Verse of the Week: V23 “They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness.”
1. Suffering Reflects Love (V1-36)
V22 “It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.”
Prophet Jeremiah warned the nation of Israel to repent of their sins and turn to God. Yet time and again, the people of Israel refused to repent of their sins, and it grieved and hurt Jeremiah to see the anger and judgment of the Lord upon His people. Jeremiah suffered together with his people as God allowed their enemies to attack and destroy them and brought them into captivity in foreign lands. God allowed the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Persians, the Romans, etc., to attack and destroy the people of Israel because of their unbelief and rebellion. Yet throughout history and till today, God has never forsake or leave Israel, because great is the LORD’s faithfulness, mercies, compassion and love.
V23 “They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness.”
2. Sufferings Reflects Hope (V37-63)
V39 “Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?”
When we have life, we have hope. Let us who have hope in God, be thankful to God that we are alive and blessed of God. Many times, we fail to realize that it is God who gives us the breath and heartbeat of our precious life. We complain about everything and anything including the house we live and the food we eat when there are many who have no roof over their heads or food to eat. Let us thank God for everything including our sufferings and know that our sufferings shall come to pass when we see God in heaven. Let us lift up our hearts and praise God for our sufferings!
V41 “Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.”
3. Suffering Reflects Judgment (V64-66)
V64 “Render unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of their hands.”
There is one suffering and judgment that is reserved only for the wicked. God has warned the enemies of Israel that suffering and judgment will be upon them if they refuse to believe in the true and living God of Israel. The Day of Judgment will come upon the wicked and they shall surely be persecuted and destroyed in God’s anger.
V66 “Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the LORD.”
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, please help me to thank You for Your great faithfulness and know that my suffering is for my good.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 04:49 pm
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Verse of the Week: V5 “The Lord was as an enemy: He hath swallowed up Israel, He hath swallowed up all her palaces: He hath destroyed His strong holds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.”
1. The Lord Corrects (V1-10)
V5 “The Lord was as an enemy: He hath swallowed up Israel, He hath swallowed up all her palaces: He hath destroyed His strong holds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.”
The Lord was like an enemy to His people when they sinned against Him. In order to correct His people, God sent the Babylonians to attack and destroy them including His own sanctuary. The Lord would not hesitate to correct His people in order for them to repent and return to Him. Let us repent our sins before the Lord is like an enemy to us.
V7 “The Lord hath cast off His altar, He hath abhorred His sanctuary, He hath given up into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces; they have made a noise in the house of the LORD, as in the day of a solemn feast.”
2. The Enemy Celebrates (V11-16)
V11 “Mine eyes do fail with tears, my bowels are troubled, my liver is poured upon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of my people; because the children and the sucklings swoon in the streets of the city.”
Jeremiah wept as he saw the destruction of his people and the sanctuary of God while the enemy of Israel, the Babylonians, celebrated the fall of Israel. When Christians commit sins, the world and the unbelievers will laugh and mock at our poor testimony for God. “Why do Christians cheat, lie and commit immorality? Where is your perfect Christian testimony? Where is your perfect and true God?”
V15 “All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city of that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?”
3. The Lord Controls (V17-22)
V17 “The LORD hath done that which He had devised; He hath fulfilled His word that He had commanded in the days of old: He hath thrown down, and hath not pitied: and He hath caused thine enemy to rejoice over thee, He hath set up the horn of thine adversaries.”
The Lord controls everything and allows our enemies to celebrate and mock at our poor testimony so that we can learn from our mistakes and do what is right before Him.
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, please help me to flee from sins and keep a godly testimony before You.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 04:50 pm
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Verse of the Week: V18 “The LORD is righteous; for I have rebelled against His commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.”
1. The Fall Of The Proud (V1-11)
V1 “How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! How is she become as a widow! She that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!”
Jeremiah witnessed both the glory and greatness of the city of God as well as its devastation and destruction by the hands of the Babylonians. He saw how the people of God became proud and God allowed the Babylonians to attack and destroy them and carried them captives to Babylon. This was why the people of God wept as they sat down by the rivers of Babylon after suffering as slaves under the Babylonians when they remembered Zion, the city of God, and how they were once blessed of God.
Psalms 137:1 “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.”
2. The Fall Of The Careless (V12-17)
V12 “Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of His fierce anger.”
Jeremiah preached to the people to repent of their sins yet they would not hear and were careless with their life and testimony. As the nation of God, instead of being an example in righteousness to all the nations of the world, they were careless with their life and testimony. This was why Jeremiah wept as he saw the wickedness of the people of God.
V16 “For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.”
3. The Fall Of The Rebellious (V18-22)
V18 “The LORD is righteous; for I have rebelled against His commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.”
God’s punishment came and the rebellious people of God suffered as slaves under the rule and power of the Babylonians. The Lord is righteous and you can never escape His punishment if you are proud, careless and rebellious.
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, please help me to be righteous as You are righteous.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 07:35 pm
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Verse of the Week: V10 “And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes: he slew also all the princes of Judah in Riblah.”
1. Sins Affects The Children (V1-11)
V2 “And he did that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done.”
King Zedekiah sinned against God and reaped the consequences that he could never have imagined. Before the king of Babylon plucked out his eyes, he witnessed the king killing all his children. When you sin against God, not only do you reap the consequences of your sins but your children will also suffer for it. Just like in the case of a divorce, children suffer the most when they witness the separation of their beloved parents.
V10 “And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes: he slew also all the princes of Judah in Riblah.”
2. Sins Affects The Church (V12-23)
V13 “And burned the house of the LORD, and the king’s house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the houses of the great men, burned he with fire:”
Not only was the children of King Zedekiah affected, even the house of the LORD was affected when it was completely burnt down. When you sin against God, the testimony of the church as well as the Lord’s name will be adversely affected. If you desire the Lord to bless you and the church, then you should live to His praise and glory, and flee from sins.
V14 “And all the army of the Chaldeans, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down all the walls of Jerusalem round about.”
3. Sins Affects The Community (V24-34)
V27 “And the king of Babylon smote them, and put them to death in Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive out of his own land.”
Sins also affected the entire community of Judah as Babylon defeated Judah and brought the people of Judah to Babylon to be their slaves. The people of Judah were supposed to be the people of God sharing the glory of God but instead they brought shame to God. In spite of the sins of the King of Judah and his people, the gracious God allowed the king of Babylon to release the king of Judah, Jehoiachin, out of prison and set him above the throne of his kings and even provided great food for him until his death.
V34 “And for his diet, there was a continual diet given him of the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.”
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, please help me to flee from sins.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 11:34 am
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Verse of the Week: V53 “Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from Me shall spoilers come unto her, saith the LORD.”
1. Wealth Cannot Win God (V1-29)
V11 “Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of His temple.”
Some of the philosophy of the world is that money can solve every problem and can even buy marriage and friendship. This philosophy is nothing new as the Babylonians had the same philosophy. They thought that they had abundant treasures and wealth and no one, not even the LORD Himself, could touch and destroy them. However, the LORD had been preparing the kings of the Medes to eventually attack and destroy them because of their pride and wickedness.
V13 “O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, and the measure of thy covetousness.”
2. Might Cannot Win God (V30-52)
V30 “The mighty men of Babylon have forborn to fight, they have remained in their holds: their might hath failed; they became as women: they have burned her dwellingplaces; her bars are broken.”
The LORD sent the Medes to attack Babylon and there was fear in the hearts of the wealthy and mighty Babylonians. They soon discovered that wealth and might were from God and they would be utterly and completely destroyed because of their sins and pride.
3. Nothing Can Win God (V53-64)
V53 “Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from Me shall spoilers come unto her, saith the LORD.”
The Babylonians would not give up trying to attack the LORD. They even had the audacity and pride to mount up to heaven to attack the home of the LORD. Subsequently, the LORD sank the entire Babylon to ground zero and till today Babylon (modern Iraq) had never truly recovered from God’s judgment and destruction.
V64 “And thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.”
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, please help me to submit to You as You win all the time.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 11:31 am
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Verse of the Week: V34 “Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is His name: He shall throughly plead their cause, that He may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.”
1. The Sins And Judgment Of Israel (V1-16)
V6 “My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace.”
Babylon declared itself as the strongest in the world as they defeated Israel, the nation of God. It was a sad day for Israel as God had chosen them to be His people, yet they sinned and rebelled against God and became the lost sheep that scattered everywhere on the face of the earth. In fact, Babylon almost wiped out Israel if not for God’s protection and preservation of His chosen people.
2. The Stubbornness and Pride Of Babylon (V17-32)
V9 “For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves in array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain.”
It was judgment day for the world’s strongest nation as Babylon had become most proud, and God had to humble them by sending the Medo-Persians to attack and destroy them. Until today, Babylon, which is today’s Iraq, is still suffering from God’s judgment.
V31 “Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, saith the Lord GOD of hosts: for thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee.”
3. The Strength And Power Of God (V33-46)
V34 “Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is His name: He shall throughly plead their cause, that He may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.”
At the end of the day, every man shall bow their knees and confess with their tongues that they are weak, and God their Redeemer is strong and He shall reign in heaven forever and ever.
Philippians 2:10-11
“That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, please help me to depend on You, my strong Redeemer.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 06:10 pm
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Verse of the Week: V34 “The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against Elam in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying,"
1. Ammon Failed (V1-6)
V1 “Concerning the Ammonites, thus saith the LORD; Hath Israel no sons? Hath he no heir? Why then doth their king inherit Gad, and his people dwell in his cities?”
The Ammonites who were enemies of Israel constantly provoked and attacked Israel but one day God would judge them for their sins because God was with Israel.
2. Edom Failed (V7-22)
V7 “Concerning Edom, thus saith the LORD of hosts; is wisdom no more in Teman? is counsel perished from the prudent? is their wisdom vanished?”
The Edomites who were the enemies of Israel were wise but proud people and they constantly attacked Israel but one day God would judge them for their sins and pride.
3. Damascus Failed (V23-27)
V23 “Concerning Damascus, Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be quiet.”
Damascus or Syria who was the enemy of Israel constantly attacked Israel but one day God would judge them for their sins.
4. Kedar And Hazor Failed (V28-33)
V28 “Concerning Kedar, and concerning the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon shall smite, thus saith the LORD; Arise ye, go up to Kedar, and spoil the men of the east.”
Both Kedar and Hazor who were enemies of Israel constantly attacked Israel but one day God sent the mighty Babylonians to attack and destroy them.
5. Elam Failed (V34-39)
V34 “The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against Elam in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying,”
The mighty Elam or Persia (modern day Iran) could not defeat Israel and to date no nation has ever completely defeat or destroy Israel because Israel is God’s chosen nation. Today Christians are His chosen people and no one shall harm us as we trust in Him.
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, thank You that I am Your child and no one will harm me.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 11:50 am
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Verse of the Week: V29 “We have heard the pride of Moab, (he is exceeding proud) his loftiness, and his arrogancy, and his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart.”
1. The Deceitful Shall Be Cursed (V1-25)
V10 “Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.”
The world says, “The end justifies the means” or we can do anything we want as long as we are not caught. That is why we should not be surprise when we read the newspaper or watch the news that people whom we esteem highly have fallen from grace. However, God’s ways are different from man’s ways. God says, “Curse is he that does the work of the Lord deceitfully” or whatever we do for God we must do it with honesty and integrity. God’s prophet, Jeremiah, repeatedly warned the Moabites to repent of their deceitful ways, otherwise, God shall remove their horn of honour and glory and break their arms of power and strength.
V25 “The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, saith the LORD.”
2. The Mighty Shall Be Humbled (V26-46)
V29 “We have heard the pride of Moab, (he is exceeding proud) his loftiness, and his arrogancy, and his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart.”
In spite of Jeremiah’s repeated warnings, the Moabites never take heed but were exceeding proud and defied God’s warnings and continued in their sins and wickedness. Eventually, God destroyed them as a nation and a people.
V42 “And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he hath magnified himself against the LORD.”
3. The Humbled Shall Be Forgiven (V47)
V47 “Yet will I bring again the captivity of Moab in the latter days, saith the LORD. Thus far is the judgment of Moab.”
Though Moab was a proud nation and the people were arrogant, yet one day, God will forgive and restore them when they humble themselves and repent of their wickedness. God loves all the people as we are all made in His image. God’s desire is that we humble ourselves, and serve and worship Him as the true and living God.
James 4:6
“But He giveth more grace. Wherefore He saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, please humble me and give me grace to serve and worship You.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 06:31 pm
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Verse of the Week: V6 “O thou sword of the LORD, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put up thyself into thy scabbard, rest and be still.”
1. The Philistines Could Not Escape (V1)
V1 “The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Philistines, before that Pharaoh smote Gaza.”
The Philistines thought they would succeed in attacking and defeating the people of Judah because they were a mighty army. However, before they could even attack the people of Judah, God sent Pharaoh and his powerful Egyptian warriors to attack and defeat the Philistines in their own city in Gaza. God loved His people of Judah and Israel and He would protect and preserve them if they would live a godly and righteous life.
Romans 8:31
“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”
2. The Egyptians Could Not Escape (V2-3)
V2 “Thus saith the LORD; Behold, waters rise up out of the north, and shall be an overflowing flood, and shall overflow the land, and all that is therein; the city and them that dwell therein: then the men shall cry, and all the inhabitants of the land shall howl.”
After their victory over the mighty Philistines, Pharaoh and his powerful Egyptian warriors thought they were invincible. However, this time, God sent the aggressive Babylonian soldiers from the north to attack and destroy them like an overflowing flood. The powerful Egyptians realized that they were not the strongest and the mightiest. Indeed, no one is invincible except the Almighty God. Man think they can build and train the most powerful and mightiest army and invent the most devastating weapon including nuclear weapons, yet the Almighty God can defeat and destroy everything that man creates including man himself.
3. The Godly Will Be Spared (V4-7)
V6 “O thou sword of the LORD, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put up thyself into thy scabbard, rest and be still.”
Only when the people live a godly life, will God’s anger or the sword of the Lord be quiet, in the scabbard, rest and be still.
Romans 1:18
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;”
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, please help me to escape Your anger by living a godly life.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 07:30 pm
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Verse of the Week: V28 “Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the LORD: for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished.”
1. God Rules (V1-24)
V15 “Why are thy valiant men swept away? They stood not, because the LORD did drive them.”
The people of Judah went to Egypt thinking that Egypt would protect them from the impending attack of the Babylonians. However, even the great Egyptians were no match for the Babylonians. Why? The Almighty God was behind the Babylonians in their victory over the mighty Egyptians. Let us remember that it is the most High God who rules, and gives the kingdoms to whosoever He will, and no nation or man can stop Him.
Daniel 4:25
“That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will.’
2. God Punishes (V25-26)
V25 “The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saith; Behold, I will punish the multitude of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with their gods, and their kings; even Pharaoh, and all them that trust in him:”
Be not deceived, God is not mocked and He will punish all who rejects Him and trust in their gods of immorality, covetousness, lies and deceits.
3. God Corrects (V27-28)
V28 “Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the LORD: for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished.”
God corrected His people who trusted and believed in Him as He loved them. Today, God will also correct His people who trust and believe in Him because He loves them.
Hebrews 12:6
“For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.”
Prayer of the Week
Dearest God, thank You for Your correction as I know I am Yours.
Posted by: Pastor Davy Sim AT 06:28 pm
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