Coachlight Bible Study

The Greatest Faith Builder Is God’s Word – Romans 10:17

Prefiguring Judgment

Jeremiah 11:10 They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.

Jeremiah 11:11 ¶  Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them.

Jeremiah 11:12 Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble.

Jeremiah 7:21 ¶  Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh.

Jeremiah 7:22 For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices:

Jeremiah 7:23  But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.

Jeremiah 7:24 But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.

God’s Plan, to dwell with man, will occur, but only with those who love God and therefore esteem His Word as the only Truth.   Satan’s attempt to seduce mankind into believing his “conventional wisdom” will work on some, but God always has His remnant.

God’s plan has been has been evident all through history: past, present, and “future history”.  Does future history seem like an oxymoron?  Well, remember God’s Word is eternal, and what we think is real here on earth will one day burn.  Let’s look at God’s Plan for man in chart form:

God’s Plan To Dwell (Tabernacle) With His Creation - Man
God Walks With Adam In The Garden Genesis 3:8-11		Christ Came As Promised To Purchase Man’s Salvation Acts 20:28	Holy Spirit Dwells Inside The Believer – Sealing Of The Holy Ghost Is The Earnest Of Our Inheritance Ephesians 1:13-14				The Tabernacle Of God Is With Man Revelation 21:3
God Presents The Bride To Adam Genesis 2:18-25 Ephesians 5:25-33	God’s Glory Fills The Tabernacle Exodus 40:34-35 II Chronicles 5:14	Immanuel – God With Us Isaiah 7:14 Matthew 1:23	The Bride Without Spot Or Wrinkle Or Any Such Thing Goes To Meet The Lord In The Air – They Are With Him Forever I Thessalonians 4:13-18		Tribulation Designed To Bring Israel Back To God Daniel 9:24-27	Christ Rules The World On Earth Revelation 20:4-6	We See The Full Bride (Foundations & Gates) Church & Israel With God Forever Revelation 21:1-14
Approx. 2000 Years	Approx. 2000 Years	Approx. 33 Years	Has Been Approx. 2000 Years		7 Years	1000 Years	Forever & Ever
			↓ Holy Spirit Descends	↑ Church (Bride) Ascends	↓ Christ’s Second Advent		↓ New Heavens & New Earth
Creation	The Law	Christ On Earth	Church Age		Tribulation	Kingdom	Dispensation Of The Fullness Of Times

Jeremiah Chapter 13

Judah’s problem was not idolatry – Idolatry was the result of the problem

Judah’s problem was that they took allegiance to the conventional wisdom of the day, and refused the Word of God.

Judah’s conventional wisdom came from three main voices

1.) Voice of the False Prophets:  Ezekiel 13:3, 10; Jeremiah 27:15

False Prophets deny God’s Word with their message:  Jerusalem will not be destroyed

This we would call today a “positive message”, But God’s Word stated that Jerusalem would be destroyed, unless the people “returned” to God. (Repentance or agreeing with God’s Word.)

2.) Voice of Contemporary Psychology: Jeremiah 29:29-30; Ezekiel 18:10

Excuses - “Fathers have eaten sour grapes and their children’s teeth are set on edge” – In other words, “Our fathers were idolaters, and that is the reason we practice idolatry.”  Today, it is also a denial of individual responsibility. (Example: Blame it on parents, culture, Christians, etc.)

3.) Voice of the Danger of Idolatry – Isaiah 48:5 Attribute God’s Power and Majesty to idols.  In Judah’s time they tried to appease the moon god, etc., thinking they would have peace.  Today, it is appeasing the “living and breathing mother earth.”  Evolution is the demonstration of attributing God’s power in Creation to the elements of earth.  Somehow it created itself, and eventually evolved into living things.  There is no real scientific proof that any Biblical “kind” ever changed into another “kind”; so they just allow millions of years for the impossible to occur.  The result, is the denying of God’s Word.

Josiah, the last good King of Judah had caused reform at the height of Judah’s decline.  Josiah destroyed the high places where idolatry and religious sexual orgies, as well as, the sacrificing of children to their idols.  Josiah also took up an offering and completely remodeled the neglected temple in Jerusalem.  During this remodeling, the lost Book of the Law was found and read to the King.  Josiah had instigated reformation without knowledge of God’s Written Word, but after God’s Word was found, and read to the King, Josiah repented.

Josiah, then, caused the Word of God to be read to the priests and all the people of the land.  The people became very religious and even agreed to a covenant with Josiah and  God, but unfortunately, the people did not repent of their idols.

Religion broke out in Jerusalem, and it is recorded in II Chronicles:

II Chronicles 35: 16 So all the service of the LORD was prepared the same day, to keep the passover, and to offer burnt offerings upon the altar of the LORD, according to the commandment of king Josiah.

II Chronicles 35: 17 And the children of Israel that were present kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days.

II Chronicles 35: 18  And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a passover as Josiah

God is not happy with an outward acknowledgement of Him and empty praise.  This caused Jeremiah to say:

Jeremiah 12:2 …. thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.

In other words, the people were going to the temple and worshipping

God on the Sabbath, but worshipping their idols and conducting their lives according to the dictates of their evil heart during the rest of the week.  Does this sound familiar?  This is religion, but far from the covenant God gave the Israelites.

The good king, Josiah was killed in battle.  A series of four evil kings reigned in Judah until judgment day.  These kings and all the people rejected God’s Word and His prophet.  Jeremiah suffered much during this time.  Josiah would have backed him up if still alive.  Jeremiah had to depend on God.

II Chronicles 35: 20 ¶  After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Carchemish by Euphrates: and Josiah went out against him.

II Chronicles 35: 21  But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee this day, but against the house wherewith I have war: for God commanded me to make haste: forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not.

II Chronicles 35: 22  Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.

II Chronicles 35: 23  And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants, Have me away; for I am sore wounded.

II Chronicles 35: 24  His servants therefore took him out of that chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he had; and they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died, and was buried in one of the sepulchres of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.

II Chronicles 35: 25  And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the lamentations.

Have you noticed the hatred for Christians today?  The United States is in the process of rewriting its own history.  The U.S. revolution was born out of a revival, not the enlightenment, as was the French revolution.  This rewriting of history, sadly, is great evidence that the U.S. is choosing their “conventional wisdom” over God’s Word.  If there is no repentance, judgment will be its future.

But the Righteous God does not completely forsake the people of Judah, he only “sets them aside” for a time period, while God’s overall plan unfolds.  Jeremiah referred to these people as a “green olive tree” that had angered the Lord..

Jeremiah 11:16  The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.

Jeremiah 11:17  For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal.

 The Apostle Paul expanded on this and gave us the application in the Book of Romans.  Jews of every tribe will live forever on the new eternal earth.  The green olive tree has had a fire kindled in it and the branches broken, so that the wild olive tree (Gentiles) can be grafted in the root.  These too, the Church, will live forever with Christ in the new Jerusalem.

The people who choose to believe the conventional wisdom, however, will not dwell with God, but will face judgment.  In this lesson, we will look at two extended similes that God used to explain to His people that Judgment was coming unless they returned back to God.  This should make it clear enough that even the false prophets should understand.

What the false prophets did not understand was that Jerusalem was going to be destroyed because the people did not believe God’s Word.  The people are going to be scattered over the earth while the Gentiles are allowed in.  But God’s Word is Truth.  Yes, God will Dwell with His people eternally – The people who do believe God’s Word of all nations and all races.

I. The Girdle

Jeremiah 13:1 ¶ Thus saith the LORD unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.

Linen was the material the priest wore in the temple. It symbolizes righteousness when it is clean and white.  At the Marriage supper of the Lamb, we will be clothed in clean white linen:

Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

Revelation 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

But Jeremiah was told to put this girdle on his body and he was never to wash it. What could this girdle possibly represent?

II. Jeremiah Did According To God’s Word

Jeremiah 13:2 So I got a girdle according to the word of the LORD, and put it on my loins.

III. More Girdle Instructions For Jeremiah

Jeremiah 13:3 And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying,

Jeremiah 13:4  Take the girdle that thou hast got, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.

Jeremiah 13:5  So I went, and hid it by Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me.

Jeremiah 13:6  And it came to pass after many days, that the LORD said unto me, Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to hide there.

Jeremiah 13:7  Then I went to Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it: and, behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing.

After Jeremiah put on the girdle, God told Jeremiah to take a journey to Babylon by the Euphrates and bury the soiled girdle in a rock hole on the bank of the river.  After some time, Jeremiah was to return to Babylon and retrieve the girdle.  When Jeremiah dug up the girdle, he found that it was absolutely good for nothing – completely rotten. Why would God have Jeremiah do such a thing?

III. The Meaning of the Girdle

Jeremiah 13:8  Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Jeremiah 13:9  Thus saith the LORD, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 13:10  This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing.

Jeremiah 13:11  For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.

The girdle represented the people of Judah with their narcissistic pride.  They obnoxiously were deceived into thinking that because of their nationality, God would overlook the fact that they worship God on the Sabbath, and during the rest of the week they attribute God’s Majesty and power to their idles.  They would appease false god’s (moon, stars, etc.) believing this would bring them peace.  This belief that empty false gods rule the events in the lives of the people is almost as stupid as the proud belief today, that the sun, planets, and people created themselves!

IV. Simile of Wine Bottles

Jeremiah 13:12 ¶  Therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word; Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they shall say unto thee, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine?

Jeremiah 13:13  Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David’s throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.

Jeremiah 13:14  And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.

The coming judgment is pictured as every person that does not believe God’s Word as being drunk with the wine of God’s judgment.  This will not be a pretty sight.  Just like a drunk bar fight in an old western movie, they will all participate in the destruction.  This all will happen because the people, because of their pride, believed the conventional wisdom of the day over God’s Word.

V. The Heart Of The Righteous Judge

Jeremiah 13:15  Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken.

Jeremiah 13:16  Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.

Jeremiah 13:17  But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the LORD’S flock is carried away captive.

Jeremiah 13:18  Say unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down: for your principalities shall come down, even the crown of your glory.

Jeremiah 13:19  The cities of the south shall be shut up, and none shall open them: Judah shall be carried away captive all of it, it shall be wholly carried away captive.

Jeremiah 13:20  Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north: where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?

Jeremiah 13:21  What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? for thou hast taught them to be captains, and as chief over thee: shall not sorrows take thee, as a woman in travail?

Jeremiah 13:22 ¶  And if thou say in thine heart, Wherefore come these things upon me? For the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts discovered, and thy heels made bare.

Jeremiah 13:23  Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

Jeremiah 13:24  Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness.

VI. The Reason For Judgment Could Not Be More Plain

Jeremiah 13:25  This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the LORD; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.

Jeremiah 13:26  Therefore will I discover thy skirts upon thy face, that thy shame may appear.

Jeremiah 13:27  I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be?

God’s Word Will Be Fulfilled Whether Or Not We Believe It.  The Decision Is Made By Every Individual.

Will It Be Conventional Wisdom Or God’s Word?

God’s Plan, to dwell with man, will occur, but only with those who love God and therefore esteem His Word as the only Truth.  

Satan’s attempt to seduce mankind into believing his “conventional wisdom” will work on some, but God always has His remnant.