Day 240

Refusal to Repent

Read: Jeremiah 44-45

Jeremiah is with the remnant of Jews who fled to Egypt. God reminds them that their forefathers had continued in sin although he had sent one prophet after another to call them to repentance. Now that they are in Egypt they are continuing to worship idols, and therefore he will continue to punish them.

The reply of both the men and the women is that they intend to continue in their idolatry no matter what the Lord’s prophet says to them. They will continue to burn incense to the queen of heaven (Ashtoreth, whose worship was accompanied by acts of immorality). Therefore the Lord says through his prophet that he will punish them because Nebuchadnezzar will invade Egypt.

This occurred at the Egyptian city Tahpahnes which was excavated in 1886. The palace where Jeremiah was told to hide the stones in chapter 43 was discovered there. Nebuchadnezzar invaded Egypt 18 years after Jeremiah’s prediction, and inscriptions tell that he carried Jews captive from Tahpahnes.

In chapter 45, God addresses Jeremiah’s secretary, Baruch, who evidently had some unwise ambitions, for God says to him, “Do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not” (v. 5). God promises to protect him, but rebukes his pride. The Christian is not to seek his own ambitions but to seek God’s will.

PRAYER
Father, ever give us a humble and repentant spirit, looking to you for daily blessings. In Christ’s name. Amen.