THREE OFFERS OF MERCY - JEREMIAH 38

 

38:1-6

GOD’S MESSAGE OF MERCY FOR ISRAEL

At this point in the history of Israel, God had decided to destroy the city of Jerusalem and everything in it. Israel had defiled the land with idolatry and profaned the name of God. He refused to dwell there and determined to thrust Israel from the land for its sin.

God chose Babylon as his instrument to accomplish his will. So, he decreed that Jerusalem would fall to the Babylonians. The Babylonians would burn the city. See 37:10.

Yet, despite all of the sin, the idolatry and the rejection of the covenant by the Israelites, God extended them mercy. His word of mercy, spoken by Jeremiah, lands Jeremiah in the cistern.

God’s message was that anyone who surrendered to the Chaldeans would live. They would live in Babylon, but they would live. It was God’s will and word that the Israelites go into captivity. Therefore, whoever surrendered to the Babylonians (Chaldeans) would be surrendering to the will of God.

To be saved, the Israelite must believe God’s word of mercy, leave the false protection of the walls and surrender to God’s will.

Although it is a different context, this passage reminds me of 1 Corinthians 10:13. That says:

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape that you may be able to endure it.”

The word for “temptation” may also be translated “trial”. It is translated that way in Galatians 4:14. In the midst of this terrible trial and the temptation to reject God’s message and stubbornly try to succeed with their own strength, the Israelites were offered a way out by the merciful God.

38:7-13

God’s Act of Mercy To Jeremiah

The leaders put Jeremiah in a muddy cistern hoping he would die and slow and agonizing death. 

But God rescued him. He used an unlikely figure, an Ethiopian eunuch in service to the king. Eunuchs were often used to guard or serve the king’s women. Jews usually would not do this to themselves, so foreigners were used. This man went to his king and asked to save Jeremiah. He realized the evil of letting Jeremiah starve to death. The king was passive and let the man save Jeremiah. Verse 28 tells us Jeremiah stayed in the court of the guard until the day Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians.

So, God again extended mercy, this time to his prophet. He used an unlikely person to do his work. God often uses those we would not choose. He does this to display his own power and glory. Even of Jesus, Isaiah prophesied “he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him”. (Isaiah 53:2)

38:14-28

God’s Offer of Mercy To Zedekiah

God made a great offer of mercy to Zedekiah, both for himself and his people. God’s off is set out in verse 17. If Zedekiah would surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, he would live, with his family and Jerusalem would not be burned. By obeying God, Zedekiah could save himself, his family and the buildings of is city. But he was afraid of is enemies and would not trust God to save him.

In this chapter, we have seen God make 2 offers of mercy and one act of mercy. The offers were conditioned on faith and obedience. The Israelites and Zedekiah had to believe God’s word that he would save them. Then they had to obey God by surrendering to the Babylonians.

God’s act of mercy to Jeremiah was unconditional. He delivered him from the pit. He did not require faith or obedience as a condition, because Jeremiah already believed God and obeyed him.

Hebrews 11:6 says “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him”.

God is not all judgment or all mercy, he is both judgment and mercy. Romans makes clear that all men and women are under God’s judgment, for all have sinned and deserve death. (Romans 3:23, 6:23) Yet, God extended mercy to us. 1Peter 2:10 says “once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy”. Just as in this passage in Jeremiah, people today must respond to God’s offer of mercy with faith and obedience. Romans 10:9-10 says:

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

We must have faith. We must believe that Jesus is who he said he was, the son of God who rules over all. We must believe that God raised him from the dead. Then we will be justified. We must also obey by confessing our faith, stating it publicly, so that we receive God’s mercy and are saved.

Take the way out. Believe Jesus and confess him. Then you will be saved from God’s judgment.  

MERCY

Jesus said "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy". (Matthew 5:7) Jesus values mercy. He blesses those who extend it. What is mercy? Mercy is compassionate forbearance. In essence, you do not inflict the punishment someone deserves and you do it because you have compassion on them.

God gave us mercy. 1 Peter 2:10 says "...once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."  The Bible often contrasts mercy to wrath. So, Peter is saying, once we were subject to God's wrath.  Now, because of his mercy, we are not.

God extended his mercy by sending his Son to give us salvation rather than judgment. As James said, "Mercy triumphs over judgment". (James 2:13) God gave us the ultimate mercy in bringing us to Christ and giving us salvation.

But God also extends daily mercy. He does not discipline us every time we sin. He often relieves us of the consequences of our sin and our bad judgment.

How can we be merciful? We do not have to right every wrong we suffer. We do not take revenge. We suffer unkindness, but return kindness.

Go out and be merciful today and receive God's blessing.

CHRISTMAS HYMN STUDY: ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH

This Christmas hymn came from an old French carol. It was translated into English by James Chadwick in 1862. Chadwick was a Roman Catholic priest and then a bishop.

The hymn is a reflection on Luke 2:13-14, a part of the passage which we often call “the Christmas Story”.

The refrain “Gloria, in excelsis Deo” is Latin. In English it is “glory to God in the highest”. In addition to being taken from the Latin text of Luke 2:14, it is also taken from part of the Roman Catholic liturgy. The full song is called the Greater Doxology. Sometimes it is called “the Gloria”. Here are the words to the Greater Doxology.

Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace to people of good will.

We praise you,

we bless you,

we adore you,

we glorify you,

we give you thanks for your great glory,

Lord God, heavenly King,

O God, almighty Father.

Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,

Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,

you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us;

you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer.

you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us.

For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High,

Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

So, let’s look at the first verse of Angels We Have Heard on High.

Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.

 

This verse is a rendition of the praise of the angels in Luke 2:14. After the angel announced the birth of Christ, a great company of the heavenly host, angels, appeared and praised God. The text says they spoke, but most songs speak of them singing.  It is written from the view point of one who heard the angels praising God.

Now look at the second stanza.

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?
 
This verse deals with Luke 2:20, where the shepherds left Bethlehem praising God for the things they had heard and seen. The shepherds walked along praising God for sending the Messiah for whom the Jews waited

Then the third verse.

Come to Bethlehem and see
Christ Whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

This verse calls people to come to see Jesus and worship him. This is what the Magi did in Matthew 2:11. Jesus is called the “newborn king”, for he is the fulfillment of God’s promise (recorded in 2 Samuel 7) to David of a king from his line who will rule God’s people.  The phrase “adore on bended knee” refers to worship. It is what the Magi did.

Although not a part of the hymn, we remember John’s vision of Jesus in Revelation 19 shows that Jesus is a king who will rule all nations with an iron scepter. On his robe and on his thigh the words “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” is written. He will rule over all.

Although not a part of the hymn, we remember John’s vision of Jesus in Revelation 19 shows that Jesus is a king who will rule all nations with an iron scepter. On his robe and on his thigh the words “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” is written. He will rule over all.

See Him in a manger laid,

Whom the choirs of angels praise;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While our hearts in love we raise.

This verse pictures us adoring Jesus as the shepherds and the Magi did. But in this verse, we not only worship him, we love him. We express our love to him who is our savior. 1 John 4:19 says we love because he first loved us. John 3:16 says the Father expressed his love to us by sending his son to save us from our sins. Romans 5:8 tells us both the Father and the Son expressed their love for us in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

I have not always felt the love from my fellow drivers on the road this Christmas. But I have felt the love of God. He did not wait for me to come to him to love me. Rather, he loved me and came looking for me when I did not deserve it.

Finally, the refrain says over and over:

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

The angels, higher beings than ourselves, see the incarnation (the birth of Jesus) and say “Glory to God in the highest”. This means glory to God in heaven. They saw the incarnation as an exquisite miracle, a divine expression of glorious grace to mankind and they worshipped God for it. 

So, we should not trivialize it. We should see every expression of the baby Jesus and God became man for our benefit, and praise God for it.

Gloria in excelsis Deo!

 

CHRISTMAS HYMN STUDY; O COME EMMANUEL

CHRISTMAS HYMN STUDY: O COME EMMANUEL

The Lyrics

O come, O come, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free

Thine own from Satan's tyranny

From depths of Hell Thy people save

And give them victory o'er the grave

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer

Our spirits by Thine advent here

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night

And death's dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,

And open wide our heavenly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,

Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,

In ancient times did'st give the Law,

In cloud, and majesty and awe.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

This hymn is a metrical version of one the “O Antiphons” from the final week of Advent vespers in the Roman Catholic Church.  It was originally written in Ecclesiastical Latin text as "Veni, veni, Emmanuel". . It may go back as far as the 8th Century. It certainly is known by the 12th century in Latin. In the mid-19th century, John Mason Neale and Henry Sloane Coffin wrote the music for it that we know today. Others have tinkered with the words when publishing it in various hymnals.

An antiphon (Greek ἀντίφωνον, ἀντί "opposite" + φωνή "voice") is a responsive chanting by a congregation to a text in a religious service or musical work. Many Baptist hymnals have “responsive readings” in the back, which are the same sort of thing.

 The "O Antiphons" each starts with a title for the Messiah. Additionally, each one refers to a prophecy of Isaiah of the coming of the Messiah.

Let’s examine the theology of the hymn, starting with the first stanza.

O come, O come, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

The text is based on the of Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel. Matthew interpreted the verse as applying to the birth of Jesus. After relating the speech of the angel to Joseph, Matthew explained that “all this took place to fulfill what the Lord has spoken by the prophet” and then quotes the verse from Isaiah. He also translated the word Emmanuel for his readers, writing “which means God with us”. (Matthew 1:22-23).

The first stanza portrays Israel yearning for the Messiah to come and ransom them from sin and save them from the sinful world in which they, and we, are exiles. Peter addressed his first letter to the “elect exiles”. He called our time on earth “the time of your exile” and spoke of our being ransomed from our sinful ways by Christ. (1 Peter 1:1, 17-18).  

Now let’s look at the second stanza:

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free

Thine own from Satan's tyranny

From depths of Hell Thy people save

And give them victory o'er the grave

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

The “rod of Jesse” refers to Isaiah 11. Isaiah 11:1 says “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit”. Verse 10 says “In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples, of him shall the nations inquire and his resting place shall be glorious”. Jesse was the father of David. So, Isaiah was saying that a greater David will come, from the line of the king, and will be important. He will be a new shoot from an otherwise dying tree.

In this stanza, the work of salvation is shown as freeing us from death and hell, the province of Satan.

Here is the third stanza:

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer

Our spirits by Thine advent here

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night

And death's dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

This stanza asks Christ to come and bring us joy by relieving us of the fear of death and darkness. Christ is referred to a “Day Spring”. This comes from the praise of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist. In Luke 1:77-79, which in the old versions says “To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our god, whereby the dayspring from on high has visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace”. (King James Version)

The English Standard Version, a new translation, says “the sunrise shall visit us” instead of the dayspring on high. The New International Version uses “the rising sun” and the New American Standard Bible uses “sunrise”. The idea is that Jesus is the light that dispels the darkness of fear. Many people are afraid of the dark, because it is when bad people and things can come out and remain hidden or disguised. Almost everyone is afraid of death to some degree. Woody Allen said he was not afraid of dying, he just did not want to be there when it happened. But Jesus came to dispel sin and darkness and the fear associated with them.

John wrote “In him (Jesus) was life and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it”. (John 1:4-5) Darkness in the Bible often symbolizes sin, lostness, and depravity. Jesus is the light that exposes these and drives them away. Isaiah 9:2 looked forward to the coming of Christ and said “the people living in darkness have seen a great light”. Matthew said that was fulfilled when Jesus went into Galilee. (Matthew 4:12-16)

Now, the fourth stanza reads:   

            O come, Thou Key of David, come,

And open wide our heavenly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

This stanza asks Jesus to come and show us the way to heaven. The “key of David” is a reference to Isaiah 22:22. In Isaiah 22, God appointed a new man to be the steward of the house of David. God said he would “place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open and none shall shut and he shall shut and none shall open.” By this, God meant that the steward would make binding decisions for the house of David. He had full authority to do so.

The hymn asks Christ to unlock the way to heaven for us and to keep us secure or safe in it. Christ’s decision to take some one to heaven  will never be undone.

For example, in John 17:2, Jesus said “you have given him (Jesus) authority over all flesh to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.” In John 6:39, he said “and this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day”.

Finally, the last verse reads as follows:

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,

Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,

In ancient times did'st give the Law,

In cloud, and majesty and awe.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

In the last verse, you have a Trinitarian statement of sorts, for the writer places Christ with the Father in might and glory, giving the law to Israel on Mount Sinai with signs of majesty. You might remember that when Israel gathered at Mount Sinai to receive the covenant law, there were “thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain”. (Exodus 20:16)

Finally, please note that each stanza has a two line refrain calling for God’s people to rejoice at the coming of Emmanuel, of the one who is God with us. Indeed, Jesus said he would be with us always, even to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20)

In the midst of all that goes on at Christmas, the most important thing is to rejoice that Christ has come, is with us and is coming again.

            Rejoice this week. God is with you.