Jeremiah 9 (résumé): Oh that my head were a spring of water!

Jeremiah 9 is a lament by Jeremiah concerning the moral decay of Judah and its impending judgement. He says that he feels like weeping day and night. Jeremiah says that he feels the desire to move to the desert to get away from the adulterers and unfaithful people. He says that the people "live in the midst of deception" and in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge God. The coming Babylonian judgement will be a way of refining and testing his people says the Lord. God says that he "will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins... because the people have forsaken the law... they have followed the stubbornness of their hearts and followed the Baals... so I will scatter them amongst nations... the sound of wailing his heard from Zion with great shame... dead bodies of men will lie everywhere... I will punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh!"

Soup Run

Last night the Soup Run team prepared the food at the Care Centre and then set out to the poor peripheral boroughs of Sete Casas and Cangote de Urubu where the distribution took place much to the joy of about 100 people. It was a real blessing.

Jeremiah 8 (résumé): Sin & Punishment

 Jeremiah 8 has a prophecy about impending judgement at the hands of the Babylonians. So severe will be the action that the bones of priests, kings and prophets will be desecrated. Then God asks: "why does Jerusalem always turn away?... no-one repents of his wickedness... the birds know the seasons and have more sense than the people... how can you say we are wise because we have the law... but it has been handled falsely... so I will give their wives to other men... peace, peace they say when there is no peace... they will be brought down when they are punished says the Lord". God then says that he will take away their harvest, there will be no grapes or figs. Then they hear "the snorting of the enemy's horses... and venomous snakes (the Babylonian army?) bite them... why have my people provoked me to anger with their images?... the harvest is past and we are not saved... is there no balm in Gilead?" This expresses Jeremiah's sadness at the bad spiritual state of Judah.

Jeremias 7 (résumé): False religion is worthless

 Jeremiah 7 is often called the 'Temple Sermon' attacking a hypocritical façade of religiosity whilst living far from God. God commanded Jeremiah to proclaim his message at the gate of the temple: "Hear the word of the Lord all people of Judah". The people trusted in the temple yet sinned oppressing aliens, orphans and widows, committed adultery and perjury and followed Baal and other gods! They felt they were covered by the temple to do what they liked! So God says through Jeremiah that his anger and wrath is kindled... obey me and I will be your God! However Judah ignored God's message and were "stiff-necked". The people have done "evil in my eyes" God said. They have set up idols in the temple! They have set up pagan high places to sacrifice and burn their children! God says that thousands of people will die in judgement and vultures and beasts will feed on their skeletons! "The land will become desolate".

Jeremiah 6 (résumé): Jerusalem under siege

Jeremiah 6 predicts impending "disaster looms out of the north, even terrible destruction... prepare for battle... Jerusalem must be punished... build siege ramps against Jerusalem... I will make your land desolate... to whom can I give warning? Who will listen to me?... I am full of the wrath of the Lord... pour it out on children... young men... husband and wife... the old... prophets and priests all practice deceit... peace, peace they say where there is nor peace... they will fall among the fallen... ask for ancient paths and walk in them... I am bringing disaster on these people... your burnt offerings are not acceptable... look an army is coming from the north... they are cruel and show no mercy... there is terror on every side... put on sackcloth and roll in ashes... for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us!"

Jeremiah 5 (résumé): Not one is upright

In Jeremiah 5 God commands the prophet to search for just one honest person in Jerusalem so as to trigger forgiveness, but he couldn't find one. Jeremiah thinks it was because he was just looking at the poor so he turned to the leaders who were in the same boat: "For their rebellion is great and their backslidings many... they committed adultery and thronged to the houses of prostitutes. They are well-fed lusty stallions neighing for another man's wife... the house of Israel and Judah have been utterly unfaithful to me... the prophets are but wind and the word is not in them... they have forsaken me and served foreign gods". So God declares that he will judge his people: "Announce this to the house of Jacob... you have eyes but do not see... these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts... should I not punish them?... as you have forsaken me and served foreign gods, so you will serve foreigners in a land (Babylon) not your own",

Rains finished

The rainy season is sadly over here. At Green Pastures we had rain on April 28th and then not until May 17th when we had just 4 mm taking us up to a total for the year of 653.6 mm.

Last night I travelled to São Mamede to preach the Gospel in a street service on 'the healing of a demon-possessed man' in Mark 5:1-20. School teacher Claudivan led the service and praise was by Biê, Maricô and José. It was a nice meeting.