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The Bible Breakdown
Jeremiah 11: They Want Him Dead
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The More We Dig. The More We Find.
Well, hello everybody. Welcome back to the Bible Breakdown podcast with your host, Pastor Brandon. Today, Jeremiah, chapter 11, and today's title is they Want Him Dead. They want him dead. We're talking about Jeremiah Joker trying to get killed. I mean, he is trying to get killed and like, of course, right Because the things that he has been saying, he's not just writing these things down, Right Because the things that he has been saying, he's not just writing these things down. He's going to the temple in Jerusalem where there's all these false prophets that saying, oh, everything is fine. And Jeremiah is saying I remember yesterday he was saying you jokers are stupid. So he's almost dead, All right, but we're going to get into all that in just a moment. If you like what we're doing here, make sure you like share, subscribe to the YouTube channel and the podcast, Make sure you leave us a five-star review on the podcast and make sure you're going to the Bible breakdown discussion on Facebook. Because, man, the more we dig, the more we find and, as always, we are going to continue to dive into God's word and we are going to dive into God's word on YouTube channel by looking straight at the text and just imagine for a moment Now remember, the overall theme of Jeremiah is a future and a hope.
Speaker 1:God gives hope and gives light in the middle of darkness. And so by darkness I mean that he goes into the temple and he hears all these false prophets and they're all saying peace and safety, Everything's fine, it's all good, you know just just all of this. Jeremiah knows judgment's on its way and he loves the people enough to say listen, guys, we've gone too far. Judgment's coming, the justice of God is coming, and the best we can do is we can repent, we can hang on, because it's coming and God loves us enough. He's not going to destroy us, but we're going to get in trouble for the things we're doing. Well, yeah, that's going to start a little bit of a ruckus, right, and so let's look at what happens. And Joker trying to get killed, All right. So here we go.
Speaker 1:Jeremiah 11, verse 1 says this the Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. Jeremiah 11, verse 1 says this of my covenant, For I said to your ancestors when I brought them out of the iron-smelting furnace of Egypt if you obey me and do whatever I command you, then you will be my people and I will be your God. I said this so I could keep my promise to your ancestors and to give you a land flowing with milk and honey, the land you live in today. Then I replied Amen, Lord, may it be so. Then the Lord said Broadcast this message in the streets of Jerusalem, Go from town to town, throughout the land and say Remember the ancient covenant and do everything it requires. For I solemnly warned your ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt obey me. I have repeated this warning over and over to this day, but your ancestors did not listen or even pay attention. Instead, they stubbornly followed their own evil desires and because they refused to obey, I brought upon them all the curses described in this covenant.
Speaker 1:Now pause again. Now what has happened is is God told Jeremiah Jeremiah, go tell the nation. I've been telling you for so long to obey me. I got good reasons and you're not obeying me. And because you're not obeying me, all these bad things are happening. The things I'm telling you to do are to keep you safe. And so Jeremiah goes. And then verse 9 says Again the Lord spoke to me and said I have discovered a conspiracy against me among the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
Speaker 1:They have returned to the sins of their ancestors, and they have refused to listen to me and are worshiping other gods. Israel and Judah have both broken the covenant I made with their ancestors. Therefore, this is what the Lord says I am going to bring calamity upon them, and they will not escape. Though they beg for mercy, I will not listen to their cries. Then the people of Judah and Jerusalem will pray to their idols and burn incense before them, but their idols will not save them when disaster strikes. Look now, people of Judah you have as many gods as you have towns. You have as many altars of shame, altars of burning incense to your God Baal, as there are streets in Jerusalem. Pray no more for these people, Jeremiah. Do not weep or pray for them, for I will not listen to them when they cry out to me in distress. What right do my beloved people have to come to my temple when they have done so many immoral things? Can their vows and sacrifices prevent their destruction? They actually rejoice in doing evil. I, the Lord, once called them a thriving olive tree, beautiful to see and full of good fruit, but now I have sent the fury of their enemies to burn them with fire, leaving them charred and broken. I, the Lord of heaven's armies, who planted this olive tree, have ordered it destroyed, for the people of Israel and Judah have done evil, arousing my anger by burning incense to Baal.
Speaker 1:Now look at this a plot against Jeremiah, verse 18. Then the Lord told me about the plots my enemies were making against me. I was like a lamb being led to the slaughter. I had no idea they were planning to kill me. Let's destroy this man and all his words, they said. Let's cut him down so that his name will be forgotten forever. Oh, Lord of heaven's armies, you make righteous judgments and you examine the deepest thoughts and secrets. Let me see your vengeance against them, for I have committed my cause to you.
Speaker 1:This is what the Lord says about the men of Anathoth who wanted me dead. He has said I will kill you if you do not stop prophesying. They had said we will kill you if you do not stop prophesying. They had said we will kill you if you do not stop prophesying in the Lord's name. So this is what the Lord of Heaven's army says about them I will punish them. Their young men will die in battle. Their boys and girls will starve to death. No, not one of these plotters from Anathoth will survive, for I will bring disaster upon them when their time of punishment comes.
Speaker 1:Wow, Jeremiah, I mean to be fair, Jeremiah kind of should see this coming. All right, and that doesn't take away from the fact that this is terrible. But think about it for a moment. Jeremiah is going around and he is saying you jokers are fools. Remember yesterday? You jokers are stupid. We got to turn back to God. Well, they don't like that. And so they say we're going to kill him. And the reality is is we're going to see later. They try to kill him, I mean.
Speaker 1:But what I love about this is what God says in return. He's like Jeremiah, I know they're saying that you're wrong, but guess what? They're the ones that are wrong and when the time is right, I'm going to prove it to you. Now, what does that have to do with us? Today? There are times when we decide we're going to live for God, we're going to do the right thing, we're not going to cut any corners, we're going to be holy, we're going to go after God. And there are people around us who are not interested in that and they're going to say you know what? I'm going to ruin his character, I'm going to slander against him for trying to do the right thing, or I'm just going to not be part of all this. They're going to find some way. You know what God's going to say If you do the right thing for the right reason, I will always lead you in the right direction and even though for a season it's going to look like they're winning, I will win in the end.
Speaker 1:Can I tell you? I've seen this so many times. So many times I have watched where you have two people. You have one person who's trying to do the right thing. They're trying to honor God, they're trying to honor their family, they're trying to honor their commitments and because of that, they're not moving ahead in life at the speed of everybody else. Because it's not always the case, but many times. If you see somebody moving ahead in life very quickly, getting all the promotions, doing all the things, they're usually having to sacrifice something along the way Not always the case, but many times it is. And usually having to sacrifice something along the way Not always the case, but many times it is.
Speaker 1:And the people who are saying I am not willing to sacrifice my family, I'm not willing to sacrifice my integrity, I'm not willing to do those things. Well, for them it's a lot slower, the process is a whole lot slower. And then the other people are saying, well, if you would just stop going to church on Sunday and working a little extra, if you would just stop being honest and cut a couple of corners everybody else is doing it or if you would stop going home and spending the evening with your family, you could get ahead, and any number of things you know. What I've noticed, though, is for a season, it looks like the ones cutting all the corners are doing it right. For a season, they look like they're getting ahead, and I've talked to people in those seasons and they'll say, pastor, I don't understand. I'm doing all the right things, I'm giving to God, I'm honoring my family. Why can't I seem to get ahead? And you know a lot of those times I say, man, I don't know. I just know what you're doing is right, Keep doing it.
Speaker 1:And then, in time, you know what I start to notice. It's like the tortoise and the hare. You start to notice that the turtle starts taking over because he's doing the right things for the right reasons, he starts taking over, and that hare, the one that got ahead for a little while, they start falling further and further and further behind, and so I've seen it so many times now that I no longer doubt it. I just don't know how long that process takes, and that's the frustrating part. But can I make you a promise If you do the right thing for the right reason, God will always point you in the right direction.
Speaker 1:And that doesn't mean that it's easy. It will be so tempting sometimes to take the shortcuts, to sacrifice your family, sacrifice your integrity, sacrifice the long road of faithfulness. But if you will do the right things for the right reasons, no matter what your enemies say, in the end God is always faithful. So I want to ask you this question as we end our time together Is there an area of your life that you're tempted to take the shortcut? You're tempted to sell your integrity to get a little bit ahead, Maybe sell your time with your family. Or you say you know, when I get ahead, then I'll start giving to the Lord, when I pay off this debt, then I'll start tithing to the Lord. Can I tell you, if you'll do the right thing for the right reason, God, if you'll do the right thing for the right reason, God will always point you in the right direction. Is there an area of your life that you need to trust God? Even though everybody else says, take the shortcut, you're going to take the long road of faithfulness. Can I tell you you're going to be amazed at what you find.
Speaker 1:Let's pray together right now. God, thank you so much for today. Thank you, God, that you are patient with us and that, God, you work with us and you help us in so many ways. I pray today that, as we come to know you more, you will lead us in the right direction. Help us, Lord, to resist the temptation of the shortcut, to realize, Lord, that that long-term faithfulness, man, that's where it's at. We celebrate that today In Jesus' name. We pray Amen and what God's word says in Jeremiah, chapter 29, verse 13,. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. My prayer to you is that you find God in all that you do today. I love you. I'll see you tomorrow for Jeremiah, chapter 12.
