CARE FOR JEREMIAH

“Now while Jeremiah had not yet gone back, Nebuzaradan said, go back to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people. Or go wherever it seems convenient for you to go. So the captain of the guard gave him rations and a gift and let him go” (Jer. 40:5 NKJV).

God does take care of His own is not just a catch phrase. Here we see God’s care of Jeremiah when Jerusalem fell to Babylon. Thus we want to note the means, the moment, and the munificence of the care.

Means of the care – “Captain of the guard.” Often, God’s care often comes from the most unexpected sources. In Jeremiah’s case, it was not from his own people, but from the “captain of the guard” of the Babylonian government. The “captain of the guard” was not known to be very charitable. In fact, he was the man in charge of punishing the king’s prisoners. So for him to show this kindness to Jeremiah was much unexpected. But the God who caused ravens and a poor widow to take care of Elijah in a famine, can also bring us care through unexpected means.

Moment of the care - The time of this care was the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians. It was a time when every source of help for Jeremiah seemed to have dried up. Yet, in the darkest hour, Jeremiah was given the best of care. God will care for us no matter what our situation. No crisis is too great for God.

Munificence of the care – “Gave him rations and a gift.” The word “rations” here speaks of food which at the time, was very scarce in Jerusalem. And the “gift” was a present, something extra. God’s munificent or generous care is also seen in Jeremiah’s earlier release from prison by the captain of the guard (Jer. 40:4). This shows us the marvelous and wonderful way God care for His own. When mistreated by others, let’s remember this verse. God does cares!

(Adapted from Butler's Daily Bible Reading)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“We may face situations beyond our reserves but never beyond God’s resources!”

Anonymous

Word Study

Dogs

In Phil. 3:2 we read, “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation” (NKJV).

Dogs is the Greek word kuōn (κύων =koo'-ohn). It simply means dog. In the ancient world dogs here were mangy, flea-ridden, vicious, starved scavengers, that tended to run in packs, dig through garbage and occasionally attack humans. In classical Greek kuōn is the term for dog. It is used literally, when referring to the animal, and metaphorically, when describing something or someone that is impure or unclean. In the Septuagint kuōn is translated dog. In most cases, the word is intended to be taken literally. In the New Testament, kuōn is also used both literally and metaphorically. Anything or anyone that was considered to be defiled, unholy, or impure was associated with the term kuōn.

Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus

Old Testament Prophecy – Messiah will proclaim a period of peace (Isa. 61:1-2)

New Testament Fulfillment – Gal. 4:4-5

Did You Know…

In the Bible it states that Jesus died for us (1 Thess. 5:10).

Bible Quiz

Who pretended to be mad to avoid capture and death at the hands of the enemy king Achish?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz: According to Mark 6, how expensive would it have been to feed the crowd of 5,000 men? “Two hundred denarii worth of bread” - about eight month’s wages (Mark 6:37)

Names of the Lord Jesus Found in the Bible

“Shepherd”

"For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls!” (1 Peter 2:25 NKJV).

1. Meaning – The Lord Jesus is the Good Shepherd.

2. Insights – The Lord Jesus came to care for and to lead lost sheep, lost men and women. His sheep know His voice, and no one can take them form His hands.

3. Related Titles – Door / Gate of the Sheep (John 10:7); Good Shepherd (John 10:14).

Did You Know – Christian History

John Woolman, was born October 19, 1720 in Burlington County, New Jersey. He was an American merchant, tailor, journalist, Quaker preacher, and early abolitionist during the colonial era.

Born into a farming Quaker family, Woolman spent a lot of time helping on the farm and attended school in the local schoolhouse. Later he became a clerk in the local village store and learnt tailoring. As he was an efficient writer he was asked to prepare important documents. One of these was a bill of sale for a slave. He decided that as the slave was being sold to a woman who would treat her well, he could write the bill. He told the seller and the new owner that they were following a practice ‘inconsistent with the Christian religion.’

Abolition therefore became one of Woolman’s main interests. In 1746 he and a fellow Quaker Isaac Andrews travelled in the ministry and covered over 1500 miles in about three months. They travelled through Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina observing slavery at first hand.

Woolman was a gentle man who spoke persuasively to slave owners about the evils of slave ownership and often was able to convince them, without causing offence, to release their slaves. At this time he also wrote two essays “On Keeping Negroes.” They were later published in 1754 and 1762 respectively. Although he had become a prosperous shopkeeper and tailor, Woolman decided to give up his business activities to allow him more time for his abolition work.

Woolman kept a Journal and in it he describes his abhorrence of slavery and how he tried to lead by example. Woolman’s Journal has become one of the world’s greatest spiritual autobiographies.

In 1772 Woolman journeyed to England. He chose to travel in the crew’s quarters in keeping with the Quaker testimony to equality. Because of his unkempt appearance and undyed clothing, the London Quakers looked on Woolman with distrust. However, they accepted him after they had heard him preach. For the first time London Yearly Meeting included a statement condemning slavery.

Woolman then set off to New York but refused to travel by stagecoach as he felt that the coachmen drove the horses too hard and overworked the horse boys. It took Woolman six weeks to travel over 400 miles during which he spent time preaching. Soon after reaching York he succumbed to smallpox and died on 7 October 1772. He is buried in the Quaker Burial Ground at Bishophill in York.

A Little Humor

An elderly woman died last month. Having never married, she requested no male pallbearers. In her handwritten instructions for her memorial service, she wrote, “they wouldn’t take me out while I was alive, I don’t want them to take me out when I’ dead.”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“God can do without us, but we cannot do without Him”