Andrew Bramhill - Class 1: Making Sense of it All

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1. 0:01

   This is the 2016 Manitoulin Family Bible Camp. Our speaker for this session is brother. Andrew, Bram Hill, from Birmingham, surely UK, Ecclesia his theme. This week is, in the days of Jeremiah. This is his first class on the subject. Entitled making sense of it all are reading was taken from Jeremiah chapter one brother Andrews. Thank you, brother.

2. 0:28

   Brian. Good morning, brothers and sisters. I’d say it’s a rather ambitious title. Isn’t it making sense of it all? I’m not sure if we’ll get to 11:00 and feel. We’ve appreciated we’ve succeeded in this particular Mission, but let’s see how we go. We set the scene a little bit last night that the back.

3. 0:49

   Ground to Jeremiah, I think comes in first Samuel chapter 3, if you’ve got your Bibles. Let’s have a look at first Samuel chapter 3, please. In, in this little account, we have Hannah and elkanah leaving their son to grow in the temple. A young, man, of course, growing up at the feet of Eli, the Lord speaking to him and we remember how work that the Lord communicated to him during the night.

4. 1:20

   And there was this lovely exchange, where Samuel didn’t know, it was the Lord who was speaking to him, but when the Wednesday, the prophecy, Came, it was something special verse 11 of 1st Samuel 3. The Lord said to Samuel behold, I will do a thing in Israel at which both the ears of every one that heareth, it shall tingle. I’m going to give you a prophecy, Samuel here. That when you do that, when you relate it to others, it’s going to be such an astonishing thing that it will make ears. Tingle we only come across that phrase in three places throughout our old.

5. 2:00

   Testament prophecies and here. The prophecy is about the downfall of the House of Eli and Samuel who’s been raised by Eli. Here’s this prophecy, which is, which is quite difficult, isn’t it? If you just look from verses 12, 13 and 14, it’s all about Eli sons, who had made themselves vile and he had not restrained them.

6. 2:25

   It’s about their sins being so bad that there’s going to be no sacrifice that can take away their Sins. And therefore, it’s a prophecy about Eli’s house coming to an end. It will be destroyed and Samuel. It says in verse 15, he lay on till the morning, that’s just not a little instruction that he went back to bed for the rest of the night. He lay worried about this until the morning. He’s got to communicate this to Eli and tell him that his house is going to be destroyed and that will be the end of it. So it’s a very a very difficult thing that he has to communicate and of course, when Samuel does so and Eli accept that, this is the word of the Lord then fulfillment came swiftly. Didn’t it off night?

7. 3:14

   And Finny has destroyed on the battlefield in the same day. We read together in this room on Saturday about Saul encouraging doeg. The Edomite to lift his sword and 85. Priests were killed. That was the destruction of Nice house. It came quickly and it was brutal and Savage, and it was a very sudden and Bleak end, we also read, of course, that abiathar was to escape on that occasion.

8. 3:43

   That was just one out of the house of Eli, who managed to get away and abiathar went and spent his days with David and was very Faithful Servants to David, of course, wasn’t he was the one who had the ephod and he was the one who helped David. In his decision-making, 10 of women to First Kings chapter 2, please. If you would Because after the reign of David you will remember, there was then a question mark about who would be king you.

9. 4:15

   You remember they’re encountering these first two chapters a by author decided to support a du Niger and not Solomon at this particular time and therefore when Solomon was established on the throne, he was to banish abiathar. This last man of the house of Eli I’m out of the city of Jerusalem, he would no longer be at court.

10. 4:43

    So First Kings, chapter 2 verse 26. And unto a bias of the priest, said the king get Z2 anathoth unto thine own fields for Thou Art, Worthy of death. But I will not at this time put thee to death because thou bearest the Ark of the Lord God before David, my father. And because thou Hast been Afflicted in all we’re in my father was afflicted, so because of his loyalty to David, and because of his role, as priests Solomon banished, It’s him you are worthy of death, he says, but I’m not actually going to kill you that there’s almost a threat in that still isn’t that I’m not going to kill you yet you step out of line again and I will that’s the kind of inference here, but the instruction is you go to anathoth, you are disgraced.

11. 5:40

    You are not in favor. You leave this place and you go to anathoth, and, and I’m suggesting to you that this This is then the home of Jeremiah Jeremiah, the priest that we come across May. Well, be able to trace his ancestry back to this particular man who is banished from Jerusalem and raises his family in his own fields at anathoth.

12. 6:09

    And when we get into Jeremiah, as we will do this morning. We come across this young man, whose hearing the word of the Lord. Worried about what he has to say just like Samuel was he’s got to communicate a difficult message and the three occasions where this phrase about the ears tingling, one of them comes here in Samuel as we’ve seen, another comes in Second Kings where it’s prophets, talking about the destruction of Jerusalem and let’s just turn over to Jeremiah chapter 19. Please just.

13. 6:43

    So we’ve completed the set, it’s part of the prophecy that Jeremiah He has to give as well so Jeremiah 19 and chapter 3 and chapter 19 and verse 3. This is in the chapter about the the Earthen vessel The Potter’s House and say, verse 3 hear, ye the word of the Lord O Kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. Thus, saith the Lord of hosts, the god of Israel behold, I will bring evil upon this place the which whosoever heareth is his ears shall tingle.

14. 7:21

    So here is Jeremiah now, just in the position that Samuel was in having to communicate a difficult message. Having to communicate a message that his people would not like to hear. And you can imagine he would lie awake, all night worrying about this, so that just gives us a flavor for the difficult position.

15. 7:43

    That Jeremiah was in coming out of a disgraced family, banished to anathoth having to communicate a message. Just like Samuel did, which the people didn’t want to hear. And when, They hear it. It’s such an astonishing prophecy that it will make ears, tingle. So that’s, that’s the the background to it. Let’s, let’s open our Bibles and in chapter one, and we’re just going to do a little bit of flicking, between Jeremiah and Kings for a, for a short time in Jeremiah chapter 1 of then we we come across Jeremiah who lived in amethyst and a soft was one of 13 cities that were given to Aaron of Levi in.

16. 8:28

    In The Tribe of Benjamin can read that in Joshua chapter 21. It was very close by Jerusalem, only three miles Northeast of Jerusalem. So it was close enough for Jeremiah to know what was going on. It was close enough for anyone living in amethyst, just to know what was happening in the big city.

17. 8:46

    What was happening around the priest of what was happening around the temple. What was happening around the king’s Palace? Those in anathoth were close enough to know what was happening. We read in our reading this morning of chapter 1. That he was a young man when he was called to begin his mission.

18. 9:05

    Just like Samuel in verse 6 of chapter 1. The Lord says sorry, Jeremiah’s response was then said, I O our Lord God behold, I cannot speak for. I am a child, but the Lord said unto him, say not, I am a child for Thou shalt go to all the times I shall send thee and whatsoever. I command thee.

19. 9:27

    Our shalt speak so it’s not uncommon. Is it for those who are called by the Lord to undertake a particular mission to feel that they are hopelessly inadequate? Perhaps everyone sitting in the seats this morning is feeling well, I like that that’s just me and why is the Lord called me to do this particular piece of work?

20. 9:49

    Why is the Lord asking me to embark on this particular action? And we look at ourselves and we see our own qualities? Is amounting to this much, and we look around and we see that. But that brother can do this, and that sister can do that, and they’re much better equipped to do it. It’s interesting.

21. 10:05

    Isn’t it that the Lord chooses those who are weak and seemingly inadequate? And he does that deliberately, he does that because this is his work, it would be absolutely no good. If we got to the end of a piece of work for the almighty and we could say that was because of my skill, that was because of my Pro s.

22. 10:27

    Because of all my talents what what kind of work would that be for the Lord. But you get to the end of it and we feel we don’t quite know how we manage that, but it was the Lord working with us and we’ll all working through as and that’s how he does it, isn’t it? So, Jeremiah starting out on this Mission, you choosing me? Did you not know how young I am?

23. 10:45

    What about all these other experiences Brethren? Why aren’t they being called now? I’m calling you Jeremiah to do this. And as inadequate, as he felt, he was going to undertake Take this particular work. We have the historical information in the first two verses of this chapter, don’t we? First three verses verse 2.

24. 11:09

    So whom the word of the Lord came, in the days of Josiah, the son of Amon in the 13th year of his Reign. It also came in the days of jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, king of Judah and also unto the 11th year of zedekiah. So those are the three principles. Pull Kings, who were on the throne when Jeremiah was prophesying that a couple of other kings come in between.

25. 11:34

    As I’m sure you’ll recognize when we put those on the board in a moment but that broad span comes to a 40-year prophecy. Jeremiah was actively speaking to the people of Judah, the nation of Judah for 40 years and the principal Kings who were raining at the time which are Saya. Jehoiakim M + ZD Kaya. This is this is the broad timeline. If you can see that, Josiah rains from 640 BC to 609 BC and Jeremiah starts his prophecy.

26. 12:12

    His work part way through Josiah’s rain, and you will know that this was a period of great reform. Jeremiah might be happy to be engaged in his work. When a king like Josiah is on the throne He was someone special wasn’t, he was a man who got the word, who was moved by the word, who wanted to implement the word who wanted to change others because of the word, and that was his great motivation. So it’s a Jeremiah as a prophet of the word would connect with Josiah and would be comfortable in his Reign. He would be excited by what was going on that the wider World. However, was a very Unstable place. You remember Assyria the nation that had come and taken Israel into captivity.

27. 13:05

    Getting on for 100 years earlier. Well they were now in Decline and when a mighty Empire starts to decline, Other Nation start to rise, they start to position themselves. They start to nibble at the edges of the diminishing Empire, they start to try and take land themselves and in 625 BC, the medes came and they Attacked Nineveh of the Assyrians and while they were doing that that allowed the Babylonians to start breaking free and establishing themselves. And in 612 BC the Babylonians finally took Nineveh and they became in the north certainly the empire in the ascendancy but but other nations weren’t weren’t letting Assyria just applying the not.

28. 13:53

    Take any action, the Egyptians. For example, they were Keen to capitalise. Capitalize and they were the ones who came North to try and take some of the land of the nation of Assyria. And it was in in a battle between the the nation of Egypt coming up to the syrians that Josiah got involved. And you remember how he was killed in a battle which didn’t really involve him and that was in 609 BC it’s very brief reign of Jehovah.

29. 14:24

    Has it was only for three You might remember, he wasn’t the eldest when he was put on the throne. So it was very brief period that he reigned and Pharaoh Nico said, no, you’re not staying on the throne and he removed him. And put jehoiakim on the throne and jehoiakim, who was a particularly evil, man? As we will see, very great contrast to Josiah. He was to rain for 11 years in 605 BC, we have the first in Evasion of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon. Of course, these dates are there or thereabouts. I wouldn’t ask you to quote them as being absolutely accurate. It seems you can get variances of two or three years on some of these dates, but he invades around this time. And of course, in that first Invasion, this was a time when when the wise young men went Daniel and his friends when those of the royal household were taken captive. Have and Nebuchadnezzar was taking the best of the land back to Babylon in 598 BC he comes again. This was when Ezekiel was taken and this was a time when jehoiakim ‘s rain came to an end very brief reign of jehoiakim. His son again only for three months but he was taken captive and zedekiah was put on the throne for 11 years and it was only when zedekiah became such Such a hopeless servant of Nebuchadnezzar, that Nebuchadnezzar invaded for a third time.

30. 16:02

    And that’s when we get this Dreadful Siege of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple and what was the end of days, really? For the nation of Judah. So that’s the that’s the little history lesson. If you like a lot of that, you will know a lot of it isn’t key to understanding, Jeremiah, but it is helpful to have that background in mind as we turn some of Pages together.

31. 16:29

    I alluded to this yesterday evening which was the chronology of the book. The first 20 chapters generally aren’t dated, they’re not pinned down to any particular King, but when you get to the chapters that are dated, it really causes us to scratch our heads a lot. So I’ve just put the broad outline of the book there from 21. 237.

32. 16:58

    And you can see that it just dots around in a most peculiar way, doesn’t it? And and that’s reflective of the first 20 chapters. You know, that the first 20 chapters that we get aren’t following a particular prompt chronological sequence and we might look at that and we might say what’s going on here and you turn to your turn to commentators to see if they’ve got any ideas.

33. 17:26

    They’re hopeless and sorry, I can’t put it any other way. What one of them said? Well, it’s as if Jeremiah and Bay Rook had to leave Jerusalem in a rush and they gathered their papers and drops them all. But then they scoot scooped them all up and publish them in the order that they picked them up off the floor. Thanks very much.

34. 17:44

    That’s very helpful. Yeah, so I’ll share what, I’ll share that with the good brothers and sisters at Manitoulin and see what they make of that. But it is interesting. Isn’t it? What, why is the Book of Jeremiah coming to us like Like that because ours is not a god of chaos. As is not a god of disorder, as is a god of thought and logic, and reason, and at everything he does is for purpose.

35. 18:09

    Now the fact that we can’t get behind that purpose always doesn’t mean he’s at fault, it means we’re at fault. So I’m not sure. I’m equipped to do this at all brothers and sisters, but I’ll share with you wanted to little thoughts which have come my way whilst I’ve been preparing this. That there’s a there’s a little fashion if I can call it that in the UK at the moment to look at bible chiasma.

36. 18:33

    See if I say that word do I get some? I get getting some nods around the audience. Okay? Which is which is helpful and this is a structure that you find in a lot of Hebrew text and Hebrew poetry. And some of the brethren in the UK brother, Steven Palmer has done a lot of work on this and there is a lovely website that you can go to.

37. 18:54

    And you can spot these chiasma sand. Upload your own if you, if you come across any. So I share this with you. This isn’t actually one that came from that website, but it is it is worth looking at and you can see that these are of benefits I think. So, would you just join me as we look through one or two references in these early chapters and just begin to see a little theme that’s developing here.

38. 19:22

    So You know, Silly verses of chapter 1, we have an introduction and in that introduction, we’ve got Jeremiah’s call. We’re going to read about his family. We’re going to read about him being at anathoth, we’re going to read if his first two signs. So this so this is an introduction, which sets the scene for us, and it’s going to be followed by condemnation of Judah, which runs through chapter 2 and into chapter 3.

39. 19:54

    And some of the things you need to look at here from verse 4 onwards, we have a comment about the unfaithfulness to Yahweh. The unfaithfulness to the god of Israel verse for hear, the word of the Lord O House of Jacob and all the families of the House of Israel. Thus saith the Lord God.

40. 20:15

    What iniquity have your father’s? Found in me that they are gone far from me. That this is God’s point and it’s almost As if in God’s point of view he can’t understand what’s going on. Have I been unfaithful to you? He’s saying to these people if I ever let you down. Look through your history.

41. 20:33

    Look through your your records and see if there’s ever been a time. When I as God of your nation has has failed you And if that’s the case, why are you as a people failing me and you get to verse 11 and he saying have a half a nation changed their gods which are yet no Gods.

42. 20:54

    But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit it in other words and Nations around. They’ve got all their false gods but at least they’re loyal to them. At least they’re not changing their gods all the time. Whereas you sometimes, your worship me, sometimes they don’t, sometimes you’re choosing other gods. You Completely fickle in your worship of me. So it’s a great condemnation of Israel of Judah in these verses and then an interesting little comment in verse 28, but where are thy gods, that thou Hast made the let them arise if they can save the in the time of their trouble. For according to the number of thy cities are thy Gods o Judah. So, cut call on all these other gods that you’ve got. Have a look at them and see what they have. Have to have to offer by way of Salvation because you have as many gods as you have cities, you multiply God’s to you. So says the Prophet Jeremiah.

43. 21:54

    So this is this little section of the condemnation of Judah. We then from verse 6 of chapter 3, right through that chapter and into chapter 4, we have condemnation of Israel for her idolatry. We’re not, particularly going to lift any versus out of that. You could have a look at that in your own time. But here is the prophet talking about Israel’s idolatry in. This is the nation that, of course, has been taken away into captivity and the consequence of this. The consequence of this is Going to be a great disaster from the north.

44. 22:35

    And remember, last night I said, we need to be inserting ourselves. Always into the text here, we are a people who understand about a Godless Society. We are a people who understand about the wickedness of mankind in the eyes of Almighty of the almighty. And we know what his remedy is. And this Invasion from the north, which is coming down on the people of Israel is the message that we ought to be witnessing to and This Disaster from the north. If I Just bring one or two, little versus to your attention. Here verse 5 of chapter 4, declare ye in Judah, publish in Jerusalem and say, blow ye the trumpet in the land cry gather together and assemble yourselves and let us go up to defensed cities, that’s the natural reaction isn’t. If you’re out in the fields and some armies coming. Get yourself into a walled City where you have some kind of Defense, the 45 cities that would be able to help. Help.

45. 23:35

    If you look at verse verse 15, there’s reference to a voice declaring from Dan. And of course, Dan was the northernmost tribe. So that was the tribe right in the front line. When an invasion comes from the north, while it’s someone like Dan and the people of down who are going to suffer this first. So they are going to be declaring. They are going to be saying the horses are on their way and and and there’s a from verse.

46. 24:01

    Sorry it in chapter 6 all Out of this, same section about destruction and disaster from the north. If you look at verse 12 onwards, we’ve got prophets who are saying the false messages to the people about this disaster. That’s coming in verse 12, their houses shall be turned unto others, their fields and wives together for.

47. 24:27

    I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the Lord for from the least of them, even unto the greatest. Of them. Everyone is given to covetousness and from the prophet even unto the priests everyone dealeth falsely, they have healed. Also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly saying peace, peace.

48. 24:46

    When there is no peace, were they ashamed when they had committed Abomination? Now, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush? So the people were speaking this at the prophets in the priest was speaking this false message and and saying things that the people wanted to hear Yeah. Not what was truth from God and that there’s a lesson simply there for all of us to make sure we’re saying the right things so you can see how this is building brothers and sisters and and then in chapter 7, which we will come back to in a little while. We have Jeremiah speaking about repentance such through these early chapters of Jeremiah, there are three occasions where he goes to the temple and delivers. There’s a Temple address and this is his first, and it’s a call to repentance to the people and, and the prophet gives that. Now, if you’re familiar with chiasma, then you, you know, what comes next and it’s it’s the same kind of pattern but for the bottom half of the table so we’d expect them the following verses to talk about disaster from the north and that’s exactly what we get from 8:4 to chapter 9 and verse. 26. And if you look here in verse 14, for example, Why do we sit still 8:14 assemble yourselves letters into into the defense cities?

49. 26:19

    Let us be silent there. So, here in the people saying, the same things we need to get into the Fortified cities, that will be a place of safety for us verse 16 for the snorting of his horse. We was heard from Dan. So there again, Dan were hearing these, invading armies coming and they were crying and raising the alarm.

50. 26:42

    And if you go back up to To verse 10, we have quoted here, verbatim the words that we read together from verse 6, look at verse 11. For example, for, they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly saying peace, peace. When there is no peace and 10. 11, and 12 are quoted verbatim out of chapter 6.

51. 27:02

    So you can see it’s the same kind of message here. That’s been repeated for the people. Next comes condemnation of the Ian of Israel from chapter 10, to the end of end of that chapter. Nothing particular to draw to your attention there. Let’s concentrate on the condemnation of Judah. We picked out one or two verses there didn’t we have a look at it, 11 verse 13. This way, would people for 11 verse 13 for, according to the number of Vice City’s.

52. 27:40

    With I Gods o Judo. We’ve read that before, haven’t we? And the same kind of language is coming out here, and the conclusion is rather similar to the introduction. It takes us back to Jeremiah, it takes us back to his home. It takes us back to anathoth and it takes him back to Texas, back to a family who reject him for his message. So, I lay that out before you as a Biblical chiasm has, which then starts to put at least a pattern to it, doesn’t it brother?

53. 28:13

    And sisters. And of course if you if you are familiar with this sort of thing, then that middle line is the bit, that’s the focus, we’re trying to get into that little bit, aren’t we? Which is the call to repentance? That’s the bit that this is all pointing towards and maybe then that’s one way in which we could look at the book and if we can if we can do that with the first 11 chapters of Jeremiah, is it possible to do with other parts of Jerry?

54. 28:44

    Maybe there’s an exercise there for us. All to have a look and see if there are other patterns that might come out here. I think there is one for the whole lot of the book itself and maybe as we progress the week together, we’ll have a look and see on what that says for us.

55. 29:04

    Let’s go back to the, let’s go back to the beginning for a little while. Shall we? To work to chapter 1 and just make sure we’ve got some of the information. That we need to have here. We’ve been introduced to this young man who was a nervous profit but we need to get his first Vision which is in chapter 1 and verse 11. Which is an emphasis on the word of the Lord. Everything we do everything, this man was to do everything that that drives Our Lives brothers and sisters has to be founded on the word.

56. 29:39

    Moreover, verse 11 of chapter 1. The word of the Lord came unto me saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou. And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree then said the Lord unto me, thou Hast. Well, seen for, I will haste him my word to perform it. You’ve seen this, this tree that, but Quickly that bods early, my word will now be hastened to pay attention because I’m going to speak my word and of course the the word that he’s going to bring to fruition and bring to completion.

57. 30:09

    Here, is this great stirring from the north is great Invasion from the north. In the next thing that Jeremiah sees is this this bubbling cauldron which is pointing towards the North and is this seething pot which is shortly due to spill over and Run through the land bringing disaster and that’s the first sign that Jeremiah sees and has to deal with what we will, not read it, but verses 14 15 and 16 which were read earlier. Today this is the seething pot from the north that will run over the land of Israel and the Lord says and that’s the message I want you to go and share.

58. 30:49

    That’s what I want you to warn the people about and we sometimes Overlook the mercy of God. Don’t wait in, in sharing his plans and his message with people that we are an enormously privileged position. To have some understanding of the way, the almighty is at work, we might not know all the details, we might not know all the timing, but he’s got this all sorted out, and he shared it with us. And he’s saying to us, will you share it with others? I want others to know about this. He is not a God.

59. 31:23

    Who wants to bring destruction? He is not a God who wants to, who wants to kill and destroy. He is a God who wants to save so much, so that he allowed his only beloved Son to die. And he’s saying, will you go and share that message? Will you tell them that destruction is coming from the north? Jeremiah is natural.

60. 31:41

    Reaction is why I’m too young I’m to inadequate. I don’t want to do that and the Lord. No, I’m asking you to do it. So maybe he’s saying that to each of us sitting here today. This is the message that you’ve got go and share it with others. And the qualities of the prophet in verse 17, which we would read very quickly and not really pay attention to their worth dwelling on, aren’t they?

61. 32:01

    In verse 17, therefore, gird my loins arise speak to them that all that I command thee, be not be dismayed, be not thou dismayed. So That the Lord is saying here, prepare yourself arise and get on with it. Deliver the message, speak it to them and keep going, don’t be dismayed. Plenty of people will say that’s nonsense. You’re speaking.

62. 32:29

    Plenty of people will not listen to what you have to say, but the Lord is saying, keep going with it. Do not be dismayed, just keep working away at this. So that was Jeremiah’s message that he was now going to take. Forward and he’s going to do it at a time when when Israel had gone into captivity, when the people of Judah were largely a poor nation under under Godless Nation.

63. 33:01

    But there were signs particularly under the hand of Josiah, that good men were coming to the fore and we can pick them up from the biblical record. Can’t, we saw people like hilkiah the high priest people like Shay fans The Scribe, I just put his family tree on there, which is, which is, well, worth looking at names on that family tree that we’re going to come across certainly in our studies together and certainly as we read the book of Jeremiah in the next month or so get Mariah.

64. 33:34

    Certainly get a liar. My key is these are people who were all actively trying to be Godly men or supporting Jeremiah in the work that he was trying to do. Amongst the Godless Nation, there were good things that were going on. Come with me to work Second Kings. 22. Yeah. Second Kings. 22 please and you’ll need a little bookmark in Second Kings, 22. As we docked back and forth for a few minutes. Second Kings 22 were at the time of Josiah’s, reforms. And you’ll remember how how the temple was being rebuilt. So, if you just look from verse 3, onwards in Second Kings, 22, in the 18th year of King, Josiah, King sent Chafin the son of as Elijah.

65. 34:32

    The son of mechelen, describe to the house of the Lord saying, got to help either high priest that he met some, the silver, which is brought into the house of the Lord. Which the keepers of the doors had gathered of the people and let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work.

66. 34:47

    So those who were in charge of the the restoration of the temple, this was to be given to them in order. The work could be undertaken and it was going to be something quite special. The temple is going to be rebuilt. Josiah had got in mind to restore the house of the Lord collections have been made plans have been taken. And this work was now underway.

67. 35:13

    Plenty of people Godless people were happy for the temple to be rebuilt. Lots of idolatry was going on here, lots of worship of false gods was going on here and the people generally, not the people who followed God, but the people generally were very happy for the temple to be restored. Yeah, let’s have a lovely place for all these different gods to be worshipped. No difficulty at all.

68. 35:41

    Have a bookmark in in King’s there, and come with me to Jeremiah chapter 7, this, this first temple address that Jeremiah makes. So here he is now called from anathoth coming into the city of Jerusalem and he’s standing in the temple at the time of all this great restoration work going on and he’s got Words which are going to cut through this and say you’re missing the point.

69. 36:11

    Comes out very strongly in chapter 7, the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord saying stand in the gate of the Lord’s House and Proclaim their this word and say, hear the word of the Lord, all ye of Judah that enter in at these gates, To Worship the Lord. Thus, saith the Lord of hosts, the god of Israel amend, your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.

70. 36:34

    Trust you not in lying words saying the Temple of the Lord. The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord are these For, if you thoroughly and make the throughly amend your ways and your doings if you through the execute judgment between a man and his neighbor, if you are pressed, not the stranger and the fatherless and the Widow and shed, Not Innocent blood in this place, neither work after other gods, to your heart to your hurt. Then, I will cause you to dwell in this place in the land that I gave to your father.

71. 37:02

    So it’s very powerful address and he’s saying and don’t put your thumb, put your faith in the bricks and mortar, that’s being restored, behind me. Matching standing there and all this building work going on. Don’t put your trust in this because if you are not changed people, its of no value. If you are still people who are going to behave in this way, if you are still people who are going to worship other gods, then any coming in here is of no value at all.

72. 37:28

    So he’s trying to get through to the heart of their faith here, which was very weak thing in a very inadequate thing and he’s warning them that they cannot put their trust in the temple and actually as it Carries On Down at verse 12. I think about our earlier verses about Samuel and Eli, but go ye now on to my place, which was in Shiloh where I set my name at the first and see that I did to it for the wickedness of My People Israel. And and it’s generally thought that Shiloh was destroyed and uninhabited.

73. 38:01

    And that was where the priest was, that was where the Tabernacle was nuts. Where the Lord dwelt? And now it’s destroyed. It’s gone. Go and have a look and see what I did there. If you’re putting your trust in this. Thing that’s going on here. Then you’re wasting your time. Go and look and see what I can do to these places and verse 14.

74. 38:19

    Therefore, will I do unto this house which is called by my name wherein ye trust and unto the place which I gave to you and your father’s as I have done unto Shiloh. So there’s a key message here that the outward show of the religion that they had was of no value, they needed to change them. Needed to be different people.

75. 38:45

    Interestingly, they would not listen. And one of the reasons they would not listen, which isn’t absolutely Apparent from scripture, but you can just step outside scripture and look into history books and see what was going on at the time. And you can see that the people did not believe Jeremiah. And, and around this time, we’re introduced not not within scripture, but outside scripture to a people called the Sith Ian’s who were a great nomadic fearsome. Fighting Army that travel through the steps of central, a show that had no intention of moving into lands and conquering and settling.

76. 39:30

    All they wanted to do with sweep through collect, whatever they could take whatever they possibly could and then move back to their Homeland fast-moving always on Horseback no intent no infantry. They weren’t weighed down at all by this sort of thing when Nineveh was surrounded by By Babylon in 625 BC, it was the city ins.

77. 39:53

    Who swept through and save Nineveh? It wasn’t taken at that particular time and lots of historians Herodotus and the Babylonian records make mention of this. And there was a time when they swept through Canaan and they came straight down the Jordan Valley. They were taking whatever they wanted. They didn’t come up to Jerusalem. They went straight down to the Egyptian border where the Pharaoh there met them and gave them things. So they didn’t come into Egypt and take them, they just gave them what they wanted and they turned around and went back North And the people of Jerusalem who witness this that they they sort of coward in their city as this massive Army swept down, the Jordan Valley took, taking, whatever they want to learn swept off back up north. They thought that was it was it that that was the invasion from the north it’s been and gone.

78. 40:50

    And here you are telling us not to put our trust in this Temple and we can forget that. We’ve had your message. We’ve endured, we’ve overcome will now carry on. We were before, thank you very much and you can see that, that kind of mentality. Can’t you of course to the people of God? That should be a warning.

79. 41:12

    That was a near thing. That was a that was a near Miss up to a close call Will to prepare ourselves. And of course, because because we view signs, from a position of God’s word, we’re seeing all sorts of things happening and we think all this might be it, oh maybe it’s not, maybe it’s to come again. You know we have those moments where there’s excitement and then it just drops a little bit.

80. 41:35

    These are sent to encourage brothers and sisters not for us to say was that? It and then give up. And I’m sure that would have been men of this time. Who would be interested by what had happened and think? Well, that was a close call. Wonder what’s coming next? The move me back to 2nd Kings. Will you please while we just resume with Josiah and his reforms?

81. 42:05

    Because of course it was, it was in this period, wasn’t it? That They discovered the book of the law. The book of the covenants often thought to be the book of Deuteronomy second Kings, chapter 23, the first two verses here, when they’ve discovered this book because Josiah was a man of God, you know, how he reacted, he wanted to, to read it and find out and assess himself against it to see whether he was doing the things of God.

82. 42:39

    Wanted to share it with others to make sure that others knew the word of Truth. And they could understand it and it’s always astonishing that the word of God had become lost in the first place, isn’t it? But here it is. It’s been found and it’s going to be shared. And according to the Kings rules, they’re going to try and follow it as best they can. So verse 1 of chapter 23, the king sent, and they gathered unto him, all the Elders of Judah and Abdul rasul. Mm, and the King went up unto the house of the Lord. And all the men of Judah, all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, all the priests, all the prophets, all the people, both small and great and he read in their ears. All the words of the book of the Covenant, which was found in the house of the Lord.

83. 43:29

    Lovely. Now, isn’t it? Jeremiah almost certainly was in that crowd. Jeremiah who’s been commissioned by the almighty to speak to the people? Coming destruction. Here is a king on the throne whose found the word of the Lord and wants it to be shared. He’s gathered everybody together. And he has arranged for this word to be read so that everyone can hear the word of the Lord without doubt. Jeremiah heard this book read come with me to Jeremiah chapter seven, please.

84. 44:10

    Verse 21. Thus, saith the Lord of hosts. The god of Israel. Jeremiah says, in verse 21, put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices and eat flesh for I spake. Not into your father’s nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices.

85. 44:30

    But this think Amanda died them saying obey my voice and I will be your God and you shall be my people and Walkie in all the ways that I have commanded you that it may be well unto you. But Hearken not nor inclined their ear but walked in their councils and in the imagination of their evil heart and went backward, and not forward. And now just cast your eye, down your margin, and look at the references to Deuteronomy there, and you’ll see that all sorts of phrases that Jeremiah is using here, are contained in the book of Jeremiah at verse 23, for example, three phases of phrases, here, hearken unto my voice is from Deuteronomy. Ami 6 verse 3, Walk in the ways that I command you, Deuteronomy 5 verse 33, that it may be well with you, Deuteronomy 4 verse 40.

86. 45:25

    It’s just language of the book of the covenants that Jeremiah has heard and, of course, under inspiration. It’s now been used in his preaching. This is the message that he is communicating. Turn over to chapter 11 please. If you would, I’m sorry with dotting around, but that’s the nature. Of the book. I’m trying to just build the picture for you here so Jeremiah has come to Jerusalem.

87. 45:52

    He’s given his first temple address and he’s now heard Josiah’s reading of the law. And you can see that Jeremiah’s prophecy in Jeremiah’s messages is now seep through with the book of Deuteronomy. And in chapter 11, we have Jeremiah receiving instruction after the reading of the law. so in Jeremiah chapter 11, the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord saying hear, ye the words of this Covenant.

88. 46:26

    All right, so that’s not just a general introduction to what God is saying. Next, God is saying here now, you’ve heard the words of the book of the Covenant that’s being read out. Jeremiah, you’ve heard that hurt. Yes, as Jeremiah well, this is what I want you to do so. So chapter 11, here is the Lord.

89. 46:43

    Instructing, Jeremiah, who’s now heard this book of the Covenant. He’s telling him what to do. This to hear ye the words of this Covenant and speak unto the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and say thou unto them, thus saith the Lord God of Israel. Cursed be the man that are bayeuth not the words of this Covenant direct quote from Deuteronomy 27, of course. So here is Jeremiah receiving this message and the Lord is saying I want you to go and speak it. And in verse 6, then the Lord said unto Meet Proclaim, all these words in the cities of Judah. And in the streets of Jerusalem, there’s two aspects here to his preaching.

90. 47:30

    One is to the cities of Judah and then to the streets of Jerusalem. Now, the cities of Judah, that’s great, that’s Jeremiah’s home territory. He was raised outside Jerusalem, he was raised in the cities of Judah. He was raised in anathoth. This is this is his bag. This is his home territory. Go and speak to the people of Judah gone.

91. 47:51

    Tell them this book of the Covenant bring repentance among these people. So Jeremiah I suggest at this point is excited about this Prospect. He’s going to visit his his home territory and he’s going to preach to the people about the renewal of this Covenant. Chapter 11 has unfortunately the reaction of the people And it’s not good. You you knew that, but it’s disappointing when we read it isn’t it?

92. 48:23

    Verse 21 of chapter 11 verse saith, the Lord of the men of anathoth that seek thy life saying, prophesy not in the name of the Lord, that thou die. Not by our hand. Isn’t that sad. He’s gone back to his hometown where he was raised. He’s got the word of life. Nice hand. He wants to share it with them.

93. 48:50

    He has got the key to life, initially, a key to being saved from this Invasion to the north, but more the key of Salvation. And he wants to share it with his, his brothers, who he grew up with his his citizens of anathoth. And they say, if you don’t stop speaking this word, we’re going to kill you. And at such a low point, isn’t it that such a disappointing response that Jeremiah has to deal with and his own family had come up with that Versa.

94. 49:26

    If you’re going to 12:7 I have forsaken, mine house. I have left mine Heritage. I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies. It’s almost as if Jeremiah is feeling what the almighty is going through here. And he is leaving his family and his inheritance and he’s tried to preach the cities of Judah and he’s now going to go into Jerusalem and he’s going to try and preach to the people. All in Jerusalem, our time is almost gone at just a moment or two.

95. 50:06

    If you’ll come back with me to chapter 5, please, because we get a little inkling as to how he gets on in Jerusalem. Verse 1 of chapter 5, he’s going to run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem. You remember how it was instructed to go to the cities of Judah and preaching the streets of Jerusalem? Well, here he is.

96. 50:35

    This is the one who’s got the message, and he’s now going to despite his setback in in amethyst he’s coming into Jerusalem is going to travel throughout the streets of Jerusalem and he’s going to try and preach to the Ordinary People. This is preaching to the man in the street. He’s got the message of Salvation and is going to run to and fro throughout the city of Jerusalem and he’s going to try and communicate but they are not interested. He can’t make any progress.

97. 51:06

    No one wants to listen to this word that he’s he’s bringing maybe you can relate to that. And Jeremiah has an explanation doesn’t in verse 4. Therefore, I said, surely, these are poor. They are foolish for, they know, not the way of the Lord, nor the Judgment of God. So, I will get me onto the Great Men and I will speak unto them for they have known the ways. What I’ve gone, try somewhere else, I got to speak to Men of renown.

98. 51:36

    I got to speak to man. Men in position, man, in Authority. I’ll see if I can communicate with them and of course, he gets to them and they are just This disappointing. So in the end, he denounces them in verse 6 and talks about the things that would come upon them because of their refusal to listen to the words of the Lord.

99. 52:00

    So it’s a, it’s a very disappointing situation that we’re picking up here, aren’t we? We’ve got a profit who’s been given the word of the Lord. He’s been given a commission, he knows what’s going to happen is being a given a commission to travel throughout Judah and in Absalom and the reaction is the same at whatever tier of society. He takes his message to.

100. 52:24

     This is the reaction he gets, you can think about the Lord, Jesus Christ. Can’t you in all this? We haven’t yet. Mentioned him. He had the word of life. He traveled throughout the cities of Judah and Israel, proclaiming these things. He went to Jerusalem, he spoke to the man in the street. He spoke to those in authority and the reaction was the same.

101. 52:47

     And yet, he kept at it until the mission was accomplished and Jeremiah has just tried the same road before him. And Jeremiah therefore is being given the privilege of sharing in the work of Messiah. He’s going to do the same things, he’s going to know what Messiah will go through, he’s going to understand what it’s like when those of his own home reject him when his own brother’s cast him out and say, why don’t you go to Jerusalem because they wanted him to be kill their a Jeremiah’s experiencing all that.

102. 53:24

     So, with this profits, we Lonely man, but a very dedicated man. And through him, we see the dedication and the determination of the Lord Jesus Christ. I think there is probably a sensible points to stop brothers and sisters and we’ll resume our story of Jeremiah tomorrow. God willing.