I was teasing and playing with my littlest granddaughter. She is four. She suddenly turned to me. Her turn had attitude from the position of her head to her toes and included a hang gesture found in teenagers. I know because I’ve seen our thirteen-year-old granddaughter do it. The hand is flattened and goes down in full on sass. And the eye roll!
The little one said, “Seriously, Mimi!”
I see that little love of a brown-eyed girl and the sass from her thirteen-year-old sister in that sass, and then I see her mama. If I am honest with myself, I will see myself in her too. Little by little, generation after generation, we sass. We think we know it all.
This morning, giggling at the thought of her, I soberly realize that little by little, generation after generation, we do that to God. We think we know it all.
We have a heart issues. Seriously, we have the matter of “teshuvah” (i.e., returning to God). We do not want to turn back to God. Little by little, generation after generation we drift farther and farther away from Him.
I played a game with my four-year-old granddaughter. Her response was appropriate and funny. But life is not a game with God. It is not appropriate or pleasing or good to sass or turn away from Him because when you do, that is when your deep heart issues begin!
Did you see it? Did you go out of your way in some way to see it? Take any pictures? Take time off of work? Did you go all out and make an “experience?” How much did you do with regard to the eclipse?
Did you in any way prioritize the Son of God? Did you spend time with Him? Did you go out of your way to learn more about Him today? Did you share your resources or talents or time with Him? Did you invest in His kingdom? Did you share Him with someone so that they too can have Him as their Lord and Savior?
In a way, this is a follow up to my last blog. I have asked a lot of questions today.
Just a few more questions.
Did your experience with the event of the eclipse today: leave you satisfied, make you whole, bring you joy or peace, grow you, make you a better person, or elevate or raise you up in some way? Did you have a transformational experience of a lifetime?
Do you want satisfaction, wholeness, joy, peace, growth, improvement, and all that brings a transformational experience to your life?
If yes, then stop focusing on the sun and call on the Name that is Above All Names, Jesus. He is The Son of God and He alone can change your life! You will never be the same!
So one more question, ok, just two, I promise!
How much did you invest in the sun vs. THE SON of God?
April 8th there will be a total eclipse of the Sun.
It’s a significant date this year, not because of a solar eclipse but rather because it marks the new moon of the first month of the Biblical calendar, called “Rosh Chodashim.” That date is significant because it signals the start of Chodesh ha’yeshuah (חודש הישועה), or the Month of Salvation, with Passover occurring exactly 14 days later.
Jesus was our Passover Lamb, a perfect sacrifice on the cross and a resurrected Jesus showed that God accepted that sacrifice.
Look to the SON OF GOD and not the sun that HE made.
A piece of a past generation and a little water, dirt, and sunshine begins the life of this little crocus flower. A nice bed in a nice place and the crocus grows because its needs are met. Its needs are met because they are provided for by another. The bulb did not work and earn the dirt or water or sunshine. This little bulb is blessed.
Then one day, its whole world changes. It is dug up, washed, dried, and bagged. It is no longer in the dirt or enjoying the sunshine. It is dry and it falls asleep. Dormant for a season. It travels to be processed and made into a product to sell. It will be handled with care and without care depending on the purpose of the hands that will handle it. It can have a rough day but in the bag it is quiet. It is good to rest. While the bulb sleeps, it is not aware of the bar codes and store shelves, the people passing by or even the checkout counter as it is moving from the store to a car. It is taken to a place it has never been before. A journey it never started out to take, but it goes, it has no choice. Still sleepy and depending on the loving care from the past to get it through this dry season.
New hands and new dirt, a new place to call home. Ah, a familiar friend in the bright sunshine that bakes the dirt with warmth and goodness. New hands have dug a new bed and as the little bulb is placed in the new garden a glimmer of hope, then a yawn, and then more sleep.
It is cold and wet, then warm and then cold again. It is fall and the leaves have blanketed the garden and the warmth that they provide is welcomed. As the day grows shorter and colder, the little bulb sleeps. Unaware of all of the changes in the world around it.
Then a new day comes. It is time. Warmth grows, rain quenches the thirsty little bulb, and a spark of life begins again. It is time to grow and not to sleep. It grows and grows and sees the sunshine. A shift here and a push of a leaf there and sunshine!
Living in the sunshine is satisfying. The little bulb is renewed in the light of the sun. It gains in strength and grows past the seasons of changes to mature in it’s fullness. Its purpose is to bloom. Its purpose is to glorify the God Who made it. The God of the Universe is glorified in all of the creations that He has made.
A new life from an old one that all began in God and will end in His glory when the little bulb fulfills its purpose for being here.
We are that little bulb.
Now dear ones in Christ Jesus, it is time to live in the Son-shine which is satisfying and full of life! We are blessed by God’s Son!
But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 (KJV)
Grace and peace to you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ! -Shahe Nahler
I am the author of six books. The first three of the books are about God changing me from my way to His way! Life is a process, people! A journey to walk out with God, and it’s always better when God is in you, and you have a relationship with Him. That way, His way, you never walk out your faith journey alone but with Him!
All six books are available at Amazon.com. Just click the links above or go to Amazon and type into the search, “Shahe Nahler.” Available in paperback or eBook.
You can also visit my website at www.shahesart.com for travel photos and Bible lessons, photography, and artwork.
My prayer for you is to have a real relationship with Jesus and as you grow in the grace and knowledge of Him and that you share Him with others so that they can have that gift too!
We don’t get snow often so when it does snow, it is very special.
We went to bed with a light dusting and woke up to 7 or 8 inches of white covering our woods.
It is also very beautiful.
The snow gently, quietly covers our entire woods in a perfect white blanket. Each snowflake unique because of God.
Now the snow is beautiful. Our woods are beautiful but imperfect.
There are sticks on the ground because of the windstorm that we got before we got the snow. Those need to be picked up.
There are leaves on the ground that need to be picked up too. Some of those leaves are ours, but a lot of them blow in from our neighbors because they don’t pick up their leaves. We pick up our leaves because we love the green moss that forms on the forest floor if the forest floor is kept clean.
The side yard has a pile of stuff that we did not get put away or thrown away when we tore down our lean-to. We just have not had time to deal with that pile. That pile of stuff needs to be dealt with.
We have a couple of trees that are dead that need to come down and there is one that is split that is leaning on other trees that needs to be trimmed properly. There is even a tree in the back yard that a tornado took the top one third of the tree off and it is just a very tall stump. No branches. We have lots of work to do to get our property back into order.
We have been working slowly on our yard. This past year has seen some major storms in our area. We were just finishing up on a clean-up from the winter tornado last January (still have tree stumps to grind) and we got hit with a fall tornado. More stuff came down. More mess was made. More to-do’s were added to our list.
We will never get our property into a perfect state or condition. We know and recognize that because our world is a fallen world. It will never be perfect. Because we read our Bible and we have faith and trust that what it says is true, we know that our property as well as all of this earth will pass away, and a new heaven and a new earth will be created by God.
So, we enjoy this covering of white loveliness, and postpone the work.
In the quiet we enjoy all that God has made because it is very good.
I wrote the above on the first day of the snow. I set it aside. Now one week later, after a week of being home from work and staying and warm inside our house, I had another thought.
Ah, now I know why this was set aside for a while. It wasn’t done yet. A week needed to pass by so that I would revisit the start of the week of winter wonder at the end of the week of wonder. Why revisit it? To see and evaluate what was in between.
The start is full of anticipation, excitement, and wonder because it has been a long while since snow was coming to our woods. The end is full of well, a lot of snow and ice, and I am really over the wonder of it all, people. That’s why I live in the south instead of up north. They can keep their winter! I look forward to the promise of 65 degrees in a couple of days. I had to wear snow boots! Shovel our driveway several times. And wait for it…wear a coat with a hat and mittens! Ah, the inhumanity!!!
I like Tennessee winters. A sweatshirt and tennis shoes. Sometimes an umbrella. But back to the middle of the week thought.
What did you do in the in between the start and the end of this snow week?
Did you make God a priority? Did you value and appreciate extra time in your Bible and prayer? Did you invest and make an effort to grow in your relationship with God?
Did you put things in your house back into its proper order? Did the laundry get caught up and that closet get cleaned out?
Maybe you watched a movie or read a book?
How did you spend your week?
If you want the key to having a satisfying week of wonder then start with God, end with God, and make everything in the middle about God. Your other stuff will get done but not because of your efforts. Once God puts you into your right order, all of the other stuff will fall into place. You will have peace that surpasses understanding, and in that peace, you are productive and pleasant. You are successful and submissive. You are efficient and effective in all things related to God.
So instead of focusing on your circumstances and letting the world speak into what you should do on a snow day like make some kind of ice cream from the snow with dairy products that would kill you…oh wait, that’s what would happen to me. Sorry. I got distracted. Seriously with all of the wildlife and their let’s just say stuff, ain’t no one smart to do that out here. Just saying.
Instead, be still and know, intimately understand and experience that God is God. And with Him, all things are possible because of Him so your other stuff will get done in due time!
Enjoy these verses on coverings, you might be surprised how lovely His covering can be to quietly love on you. There will always be work to do, but only one life to worship Him until eternity begins!
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely, He will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. Psalm 91:1-4
Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10
You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. Psalm 119:114
Psalm 5:11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. Psalm 5:11
The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17
Grace and peace to you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ! -Shahe Nahler
I am the author of six books. The first three of the books are about God changing me from my way to His way! Life is a process, people! A journey to walk out with God, and it’s always better when God is in you, and you have a relationship with Him. That way, His way, you never walk out your faith journey alone but with Him!
All six books are available at Amazon.com. Just click the links above or go to Amazon and type into the search, “Shahe Nahler.” Available in paperback or eBook.
You can also visit my website at www.shahesart.com for travel photos and Bible lessons, photography, and artwork.
My prayer for you is to have a real relationship with Jesus and as you grow in the grace and knowledge of Him and that you share Him with others so that they can have that gift too!
The title was “You Might As Well Unfriend Me Now.”
Someone read it yesterday. Yeah, a blog I wrote in 2016. I had no idea what was in that blog. Why would someone read something that far back? I can’t even remember what I wrote!
So I looked it up.
Wow, just wow!
My heart breaks for the world in which we live that continues to grow in darkness instead of in Jesus who is The Light Of The World!
Nothing changes anything in this world but Jesus.
Nothing fixes anything in this world but Jesus.
In the end of your days, do you want to say, “Thanks for…nothing?”
In the end of my days, I want to say, “Thank You, Jesus, for everything!”
In Hebrew, peace is shalom, but shalom is more than peace.
Shalom means peace, safety, rest, prosperity, wholeness, welfare, completion, fullness, soundness, and well-being.
We are studying in Lamentations. A book of five songs but we are covering it in one day so the primary passage that we are studying is Lamentations chapter three, verses 19-33.
Jeremiah is a prophet of God who is lamenting to God. He is crying out in anguish to God. Jeremiah is frustrated because what he sees in his circumstances is that good is defeated by evil.
Jeremiah is feeling defeated and distraught. He is looking around and seeing with his own eyes despair. Jerusalem has been destroyed and Jeremiah is lamenting about the destruction and suffering of the people.
We’ve all been there. We are worn-out, burnt-out, tired, frustrated, depressed, distraught, and afflicted. What we see is more of the same and the same is bringing us farther down in our daily lives. The farther we go down, the more we lose hope!
Now let’s look at how Jeremiah lamented to God.
Lamentations 3:19-33 (Hope of Relief in God’s Mercy)
19Remember my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and bitterness.
The word remember is “zakar” in Hebrew. It means to be mindful, call to mind, consider. Jeremiah is lamenting to God. He is asking God to be mindful of him (Jeremiah). Jeremiah tells God that he is afflicted and wandering. The word afflicted in Hebrew means depression and misery. The word wandering means restlessness, straying, homelessness, and misery. The word wormwood means accursed, poisonous and bitterness means poisonous and venom.
Jeremiah is miserable! He tells God that he is miserable. Jeremiah feels like he has been served poison and there is no cure!
Remember how I asked the class what peace meant to them. They said, quiet, rest, and be still. The word wandering is the opposite of peace. Restlessness is the opposite of rest. Straying is the opposite of being still. Homelessness is the opposite of being still. Misery is the opposite of being quiet. We tend to moan and groan, whine, and complain when we are miserable.
Jeremiah is focused on Jeremiah, and he is lamenting to God. Jeremiah has no peace.
20Surely my soul remembers and is bowed down within me.
In Hebrew, the word “zakar” is used twice here. Surely is the word “zakar” and remembers is the word zakar. This shows an emphasis on this word. My is Jeremiah. The word for soul is “nephesh.” Nephesh is a person, a soul, a being. The word and is a continuation of thought that Jeremiah is sunk down, a downward direction is his soul-his inner being, life, person.
Jeremiah is focused on Jeremiah, and he is miserable and poison is in his life and he is being brought down both physically and spiritually. Jeremiah has no peace.
Here is the point in which a person has to make a choice. Do you want to stay in the position or place you are currently in? Are you in despair like Jeremiah? How do you change or get out of this place? Jeremiah had no peace. Ask yourself, “Do I have peace?” If you do not have peace, how do you get peace?
21This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope.
The “I” is Jeremiah. Jeremiah recalls which is the word “shub” in Hebrew. It means to return to, to turn back. It is related to repentance. Jeremiah is making a choice – to shub (a verb to return from, to turn back, to repent) from himself to God. He has been lamenting and focusing on himself and how he feels and his circumstances. But he has to change his direction from his way to God’s way. He has to change and return to God. Repent of his self-focus and focus on God. Jeremiah needs to stop what he is doing and make God the face that he seeks.
The word “therefore” is the word “ken” in Hebrew meaning YES! Because Jeremiah repents and returns to God, yes Jeremiah can have hope.
The word hope used here is “ohil” in Hebrew. It means to wait, to be patient.
Jeremiah needs to stop his lamenting, repent, and turn to God. Jeremiah needs to not remember that he is miserable, poisoned, and his person is brought down. Jeremiah needs to not ask God to remember him (God already knows everything) but Jeremiah needs to remember God and who God is.
In our circumstances, in our mucky and muddy place we need to repent and return to God. We need to remember God and remember who God was, is, and will always be.
22The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail.
The LORD is Yahwah. The proper name of the God of Israel. He is “chesed” in Hebrew. Chesed means goodness, the kindness of God. God’s goodness-kindness will not cease-to end, to be complete, consumed. For-because His-God’s compassions which is the Hebrew word, “racham” is God’s deep mercies (plural) will not fail-to be complete, at an end, be finished.
Jeremiah shub (repent/returns) choose to stop the “me, me, me” and focus on God who is God. God is love and God is mercy. God’s love and mercies have no end.
God is Who He is and His characteristics like love and mercy can be comforting to us in times when we feel afflicted and wander as if we are poisoned and brought down. We need to remember Who God Is!
23Theyare new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
They is God’s love and mercies. They are new/fresh every morning. They are a fresh supply each day. Just like the manna from heaven that God provided for the children of Israel. God is a provider. He is our providers of what we need. The Israelites needed food, so He provided manna. Jeremiah needs love and mercy, and God is love and mercy!
Do you know and remember that God is love and mercy? Do you need His love and mercy? Think about the choice you need to make that will change you from down and out to an upward calling/direction toward Him!
Great is much and many. Great is, much and many is God’s Faithfulness. God is Faithful. It is Who He Is! Faithfulness is a firmness and steadfastness. God is Faithful and He will never fail us because of Who He Is!
24“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I have hope in Him.”
Yahwah-The proper name of the God of Isarel is my (Jeremiah’s) portion. The word portion is related to reward and inheritance. Says (speaks) my (Jeremiah’s) soul (nephesh-person, life, being).
Therefore (ken-yes!) I (Jeremiah) have (will) hope (ohil-to wait, to be patient) in (a positional word) Him (God).
****Jeremiah is a vessel. You and I are vessels. Jeremiah starts this passage as a vessel filled with affliction, wandering (2x’s misery) and poisons (2x’s things that bring sickness and death). His vessel is filled with no hope. How does he go from no hope to having hope? He makes a choice to “shub” to return to/to repent. He now remembers Who God is.
In the Book of Jeremiah, God is Sovereign. God is real. God is Holy. God is Truth. God is Good. God is Faithful. God has a purpose. God is Judge. God works for the good of each person. God is Love. God is Mercy. God is with us always. This is just a small list of Who God Is!
Jeremiah-a vessel filled with despair remembers to return to God and recall Who God is. Now God fills Jeremiah’s vessel. The despair is pushed out as Jeremiah allows God to fill up his vessel. His despair changes to hope. You can make the same choice! Why should you respond like Jeremiah? Well, verse twenty-five tells you why!
25The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him.
The Lord (Yahweh) is (His essesence, being) good (tov in Hebrew, related to God’s will) to those who (people who return/repent/respond) who wait (yachal – to bind together, to collect, to expect) for Him (God), to the person (nephesh-soul, life, being) who seeks (asks, call, seek, inquire, diligently search, follows, treads, related to WORSHIP) Him (God).
Wow! If you are you, then you are probably a vessel filled with “you-stuff.” Whatever you-stuff is write it down. Make a list. Lament it to the Lord. Cry out your “you-stuff” to Him. Tell it all, write it all, cry it all out. Then be still. Rest. Be quiet.
Now respond like Jeremiah. SHUB! Return to God in a repentive way. Repent of the you and make it about HIM!
When you respond to God in the proper and appropriate manner which He wants (not the way we want), then God will (He promises) respond to you. His response will be good because He is good. His response will be love because He is love. His response will be merciful because He is mercy. God responds to those who wait (who expect-because they respond to God). When a person (nephesh) responds to God properly, appropriately, and then waits for God to respond back to him and he waits expectingly, he waits, knowing with confidence that God is good, it is God’s will to respond to those who respond to HIM!
26It isgood that he waits silently for the salvation of the LORD.
It is good (God, God’s will) that he (the person lamenting) waits (hopes, to whirl, to writhe) silently (quietly) for the salvation (yasha-root word related to Yeshua-Jesus; help, deliverance, victory) of the Lord (Yahweh).
God is Good. God is salvation. God is the LORD.
If you want to change your circumstance, your vessel, then fill it with God, knowing that He will help you, deliver you, save you, rescue you, and give you victory because of Who He Is!
Why quietly? Hmm, I prayed about this one. Because what is in a person’s heart is what comes out of his mouth (Matthew 15:17-19). What comes out of his mouth can be good or bad. Good is God. God’s will. But bad is in opposition to God and God’s will. Bad is going to share your complaints, your moaning, your groaning, etc. with another person. You are down and you share bad with someone to bring them down with you or to where you are. Complaints never encourage someone. Complaints are shared to get them to agree with you. You may temporarily feel better but in contrast, I bet that person now feels down. We are to encourage one another on toward love and good deeds like it says in Hebrews 10:24. Encourage another on toward love (God) and good (God-God’s will) deeds (work done for and through Him). Encourage not discourage. If we know God, have a relationship with God, then a bad word puts God in an improper light to that person who hears our improper words. We do not reflect or represent God.
27It isgood for a man that he should bear the yoke in his youth.
It is good (God, God’s will) for a man (not the word nephesh-being, life, person but a different word related to a valiant man/a warrior) that he (the valiant man, warrior) should bear (carry, lift, take) the yoke in (positional word) his youth (early life).
I prayed about this response too. In our youth, should we respond to God’s call of salvation in our youth, then we will live the remainder of our life not as an unsaved man, but as a saved warrior, valiant man in God. We will conduct our lives in a way that is God’s way so that we will be pleasing to Him. Part of that way is to then share what God has done for us and that God can do the same thing for the others who do not have a relationship with Him!
28Let him sit alone and be silent since He has laid it on him.
The word in Hebrew is not “let” but a command “Nathan” meaning to give, to set, to put. Think of the Exodus. God did not say, “Pharoah, let me people go” as if God is giving the power to Pharoah to decide what to do. God’s Word says, “Send forth My people” as in God commands Pharoah. God has the power, not Pharoah!
This is a command that demands a response.
God commands (Nathan, to give, to set, to put) the man (valiant man, warrior) to sit (to dwell, to remain) alone (lonely, secluded, separation, isolation) and (in addition) be (exist) silent (hold peace, to stop, to rest, to quiet himself, to be dumb-don’t talk) since (for) He (God) has laid (disciplined, to lift, to lay, to impose) it on (a position, upon) him (the valiant man, warrior).
God wants the man to talk to Him and then God will talk to him. On my computer at home, I have the words, “Da lifneh mi atah omed” on a note. It means, “Know before Whom you stand.” This comes to mind when I type this because if we try to solve our “stuff” ourselves then we talk to others but (in contrast) others may give us bad advice. Ask Job how his three friends advice worked out! If we are around others, talk to others, etc., then we are distracted. God wants our attention. Don’t forget that lamenting is our way of calling out to God with our “stuff” because we want Him to pay attention to us! Now it is our turn to pay attention to Him. A relationship with God is you and God and God and you. No one else can save you or be in that relationship for you.
God disciplines those He loves. Hebrew 12:3-11.
29Let him put his mouth in the dust, perhaps there is hope.
God commands (Nathan, to give, to set, to put) him (valiant man, warrior) put his (valiant man, warrior) mouth (mouth, where we speak what is in our heart, related to face) in the dust (earth, mud, clay; what God used to make us and what we will return too), perhaps (conditional statement-if the man obeys then…) there is hope (tiqvah – a cord, expectancy, a ground of hope, things hoped for, hope for an outcome).
If the man responds in obedience, he can hope for an outcome. That outcome will be good because God is good.
30Let him give his cheek to the smiter, let him be filled with reproach.
God commands (Nathan, to give, to set, to put) him (valiant man, warrior) give his (valiant man, warrior) cheek (jaw, related to face, mouth) to the smiter (the one who strikes, defeats), let him (the valiant man) be filled (to be satisfied) with reproach (shame).
When we are ashamed we hide our face.
Verse 19 and 20 (Jeremiah laments, me, me, me). Verse 21 (Jeremiah “shub” repents and return to God). Verse 22-24 (Jeremiah remembers Who God Is; responds to God). Verse 25-27 (God responds to Jeremiah, instructions/guidance on what he should do) Verses 28, 29, and 30 are related, they are commands that demand responses by valiant/warrior men. If they obey these commands, there will be hope.
****Jeremiah is a vessel that sees and is filled with hardships. He then recalls Who God Is. God is good and God works for the good of those that love Him and are called according to His purposes (Romans 8:28). By filling his vessel up with God’s character, God pushes out the hardships and changes them by and through salvation. God’s salvation helps us, rescues us, delivers us, saves us, and gives us victory in Him. That then causes us to trust God more and to increase our faith in Him.
For (because) the Lord (Adonai) will not (not, no) reject (cast us off) forever (always, eternity). We may in our circumstances feel alone but we need to respond by remembering that God is always with us, He will never leave us nor forsake us (Deut. 31:8)! God tells the despairing that He will give us rest (shalom).
32For if He causes grief, then He will have compassion according to His abundant lovingkindness.
For (even) if (conditional statement) He (God) causes (not causes but to grieve). It would read better to say, “even if God to grieve then (yet) He (God) will have (show) compassion (racham-deep mercies) according to (on account of) His (God’s) abundant (great, many) lovingkindness (chesed).
God’s character, His essence is all we need.
33For He does not afflict willingly or grieve the sons of men.
For (even) He (God) does not afflict (to bow down, to put down) willingly (lev-mind/heart; our inner man) nor grieve (to suffer, to inflict) the sons (think inheritance, family) of man (ish, mankind).
*****Jeremiah’s vessel, his being is filled with rejection and suffering but when he changes and focus on Who God Is, that God is Faithful and with him always, then Jeremiah can hope in Him.
Believers can be like Jeremiah. We can allow our current position, situation, circumstances, etc. take over our being, our vessel. Slowly filling up with the mucky stuff like despair, misery, depression, anxiety, hardships, etc. But we need to recognize that God has good plans for us, ones with hope and a future (Jer. 29:11). God’s plan for us is shalom! Believers need to change/respond to God. We need to seek diligently His face so that we can have confidence-hope-hold on to His blood-stained cord to be positioned in Him and nothing else.
If we respond in obedience to Him and His commands (instructions) then He will respond to us. Our vessel filled up with Him will give us the peace that we seek. He is our peace. Fill your vessel up with HIM!
God is Holy – Believers need to remember that is Who God Is!
God is The Judge – Believers need to trust and believe that God is the ultimate authority and submit to His authority.
God is Truth – Believers need to believe in who God is and what He says. All of it! It is His word and not our opinion of His word.
God is Faithful – Believers must trust God more. Know that what He says, He will do!
God is Sovereign – God knows all, including us. He knows the past, the present, and the future and what is best for us!
God is Real – God is not of our making or imagery (that is idolatry, when we want God to fit our stuff).
God is Love – Believers need to accept God’s love and that includes His discipline.
God is Good – Believers must decide to do life God’s way – God’s will – good way!
God works for the good of each person – Believers must be patient and trust God more during hardships.
God has a purpose – God has a plan, and He may use hardships to grow us in Him.
God is Mercy – Believers must focus on God’s mercies instead of despair, etc.
God is with us always – Believers need a real relationship with God, one that is continuous. When we feel “away” from God, it is because we have turned away. God is always there.
Believer, dear one, my brother and sister in Christ Jesus, you are because of salvation no longer part of this world! The old you has gone, it has passed away, and the new has come (2 Cor. 5:17).
Your vessel may slowly fill up with the mucky stuff of the world (the you-stuff) because you have allowed it too. Perhaps, you don’t want to give up control because you think that by you having control (having things your way) you can also have peace (this never works out for the good of you). Perhaps, you are not worshiping God, studying His word, praying to Him, listening to Him, making Him the priority in your life, etc. All of these and more that you are not spending time, purposing your face to seek His face, conducting your life in a way that He wants you to conduct it are all “strikes” that make your vessel weak. Those cracks allow the mucky stuff to get in.
Be like the valiant warrior man who obeys God and fills up with Him. Conduct your lives in His salvation in a victorious manner so that when someone strikes your vessel you don’t take it personally in your face so to speak but rather you remember/recall who you are in Christ Jesus! By knowing more about God, you will be able to allow God to fight for you (the battle is the Lord’s-2 Chron. 20:15). You are the vessel, the warrior, the soldier that does not lead (that’s God’s role) but follows (obeys) His commands (instructions). When you do this, you will have His peace.
May you respond to the question, “What is peace to you?” with the answer JESUS!
May your respond to the question, “Where do you get peace?” with the answer JESUS!
JESUS is your shalom! You need to make a choice to make Jesus your Lord and Savior!
Grace and peace to you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ! -Shahe Nahler
I am the author of six books. The first three of the books are about God changing me from my way to His way! Life is a process, people! A journey to walk out with God, and it’s always better when God is in you, and you have a relationship with Him. That way, His way, you never walk out your faith journey alone but with Him!
All six books are available at Amazon.com. Just click the links above or go to Amazon and type into the search, “Shahe Nahler.” Available in paperback or eBook.
You can also visit my website at www.shahesart.com for travel photos and Bible lessons, photography, and artwork.
My prayer for you is to have a real relationship with Jesus and as you grow in the grace and knowledge of Him and that you share Him with others so that they can have that gift too!
1 Now (H-hayah, came to pass, become, be) the word (H-dabar, more than the written or spoken word; what God says will happen) of the LORD (Yahweh-God the proper name of the God of Israel) came to me (Jeremiah), saying (H-amar, to utter, to say),
2 “Go (H – halak, to go to walk; the way one conducts their life) and (in addition) proclaim(H-qara, to call, to proclaim) in the ears (God created instruments to hear; hear and obey) ofJerusalem, saying (H-amar), ‘This is what the LORD (Yahweh-God) says (H-amar): “Iremember (H-zakar, to remember, be mindful, take thought) regarding you (the Jewish people) the devotion (H-checed, kindness, lovingkindness, faithful love, unchanging love, goodness, loyalty) of your youth (early life), your love (H-ahabah, love) when you were abride (betrothal), your following (H – halak) after (behind) Me (God) in the wilderness (H-midbar, the place where one has to trust and depend on God alone), through a land (H-erets, earth, land) not sown (H-zara, to sow, to scatter seed).
God commands Jeremiah to “go and speak.”
God remembered His covenant with Abraham and with Noah. God purposes to act-verb to remember or bring to His mind.
Seeds represent offspring, harvest, a future.
3 “Israel (God strives) was holy (H-qodesh, holiness, sacredness, consecrated, dedicated, set apart) to the LORD (Yahweh-God) the first (beginning) of His (God) harvest (H-tebuah, product, produce, revenue). All (H-kol, whole) who ate (H-akal, to eat, to consume, to satisfy themselves) of it (Israel) became guilty (H-asham, to offend, be guilty); evil (H-ra’, bad, evil, calamity, adversity, affliction, distress) came (H-bo, to come in, go in) upon (H-el, to, into, towards) them (the people who bring disaster to Israel),” declares (H-neum, utterance, declaration, saith) the LORD (Yahweh-God).’”
“Declares the Lord” – What has been stated will be done.
Word order, Holiness Israel [was] to God. Israel was set apart for God and His purposes. Those who ate of God’s portion/people Israel would experience God’s wrath.
The holy portion or first fruits belong to the Lord. Israel is called God’s first fruits. Later, Messiah will also be called God’s first fruit. When studying the Feasts of Israel, in order are Passover, Unleavened Bread, the First Fruits. Messiah Jesus rose again on the 8thday which in the order is the Day of First Fruits.
4 Hear (H-shama, to hear; relates to hear and obey-Deut. 6:4) the word (H-dabar) of the LORD (Yahweh-God), house (H-bayith, household, family) of Jacob (son of Isaac, father of the twelve tribes; wrestled God) and all the families (clans) of the house (H-bayith) of Israel (God strives).
Jacob is a name that we often just accept the meaning from past teachers as in his name means surplanter. His name comes from the word aqeb which means heel, footprint, hind part. We have been taught words like overreacher, circumvent, or trickster. As if Jacob circumvented something or tricked his brother. This comes back to Jacob and his brother Esau. Jacob’s name means “one who grasps the heel.”
Genesis 25 talks about the birth of Jacob and Esau. Rebekah had two nations in her womb. God gave her a revelation of truth in Gen. 25:23. Esau was born first with Jacob holding his heel. But think of Jacob in a new way, he wants and strives for the blessings of God. He wanted the birthright of first born from the time of leaving the womb to when his brother Esau sold him his birthright. Jacob did not trick Jacob, rather Esau did not regard or care about the birthright as in inheritance but the temporary satisfaction of eating now. Esau desired food. Jacob valued or desired a blessing which is the phrase “Give me your inheritance.” In Hebrew the word “reward” and “heel” is a word play much like in Jeremiah chapter one with “watching” and “almond tree.”
Instead of Jacob “grasping at the heel of his brother” it can be read, “grasping at the reward of his brother.” Jacob did not trick his brother out of his inheritance, Esau did not regard it of any value because he said, “of what use then is the birthright to me?” Esau willingly sold it to Jacob because he wanted the temporary reward of the stew more than his eternal reward of his inheritance.
When Jacob wrestles with God, he says, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” Genesis 32:26 God says back to Jacob, what is your name and he says Jacob. God then says, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.” Genesis 32:28
Israel is fun word to do a word study on. It is the name that Jacob was changed to after he wrestled with God. It means God strives. It has a word origin from sarah and el. Sarah meaning to persist, exert oneself, persevere; and el meaning God as in Mighty One, power, strong).
The nation of Israel wrestles with God to this day. There is a ton more of this lesson on Jacob and Esau but remember that God says in Scripture that He loves Jacob and hates Esau (Malachi 1:2-3).
5 This (H-koh, thus, here) is what the LORD (Yahweh-God) says (H-amar): “What (interrogative) injustice (H-eh’vel, unrighteousness) did your fathers (fathers, male ancestors, forefathers) find (H-matsa, to attain, to find) in Me (God), that they (your forefathers) went far (H-rachaq, to be or become far or distant) from (H-al, upon, above, over) Me (God), and (in addition) walked (H – halak, to go to walk; the way one conducts their life) and (in addition) after (H-achar, to hind or following part) emptiness (H-hebel, vain, vanity, vapor, breath, no substance) and (in addition) became empty (H-habal, to act emptily, become vain, a vapor, of no substance)?
“Thus says the Lord” a phrase meaning here is what God say that will happen, you can have assurance and confidence in that it will come to pass.
Hebrew word order, “Thus says Yahweh what have found your fathers in Me injustice that they have gone…
God is righteous and He cannot not be righteous. His very character is righteousness. Therefore, the people were not able to find unrighteousness in a righteous God, so they became distant from God in order to live their lives, conduct their lives in their own manner. They wanted to do “what’s right in their own eyes.” This is related to idolatry. Some Bible may use the words idols or become idolaters here. But the Hebrew says “hebel” which can be found in the Book of Ecclesiastes. Hebel is like eating the wind, there is no substance or nutrition and it is futile to do so because you will eat emptiness and not be satisfied or filled. If you are empty, you are lacking. This has spiritual implications.
6 “They did not (H-lo, not) say (H-amar), ‘Where (interrogative) is the LORD (Yahweh-God) Who brought us up (H-alah, to go up, ascend, climb) out of the land (H-erets) of Egypt, Who led (H – halak) us through the wilderness (H-midbar), through a land of deserts (dry places) and of pits (a place to go down, sink), through a land of drought (no water) and of deep darkness (no light; death-like shadow, deep shadow),through a land (H-erets) that no (H-lo) one crossed (H-abar, to pass over, through, or by) and (in addition) where no person (mankind) lived (H-yashab, to sit, to remain, to dwell)?’
The people did not “remember” God or what He did when He lead them out of Egypt (exodus). Egypt should bring to mind, “the world” and “bondage.” The people have forgotten that God sent them forth out of bondage. God led them through places that they could not have survived or lived in on their own without His help.
7 “I (God) brought (H-bo) you into the fruitful (H-karmel, garden land, fruit, garden, growth) land (H-erets) to eat (H-akal; eating is related to satisfaction) its fruit (H-peri, fruit, reward, offspring, products, results) and its good (H-tob, good, goodness, good things; related to God’s will) things. But (in contrast) you came (H-bo) and (in addition) defiled (H-tame, to be or become unclean) My (God) land (H-erets), and you made (H-sum, to put, to place, to set) My (God) inheritance (H-nachalah, possession, property, inheritance) an abomination (H-toebah, abomination; a stench in the nostril of God).
God says that He is the reason they were bought to a good place (His will). This place is set apart. It is fruitful as in produce and seeds for the future. It is a place that is pleasing to God. But the people came in to this portion set apart by God for an inheritance and made it into something that when it is before the face of God, the nostrils of God it is an abomination, a stench to Him. What happens when you smell something bad? You puke or throw up. God is very displeased with what the people have done to what He has set apart with a purpose.
8 “The priests (H-kohen, priest; set apart to serve and worship God) did not (H-lo) say (H-amar), ‘Where (interrogative) is the LORD (Yahweh-God)?’ And those who handle(H-taphas, to lay hold of, wield, seize with the hand) the Law (H-torah, law, direction, instruction) did not (H-lo) know (H- yada, intimately know and understand) Me (God);the rulers (leadership; figurative of Israel as a flock) also revolted (H-pasha, to rebel, transgress, offended) against Me, and the prophets (H-nabi, speaker, spokesman)prophesied (H-naba, to prophesiz) by Baal (heathen god) and (in addition) walked (H-halak) after (H-achar) things that were of no benefit (H-yaal, to benefit, to profit, to gain).
These things that the leadership, priests, prophets, etc., went after were things that had no eternal God value.
The term “yada” is related to knowing a in a relational or relationship way, not just knowledge.
9 “Therefore I (God) will still contend (H-rib, to strive, to contend) will bring charges) with you (covenantal people, specifically Judah),” declares (H-neum) the LORD (Yahweh-God), “And I (God) will contend (H-rib) with your sons’ (childrens’) sons (children).
God is The Judge. The people are the defendants, and they are in a spiritual court. This divine court will present a case against them (from the prosecutor perspective) and evidence of how they live their lives. The people have violated the covenant between God and them. God has not violated the covenant. A judgment or decision is made by God. A sentence or consequence is given. The punishment will be handed out by God. The people violated the covenant made between them and God. God did not violate the covenant. Sin is lasting to the generations (Numbers 4:18).
10 “For cross to (H-abar) the coastlands of Kittim (Cyprus) and see (H-raah, to see, to perceive, to give attention), and send (H- shalach, to send; references the exodus from Egypt because it is not “Let my people go” as if Pharoah had a choice to make or he was in control but “send forth my people-a command!) to Kedar and observe (H-bin, to discern, to consider) closely (H-meod, abundance, muchness, diligently), and see (H-raah) if (H-hinneh, pay attention because what follows is important) there has been (H-hayah, came to pass, become, be) anything like this (H-zoth, such a deed, rare thing)!
11 “Has a nation (H-goy, people, nations, every people-all people) changed (H-mur, to change, exchanged) gods, when they were not (H-lo) gods? But My (God) people (H-am, people) have exchanged (H-mur), their glory (H-kabowd, abundance, honor, glory, riches) for that which is of (H-belo, worn-out things, rags) no benefit (H-yaal).
The people abandoned God and exchanged Him for substitutes, and imitations. This is idolatry.
12 “Be appalled (H-shamem, to be astonished, to be desolated) at this (H-zoth), you heavens (where God lives), and shudder (H-sa’ar, horribly afraid, fear, hurl as a storm), be very (H-meod) desolate (H-charab, to be dry or dried up),” declares (H-neum) the LORD (Yahweh-God).
13 “For My (God) people (H-am, people) have committed (H-asah, to do, to make) twoevils (H-ra’): they (God’s people) have abandoned (H-azab, to leave, to forsake, to loose, to abandon) Me (God), the fountain (H-maqor, a spring, fountain, running, moving water) of living (H-chay, alive, living) waters (H-mayim, water, waters), to carve out (H-chatsab, to cleave, to hew out, quarry, stonecutters) for themselves cisterns (H-bor, a well, a pit that holds water), broken (H-shabar, to be in pieces) cisterns (H-bor) that do not (H-lo) hold (H-kul, to comprehend, to contain) water (H-mayim).
The Hebrew word order is “For two evils have committed My people, Me they have forsaken the fountain of waters living and hewn themselves cisterns cisterns (2xs) broken that no can hold water.”
#2 related to divergent opinions, witness.
God has provided an abundance to the people of Judah but they have left Him for a way of life that is broken and empty and unable to hold The Living Waters. Jesus is our Living Waters. Through and because of Him we are able to have and to hold a relationship with God. On our own, we are broken vessels like the broken cisterns. Without Jesus, our water is stagnant. Jesus changes everything.
Grace and peace to you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ! -Shahe Nahler
I am the author of six books. The first three of the books are about God changing me from my way to His way! Life is a process, people! A journey to walk out with God, and it’s always better when God is in you, and you have a relationship with Him. That way, His way, you never walk out your faith journey alone but with Him!
All six books are available at Amazon.com. Just click the links above or go to Amazon and type into the search, “Shahe Nahler.” Available in paperback or eBook.
You can also visit my website at www.shahesart.com for travel photos and Bible lessons, photography, and artwork.
My prayer for you is to have a real relationship with Jesus and as you grow in the grace and knowledge of Him and that you share Him with others so that they can have that gift too!
Just a note about using the original languages such as the Hebrew or Greek. Don’t feel pressured to learn them all! Just relax and read and learn. They will come in time. Repetition is key. And the more you are in (respond to) the Word of God, the more the Word of God is in (responds to) you!
The reason I show/explain them is because they are important to explain what God is expressing in the words that He has chosen in His Word to use. English and other languages are not always accurate and sometimes the language has been adapted for today’s speech preferences. God is The Word and The Word is God. Therefore, if we want to know God more, then we need to know Him through His Word that He has given us.
I started all of this in 2005. Joe in 2010. It takes time but it does with perseverance “happen” and become a part of you in such a unique and lovely way. The Scriptures opens up in a whole (complete) new way! It’s a word adventure!
NamesPlacesGodNumbers
Why is studying the book of Jeremiah important? Because God has His ways and He is pleased or displeased with His people when His ways are not their ways. In other words, our ways should be His ways.
When we “conduct our lives” in a way that is pleasing to us and not God, then we should expect judgment and consequences. But the beauty of God is that we also know that there is forgiveness of sins and restoration.
The days in which we are living today are days in which people are “doing what’s right in their own eyes.” They are not concerned with the things of God.
Do you think that God will be pleased when we do what is right in our own eyes?
Jeremiah Chapter 1 (Session 1)
Jeremiah’s Call and Commission
1 The words (H-dabar, more than the written or spoken word; what God says will happen) of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth (three miles northeast of Jerusalem) in the land of Benjamin (H-Benjamin, means “Son of the right hand”; the allotment God gave to the tribe of Benjamin),
Remember chapter one of the Book of John. God=The Word. God also spoke creation in Genesis. His word is more than just words.
2 to whom the word (H-dabar) of the LORD (Yahweh-God the proper name of the God of Israel) came in the days of Josiah (last good king of Judah) the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth (#13 think of #12 is God’s people + #1 is God; so 12 +1= 13 or God’s people plus God is a good number of God and man together) year of his (Josiah’s) reign.
Jeremiah is a young man, roughly twenty years old.
3 It (the word of the Lord) came (became-unique way God spoke to His prophets) also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh (#11 is a negative number, “doing right in your own eyes”; judgment) year of Zedekiah (last king of Judah) the sonof Josiah, kingof Judah, until the exile(the carrying away as captives) of Jerusalem in the fifth (#5 is lacking-Judah’s spiritual condition was spiritually lacking) month.
4 Now the word (H-dabar) of the LORD (Yahweh-God – the proper name of the God of Israel) came (became-unique way God spoke to His prophets) to me (Jeremiah), saying (H-amar),
5 “Before (not yet, before that) I (God) formed (fashioned; Creator creates you; like a potter with clay) you (Jeremiah) in the womb (in the body) I(God) knew (H- yada, intimately knew and understand) you (Jeremiah), and before (not yet, before that) you (Jeremiah) were born (revealed to the outside world) I (God) consecrated (to be set apart) you (Jeremiah); I(God) have appointed (H-nathan, gifted, to give, to put, to set) you (Jeremiah) as a prophet (H-nabi, speaker, spokesman) to the nations (H- goy, people, every people-all people).”
Set apart is related to holiness. God is Holy and we are set apart as believer to be like Him(holy) only not divine (Holy). God’s calling is a holy calling. Sanctificaiton is related to holiness.
A prophet is often give insight in that they are shown God’s perspective while being a person and experiencing man’s perspective.
We often see being a prophet as a job but it is like the Hebrew word nathan says, it is gifted, it is given, it is set, it is placed on the prophet because-by reason of God’s purposes.
6 Then I (Jeremiah) said (H-amar), “Oh, Lord (Adonai) GOD (Yahweh-God)! Behold (H-hinneh, pay attention because what follows is important), I (Jeremiah) do not know(H- yada) how to speak (H-dabar), because (excuses to not do it) I (Jeremiah) am a youth (a lad, young).”
7 But (in contrast) theLORD (Yahweh-God – the proper name of the God of Israel) said (H-amar) to me (Jeremiah),
“Do not say (H-amar), ‘I (Jeremiah) am a youth (a lad, young),’ because everywhere I(God) send (H- shalach, to send; references the exodus from Egypt because it is not “Let my people go” as if Pharoah had a choice to make or he was in control but “send forth my people-a command!) you (Jeremiah), you (Jeremiah) shall go (H – halak, to go to walk; the way one conducts their life), and all (H-kol, whole) that I (God) command (H-tsavah, to lay charge, to order) you (Jeremiah), you (Jeremiah) shall speak (H-dabar).
Shalach is a word that should remind you of Egypt (world), bondage, and the exodus. That God commanded Pharoah to send forth His people from Egypt so that they would be free of “the world” and could come to where God wanted them to be, and they could worship Him how He wants to be worshiped.
8 Do not be afraid (H-yare, to fear, to be in awe of God if you recognize and acknowledge Him then your fear/awe will cause you to bow and worship Him. If your fear/awe causes you to be afraid of Him and who He is then you turn and flee from Him because of who He is) of them (H-paneh, face, faces, their faces), for (because) I (God) am with you (Jeremiah) to save (H-natsal, to deliver, to rescue, to snatch away; this is a blessed hope/rapture reference word, a kingdom of God word) you (Jeremiah),” declares (H-neum, utterance, declaration, saith) the LORD (Yahweh-God – the proper name of the God of Israel).
God’s word, His instructions on how we are to conduct our lives is truth. The truth of God convicts people of their sins. People do not like the feelings associated with conviction of sin. They have no peace because they have sin. Their reaction or response is often to harm/get rid of/destroy/ignore/or change God’s truth to their truth. That way they have worldly/temporary peace.
“Declares the Lord” – What has been stated will be done.
9 Then the LORD (Yahweh-God – the proper name of the God of Israel) stretched (H- shalach) out His hand (H-yad, related to power and authority) and touched (H-naga, to touch, to reach, to strike; struck Pharoah with a plague or God said, do not touch the fruit of the tree) my (Jeremiah) mouth (H-peh, physical mouth, think about what comes out of a mouth is what is in a man’s heart), and the LORD (Yahweh-God – the proper name of the God of Israel) said (H-amar) to me (Jeremiah), “Behold (H-hinneh), I (God) have put (H-nathan) My words (H-dabar) in your (Jeremiah) mouth (H-peh).
This is an act of purification showing that Jeremiah was given a special gift of being God’s spokesperson. Isaiah had a similar experience.
10 “See (H-raah, to see, to perceive, to give attention), I (God) have appointed (H-paqad, to visit, to attend to, to appoint) you (Jeremiah) this day over (H-al, above, upon, over) the nations (H- goy) and over (H-al) the kingdoms, to root out (to pull or to pluck) and to tear down (break down), to destroy (to perish, to annihilate) and to overthrow (tear down, throw down, break), To build (the same word is used when God made/fashioned man and woman in Genesis) and to plant (the same word is used when God made the Garden of Eden).”
The four negatives are “down” type of actions meaning towards death. The last two are positives as in “up” type of actions meaning towards life. The four negatives are judgments. The two positives are restorations. Notice the word order – judgments then restoration. Sometimes death has to happen for life to come. The death of Christ had to happen for us to have eternal life.
The Almond Branch and Boiling Pot
11 And the word (H-dabar) of the LORD (Yahweh-God – the proper name of the God of Israel) came to (in, towards, into) me (Jeremiah), saying (H-amar), “What (interrogative) do you (Jeremiah) see (H-raah), Jeremiah?” And I (Jeremiah) said (H-amar), “I (Jeremiah) see (H-raah) a branch (H-maqqel, rod or staff, stick) of an almond tree (H-shaqed).”
A staff or rod is related to authority, power, discipline, defense, correcting and guiding as in a shepherd to sheep. The root word of “shaqed is shaqad meaning to watch, to wake). Almond tree and being watchful are similar sounding words in Hebrew. Israel was to watch for the blossoming of the almond tree to know that spring is coming.
God asks Jeremiah what he sees, Jeremiah tells Him. Then God explains to Jeremiah what he saw in verse twelve.
12 Then the LORD (Yahweh-God – the proper name of the God of Israel) said (H-amar) to (in, towards, into) me (Jeremiah), “You (Jeremiah) have seen (H-raah) well (H-yatab, to be good, well, glad or pleasing), for (because) I (God) am watching (H-shaqad, to watch, watching) over (H-al, above, upon, over) My word (H-dabar) to perform (H-asah, to do, to make, to accomplish) it (His word, what He says).”
13 And the word (H-dabar) of the LORD (Yahweh-God – the proper name of the God of Israel) came to (in, towards, into) me (Jeremiah) a second (H-sheni, the number two, #2 is related to a witness, division, different opions, double portion) time, saying (H-amar), “What (interrogative) do you (Jeremiah) see (H-raah)?” And I (Jeremiah) said (H-amar), “I (Jeremiah) see (H-raah) a boiling (to breathe, to blow) pot (household cooking utensil), facing (H-paneh, face, faces) away (H-paneh, face, faces) from the north (H-tsaphon, direction, related to dark, hidden).”
God gave Jeremiah two different visions that were an eye-witness accounts of what was to come to Judah.
The word “faces” is used twice in a row in the Hebrew for emphasis.
With the exception of Egypt, Israel is often attacked by their enemies from the north (Jezreel Valley-which is the future place of Armagedeon).
God asks Jeremiah what he sees, Jeremiah tells Him. Then God explains to Jeremiah what he saw in verse fourteen.
14 Then the LORD (Yahweh-God – the proper name of the God of Israel) said (H-amar) to (in, towards, into) me (Jeremiah), “Out of the north (H-tsaphon) the evil (H-ra, bad, evil, calamity, adversity, affliction, distress) will be unleashed (to open, shall break forth) on all (H-kol, whole) the inhabitants (H-yashab, to dwell, to sit, to remain) of the land (H-erets, earth, land).
15 For, behold (H-hinneh), I (God) am calling (H-qara, to call, to proclaim) all (H-kol, whole) the families (clans) of the kingdoms of the north (H-tsaphon),” declares (H-neum) the LORD (Yahweh-God – the proper name of the God of Israel); “and they (those who are in opposition to God) will come (H-bo, to come in, go in) and place (H-nathan) each one (H-ish, man) of them, his throne (related to honor, authority) at the entrance (doorway) of the gates (H-shaar, a gate; related to a place of the cities business transactions) of Jerusalem, and against (H-al) all (H-kol, whole) its walls around (round about, encircling), and against all (H-kol, whole) the cities of Judah.
Gates are the places that the business transactions of the city are done. Covenants are made and broken at the gates. God’s commandments (instructions) are kept and not kept at the gates of the city.
Walls are related to protection, they provide security, shelter. You either “belong” inside” or are “kept” outside. Walls can also imprison and divide.
16 And I (God) will pronounce (H-dabar) My (God) judgments (M-mishpat, judgment, decision, justice) against (H-eth, concerning, denotes proximity) them (the people from the north that will come against Israel) concerning (H-al) all (H-kol, whole) their wickedness (H-ra), since (because) they (those from the north) have abandoned (forsaken, to leave) Me(God) and (in addition) have offered sacrifices (H-qatar, to make sacrifices smoke, send them up in smoke; part of an act of worship; burned incense) to other (H-acher, another) gods (H-elohim, god, gods, God), and (in addition) worshiped (H-shachah, to bow down; act of worship) the works (H-maaseh, a deed, work, workmanship, accomplishment, achievement) of their own hands (H-yad, hand; related to their own power and authority).
God’s commandment to all of His people that He has created is that He is God, and we should not worship anyone or anything else. We are in opposition to Him when we do so. Our sin nature wants to be in opposition to Him. He offers us a gift (something set in place, put there) that will change our spiritual condition, Jesus!
The people from the north are all of those who have come against Israel such as the Assyrians and the Babylonians. God does not cause them to be wicked nor does He make them be wicked. They do that all on their own by their poor choices. But God does allow them to be instruments of His judgment to teach the covenantal people of God-The Jews to submit to Him and His ways. I say “allow” because if God does not want the Jewish people attacked then He can stop the enemies Himself. He is all-powerful. These enemies only succeeded for a short time because God allowed them to succeed.
When we do things/works of our own hands we are indicating that we are independent, and we do not need to depend on God. Think of toddlers, at first, they want to hold your hand as they learn, but then they switch to “I can do it myself.” We are all toddlers!
17 Now, belt (H-azar, to gird, to encompass, to equip, to prepare) your garment around your waist (H-mothen, loins, a statement that means make ready for action that God commands; loins are a seat or place of strength) and (in addition) arise (H-qum, to arise, to stand up, to stand; upward directional call as in from man to God), and (in addition) speak (H-dabar) to them (H-el, to, into, towards; the people of Judah and Jerusalem) all (H-kol, whole) that I(God) command (H-tsavah) you (Jeremiah). Do not (negation) be dismayed (H-chathath, to be shattered, dismayed, frightened, by reason of) before (H-paneh, face; related to the presence of someone, you are close enough to see their face, recognize who they are) them, or (conditional statement, lest, otherwise) I (God) will make you (Jeremiah) dismayed (H-chathath) before (H-paneh) them (the people).
Here is a great example of how the Hebrew and word order is important. At the end of this verse, it says that Jeremiah should not be frightened before the face (by reason of being in the presence of) the people OR God will make Jeremiah frightened before (face) of them (the people). BUT the Hebrew word order is different, God is emphazing and extremely strong statement that is conditional on the response of Jeremiah. “I (God) command you (Jeremiah) not to be dismayed before their faces least (otherwise) I (God) dismay you (Jeremiah) before (face of) them (the people).” God is saying, Jeremiah obey, or the very thing you do before the people, will happen because I (God) will do it to you. How would you like that God-pressure to obey? Whew! That is huge. It is like when a parent tells a child, “Do not sin because if you do then that sin will return to you and to your next generation (your own child).” Wait that’s in the Bible! 😉
First, Jeremiah has to submit and obey God. By staying strong and faithful to God, the people will be able to hear what God wants them to hear. Then the people have to chose to obey what they have heard.
18 Now behold (H-hinneh), I (God) have made (H-nathan) you (Jeremiah) today (this day; related to purpose) like a fortified (H-mibtsar, fortification; stronghold; related to strength and prepared and ready for attack from an enemy) city and (in addition) like a pillar (H-ammud, pillar, column; related to support, stability, if a pillar is broken then it is related to death) of iron (H-barzel, iron; related to war) and walls (H-chomah, a wall, related to protection, provides security and safety; sense of belonging or exclusion; can imprison or divide) of bronze (H-nechosheth, copper, bronze; related to judgment and sin; remember the Temple had a brazen altar where the sin offering occurred) against (H-al) the whole (H-kol, whole) land (H-erets), to (against) the kings (H-melek, king; leadership, royal authority) of Judah, to its leaders (princes, rulers, officials; governmental or administrative leadership), to its priests (spiritual leadership), and (in addition) to the people (H-am) of the land (H-erets).
The Hebrew is “I behold (pay attenting) have made you…” This emphasizes that God alone has set/gifted/placed Jeremiah and set him apart for a prophetic calling.
Remember that in the exodus from Egypt (the world), God used a pillar of smoke by day and fire by night to support and give stability to the people who He led out of Egypt.
In the Temple, God dealt with (judgment) the sins of the people at the bronze (brazen) altar. Sin must be dealt with by God. It is who He is, He is The Judge.
This verse is God to Jeremiah. God has called Jeremiah to be a spokesperson to the people of Judah (Jerusalem is in Judah). God is telling Jeremiah that because of Himself, Jeremiah has been set/placed/gifted right now (today) as one like a stronghold city (prepared to defend against the enemy) AND as one like a strong and stable pillar of war (battle) AND as one like a wall of bronze (division of judgment) from the top of the people of Judah, who is the king all the way down to the individual person of Judah. God is saying, I have given you strength to serve Me faithfully, stability to stand strong, and the ability to be protected by Me, as well as speak My judgment to the people about dealing with sin. Jeremiah now represents the Lord.
19 And (in addition) they (the people from the king to the officials to the priests to the common person from Judah) will (guaranteed) fight (H-lacham, to do battle, to fight) against (H-el) you (Jeremiah) but (in contrast) they (the people of Judah) will not overcome (H-yakol, to be able, have power) you (Jeremiah), for I (God) am with you (Jeremiah) to save (H-natsal) you (Jeremiah),” declares (H-neum) the LORD (Yahweh-God – the proper name of the God of Israel).
Two times in the first chapter of Jeremiah, God tells (promises) Jeremiah, that He will natsal–him (to deliver, to rescue, to snatch away; this is a blessed hope/rapture reference word, a kingdom of God word). That is on purpose to give Jeremiah a hope and a future. Jesus is our natsal-promise that we too get to have a hope and a future!
God is the Word, He strengthens us through Himself and through Him we can trust Him to be Faithful and True!
Do we prioritize what is “right in our own eyes” or do we prioritize God?
It is important to ask yourself as an individual, are you interested in the things of God? Is your spouse? Are your children? What about your family or friends? Co-workers or neighbors?
We need to keep company with those that are interested in the things of God and live out Hebrews 10:24 (really Hebrews 10:23-25). To “stimulate/stir”one another (fellow believers) on to love (God because God is love) and good (related to God’s will) deeds (works but not just any works, but the works God has for us).
We also need to not exclude the non-believers or immature believers. They are to be ministered/served. We need to lovingly bring them in to the family of God by sharing our testimony and God’s Word with them.
Grace and peace to you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ! -Shahe Nahler
I am the author of six books. The first three of the books are about God changing me from my way to His way! Life is a process, people! A journey to walk out with God, and it’s always better when God is in you, and you have a relationship with Him. That way, His way, you never walk out your faith journey alone but with Him!
All six books are available at Amazon.com. Just click the links above or go to Amazon and type into the search, “Shahe Nahler.” Available in paperback or eBook.
You can also visit my website at www.shahesart.com for travel photos and Bible lessons, photography, and artwork.
My prayer for you is to have a real relationship with Jesus and as you grow in the grace and knowledge of Him and that you share Him with others so that they can have that gift too!
Shahe Nahler 