Verse of the Week: V7 “So they came into the land of Egypt: for they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: thus came they even to Tahpanhes.”
1. The Pride Of Man (V1-6)
V2 “Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely: the LORD our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there:”
The people of Judah falsely accused Prophet Jeremiah of preaching falsely. They were so proud that not only they refused to listen to what God had to say to them through His prophet Jeremiah, but they even falsely accused God’s man. This is the point where either man repents of his sin of pride or he awaits the judgment of God.
Proverbs 16:18
“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”
2. The Disobedience Of Man (V7-9)
V7 “So they came into the land of Egypt: for they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: thus came they even to Tahpanhes.”
The people of Judah chose the path of disobedience as they refused to heed the Word of God through Prophet Jeremiah that they should stay put in Judah. It is sad when man refuses to submit to His Creator and Maker.
3. The Destruction of Man (V10-13)
V10 “And say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; behold, I will send and take Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will set his throne upon these stones that I have hid; and he shall spread his royal pavilion over them.”
The safest place is the most dangerous place when we disobey God. Conversely, the most dangerous place is the safest place when we obey God. The people of Judah thought that they could take refuge in Egypt as it was the most powerful nation at that time, and it would be the safest place, yet little did they know that God would sent their enemy, Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon and his mighty army to attack and destroy Egypt. Let us realize that man can never outsmart, outplay and outwit God because He is the sovereign and supreme God.
V11 “And when he cometh, he shall smite the land of Egypt, and deliver such as are for death to death; and such as for captivity to captivity; and such as are for the sword to the sword.”
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, please humble me to know that without You, I am nothing.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 06:09 pm
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Verse of the Week: V3 “That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.”
1. God’s Prophet (V1-6)
V4 “Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the LORD your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the LORD shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you.”
Prophet Jeremiah preached what God said to him and held nothing back from the people. God’s prophets in the Old Testament as well as God’s pastors in the New Testament must only preach what God says - nothing more, nothing less and nothing else. Yet during the days of Jeremiah till today, some so-called preachers have been preaching on popular messages that people like to hear and have been found guilty of not preaching the truth of the Word of God. Indeed, one day God shall judge and punish these false preachers.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
2. God’s Promise (V7-18)
V11 “Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the LORD: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.”
Prophet Jeremiah encouraged the people of Judah not to be afraid of the king of Babylon as God was with them and He shall surely save and deliver them from their enemies.
3. God’s Punishment (V19-22)
V19 “The LORD hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day.”
The people of Judah asked God, through Prophet Jeremiah, to show them the way and yet when God told them to stay put in Judah, they refused to obey God. They had already made up their mind to go to Egypt rationalizing and thinking that it was a safer place than Judah. They went to Egypt and God punished them. Many times, we pray to God for His will, yet when God show us His will, we refuse to obey and submit to His perfect will.
V22 “Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go and to sojourn.”
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, please help me to be in the centre of Your perfect will.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 02:53 pm
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Verse of the Week: V4 “And it came to pass the second day after he had slain Gedaliah, and no man knew it,”
1. The Evil Prince Committed Murder (V1-6)
V1 “Now it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, and the princes of the king, even ten men with him, came unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and there they did eat bread together in Mizpah.”
Baalis, the king of the Ammonites, instigated Ishmael, the seed royal or one of the princes of Judah, to kill Gedaliah, his own governor of Judah. It was a tragic end to the life of Gedaliah as he did not take heed to the warning given by his fellow leader, Johanan, that Baalis had send Ishmael to kill him.
Jeremiah 40:14 “And said unto him, Dost thou certainly know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites hath sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to slay thee? But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam believed them not.”
2. The Evil Prince Committed Mass Murder (V7-10)
V7 “And it was so, when they came into the midst of the city, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah slew them, and cast them into the midst of the pit, he, and the men that were with him."
One sin leads to another sin. After the murder of Gedaliah, Ishmael thought that no one knew it, and he also started to kill the men from Shechem, Shiloh and Samaria, who were coming to Judah to offer their sacrifices and to worship in the house of the Lord, as well as to meet Gedaliah whom they thought was still alive.
3. Your Evil Will Find You Out (V11-18)
V11-12 “But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done, Then they took all the men, and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and found him by the great waters that are in Gibeon.”
Ishmael thought that no man knew it, but the Almighty and all knowing God knew it. God sent Johanan, to fight with Ishmael, and stop him from further evil and wickedness.
Numbers 32:23 “But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.”
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, please help me to do right even when no one is around.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 02:47 pm
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Verse of the Week: V2 “And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said unto him, The LORD thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place.”
1. God Freed His Man (V1-6)
V4 “And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which were upon thine hand. If it seem good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, come; and I will look well unto thee: but if it seem ill into thee to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land is before thee: whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go.”
God moved the heart of the captain of the Babylonian army to realize that the God of Israel was behind the defeat of His own nation, Israel. God also moved the captain to free prophet Jeremiah as well as take great care of him. Indeed, God not only delivered Jeremiah from death, but protected and blessed him through the Babylonians.
Proverbs 16:7
“When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.”
2. God Appointed His Man (V7-12)
V7 “Now when all the captains of the forces which were in the fields, even they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed unto him men, and women, and children, and of the poor of the land, of them that were not carried away captive to Babylon;”
God moved the King of Babylon to appoint Gedaliah, one of the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, to be the governor of his people who were left behind. Indeed, God never fails to protect and provide for His people when we obey Him.
V9 “And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan sware unto them and to their men, saying, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.”
3. God Warned His Man (V13-16)
V14 “And said unto him, Dost thou certainly know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites hath sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to slay thee? But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam believed them not.”
God warned his man, Gedaliah, that Ishmael, one of the princes of Judah, was plotting to kill him, yet Gedaliah refused to take heed of the warning, and was eventually killed by Ishmael. Let us take heed when God warns us of impending dangers as God knows best.
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, please help me to trust You as You know best.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 06:02 pm
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Verse of the Week: V18 “For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the LORD.”
1. God’s Word Shall Come To Pass (V1-7)
V1 “In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and they besieged it.”
The day of reckoning came as God’s Word through Prophet Jeremiah came to pass when the King of Babylon attacked Judah and killed the sons of King Zedekiah and his nobles. They then blinded Zedekiah and carried him to Babylon. Zedekiah was physically blinded for his spiritual failure to see the light of God’s Word and put his trust in God.
V7 “Moreover he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, and bound him with chains, to carry him to Babylon.”
2. God’s Love For The Poor (V8-10)
V10 “But Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people, which had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.”
Though the Babylonians were ruthless to King Zedekiah and the people of Judah, they were compassionate to the poor. They not only spared their lives but gave them vineyards and fields for their survival. Indeed, this was God’s love for the poor people of Judah.
3. God’s People Shall Be Protected (V11-18)
V12 “Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee.”
God protected his people, Prophet Jeremiah and Ebed-melech, the Ethiopian, who pleaded with King Zedekiah for Jeremiah’s life. Both men had put their trust in God and they were not only delivered from harm but the Babylonians even took great care of them.
V16 “Go and speak to Ebed-melech 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.”
V18 “For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the LORD.”
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, please help me to put my trust in You and You alone.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 05:39 pm
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Verse of the Week: V10 “Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.”
1. The Man Of God Is Misunderstood (V1-6)
V4 “Therefore the princes said unto the king, We beseech thee, let this man be put to death: for thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the welfare of this people, but the hurt.”
The people he loved wanted him dead. This was the summary of the ministry of Prophet Jeremiah. He kept warning the people of Judah that God had prophesied to him that the Chaldeans would defeat Judah and in order for them to survive they had to surrender to become the prisoners-of-war. However, the princes or the leaders of Judah misunderstood Jeremiah and charged him for treason and arrested and threw him into a muddy hole, without giving him food and water, so that he would die a slow death of hunger and thirst.
V6 “Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.”
2. The Man Of God Is Rescued (V7-13)
V10 “Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.”
A stranger he did not know rescued him. It was not his own Jewish people but an Ethiopian, who courageously pleaded with the king and rescued Jeremiah from death.
V13 “So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon: and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.”
3. The Man Of God Is Courageous (V14-28)
V17 “Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon’s princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house:”
Despite almost losing his life, Jeremiah continued courageously warning his people to surrender in order to survive the impending invasion of the Chaldeans or the Babylonians.
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, please help me to be the man of God, courageous in crises.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 05:37 pm
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Verse of the Week: V6 “Then came the word of the LORD unto the prophet Jeremiah, saying,”
1. God Reigns (V1-10)
V6 “Then came the word of the LORD unto the prophet Jeremiah, saying,”
God reigns in heaven and earth as whatever He says shall be fulfilled and whatever He does shall be executed. Prophet Jeremiah trusted God and preached only the word of God. He kept warning the people of Judah that even though they might seem to defeat the Babylonians, ultimately the Babylonians shall defeat and destroy their city and people.
V10 “For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet should they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.”
2. God Knows (V11-15)
V14 “Then said Jeremiah, It is false; I fall not away to the Chaldeans. But he hearkened not to him: so Irijah took Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.”
Prophet Jeremiah was charged with treason for trying to escape to the Chaldeans or the Babylonians, the enemy of his people. He was arrested, beaten and put in prison. However, Jeremiah continued to trust God, and believed that God knew that he was falsely accused by his people.
V15 “Wherefore the princes were wroth with Jeremiah, and smote him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe: for they had made that the prison.”
3. God Vindicates (V16-21)
V16 “When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon, and into the cabins, and Jeremiah had remained there many days;”
After many days, Jeremiah was vindicated by God from the false charge as King Zedekiah believed in him that he was truly a prophet of God. King Zedekiah commanded his guards that Jeremiah be transferred from the dungeon awaiting for his execution to the court of the prison under his watch care. King Zedekiah also commanded his guards to provide daily bread for Jeremiah for the rest of his stay in the court of the prison.
V21 “Then Zedekiah the king commanded that they should commit Jeremiah into the court of the prison, and that they should give him daily a piece of bread out of the baker’s street, until all the bread in the city were spent. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.”
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, please help me to trust You in life or in death.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 03:20 pm
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Verse of the Week: V28 “Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath burned.”
1. The Forgiving God (V1-10)
V3 “It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.”
Prophet Jeremiah called Baruch to write down the Word that God had spoken to him. The main message was that God would judge the people of Judah and the only way to avoid the judgment of God and for God to forgive them was for them to repent their sins.
V4 “Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah: and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD, which he had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book.”
2. The Caring God (V11-26)
V23 “And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.”
King Jehoiakim not only refused to repent but allowed his servant Jehudi to throw the Word into the fire and commanded his servants to arrest Jeremiah and Baruch. However, the caring God hid both Jeremiah and Baruch from the wickedness of king Jehoiakim.
V26 “But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet: but the LORD hid them.”
3. The Encouraging God (V27-32)
V28 “Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath burned.”
King Jehoiakim thought that by burning the Word, both Jeremiah and Baruch would quit writing the Word. However, they kept on writing the Word. Indeed, God shall encourage His people and nothing shall hinder and destroy the Word, the work and the will of God.
V32 “Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah; who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire: and there were added besides unto them many like words.”
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, please help me to keep on, keeping on for Your honour and glory.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 03:16 pm
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Verse of the Week: V19 “Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before Me for ever.”
1. The Obedient Man (V1-11)
V2 “Go unto the house of the Rechabites, and speak unto them, and bring them into the house of the LORD, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink.”
God commanded prophet Jeremiah to test the obedience of the men of Rechab by offering them wine to drink. The men of Rechab passed the test as they resisted the wine because they were commanded by Jonadab, their father or leader, not to drink wine!
V6 “But they said, We will drink no wine: for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons for ever:”
2. The Disobedient Man (V12-16)
V13 “Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? Saith the LORD.”
Jeremiah contrasted the obedient men of Rechab with the disobedient men of Judah and Jerusalem. The men of Rechab consistently obeyed the commandments of Jonadab, by not drinking wine, while the men of Judah and Jerusalem consistently disobeyed the commandments of the prophets of God time and again.
V14 “The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father’s commandment: notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me.”
3. The Blessed Man (V17-19)
V19 “Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before Me for ever.”
God blessed the men of Rechab as every one of them was obedient to the commandments of Jonadab, their leader, and ultimately, the commandments of God. Let us be blessed of God as we delight in obeying and meditating the commandments of God day and night!
Psalms 1:1-2 “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in His law doth he meditate day and night.”
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, help me to be an obedient Christian.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 11:53 am
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Verse of the Week: V17 “Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbour: behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the LORD, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.”
1. The Defeat (V1-7)
V2 “Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD; behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire:”
God told prophet Jeremiah to speak to Zedekiah, King of Judah, that Judah shall be completely defeated, burnt and destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian army because they had pretended to obey God when they had actually disobeyed Him.
2. The Disobedience (V8-16)
V11 “But afterward they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go free, to return, and brought them into subjection for servants and for handmaids.”
Do you know that partial obedience is disobedience? The people pretended to obey God by freeing their Hebrew servants and handmaids after 6 years of service. However, once they freed them, they actually forced them back to be their servants and handmaids.
V14 “At the end of seven years let ye go every man his brother an Hebrew, which hath been sold unto thee; and when he hath served thee six years, thou shalt let him go free from thee: but your fathers hearkened not unto me, neither inclined their ear.”
3. The Destruction (V17-22)
V17 “Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbour: behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the LORD, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.”
Our secret sins are known of God. We can never hide anything from God. God sees and knows everything. The people in Judah thought they could hide from God but they were mistaken as God completely destroyed them.
V22 “... I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without an inhabitant.”
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, help me to completely obey You.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 01:48 pm
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