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Jeremiah 9:7-9 - Shall I not avenge myself? - Day 194

Good morning friends,

Well I seem to have lost ground over the weekend.  About a week behind again.  So don't feel bad if you miss a day now and then.  Reading every day is the goal, but missing a day is not failure.

Blessings

Jeff

Observations:

Refining and testing - Here Judah is on the verge of exile, they have centuries of history testifying against them and yet God is still refining and testing.  Is it that He is not sure that they are bad as they seem to be?  Is He hoping to find some glimmer of faithfulness and obedience that will let them stay in the land?

Problem of the tongue - deadly arrow, speaking deceit, words of peace to neighbor but ambush in the heart. 

The dilemma - God avenging himself on his chosen people.  Implied question - If He does avenge himself, other nations will think that He was not really omnipotent to save them, and if He doesn't avenge himself, the other nations will think that He is not really holy.

How does this relate to other scripture?

One of the strands of the plan of redemption is "that the world may know."  The signs against Egypt, the existence of Israel with their God-given laws and the scripture itself are all for the purpose of demonstrating that their is a God in Israel.  General revelation (nature & creation) testify to God's nature.  However, special revelation (scripture) is necessary to show the plan of salvation.  

God is zealous for his own worship - We are told that God is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.  But this does not mean He is never angry and will just overlook man's sins.  Judah is here condemned for taking advantage of God's patience.  They though God really wouldn't mind their lawlessness.

How does this apply?

The church has a history of lawlessness.  Romans 6 & 7 are Paul's argument that grace does not permit "sinning so that grace may abound".  The church also has a history of legalism.  Galatians is Paul's argument that obeying law is a means of gaining salvation.  There are two "equal and opposite errors"  As Christians we are called to the same "that the world may know" mission.


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