Jeremiah 11 - 12

The Broken Covenant

The word which came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying, 2 “Hear the words of this covenant, and you shall speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem 3 and say to them, ‘Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, “Cursed is the man who does not hear the words of this covenant 4 which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, ‘Listen to My voice, and do according to all which I command you; so you shall be My people, and I will be your God,’ 5 in order to establish the oath which I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day.”’” Then I answered and said, “Amen, O Yahweh.” 6 And Yahweh said to me, “Call out all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Hear the words of this covenant so that you will do them. 7 For I solemnly warned your fathers in the day that I brought them up from the land of Egypt, even to this day, rising up early and warning, saying, “Listen to My voice.” 8 Yet they did not listen or incline their ear, but walked, each one, in the stubbornness of his evil heart; therefore I brought on them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did not.’” 9 Then Yahweh said to me, “A conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 They have turned back to the iniquities of their ancestors who refused to hear My words, and they have walked after other gods to serve them; the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken My covenant which I cut with their fathers.” 11 Therefore thus says Yahweh, “Behold, I am bringing calamity on them which they will not be able to get out of; and they will cry to Me, yet I will not listen to them. 12 Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry to the gods to whom they burn incense, but they surely will not save them in the time of their calamity. 13 For your gods are the number of your cities, O Judah; and the number of the streets of Jerusalem are the altars you have set up to the shameful thing, altars to burn incense to Baal. 14 “But as for you, do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry of lamentation or prayer for them; for I will not listen when they call to Me because of their calamity. 15

What possession has My beloved in My house

When she has done many schemes of wickedness?

Can the flesh, which is set apart as holy, take away from you your calamity,

So that you can exult?”

Yahweh called your name,

“A green olive tree, beautiful in fruit and form”;

With the noise of a great tumult

He has kindled fire on it,

And its foliage has an evil demise.

17 Yahweh of hosts, who planted you, has spoken forth evil against you because of the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done to provoke Me to anger by burning incense to Baal.

Men Seek Jeremiah’s Life

Moreover, Yahweh made it known to me, and I knew it;

Then You showed me their deeds.

But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter;

And I did not know that they had devised thoughts against me, saying,

“Let us make the tree with its fruit a ruin,

And let us cut him off from the land of the living,

That his name be remembered no more.”

But, O Yahweh of hosts, who judges righteously,

Who tests the insides and the heart,

Let me see Your vengeance on them,

For to You have I revealed my case.

21 Therefore thus says Yahweh concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, saying, “Do not prophesy in the name of Yahweh, so that you will not die at our hand”; 22 therefore thus says Yahweh of hosts, “Behold, I am about to punish them! The choice men will die by the sword; their sons and daughters will die by famine; 23 and a remnant will not be left to them, for I will bring calamity on the men of Anathoth—the year of their punishment.”

Jeremiah’s Plea

Righteous are You, O Yahweh, when I would plead my case with You;

Indeed I would speak matters of justice with You:

Why has the way of the wicked succeeded?

Why are all those who deal in treachery complacent?

You have planted them; they have also taken root;

They grow; they have even produced fruit.

You are near to their lips

But far from their inmost being.

But You, O Yahweh, You know me;

You see me;

And You test my heart’s attitude toward You.

Drag them off like sheep for the slaughter

And set them apart for a day of carnage!

How long is the land to mourn

And the plants of every field to dry up?

Because of the evil of those who inhabit it,

Animals and birds have been swept away,

Because men have said, “He will not see our latter ending.”

Yahweh Answers Jeremiah

“If you have run with footmen and they have tired you out,

Then how can you compete with horses?

If you fall down in a land of peace,

How will you do in the thicket of the Jordan?

For even your brothers and the household of your father,

Even they have dealt treacherously with you,

Even they have called aloud after you.

Do not believe them, although they may say nice things to you.”

“I have forsaken My house;

I have abandoned My inheritance;

I have given the beloved of My soul

Into the hand of her enemies.

My inheritance has become to Me

Like a lion in the forest;

She has given forth its voice against Me;

Therefore I have come to hate her.

Is My inheritance like a speckled bird of prey to Me?

Are the birds of prey against her on every side?

Go, gather all the beasts of the field,

Bring them to devour!

Many shepherds have ruined My vineyard;

They have trampled down My portion;

They have made My desired portion

A desolate wilderness.

It has been made a desolation;

Desolate, it mourns before Me;

The whole land has been made desolate

Because no man sets it upon his heart.

On all the bare heights in the wilderness

Destroyers have come,

For a sword of Yahweh is devouring

From one end of the land even to the other;

There is no peace for any flesh.

They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns;

They have strained themselves to no profit.

But be ashamed of your produce

Because of the burning anger of Yahweh.”

14 Thus says Yahweh concerning all My evil neighbors who beat at the inheritance with which I have caused My people Israel to inherit, “Behold, I am about to uproot them from their land and will uproot the house of Judah from among them. 15 And it will come about that after I have uprooted them, I will return and have compassion on them; and I will cause them to return, each one to his inheritance and each one to his land. 16 Then if they will really learn the ways of My people, to swear by My name, ‘As Yahweh lives,’ even as they taught My people to swear by Baal, they will be built up in the midst of My people. 17 But if they will not listen, then I will uproot that nation, uproot and make it perish,” declares Yahweh.

Romans 5

Results of Justification by Faith

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we boast in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only this, but we also boast in our afflictions, knowing that affliction brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not put to shame, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man, though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only this, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

The Gift of Righteousness in Christ

12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the trespass of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15 But the gracious gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. 16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the gracious gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. 17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. 18 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. 19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were appointed sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be appointed righteous. 20 Now the Law came in so that the transgression would increase, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Psalm 102

Do Not Hide Your Face from Me

A Prayer of the afflicted when he is faint and pours out his complaint before Yahweh.

O Yahweh, hear my prayer!

And let my cry for help come to You.

Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my distress;

Incline Your ear to me;

In the day when I call answer me quickly.

For my days have vanished in smoke,

And my bones have been scorched like a hearth.

My heart has been stricken like grass and it has dried up,

Indeed, I forget to eat my bread.

Because of the sound of my groaning

My bones cling to my flesh.

I resemble a pelican of the wilderness;

I have become like an owl of the waste places.

I lie awake,

I have become like a lonely bird on a roof.

My enemies have reproached me all day long;

Those who ridicule me swear against me.

For I have eaten ashes like bread

And mixed my drinks with weeping

Because of Your indignation and Your wrath,

For You have lifted me up and cast me away.

My days are like an outstretched shadow,

And as for me, I dry up like grass.

But You, O Yahweh, abide forever,

And the remembrance of Your name from generation to generation.

You will arise and have compassion on Zion—

For it is time to be gracious to it,

For the appointed time has come.

For Your slaves find pleasure in its stones

And show grace to its dust—

So the nations will fear the name of Yahweh

And all the kings of the earth Your glory.

For Yahweh has built up Zion;

He has appeared in His glory.

He has turned toward the prayer of the destitute

And has not despised their prayer.

This will be written for the generation to come,

And a people yet to be created will praise Yah.

For He looked down from His holy height;

From heaven Yahweh gazed upon the earth,

To hear the groaning of the prisoner,

To set free those who were doomed to death,

To recount the name of Yahweh in Zion

And His praise in Jerusalem,

When the peoples are gathered together,

And the kingdoms, to serve Yahweh.

He has afflicted my strength in the way;

He has shortened my days.

I say, “O my God, do not take me away in the midst of my days,

Your years are from generation to all generations.

Of old You founded the earth,

And the heavens are the work of Your hands.

Even they will perish, but You will remain;

And all of them will wear out like a garment;

Like clothing You will change them and they will be changed.

But You are the same,

And Your years will not come to an end.

The children of Your slaves will dwell securely,

And their seed will be established before You.”