Comments for July 14

However we choose to explain what happened in this chapter, there is a clear message. It is obviously possible to remove ourselves so far from God that he no longer has any desire to help us. Saul's position was quite extreme here in God's eyes, and yet it seems to us that all he did was to disobey one small command. It all goes to impress upon us that it is our state of heart that matters. Saul's was wrong, and he was therefore condemned for just one sin, where David's was right, which caused him to be forgiven of many sins, including murder. It is our state of heart that matters, not our track record of obedience, though, of course, one will tend to influence the other!

v.1-3 - That Achish trusted David demonstrates that on the earlier occasion [1Sam 21:10] he would have been happy for David to stay. We see this Philistine, against the background of David slaying Goliath, wishing to befriend him. Rather a strange situation.

v.3 - We need to realise that these folk were in this position by choice. They have chosen to become involved with the power of darkness - things about which we are encouraged not even to speak. Banishing them was one of the few righteous acts of Saul recorded towards this end of his life, which of course he then spoils by approaching one such person himself!

Saul, in going to Endor, crossed into land controlled by the Philistines, to see the woman with the familiar spirit. That Saul had cut off those with familiar spirits (1 Samuel 28:9) shows at one point in time that Saul had done God's will. How often do we deal with an issue only to return to it again later and have to deal with the matter again? Saul's double mindedness should stand as a warning to us.

DISGUISES

The LORD wouldn't answer Saul, no matter what way he enquired of him. The LORD had departed from him. With the Philistines about to attack at any moment, Saul was a desperate man. Now he went completely against what he had once stood for and sought out a medium. Before he went to see her, "Saul disguised himself putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman." (verse 8).

Who was he trying to deceive with his disguise? Maybe it was his own men who looked to him as an example - but word soon gets around, and most had lost faith in him anyway. Maybe he was trying to deceive the medium, so that she wouldn't know that he was the King of Israel, but if she was a true medium she would have known who he was - disguise or not. Or maybe it was to deceive the LORD so that God wouldn't see Saul consulting with a medium. If that was the case then Saul had forgotten that God can see through disguises.

Whatever the motive, Saul's disguise was useless. God knew, the medium knew, his men found out and now we know.

It can be tempting to go in disguise when we are led into sin - maybe no-one will notice us. But we can be sure that, like Saul, disguise or no disguise, we will be seen, recognized and recorded. So instead of trying to deceive others and conceal sin, lets do the right thing and live truthfully and faithfully before the LORD. Doing that, we will have no need of disguises or falsehood.

In the incident of the witch of Endor both the witch and Saul got far more than they bargained for. She was afraid and Saul was 'sore afraid' (:20) One wonders what Saul thought he would achieve by going to a witch in the first place. Did he think that she had special powers? The inference is 'yes'. Saul really did not appreciate what God had told Israel about death or His supremacy.

ANSWERS FROM GOD

Saul wanted an answer from God. He had seen the Philistines assembled for war and didn't know what to do. But when he enquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him. Quite possibly Saul had asked in more than one way, because we read of the variety of answers he didn't receive. "But the LORD did not answer him by dreams or urim or prophets." (Verse 6).

Why wouldn't God answer Saul? The simple answer is that Saul did not obey the LORD. Saul rebelled against God and so God left him to his own devices and to his own downfall. Saul had left God and so God had left him. In desperation Saul enquired of a witch instead of seeking the LORD, and in doing so, his fate was sealed.

There may be times in our own lives when the answers we want from God are delayed in coming because God wants us to wait. But may it never be said of us that there will be no answer because we have rejected the LORD. If we stay at one with God, love and obey him, there will always be an answer when we need it.

May the LORD give you an answer of peace.

28:1 One wonders what David thought when Achish told David that he would 'go out' with him to battle against Israel. When he had been conducting his forays and killing the Philistines  (1Sam 27:8-9) he did not have any Philistines looking over him so he was able to fight for Yahweh. But it seemed that he was now going to have to fight against Saul and Israel.

V.7 So, in desperation, with the morale of leader and men at lowest ebb, Saul's advisers were bidden find one with a "familiar spirit". A professional medium, who might stiffen his backbone with a decisive message from the hidden world. How was the mighty already fallen!

God was well aware of the difficult situation David was in, when his protector, the Philistine Achish was going to war against Israel.  David bluffed his way out of it in 1Sam 28:1,2, but God saved him once again in tomorrow's chapter 1Sam 29. This time the Philistine lords persuaded Achish to refuse David permission to fight with them, and so David was able to safely escape from the Philistines' land. What  a great God our Lord is!

V.5 When Saul was confronted by the Philistines, he became fearful. He consulted Yahweh but Yahweh turned a deaf ear.  Saul had not been faithful, hence the rejection (Prov 15:29; 28:9). 

V.7 In desperation, Saul turned to the dark arts.  The debate, here, is not whether these dark arts were effective or not; it is the fact that Yahweh would not allow them to be practised (Exo 22:18).  This same work of the flesh is also condemned by Paul (Gal 5:20). 

Saul had banned witchcraft (vs.3,9) but had now turned to it for help, thus reflecting Prov 26:11. 

V.10 The suspicious witch was ironically re-assured by an oath using Yahweh's name in vain.  Thus, Saul further condemned himself (Exo 20:7).  The warning to us about making this sort of mistake is contained in a commandment of Christ (Matt 5:34-37). 

And so, Samuel was brought up by the medium.  Whatever experience Yahweh caused to happen here was to address Saul's disobedience (Prov 26:5).  His rebellion was as great as the condemned witchcraft (1Sam 15:23). 

The great lesson for us is not to repeat Saul's error, but to always obey the voice of Yahweh (Psa 130:5).

28:3      That Saul had put away those with familiar spirits – in accordance with what the law of Moses required Lev 20:27– is possibly a glimmer of some spirituality in Saul.

28:8  Have you ever wondered what Saul disguised himself as and why? Endor was in enemy territory. It was in the area controlled by the Philistines so Saul would have to go through their lines to get to see her. Doubtless he disguised himself as a Philistine.

28:2  Now David is accepted and trusted by Achish – one might think he fared better when Achish sent him away. Now David has to deal with Achish’s expectations of David!

V.6 Urim means lights, and Thummim means perfections.  We do not know precisely what they were.  We do know that they were kept inside the high priest's breastplate, and were used to make judgements on matters.  However, these instruments were not available to Saul, along with any other direction from Yahweh.

28:5 Saul was afraid of the Philistines when David came to the battle front - 1Sam 17:11 - David killed the Philistine giant – 1Sam 17:49. David has, during his flight from Saul, been fighting against the Philistines and we see Saul again fearful of the Philistines. The people had wanted a king to go out to battle – 1Sam 8:19-20– but it was David, their future king, who did that.

V.1 Achish had no reason to suspect that David was not loyal to him.

V.2 David's nebulous reply to Achish landed him a job as head of the king’s bodyguard.

V.7 It was at Endor that Sisera and Jabin perished (Psa 83:9,10).

V.8 Saul disguised himself and went to Endor at night.  The reason was that in order for Saul to reach Endor from his camp, he had to pass by the Philistine camp.  Perhaps, David had this in mind when he wrote v.6 of Ps 35.  Bad deeds are often done in the cover of darkness, in a futile attempt to conceal transgression (e.g. Prov 7:7-9).

Vs.13,14,15 Note that all the action of Samuel was: coming up out of the earth (ESV); coming up (ESV); bringing me up (ESV).  Samuel was faithful to God throughout all his life, from birth to death.  But, this righteous man was summoned from the grave. 

Christendom, erroneously, believes that good people go to heaven at death.  If that were the case, shouldn’t Samuel have been brought down from heaven rather than being brought up from the earth?

28:12-20 There is much debate as to what actually happened when Saul visited the witch. However one point is clear. The woman got far more than she bargained for – verse 12 – so we have to conclude that God was involved in presenting a message to Saul via the woman.

28:3-7  Whilst Saul had put away those with familiar spirits when he got no answer from God he sought for a woman with a familiar spirit.  He was willing to keep the requirements of the law when it was convenient but when difficulties came he was quick to abandon God’s counsel. Are we ‘fair weather’ believers. Listening to the word of God when it is convenient?

28:17   Echoing the words of 1Sam 15:28 with the word ‘neighbour’ the woman goes further than the earlier record of the rejection of Saul by mentioning David by name – the first time that Saul had been told, at least according to the Divine record – that David was to be king after him.

28:2   Clearly Achish had no idea what David had been doing in killing Philistines as described in the previous chapter.

1Sam 28.

28:7  The early days and end of Saul are marked by witchcraft. In 1Sam 15:23 Samuel reproves Saul with words describing his life as one of “witchcraft” and now, at the end of his life, he is seeking a witch. These two comments in the Samuel account act like markers of the beginning and end of Saul’s life as an indication of how he thought.

David's ability to win trust and admiration

"Now it happened in those days that the Philistines gathered their armies together for war, to fight with Israel. And Achish said to David, 'You assuredly know that you will go out with me to battle, you and your men.' "

Here the armies of the Philistines were preparing for battle with Israel. How is it possible that David, the anointed king of Israel could be fighting on the side of the Philistines? Achish the King of the Philistines completely trusted David even though he knew David and his men could easily turn around in the battle and change sides.

"So David said to Achish, 'Surely you know what your servant can do.' And Achish said to David, 'Therefore I will make you one of my chief guardians forever.' "

What did Achish mean by "chief guardian", and why did he trust David? In the original Hebrew the phrase translates more literally as "keeper of my head", or in other words, he was causing David to swear to be responsible for Achish's life. From this we can see that Achish had become very fond of David, trusted him completely, and was quite willing to put his own life into David's hands. It may seem odd but the same thing happened the other way around, where the men of Gath (called "Gittites", from Achish's Philistine city) became David's most trusted bodyguards (see 2Sam 15:18-22).

128:18   “because” is such a powerful word. Saul did not destroy Amalek – 1 Samuel 15:9 – even though Israel had been commanded to do so – Exodus 17:14. So the consequences of that inaction are now brought before Saul again.

28:15   We see that Saul, now, recognises that he is on his own. God has forsaken him and he realises that. In going to the witch in Endor we see Saul’s true colours. We will see later that David is so concerned that God would not forsake him that he prayed to him on that matter - Psa 38:21

28:21-25            One wonders what Saul expected from the witch at En-dor. He surely did not expect a message of encouragement. Did he even expect to receive a message from Samuel? Herein is a warning that when we know what the answer from God is we should not try to find others who will bolster our different viewpoint in the hope that God will change His mind.

28:7    Isn’t it interesting that Saul’s servants knew where to find a woman with a familiar spirit? Such individuals were not to be entertained by Israel. An indication that Saul’s servants were not educated properly by Saul in godly matters.

28:22-23           The fact that Saul did not want to eat and had been greatly disturbed at hearing Samuel’s voice is a clear indication of Saul’s terror. It is likely that by now Saul understands that the forthcoming battle will be his last.

28:6 this behaviour is presented – 1Chron 10:13 – as even worse than not listening to God’s word.

28:1   One wonders what it was that motivated David to align himself with Achish again given that Achish had driven David away previously. I suppose we should try and understand the desperate position that David was in and understand his behaviour as the decisions of a very frightened man who has spent many years trying to avoid being killed by Saul.

28:6 this behaviour is presented – 1Chron 10:13 – as even worse than not listening to God’s word.

28:1      One wonders what it was that motivated David to align himself with Achish again given that Achish had driven David away previously. I suppose we should try and understand the desperate position that David was in and understand his behaviour as the decisions of a very frightened man who has spent many years trying to avoid being killed by Saul.

28:15.17 Saul speaks of “God” but “Samuel” gives this God a name – “Yahweh”. Saul’s use of god highlights his lack of appreciation that Yahweh is the God if Israel.

28:4 “Shunem” is in the territory of Issachar – Josh 19:18. Their territory was in the north of the land of Israel, in the area of the Jezreel valley. So the Philistines have travelled up the coastal plain and inland from the Great Sea near to Mount Carmel. This gives us an insight into the extent of the Philistine dominion during the reign of Saul.

Verse 7:  In 1Kin 20:33 the Hebrew word for 'diligently observe' is the word nachash (05172) which is also used in Num 24:1; 2Kings 17:17; 21:6 and 2Chron 33:6 for 'enchantments' and also for 'enchanter' in Deut 18:10 - the practise of which was condemned by Yahweh in the Law of Moses and anyone caught performing the role of an enchanter (or witch) was killed without mercy (Exo 22:18). Below, I suggest, are four reasons why Yahweh condemned such behaviour.

Enchanters possessed abilities to be able to practise their craft:

1) They were careful (diligent) obervers (1Kings 20:33).

2) They were skilled at auto-suggestion.

3) They were skilful ventriliquists and could disguise their voice (Isa 28:4).

4) They could project their voice so that it appeared to come from a certain direction e.g. out of the ground (Isa 28:4)

From this we can see that it is highly likely that the witch of Endor was an enchantress who was skilful in all of the above and that her whole act in Saul's company was nothing more than a charade of deception, carried out for financial reward.

Furthermore, Saul would have been very easy for the witch to recognise: he was taller than anyone else (1Sam 9:2)

Another point: the very concept of contacting the dead flouts Yahweh's teaching - as recorded by Hezekiah in Isa 38:18-19 that the truth can never be found by consulting with the dead: it can only be found among (a few of) the living.

v. 4 - This idea of circumcision of the heart began back in Deut.10:16 and goes right through into the New Testament. It is, effectively, the link between the Old Covenant and the New. Under the old, circumcision of the flesh made you a 'slave' to the law, which couldn't save you, but circumcision of the heart was a demonstration of faith in God, which, in line with the new, could. Heb.11 talks of men of faith who lived under the old, but would be saved with us who are under the new. Eze.18:31, Rom.2:28,29, Col.2:11

v.8 - The phrase 'fierce anger of the LORD' is seen in the following places. [Numbers 25:4 32:14 Jeremiah 4:8 12:13 25:37 30:24 51:45 Zephaniah 2:2] Of the 8 occasions 5 are found in Jeremiah and Zephaniah, the time of Josiah and the Babylonian overthrow.

v.3, which leads into verse 4 as discussed above, gives them (and us) practical encouragement - or at least encouragement which is presented in a practical idiom. The idiom is used in Hosea 10:12. In preparation of the heart, the fallow ground as it is here referred to, for the sowing of the seed of righteousness, it must first be broken up and prepared. This is the preparation necessary for circumcision of the heart to be effective.

4:4 Israel repeatedly were heard hearted. In calling them to 'circumcise … your hearts' quoting Deuteronomy 10:16 Jeremiah is calling for repentance.

Jeremiah 4 BLESSING THE NATIONS There are a few things God says must be done by Israel, and (if we make the lesson personal to ourselves) by us, before he can pour out his blessings in full.
1. "If you will return, O Israel, return to me". This is based on the first commandment, "You shall have no other God's before me." Put God in first place in your own personal life. Make him your centre and focus in everything you do.
2. "Put your detestable idols out of my sight." This is the second commandment. "You shall not worship idols." To put an idol out of God's sight means it must be out of our sight too. Get rid of anything that takes first place away from God. Put it out of your sight.
3. "In a truthful, just and righteous way you swear, 'As surely as the LORD lives.'" We must believe that God exists and that he will hold us accountable for our actions. Therefore we must live in a way that shows by our truthful, just and righteous actions that our belief is more than knowledge, but is a matter of the heart and a way of life.
When these things are achieved God will be able to pour out his blessings fully.

:23-27 The land of Israel is presented as desolate like the earth was before creation (Genesis 1:2 is quoted :23). However Israel are given hope :27 'yet will I not make a full end ' - a phrase which recurs later in Jeremiah - keep your eyes open for it.

4:3 In saying 'break up your fallow ground' Jeremiah is quoting the earlier prophet Hos 10:12 who had directed this message to the northern kingdom some time earlier.

V.11 "Dry wind" The "simoom", terrific and destructive, blowing from the southwest across the sandy deserts east of Palestine. Image of the invading Babylonian army.Hos 13:15  Babylon in its turn shall be visited by a similar "destroying wind" Jer 51:1

Yahweh had pronounced destruction on Jerusalem and Judah for their abominations.  When destruction came, would they be bold and arrogant in the face of it like Jezebel (v. 30; cf. 2Kin 9:30)? Jerusalem had engaged in her wickedness (2Kin 9:22). Jezebel had become the pattern of idolatry and false teaching that would reach into the first century ecclesia (Rev 2:20).

V.29 The inhabitants of the country had fled to Jerusalem for refuge, but when it too, is likely to fall, they flee out of it to hide in the "thickets"

There’s an interesting allusion to baptism here in Jer 4:14. “Wash your heart from wickedness.”  I know it was John who introduced baptism into the Jewish way of life, but there are several types of it in the old testament  -  not least the Flood of Noah’s day.

4:9  The idea that the people will be astonished draws on the curse promised in Deuteronomy 28:49  that would come upon Israel if they were rebellious.

Jer 4:5-7 - in v6 the Scythian barbarians from north of the Caucasus who invaded south attacking the Assyrians while one of their groups swept along the coastal plains of Palestine penetrating Philistia toward Egypt and were bribed to return north by the Egyptians circa 626 BC, and they foreshadowed the later Babylonian invasion attacking from the north which would capture Jerusalem; perhaps the lion in v7 refers somewhat to Assyria though perhaps even more so to Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (Jer 25:8,9; Jer 50:1,17; Dan 7:1-4;Dan 9:1-2), it should be noted both these countries have had lions excavayed as symbols; in the latter days some Gentile lions are friendly to Israel (Eze 38:13). Much of the preceding was gleaned from The Ministry of Jeremiah by C.C. Walker and The Story of the Bible, Vol 4, p 162, by H.P. Mansfield. 

V.4 The message to Israel here was of course; to remove the natural corruption of their hearts. (Deut 10:16, 30:6 Rom 2:9, Col 2:11)

4:4 The exhortation to circumcise the heart draws on the language of Deut 10:16

4:3 The heart that has not been humbled is like the ground that has not been worked, that is overgrown with weeds. It must be made ready to produce seed that is pleasing to our Heavenly Father. One must repent, before one can serve the Lord in truth. (Hos 10:12) Both the earth and the heart are workable.

4:2 In saying ‘The Lord Liveth’ the name of God was being used as an oath – swearing by the name of God. But it was all a sham. Jesus taught not to swear – Matt 5:34. Making a promise should be sufficient – James 5:12. Bit of course the people in Jeremiah’s day had no intention of keeping their word.

V.6 Babylon is said to be coming from the north.  Actually, Babylon is east of Judah.  North could be indicating that the invaders would not come directly west across the desert.  Instead they would wend their way to the coastal road and then descend to Judah from the north. This is the likely route (check a map for clarification). 

The word north in Hebrew is tsaphon which means hidden and dark (gloomy).  Perhaps, the word north is also used to describe the nature of the Babylonian invasion.

4:10 The prophet Jeremiah often shows his feeling as we read through the prophecy. We should be aware that the servants of God did not always understand how their God was working. Jeremiah shows his feelings as we read. As such he gives comfort to those of us who wonder, from time to time, about the way things are happening in our lives.

MORE THAN JUST ME

Israel were told to return to the LORD. They had once loved him and served him but had gone astray and lost the devotion of their youth. Now, instead of serving the Living God, they worshipped idols and lived their own immoral lives. God said to them, "If you put your detestable idols out of my sight and no longer go astray, and if in a truthful, just and righteous way you swear, 'As surely as the LORD lives,' then the nations will be blessed by him and in him they will glory." (Jer 4:1-2)

We may think that whether we devote ourselves to the LORD and serve him, or whether we please ourselves, is a decision that only affects us. Israel probably thought that too, but they didn't look at the big picture. If they had been living lives of love and devotion to God, then the repercussions of their godliness would have spread far and wide: "then the nations will be blessed by him and in him they will glory."

What about ourselves? How many people are turned toward God, or away from him, because of the way we live? How many other families will be blessed by God and give glory to him because our family loves the Lord? How many cities will be blessed because of the devotion of our church?

Let's let our lights shine for everyone to see.

V.4 See Rom 2:9.

V.5 Compare to Jer 8:14.  The exhortation was to prepare for the Babylonian invasion.

V.7 The lion was a prominent symbol of Babylon.

V.8 Sackcloth was made of the dark, coarse hair of goats.  Raiment made from sackcloth was used for mourning (e.g. 1Kin 21:27).  This rough material was uncomfortable to wear.  But, that was the idea – mourning was a heavy experience, and the material added to the sombre occasion.

V.10 Jeremiah, a true prophet, is talking about the false prophets that he would encounter (Jer 14:13).

Vs.11,12 Babylon will sweep in like an east wind and bring calamity (Jer 18:17).

V.17 Jerusalem had guards around the city, just as fields of grain had guards around them near harvest time to keep away robbers and wild animals.  But these guards would be useless against the Babylonian onslaught.

V.23 Compare to Gen 2:1.  At the beginning of creation, the earth was formless and chaotic. Judah and Jerusalem will be in such disarray after Babylon is finished with them (v.27).

V.30 Judah will act in the face of the Babylonian invasion like Jezebel acted when she knew Jehu was coming for her (2Kin 9:30).

4:1 Jeremiah could not have been any more clear in his message. It was simple. Turn away from your iniquity and the Babylonians will no longer be a threat to you. You will not go into captivity.

4:6   Evil from the North was to be the Chaldean invasion. Maybe the fact that the nation was not named indicated that at this time the Jews did not know who would come against them.

4:27         Jeremiah is being moved to tell Israel that they are going to be taken into captivity – by Babylon. However on four occasions Jeremiah assures Israel that they are not going to be destroyed as a nation Jer 4:27, 5:18, 30:11, 46:28

4:5    Trumpets, in Israel, were used for a number of reasons Num 10 describes the making and use of trumpets. They could be used as an alarm and this is how the same phrase used here is seen in Joel 2:1

No knowledge of good

Jer 4:22
"For My people are foolish, They have not known Me. They are silly children, And they have no understanding. They are wise to do evil, But to do good they have no knowledge." (NKJV)

Let's think about this verse during today and analyse our daily actions in light of it. Are we spending more time putting knowledge of evil into our minds, or knowledge of good? It's important, because in this case the people of God had so neglected wise and good influences that they had completely no knowledge of it anymore. 

4:1   Jeremiah spoke during the tie of Josiah in the early part of his ministry. Josiah implemented significant spiritual reforms. However Jeremiah is calling upon the people to return to Him indicating that whilst Josiah was a faithful king seeking to serve his God the people were only going through the motions of faithful worship. 

Jeremiah 4

Judah were warned by the prophet of the Lord’s of His impending judgements on Judah (Jer 4:3) if they did not turn back to the Lord.

God’s judgements were to be administered by the hands of the Babylonian armies.  Jesus quotes from extensively from this chapter to warn his generation of God’s judgements that would come on them at the hands of the Roman armies in AD69/70 and AD 135.

These things are written for our learning.  Jesus warning is still relevant for us today, “Watch therefore: ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” (Matt 24:42).

4:23       The use of language from GGen 1:2 which speaks of the earth before God’s creative actions – “without form” and “no light” shows that Judah’s sinful actions had the effect of marring God’s creation. It is that His glory could not be seen at all due to their sinfulness.

OUTLINE OF JEREMIAH

PART TWO  -- THE PROPHECIES TO JUDAH (JEREMIAH 2:1 TO 45:5)

I. The Condemnation of Judah (Jeremiah 2:1 to 25:28)

   B. Second Sermon - Judah to be Judged (Jeremiah 3:6 to 6:30):

      7. Jer 4:1-2 - the abominations were Baal worship, there was no hope for Israel or the Gentile nations (Gal 3:8,16) unless they stopped religious harlotry; if Israel and the Gentiles stopped and turned to God they would be blessed.

      8. Jer 4:3-4 - V3 break up unplowed ground and sow not among thorns (Matt 13:3-8,18-23,38;Heb 6:7-8); VS 3-4 break up unplowed ground and circumcising the heart depict the outward change from the weeds of sin and the inward change of the heart/mind; VS 3-4 the parable of the sower means we can improve our soil so we can better grow (Hos 10:12;Matt 13:1-30), Jesus' brothers doubted him at first but would grow choosing the good over that which would hinder their spiritual growth; V4 circumcise your hearts, the circumcised didn't have their hearts circumcised (Rom 4:11-12;Gen 17:14;Exo 4:23-25;1Cor 7:18-19;Gal 5:6;Rom 2:25-29;Acts 7:51;John 7:21-23;Col 2:11;Acts 16:2-3;Gal 2:3;Deut 10:16;Deut 30:6;Zech 12:10).

   B. Second Sermon - Judah to be judged (Jeremiah 3:6 to 6:30):

      9. Jer 4:9-12 - VS 9-10 is this to be interpreted that false prophets falsely prophesied God said there would be peace? VS 9,11 (NIV) "In that day...At that time" (perhaps this relates to Babylon as V9  makes mention of priests and prophets); VS 10,19 (KJV) "the sword reacheth unto the 'soul<5315>'...thou hast heard, O my 'soul<5315>', the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war", notice how differently the NIV describes soul, "the sword is at our throats...I have heard the sound of the trumpet" (Gen 2:7 the soul is a living breathing creature man or animal); VS 11-12 a destructive wind not a refreshing breeze (KJV Hos 13:15;Jer 51:1).

      10. Jer 4:13-18 - V13 the advancing enemy army reflecting cherubim clouds and whirlwind chariot terminology as Babylon was sent by God to be a punishing agent; V14 an appeal to Jerusalem to repent, David Simpson in his 2005 comments notes the allusion to baptism "wash your heart from wickedness" - the flood, crossing the Red Sea, the baptism of John, the baptism in Christ (Ethiopian eunuch, Eph 4:3-6, etc.); V15 warnings from Dan which was the northern limit of the land and Mt. Ephraim which was 10 miles from Jerusalem; V18 (NIV) "Your own conduct and actions have brought this upon you".

      11. Jer 4:19-22 - VS 19-21 Jeremiah mourned over the impending destruction as did Jesus  (Luke 19:41-44;Matt 23:37-39;Luke 23:26-31); V22 God answers as to the reason for the coming judgment.

   B. Second Sermon - Judah to be judged (Jeremiah 3:6 to 6:30):

      12. Jer 4:23-27 - VS 23-26 God reverses the process of creation (Gen 1:2;Isa 24:1,3,10); V27 "I will not make a full end [of Israel]" (Isa 45:17;Jer 30:11;Eze 37:28;Dan 12:1;Hos 3:5).

      13. Jer 4:28-29 - the advance of the Babylonian army (606BC to the prophetic overthrow of Jerusalem in 586BC).

      14. Jer 4:30-31 - V30 trying to charm betraying lovers/countries; V30 as Michael Parry noted in his 2004 comments, Jerusalem would be bold and arrogant like Jezebel (2Kin 9:30;2Kin 9:22 and this pattern continued in the first century Rev 2:20); V30-31 the futility of worldly expedients against divine retribution.

4:13    In saying that the oppressor would have horses swifter than eagles God, through Jeremiah, is again reminding the people of the curses of Deut 28:1-68 by quoting Deut 28:49

4:23-25          Notice the use of creation language. Israel is being described as  in need of being created by God in a form that would give glory to Him

:23      earth without form and void       Gen 1:2

:23      no light                                     Gen 1:2       darkness

:25      no man                                     Gen 1:25     not a man [this is the same Hebrew as in Jeremiah]

4:30    In all her calamity Judah, rather than repent in sackcloth, will dress herself up as one that might be appealing to others. However it will have no effect. Judah will not be strengthened by any nation.

4:4    Doubtless the leaders of the nation to whom Jeremiah was speaking had been circumcised. Doubtless they took great pride in the fact that they were associated with the covenant with Abraham. But, it seems, their commitment to the values of Abraham stopped with circumcision,. They did not see that there was a need to change the way they thought as well.  Here is a lesson for us who have been baptised. Baptism marks an intention to change our way of life. Does that happen in our lives?

4:3-4  God is not simply giving advice about farming. He is warning the nation about mixing false worship with faithfulness. Hence the call to circumcise their hearts.

4:10 The phrase “the sword reacheth unto the soul” is echoed by Simeon: “(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Lk. 2:35).  Mary would experience anguish similar to that of Judah and Jerusalem during the Babylonian invasion. And Jeremiah revealed “the thoughts of many hearts” in Jerusalem when he went on to write: “O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?” (Jer. 4:14).

4:8 Jeremiah is speaking of the imminent invasion by the Chaldeans. In times of crisis the people would have turned to their priesthood and leaders for answer – but we see that they would have no answers! The focus of the people should have been on what God said, not what men dreamed up themselves.

4:1 Captivity in Babylon was “on the cards” for Judah. The captivity, long promised, was because the nation had turned away from their God. His appeal to return to worshipping Him was not a call for outward show. A true return to Him involved the forsaking of the idols they were worshipping.

Repentance is not seen in words – it is seen in actions.

Saying “sorry” is easy but being “sorry” in one’s heart is a far more difficult thing.

4:1 When Jeremiah prophesied the northern kingdom under the rulership of Hoshea had been taken captive by the Assyrians some years before because of their false worship.

Their captivity should have served as a warning to Judah – an indication that the same fate awaited them if they were disobedient to His laws.  Hence “return unto me… then thou shalt not remove” 0- that is be taken captive to another country – Like Israel had been.

4:30-31  In telling the nation that the nations that they try to make alliances with will eventually forsake her we are encouraged to draw the lesson for ourselves. It is only God that has an unfailing love for us. All others are motivated by self-interest. This makes it clear to us where our focus should be.

v. 8 - The concept of the heart is common to all three of our readings today. Let us take heed of the warning given about those people that say the right words, but do not think the right thoughts. Jesus is quoting here from Isa.29:13. Let us be sure that we do not fall into the category of creating our own doctrines and teaching them instead of the revealed truth, as so many people do in our present generation. Acts 8:21, Heb.3:12, 1Pet.3:10

v.7 - Jesus starts to call the religious leader of his days 'hypocrites' towards the end of his ministry, getting more direct as time goes on. [Matthew 15:7 16:3 22:18 23:13 14 15 23 25 27 29 Mark 7:6 Luke 11:44 12:56 13:15] His desire was to cause them to repent.

15:23 Rather like the feeding of the 4,000 (14:15) the disciples wish to remove the problem of the woman by sending her away. So this is twice that they have done this. This explains why Jesus took the initiative (15:32) telling the disciples 'I will not send …'

:14 We might think that we should continue to try to convince those who are opposed to the gospel of its truth. Jesus gives us an example 'let them alone ...'. We should think about the way we might apply this in our lives.

The question of the disciples in v33 is very similar to the question of Moses in Num 11v13. Moses felt the burden of the people's grumblings, and felt he had to feed them himself! Likewise with the disciples. Both Moses and the Disciples should have known that God / Jesus had both the power and the inclination to feed the people. God had fed them with manna day in day out, and Jesus had just fed five thousand with just a few loaves. It's easy to say this though, with hindsight. How often do we forget to pray to God for help when we need it, and start being anxious, trusting in our own strength to help ourselves, or even grumbling to God?

A further point to ponder:

The effect of the woman on Jesus in v22-28 must have been very great. The "crumbs which fall from the master's table" ended up feeding four thousand people who were probably also gentiles!

15:15 That ‘Peter’ wanted to understand the ‘parable’ about meat and the belly and Jesus’ response (15:16) seems to highlight that Peter really had a problem which cropped up again (Acts 10:14) and again  (Gal 2:11-13). Not that we would reprove Peter for his struggle. We, likewise, allow our prejudice and blinkered outlook to cloud our actions.

V.2 The criticism of the Pharisees and scribes, had nothing to do with hygiene. These men did not imply that Jesus was allowing His disciples to eat with physically "dirty" hands. The matter in dispute touched ceremonial purity, not dirt. It did not have anything to do with germs, about which neither the disciples nor their critics knew anything. 

Vs.32-38 For information on the feeding of the multitude, see yesterday's note for Matthew 14.

15:18-19Notice the repeated use of 'mouth' 'heart' echoing 15:8- see January comment. Here Jesus explains the relationship for us. The mouth actually speaks what the heart thinks.

Jesus was fulfilling his ministry to separate light from darkness (John 1:9-12, 3:19-21, 1:4-5). He was that light, but the people didn't comprehend that light, nor were drawn to it. This is explained in those verses in John, and born out in the examples in this chapter.

There were two kinds of people in the audience the day the feeding took place. Those who God had prepared for salvation (the wheat) and those He hadn't (the tares). The first group had studied their scriptures; searching for some clue as to who their Messiah would be. They were interested in their salvation. The second group hadn't done this. They were too busy, or had other things more pressing in their lives, or had been brought up on the scriptures but not really been interested. Their knowledge was by hearsay. The second group found the miracle Jesus performed impressive, satisfying and tasty. But the first group suddenly recognised the following:

1) Jesus was their king in the line of David, the Christ (2Sam 5:2, Psa 78:71).
2) Jesus came doing the miracles of Elisha, Elijah's successor. This meant John was in fact the one like Elijah who they were waiting for, and Jesus was his successor, the Christ. (2Kin 4:40-44).
3) That God rejected the Pharisees and was giving Jesus as a true Shepherd in the line of David, the Christ (Eze 34:12-24).
4) Salvation had come to them!

So God had prepared a simple way of dividing sheep from goats (Eze 34:17). Some would see and find the Christ, and others wouldn't, simply by measure of their understanding of the scriptures. And that's a lesson for us. We can draw near to Jesus by reading about him. This is the oil we shall put in our lamps so that when he comes we will recognise him as the Christ, our saviour, and be ready for him.

15:3 In asking ‘Why do ye … of God’ Jesus quotes 2Chron 24:20. An earlier occasion when the leaders would not listen to the counsel of God through the prophet – they stoned the prophet on that occasion.

15:24   Jesus’ words to the woman echo what he had told his disciples in Matt 10:5-6 about restricting their preaching to Jews.

15:11 So Jesus now returns to the issue which had prompted his comments about the way in which the Jews violated the law by their traditions to teach the fundamental point that our mouths contaminate us by what comes out of them, not by what goes into them.

V.2 It is supposed that an oral law was passed down as well as the written law.  Ezra is pointed out as being an integral person in passing on this oral law.  The traditions of which the Pharisees speak come from this oral law. 

The problem with an oral law is that information can be changed as it passes from one person to another down the ages.  Therefore, anything oral is suspect.  That is the reason Yahweh had His Word written so that everyone could read it, unchanged, throughout the ages (Prov 22:20,21).

The faithful listeners at Berea checked out, from the scripture, what Paul had said, to be certain it was the truth (Acts 17:11). Paul exhorts the Colossians to beware of men’s tradition (Col 2:8). And so, Yahweh’s truth is only found in His Word, the Bible (Isa 8:20).  That is the only place we should look for our spiritual education (2Tim 3:16).

Vs.3-6 Jesus shows how the Pharisees’ tradition contradicts God’s written law (See Mark 7:11 for v.5).

Vs.7,8 See Isa 29:13.

V.9 Scriptural prophecy tells us that people would leave the Truth and follow perverted doctrines.  This movement began in the first century and continued to grow throughout the centuries to reach the huge false system of worship that we see today (1Tim 4:1-3).

V.22 See Mark 7:26.

V.24 Jesus’ mission was to present Himself as the promised Messiah to His fellow Jews.  But, Jesus was to become the Savior of the Gentiles as well (Luke 2:32).  The apostle Paul was the instrument to take the Gospel to the Gentiles, as well as others (Acts 9:15).

15:31 Jesus is in Tyre and Sidon – outside the boundaries of Israel. Yet the people praise ‘the God of Israel’. A fulfilment of Isa 29:17-31

In v8-9 Jesus quotes Isaiah 29:13 in relation to the Pharisees. Can you see any other examples of how the rest of that chapter fits too? For example compare v3 and Isa 29:15-16.

15:21-22        The record goes out of its way here to emphasise that the ‘woman’ was a gentile.

PRAISE!

We recently attended a week long Bible Camp. It was a fantastic week of teaching, fellowship and discussion. One of the climaxes of the week was a song and praise evening where the congregation was led by a choir and various musicians who had all been practicing hard over the previous few days. By the end of the week we were all in the right frame of mind to really appreciate a time of singing and praise like this.

Jesus had been with the crowds less than three days. They were not at a Bible camp and neither did they have organised teachers or choir masters. There was no accommodation, cooks or meals provided, just a rabble of people following Jesus with many getting healed, and, no doubt, listening to his teaching. This is what we learn about their time together: "The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel." (Matt 15:31)

We don't need to wait for someone to organise a praise night for us, we can do it - and we should do it - spontaneously. The people around Jesus "Praised the God of Israel." We too should do the same both now and every time we experience him working in our lives.

Matt 15:3,7-9

"... Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?"

Jesus was challenging the vain traditions of men and referred them to the prophet Isaiah in quoting Isa 29:13. God, through the prophets, rebuked the people for their vain traditions! Jesus was correcting their misinterpretation of the Law where the "heard" in Matt 5:21-48, and especially brought out in verses 22,43, certainly did not come from the Old Testament. The ethical standards of the Scribes and Pharisees were a distortion and misrepresentation of the ethical standards of the Old Testament. 

Matt 15:22-28

And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil… But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel… Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.”

This woman of Canaan would not take no for an answer and knelt down before Jesus begging him, “Lord, help me.” Jesus’ reply in short said the Jews are the “children” and the Gentiles are the “dogs,” and it is the children that get fed. She replied that though she may not be able to eat at Messiah’s table, she should be allowed to pick up some of the crumbs. She would take what the Jews did not want. What a lesson in humility for us! Jesus responded to her with emotion: “O woman, great is thy faith.” She had greater faith than the Jews who rejected him as Messiah and challenged his claims. Jesus honoured her great faith and humility in showing mercy and healed her daughter.

We learn from this incidence that (1) faith and humility are two necessary ingredients for salvation. Naaman the captain of the King’s Syrian army had faith that he could be healed, but it was only when he humbled himself to dip into the Jordan River seven times that he was healed (Luke 4:27; 2Kin 5:10-14). Zacchaeus, an influential and wealthy man had faith, but it was ultimately his act of humility in climbing up a tree to see Jesus that led to his salvation (Luke 19:2-9). We further learn that this woman from Canaan (2) held on to her faith even though Jesus did not reply to her. Jesus replied to her only after the disciples came so eagerly to Jesus to send her away! He showed his disciples that (3) salvation, which proceeds from the Jews, would be extended to the Gentiles also.

Matt 15:10

We read here that Jesus called the multitude to him to “hear and understand” what the Law and the Prophets really taught contrasting the distorted teachings of the Pharisees. This multitude was a Jewish multitude for the Gentiles would not have known nor understood any of this. In continuity, we read further in this chapter that when a Gentile woman came to Jesus for healing, the disciples “came and besought him” to send her away! Jesus replies to the Canaanitish woman, also described as a Syrophoenicia (Mark 7:26),“I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Mark 7:24). Prior to this, we read in Matt 10:6, Jesus telling his disciples, “Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Matt 15:29-30, Jesus departed and “came nigh unto the sea of Galilee, and went up into a mountain, and sat down there. And great multitudes came unto him…” It would seem from the above incidences, that it is the same multitude that followed him here. Matt 15:32 tells us this multitude had been with him for three days! He had taught them for three days, and now he fed and healed many of them!

We read of his location in the account given by Mark in Mark 7:31, “And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.” Some interpret from this that Jesus went into the heart of Decapolis. Strong’s Concordance for “midst” is # <3319>, and shows it doesn’t necessary have to mean middle, but may also be interpreted as way. “Coasts” is Strong’s # <3725>, horion, and means a border.

A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, by G. Abbott-Smith has the following entry on the word, coasts, page 323: “orion, -ou, to (oros, a boundary), (in LXX chiefly) a boundary, bound; chiefly in pl., and so always in NT.” “Mountain” is oros, Strong’s # <3735>. Jesus sat down near the way of the Decapolis border on the mountain! Mountains were frequent boundaries between geographical regions. He was not in the region of Decapolis proper.

We learn from Matthew’s account in chapter 8:28 that Jesus went to the other side of the mountain into the country of the Gergesenes. This hilly area made a natural boundary between Decapolis on the south, and the area north of the Decapolis border, which was Jewish! Gerasa (now Kursi), which practically runs into the Sea of Galilee, was where Jesus met with two demoniacs, and cast the pigs into the sea. There was no outpouring of acceptance of the Lord by these Gentile inhabitants. Jesus was a menace to their way of life, and they wanted to get rid of him! It was the only time that Jesus ventured toward Decapolis, and it resulted in his being rejected by the Gentile inhabitants!

Was Peter aware of the broad gentile ministry of Jesus? Not only does the wording in the Gospels preclude the idea, Peter, along with other the other believing Jews, were astonished when Cornelius, the Centurion of Caesarea, along with his Gentile household received the Holy Spirit before they were even baptized (Acts 10:44-48)! The other apostles at the Jerusalem Conference similarly were astonished at the way Gentiles were receiving the same blessing the Jews were receiving through faith in their Messiah. They had to convene a special meeting to determine if Scripture allowed for this kind of activity among the Gentiles (Acts 15)!

If Jesus had a broad ministry among the Gentiles in Decapolis and other areas, why were the apostles surprised by what happened in Acts 15? Why didn’t Peter remember the 4,000 plus Decapolis Gentiles Jesus ministered to, if that is what really happened? Why didn’t Peter use this event as an argument at the Jerusalem Conference when the question of Gentile salvation was raised? If the Lord, himself, had ministered broadly among the Gentiles in Decapolis, this would have been a powerful argument when Peter explained to the other apostles about his own ministry with Cornelius, and when Paul was urging the full acceptance of Gentile converts at the Jerusalem Conference! The fact is Peter never saw the Lord minister to masses of Gentiles in Decapolis, or anywhere else. This mission was given to him, and especially to the apostle Paul.

When a group of Greek Gentiles came to see Jesus, he declined to give them an audience, and immediately followed it by a parable saying that he had to die before there could be a fruitful ministry among the Gentiles! Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit” (John 12:24). Thus, until his death and resurrection, he restricted his ministry to his own Jewish people, as he said he would, with very few exceptions.

15:26, 31          There are a number of links with Isaiah 29 in this area of the record

The context in Isaiah 29 is that the Jews were hypocritical – Isa 29:13 and so their wise men would be unable to see the gospel – Isa 29:14 but Lebanon – Isa 29:17 – would be a fruitful area for the message to be spread.  Here in Matt 15:21 Jesus is Tyre and Sidon (Lebanon). Even though by verse :29 Jesus had returned to Galilee the response of Lebanon is still the focus.

15:13   God ‘planted’  a vine which he brought out of Egypt Psa 80:15, Jer 2:21 that plant was the individual members of the nation of Israel. Some were good plants, others were not. The Jewish leaders were not good plants so God disowned them.

15:33  It seems that the disciples had forgotten the miracle that they had seen when the 5,000 were filled. Before we look askance at the disciples for forgetting a miracle they had seen only a short while earlier we should reflect on our own position. How often does the miracle of the rebirth of the nation of Israel cause us to realise that our God can do anything?

15:31   This is the only occasion in the gospels that God is spoken of as the God of Israel.           

15:22  In calling Jesus “son of David” we see a phrase which is used more in Matthew’s gospel than in all the other gospel records combined. You might care to look for the others. There are three occasions when people healed called Jesus “son of David”.

15:8-9    The way n which Jesus uses Isa 29:13 and then speaks of their worship being “in vain” highlights the point that unless the heart is right then whatever is done is empty.

15:5    Whilst we might not observe the “Corban” law that the Jews had invented for themselves one wonders how often we use some sort of excuse for not giving God our time?

15:35-37One wonders how many of those who were fed on this occasion were amongst those when the 5,000 were fed. We know the 12 would have bene amongst those. What was the expectation of the people? The 12, it seems, had no expectation of another miracle.

15:17-19 It might have been thought that the food laws of the Law of Moses taught that what one ate was important. It was – but not for dietary reasons. It was to teach the principle of being separate – Lev 11:47

15:4 In the way that Jesus quotes both Exo 12 and Exo 20:17 shows that the separate commandments are, in fact, related to each other. They are not just one line proof passages. Our approach to scripture should be the same. We should take account of the context and surrounding verses.

15:8-9 Outward show is a feature of the human mind. Pride may drive one to do things for others to see in order that they think well of us yet inwardly those actions do not reflect the thoughts of the heart. We might deceive those around us but we can never deceive our God. So we are left wondering “Why do we try?”

15:7  Jesus’ words “ye hypocrites” shows the true colour of those who would seek to minimise the impact of their obligations by creating “get out clauses” One wonders how often we do such things.

15:2 When we appreciate that the Jewish leaders were trying to establish the status of Jesus they challenge him because he does not follow their traditions and interpretation of the Law of Moses. If they had the slightest inkling that Jesus was in fact Messiah they would see that their own position was seriously undermined by Jesus’ actions.

Matt 15:14

“Let them alone; they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”

“THE Pharisees evaded duties to their parents and so made void one of the ten commandments. Jesus severely condemns their casuistry, by which they put the doctrines of men in the place of God’s law. The same saying (Matt 15:14) occurs in another context in Luke 6:39 as part of the discourse which closely resembles the Sermon on the Mount of Matt 5; Matt 6; Matt 7. This context in Luke’s record, and the fact that it was spoken to the disciples, prevents the comfortable detached consideration of the saying which is possible in restricting its reference to the Pharisees. We may appreciate the application to others and endorse the judgment: but it is spoken also as a warning to all disciples. The object lesson of the one must be noted for the guidance of every follower of the Lord. It is a warning of the dangers of being leaders and teachers, which all teachers should take to heart.”

John Carter, Parables of the Messiah, p. 113