The plain sense of the prophecy in 31:31-34 relates it to the historical nations of Israel and Judah. It refers, in the first place, to the return of exiles from Babylon. This is clear from the reference to the rebuilding of the city in vs 38-40. The whole tendency of chs. 30-31 has been in this direction also. The new covenant prophecy, therefore, has a first fulfilment when God brings back the exiles in 539 BC and the following years.
However, the prophecy suggests more than this. The inclusion of ‘Israel’, which had ceased to exist as a nation by Jeremiah’s time, suggests that a deeper fulfilment is looked for than a mere physical return to the land. The ancient covenant is to be fulfilled at last in a new way, by a people that is capable of entering into it, by God’s help.
The NT teaches that the decisive fulfilment of the new covenant prophecy takes place in Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 11:25; Heb. 8:7-13; 9:15). This means that God’s covenant is finally achieved in the people who are ‘in Christ’. The new kind of forgiveness is possible because he has made a once–for–all sacrifice for sin that makes all other sacrifices obsolete (Heb. 10:15-18). It is a covenant that cannot end because it has been perfected by Christ. Even so, his new people are called to faithfulness and given the Holy Spirit in order to enable them.
There is, therefore, a parallel between how God acted towards ancient Judah in bringing them back from Babylon and how he acts to the whole world in Christ. Ancient Israel and Judah have their counterpart in the church, which is Christ’s body and calls all people to him.
Showing posts with label Jeremiah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jeremiah. Show all posts
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
1 Peter 1:1; Jer 23
Elected Exiles: Christians are resident aliens in this world (Heb11:13). They are not at home in this world, for their stay on earth is temporary (1 Peter 2:11) , Their citizenship is in heaven (Phil 3:20) Therefore as God's elect they live on this earth as exiles and temporary residents.
As i reflect thru Jeremiah, we are CHOSEN to be EXILED on earth in order to RETURN home one day.
or CHOSEN to SUFFER for HIS GLORY.
Jeremiah 23
The Righteous Branch
1 "Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!" declares the LORD. 2Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: "You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the LORD. 3 Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. 4 I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the LORD.
true believers are on exiles, why? true believers must go thru suffering and persecution, but their hope is in God ( a promise in
'I will bring them back'). to bring them home.
Jer 23:28 let the one who has my word speak it faithfully...
purity of hearts leads to telling the truth. i dont draw men to myself, but draw men to be closer to God. hence, the purity of heart is very important. do i speak the truth as i shd speak; WITHOUT thinking how one will respond to my words, or trying to manipulate them into respecting or liking me? the performance trap or the popularity trap.
Personal Response:
Matt 5: 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (prophets like jeremiah?)
As i reflect thru Jeremiah, we are CHOSEN to be EXILED on earth in order to RETURN home one day.
or CHOSEN to SUFFER for HIS GLORY.
Jeremiah 23
The Righteous Branch
1 "Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!" declares the LORD. 2Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: "You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the LORD. 3 Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. 4 I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the LORD.
true believers are on exiles, why? true believers must go thru suffering and persecution, but their hope is in God ( a promise in
'I will bring them back'). to bring them home.
Jer 23:28 let the one who has my word speak it faithfully...
purity of hearts leads to telling the truth. i dont draw men to myself, but draw men to be closer to God. hence, the purity of heart is very important. do i speak the truth as i shd speak; WITHOUT thinking how one will respond to my words, or trying to manipulate them into respecting or liking me? the performance trap or the popularity trap.
Personal Response:
Matt 5: 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (prophets like jeremiah?)
Monday, October 6, 2008
Jeremiah 2: 27
Warming Up to God
What would you do if someone stood at the door of your newly renovated church and told you and everyone who entered that you were hypocrites under the judgment of God?
Jeremiah 2: 27 They say to wood, 'You are my father,'
and to stone, 'You gave me birth.'
They have turned their backs to me
and not their faces;
yet when they are in trouble, they say,
'Come and save us!'
sometime back , a friend made an observation that most christians are hypocrites. and i like to add: they are right! it is idolatry itself to pray to God only when you need help. Or go to him only on the basis of looking forward to material blessings and healings (haha... another shot at health and wealth- yea). there is no difference in going to a chinese temple to pray for 4D and going to God to pray for just about the same things. We have succumb to the postmodern mindset that everything is a possiblity , just see if it is relative to you. We have abandon the truth. the moment we treat God just as one of the many other gods, we are living in idolatry and paganism. we have reduce our true and living God to a Gong Xi Fa Cai god. from the postmodern mind: there is no difference. no wonder even unbelievers call us hypocrites. they are spot on.
What would you do if someone stood at the door of your newly renovated church and told you and everyone who entered that you were hypocrites under the judgment of God?
Jeremiah 2: 27 They say to wood, 'You are my father,'
and to stone, 'You gave me birth.'
They have turned their backs to me
and not their faces;
yet when they are in trouble, they say,
'Come and save us!'
sometime back , a friend made an observation that most christians are hypocrites. and i like to add: they are right! it is idolatry itself to pray to God only when you need help. Or go to him only on the basis of looking forward to material blessings and healings (haha... another shot at health and wealth- yea). there is no difference in going to a chinese temple to pray for 4D and going to God to pray for just about the same things. We have succumb to the postmodern mindset that everything is a possiblity , just see if it is relative to you. We have abandon the truth. the moment we treat God just as one of the many other gods, we are living in idolatry and paganism. we have reduce our true and living God to a Gong Xi Fa Cai god. from the postmodern mind: there is no difference. no wonder even unbelievers call us hypocrites. they are spot on.
Jeremiah 2
Jer 2: 36 Why do you go about so much,
changing your ways?
You will be disappointed by Egypt
as you were by Assyria.
37 You will also leave that place
with your hands on your head,
for the LORD has rejected those you trust;
you will not be helped by them.
The main theme of Jeremiah is the breaking of covenant; and the fault lies with the people, not God. "It is Judah who has been untrue to the covenant . They commited religious sin and that of social justice. The Lord cannot be deceived; no bulwark will suffice against him(36b); he will indeed punish his wayward people (35b;37)"
Who do you put your trust in? in the Eqypts and Assyrias? if there is anything the economic crisis is teaching us, it is that we put our trust in the wrong places. And God sometimes had to tear it down to teach us a lesson.
Have i put my trust in the wrong things? maybe in the past. i have been reflecting about beauty, power and wealth. and none of these things will overcome death. death itself will prove the substance of these strongholds. Many ppl, including christians lust after relationships, seek significance in power and status, go after wealth. God's patience towards them is to hopefully turn them back to Him.
it is very easy to teach someone not to put their trust in the wrong place, and start to make a list of dos-and donts ; however, these list of dos and donts will only lead to something we know as legalism. Unless the heart is tuned towards God and his purposes, anything else is still a fake religion.
lately i learned that sin is a domain. something outside of us that grips us and lead us to walk into it. but to turn away from it requires an intervention from outside, ie God's power.
in jeremiah, i learn that the reason why i placed my trust in God is becuase he has the power to protect me against any political advances. Jeremiah is prohecizing against not just the enemies, but from within- the false prophets.
changing your ways?
You will be disappointed by Egypt
as you were by Assyria.
37 You will also leave that place
with your hands on your head,
for the LORD has rejected those you trust;
you will not be helped by them.
The main theme of Jeremiah is the breaking of covenant; and the fault lies with the people, not God. "It is Judah who has been untrue to the covenant . They commited religious sin and that of social justice. The Lord cannot be deceived; no bulwark will suffice against him(36b); he will indeed punish his wayward people (35b;37)"
Who do you put your trust in? in the Eqypts and Assyrias? if there is anything the economic crisis is teaching us, it is that we put our trust in the wrong places. And God sometimes had to tear it down to teach us a lesson.
Have i put my trust in the wrong things? maybe in the past. i have been reflecting about beauty, power and wealth. and none of these things will overcome death. death itself will prove the substance of these strongholds. Many ppl, including christians lust after relationships, seek significance in power and status, go after wealth. God's patience towards them is to hopefully turn them back to Him.
it is very easy to teach someone not to put their trust in the wrong place, and start to make a list of dos-and donts ; however, these list of dos and donts will only lead to something we know as legalism. Unless the heart is tuned towards God and his purposes, anything else is still a fake religion.
lately i learned that sin is a domain. something outside of us that grips us and lead us to walk into it. but to turn away from it requires an intervention from outside, ie God's power.
in jeremiah, i learn that the reason why i placed my trust in God is becuase he has the power to protect me against any political advances. Jeremiah is prohecizing against not just the enemies, but from within- the false prophets.
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