We are so fickle. We as people are constantly turning to other gods to meet our desires or needs. The Lord is a forgiving God, but there comes a time when He says, “No more. I will no longer forgive.” There is a line that is drawn somewhere. We cannot cross that line. If there were not a line, He would not be glorious. But there is a line, and we must be careful not to cross it or crowd it. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
PSALM 26
What makes me pure in His sight? How could I ever ask Him to judge me? I could make noise like David has made here about having walked in integrity. Comparing myself to other men, I might be able to make a pretty good case for being a man of integrity. But the problem is that the standard is not other men; it is God’s own character. David implores God to not gather his soul with bloody men. Yet God Himself would not allow David to build the temple because, as God put it, “You have shed much blood and have made great wars; you shall not build a house for My name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in My sight.” How could David have the gall to say to God, “Vindicate me, O LORD, For I have walked in my integrity.” Even if this was written before he sinned with Bathsheba and murdered her husband, he was still responsible for the death of thousands of men and had multiple wives. How can he ever claim to walk in integrity?
His loving kindness is always surrounding me. Because of that, I will go about (walk in circles around) His altar. The altar is where sacrifices for sin were made. David was a man of integrity in one respect. He knew that the only way to have his sin covered was at the altar. He knew God was full of loving kindness as well as full of justice. He knew that he could meet God at the altar and be cleansed. Today I can rejoice in the loving kindness of the Lord. I constantly dwell at His altar, the cross of Jesus Christ. There I find and experience His loving kindness. There my sin is washed away and not just covered! There I am empowered to go and sin no more! I come to the cross for one purpose, to die with Him. When I die with Him, I am raised with Him. What loving kindness! What love! What glory! Lord help me to die with You for Your loving kindness surrounds me there and raises me to new life! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
JEREMIAH 52
Why does Jeremiah revisit the destruction of Jerusalem for the final chapter of his book? Why does he spend time mentioning the bronze sea, bulls, pillars and capitals that were broken up and carried away? Why does he mention the utensils of gold and bronze that were carried away? Why does he not mention any of the inner furniture of the temple, particularly the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat? Why does he not mention the destruction of the bronze altar? Why are these things so important?
Maybe the bronze altar was not mentioned because it had been replaced by Ahaz with a model of a pagan altar and then that altar was replaced with altars for Baal by Manasseh. Josiah destroyed the pagan altars. No mention is made of the remaking of an altar of bronze. The bronze furniture that Solomon made, the altar and the sea were types of judgment. The pillars marked the entrance into the holy place. The whole original typology was that entrance into the presence of a holy God is only accomplished through judgment where our sin punished. The Sea in particular signified the washing away of sin before entering His presence. The gold lampstand, table of presence, altar of incense, Ark of the Covenant and mercy seat (none of which are mentioned) all speak of the presence of God and communion with Him. The thrust of Jeremiah’s ministry was to call the people to repentance so that they might escape the judgment of God. They did not repent. Thus, judgment was carried out. The record of the breaking up of the bronze furniture signifies the accomplishment of judgment. No mention of the interior furniture implies that the path to the presence of and communion with God is temporarily closed. Jeremiah’s ministry is finished. He proclaimed the judgment of God. Yes, he introduced us to the New Covenant, but the New Covenant would not be inaugurated for 620 years.
Jeremiah closes with this final look at the judgment upon Judah for their forsaking the Lord. In less than 23 years following the death of one Judah’s most righteous kings, Josiah, the nation is judged and broken and hauled off to Babylon. How do we see the glory of God in this? He is indeed a God of judgment. The wicked do not go un-judged. Isaiah put it well, “Call out to her! Her warfare is ended! Her iniquity is removed! For she has received of the Lord, double for her sin! . . . Comfort my people!” There is a promise of mercy in the New Covenant. I consider myself to be dead with Him on the cross. Judgment has taken place. I have been raised with Him to walk in newness of life and His righteousness. Instead of having my eyes put out and my sons killed and being placed in chains of bondage, I have His spiritual sight. I have life! I have freedom because of Him! I will cling to this glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john
P.S. What happened to the Ark? My seminary prof’s personal opinion was that it was melted down by Nebuchadnezzar. The Ethiopian Coptic church claims that Solomon gave it to their queen, so it was never present when the walls of Jerusalem were breeched. There are a few Rabbinical traditions that it was hidden by Jeremiah in the closing hours of Jerusalem’s life before the breeching of the walls. Some suggest that it is hidden in the Labyrinth of tunnels and cisterns underneath the temple mount. Some suggest other locations.
ACTS 27:27-44
Wow, a huge grain shipment plus 276 persons on this ship! That is a big ship. The soldiers' (plural) plan was to kill the prisoners, but the centurion prevented them. Do you suppose the whole unit was going home--all 100? FF Bruce suggests that Julius was a centurion assigned to oversee the shipping of grain to troops. That would explain the ship going from Alexandria to Rome and all of the presence of the grain. The details are not certain, but this is certain: 276 persons go down with the ship, and not one lost his life as the Lord promised. Now there is glory in that! The Lord took them through the shipwreck. He will take us through our storms as well. And if we permit Him, He will show His glory in the process. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John
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