find the religious leaders coming to Jesus with a complaint about His disciples: they eat with out the ceremonial washing of their hands. Jesus responds by asking them why they break the command of God to uphold their traditions.  Here Jesus makes a distinction between the actual commands of God, and the traditions human beings fabricate to “interpret” the commands, or make them easier to follow.  Jesus points out how they fail to honor their fathers and mothers, by taking money that would have been used to support them and giving it as offerings.   Jesus then makes a powerful statement.  It is not what goes into a person that brings defilement, but what comes out.  The disciples didn’t understand what Jesus meant.  His point is clear: what we eat doesn’t defile us.  What we say does.  Jesus said the words that come out of our mouth reflect the content of our hearts.  That is what we must handle with care, not the food we eat.

Following this interaction, Jesus withdrew with His disciples for a time of rest, but while they were walking a Canaanite woman came and asked Jesus to heal her demon-possessed daughter.  At first Jesus didn’t respond, but later when the woman gave Him a strong answer to His point about not “throwing the children’s bread to the dogs,” He healed her daughter.

The final episode in Matthew 15 is the feeding of the 4,000.  Jesus had been healing and casting demons out of people all day, and He knew they were hungry.  He had already been providing for their spiritual and physical health by healing and casting out demons.  Now, He met their basic physical need for food, by taking seven loaves of bread and a few small fish and turning it into enough food to feed thousands of them.  As we consider Jesus’ role in our lives, we must always remember while He is first and foremost our Lord and our God, He also wants to provide for our needs whether they be physical or spiritual.  As you go about the day, worship Jesus as Savior and Lord, and call on Him as the faithful provider He is!

Today, we turn to the Book of Lamentations, which is written as five poems mourning the destruction of Jerusalem.  Many biblical scholars believe the Lamentations were written by Jeremiah, and were written shortly after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC.  Lamentations 1 offers the first poem of the downfall of Jerusalem.  “She” is likened to a woman who has been destroyed, with her children sent off into exile.  The reason for her fall is clear: she rebelled against the LORD, and sinned in many ways.  He brought about her downfall, and her “lovers” the nations around her and the false gods she has served, can do nothing about it.  Her princes are like deer scattered and unable to find food.  The picture is similar to that painted in the Book of Jeremiah, with the main difference being the language is more poetic.

Lamentations 2 makes it clear the LORD has destroyed Jerusalem and Jacob without pity.  She has received the full measure of judgment for her sin.  One of the statements that make us think of Jeremiah is the one referring to their prophets prophesying falsely to the nations.  Jeremiah often pointed out the false prophecies of the prophets in Jerusalem during his ministry, and sometimes was punished for it.  Now the people of the land are experiencing everything Jeremiah said would happen, and which none of the false prophets said would come.

Lamentations 3 offers hope.  While it starts with more recording of the evil befalling the people, it turns to the acknowledgment that the LORD’s mercies are new every morning. It recalls the LORD’s willingness to forgive those who turn to Him, and His carrying out of justice at all times.  While every prophet in the Bible pronounces coming judgment for the people unless they repent, each one in his turn also speaks of the LORD’s mercy.  The hope in Lamentations 3 is offered in a strong dose of the reality that the LORD does not tolerate rebellion among His people, nor sin.  Yet He always offers mercy when the people return.

As we return to Matthew 14, we find three main components of the chapter.  First, we read the account of John the Baptist’s murder by King Herod.  The sickening reality it portrays is that of a king who was more willing to murder an innocent man than to look bad before his dinner guests.  Upon hearing of John’s death, Jesus went off to a solitary place.  This was often Jesus’ response to either times of great affirmation of His ministry, or times of challenge and sorrow.  We do well to learn from this, because in our lives we will also have times of triumph and defeat.  In both of those times, we must be grounded in the heart of God.  Otherwise, we will tend toward pride or despair, and both of those traits are from the devil.  Jesus comes out of the time of solitude to heal the sick, and to feed the five thousand.  After this time of affirmation, Jesus retreats once again, demonstrating the rule of His life: public ministry followed by time alone to be with His Heavenly Father.  When He rejoins the disciples, they are already in a boat, and well out on the Sea of Galilee.  Jesus walks to them on the water.  When they see Him, they’re terrified, but Jesus reassures them by telling them it is He.  Peter calls out to the LORD and asks Him to call him to come, if it is really He.  Jesus calls.  Peter goes. Peter sees the waves and feels the wind, and taking his eyes off Jesus starts to sink . He offers perhaps the shortest prayer in history, “Lord, save me!”  Jesus reaches out His hand and draws Peter up, and the two walk back to the boat.  (The text doesn’t tell us Peter walked back to the boat, but it’s a reasonable assumption. The only other possibilities are Peter swam beside Jesus, or Jesus carried Peter.)  The invaluable principle we learn from Peter is: always keep your eyes on Jesus!

Jeremiah 51 offers an extensive prophecy of the fall of Babylon. While we have already read of it in previous chapters, this is the most extensive word against Babylon.  The LORD recounts her guilt not only for destroying Jerusalem, but for her actions against many nations.  While the LORD used Babylon for judgment, and while He set her up to serve Him in this regard, she did not acknowledge Him, and continued to serve idols, who are not gods.  The prophecy is written both in the future tense, and in the present tense, as if the events had already happened.  Throughout the chapter the descriptions of the extensive nature of Babylon’s destruction shows us nothing will be left of this once great place and people.  At the end of the chapter, the LORD instructs Jeremiah to write down all these words, to take them to Babylon and read them to the people, and then to throw the book into the river, to illustrate that as a stone sinks to the bottom of a river, so will Babylon sink.

Jeremiah 52 recounts the historical fall of Jerusalem and Judah. We have this history in other places in Jeremiah, as well as in the records of the kings, but here we have one more recording of the events that took place when Judah fell, the Temple was burned, and the people were carried into exile.  As always there is a bit of hope, when it comes to the LORD’s record of His people, as the king is released from prison, showing the Davidic line would continue.  Jeremiah ends with the people in captivity, but hope still alive.

As we return to Matthew 13, we find a chapter filled with parables.  We must remember, Matthew organized his gospel roughly along chronological lines, but he also organized it in a way it would be easier to memorize.  Thus, we find sections of teaching and sections of action.  Of course, Jesus taught through the actions of healing sick people, casting demons out of people, walking on water and calming storms.  But Matthew 13 offers us a large grouping of parables, which may be easily memorized and passed on to others.  That was important in Jesus’ day, because no means of mass producing books was available.  To have a copy of Matthew one would literally have to copy it by hand.  As we look at the parables, we see Jesus was a masterful creator of these stories with a point.  No one before or since ever created parables with greater impact, although often they were quite simple in their content.  Jesus’ goal was to hide information from those who were only seeking information or religious content, but to reveal it to those who were truly after a relationship with God, and had a desire to pursue His kingdom.  As we read the parables, let’s remember to act on the punchlines, and not just nod our heads in affirmation!

Jeremiah 50 foretells the fall of Babylon in great detail.  Intertwined with the telling of Babylon’s judgment is a promise that Israel and Judah will be restored.  One of the most powerful statements in the chapter is that when anyone looks for sin in Israel and Judah it will not be found, because the LORD will pardon their sin, not holding it against them.  The LORD tells Babylon, she has relied on her idols, but they won’t help her.  She has abused the nations, and Israel and Judah, now a group of nations will come from the north and destroy her.  Once again, the LORD will use pagan nations to overcome a pagan nation.  Babylon was used by the LORD, but did not turn to her.  Now, she will reap the consequences of her own actions.  In the end, we always do. Those who “sow” sin “reap” judgment, and those who “sow” righteousness “reap” life.  As we read through the chapter, we see how completely Babylon will be destroyed.  The LORD tells us Babylon will be as Sodom and Gomorrah.  It doesn’t get any worse than that, when the LORD pronounces judgment against a nation!

As we return to Matthew 12, we find Jesus and the religious leaders at odds once again.  This time, Jesus and His disciples were walking through a grain field on the Sabbath and some of them picked heads of grain and ate them.  The religious leaders condemned the action as “working” on the Sabbath.  Jesus responded with a couple examples from Jewish history of David “breaking” the Law by eating food reserved for priests, and of the priests working on the Sabbath with impunity to show the religious leaders were wrong.  Then Jesus made an incredible statement, “I tell you something greater than the temple is here.” (Matthew 12:6)  Jesus said those words about Himself.  He told the religious leaders He was greater than the temple!  Let’s stop to consider that for a moment. If Jesus was greater than the temple, the place where God dwelled, the place where the people’s sins were forgiven through the offering of sacrifices, the place where Jews from around the world came on pilgrimage at the times of all the holy days of Israel, then Jesus was saying He was the vehicle for all of that to take place.  That is incredible!  Jesus concluded this interaction by saying the religious leaders ought to remember the LORD wants compassion and not sacrifice.  He also told them He is LORD of the Sabbath.  This was a clear statement of His lordship.

Jesus continued to put Himself in conflict with the religious leaders by going into a synagogue and healing a man with a withered hand.  He confronted them before He did so by asking whether it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath?  When they wouldn’t answer, He healed the man.  They went out and plotted how to kill Jesus.  Jesus wasn’t concerned.  He went out and healed many more and cast demons out of people.  The religious leaders said Jesus cast out demons by the prince of demons.  Jesus asked how a kingdom divided against itself could stand?  He also pronounced judgment against the religious leaders for blaspheming against the Holy Spirit, which is attributing the work of God to the devil.  Jesus told a parable of a man who was demon possessed, who had the demon cast out, but did not fill his life with God.  The demon went out and found seven other demons worse than itself, and the last state of the man was worse than the first.  This tells us how important it is to be filled with the Holy Spirit once we have been delivered from sin and evil in our lives.  Finally, Jesus identified those who are His “family,” by saying anyone who does His Father’s will is His sister, mother and brother.

Jeremiah 47 is a brief chapter in which the LORD calls down judgment on the Philistines.  He tells them they will be overrun and destroyed.  He mentions cutting themselves, which was a common practice among idol worshipers.  The intent was to gain the god’s attention.  But such action would have no impact, as the LORD’s judgment was going to be carried out against them.

As brief as Jeremiah 47 is in proclaiming judgment on the Philistines, so extensive is Jeremiah 48 in proclaiming judgment against Moab.  In great detail, the cities of Moab are named and marked for destruction.  The LORD mentions Chemosh, one of the gods of the Moabites, by name as being overthrown. The LORD speaks both in the present tense and in the future tense of Moab being destroyed.  He tells the people they will be scattered and not one will remain in Moab.  He tells them they will be destroyed in the pit and in the snare.  The words of judgment flow from beginning to end, and then in the last verse, words of hope are offered as the LORD says He will restore Moab.

Jeremiah 49 offers judgment against the Ammonites.  The pronouncement isn’t as lengthy as that against Moab, but it is still detailed.  Then the pronouncements of judgment turn to Edom, Damascus, Kedar, Hazor, and Elam.  With more or less detail, the LORD tells each nation or city of the impending judgment.  In this case, only Elam is promised restoration by the LORD.

As we return to Matthew 11, we find John the Baptist, who was in prison, sent some of his disciples to ask Jesus whether He was the Messiah or whether they ought to expect another?  The question comes from John’s understanding that the Messiah would be a conquering hero who would overthrow Rome and restore Israel’s prominence.  This wasn’t merely John’s understanding.  Most of Israel thought the same way.  Jesus’ response was to tell of His works, and to quote the prophet Isaiah, which said the Messiah would do such works.  Jesus then turned to the crowds and spoke of his place in the redemptive process.  He said John was the Elijah who was to come to prepare the way for the Messiah.  He pointed out John was not dressed in fine clothes, because his purpose was not to experience the finery of life, but to prepare the way of the LORD.  He also said no human being to that point was greater than John, but the least in the Kingdom of God was greater than John.  Jesus was pointing out that those of the old covenant have place and prominence in God’s purpose, but God’s ultimate purpose was to establish His eternal kingdom.

Jesus went on to condemn several cities in the region of Galilee, for their unwillingness to let Jesus’ miracles turn their hearts to the LORD.  He mentioned Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum by name.  He said if the kind of works done there had been done in Tyre, Sidon, Sodom, and Gomorrah, the people there would have repented and turned to the LORD.  Therefore, the judgment on those three cities would be great.

Jesus closes out the chapter by thanking His Father for showing His truth to the simple, and hiding it from the wise.  He tells us if we are tired and burdened to come to Him and He will give us rest.  His “yoke” is easy and His burden is light.  The yoke refers to the instrument used to connect two cattle so they could be used to plow a field or some other type of work.  As we are yoked to Jesus, He shoulders most of the burden, and guides us along the way.  How important it is for us to yoke ourselves to Him!

In Jeremiah 44 Jeremiah tells the remnant of the Judeans who had gone down into Egypt of the LORD’s complete judgment on them for worshiping false gods both in Judah and in Egypt.  He singled out the women for offering sacrifices to the Queen of Heaven.  In response, the women said they would continue to offer their offerings to the Queen of Heaven, because when they did it in Judah, they had plenty.  They told Jeremiah they made their offerings with the full affirmation of their husbands. Jeremiah responded the LORD was punishing them, because of their offerings to false gods, and his response would be complete.  Only a few would ever return to Judah, but the vast majority would be destroyed by the sword, pestilence, and famine.  Jeremiah told them the Pharaoh of Egypt would suffer the same fate as King Zedekiah, and be carried off into exile, and that he would not be able to offer any protection to them.

Jeremiah 45 is brief and is directed at Baruch, Jeremiah’s scribe.  The LORD’s message to Baruch was he would, indeed, experience the devastation of the people of Judah, but he himself would be spared.

Jeremiah 46 is a lengthy condemnation of the land of Egypt.  In it the LORD promises to use Babylon to crush Egypt, and to not leave them with any strength or power.  In extensive detail, the LORD tells how and where it will happen.  At the end of the chapter the LORD also tells the people of Judah they will be offered a reprieve at the end of it all.  While He promises to make a “full end” of Egypt, He also promises not to make a “full end” of Judah, but to restore them in the future.

As we return to Matthew 10, we find Jesus calling the twelve who He wants to appoint as disciples/apostles.  Then He does what He told them to pray for at the end of Matthew 9: He sends them out into the harvest field.  He gives them extensive instructions.  He tells them they will have His authority, but He also tells them they will be hated, and will be dragged before kings and other authorities.  He tells them they will be hated by their own family members, but in the end if they are faithful they will receive their reward.  Anyone who reads Matthew 10 must understand Jesus did not promise an easy life filled with blessing and material riches for those who follow Him.  He promised an abundant eternal life, and He promised we would have trouble and challenge both among our families and out in the world.  Jesus was always completely honest, and as He sent out the twelve He assured them they would have what they needed, but it would come with great sacrifice and cross-bearing.  We must understand that same promise is for us.  Jesus will never abandon us, but that does not mean we won’t experience great challenge and difficulty.  He was crucified and He was perfect, so we must expect the world to mistreat us as well–if we are following Him faithfully.