
Advent
- Remember we are a
- Look to God’s promises and how they were fulfilled
Jeremiah
- First and second batch of exiles already left
- King Zedekiah
- Installed by Nebby, but later rebelled
Jeremiah
- Under guard
- Zedekiah - angry that he is not trumpeting Zedekiah’s message
- But secretly still visits him to hear his prophecy
Jeremiah has
1). Jerusalem will be destroyed because of her
It was terrible.
They have turned their backs to me, not their faces; though I have taught them persistently, they would not listen and accept correction. They set up their abominations in the house that bears my name, and defiled it. They built the high places of Baal in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to offer up their sons and daughters to Molech, though I did not command them, nor did it enter my mind that they should do this abomination, causing Judah to sin. —Jeremiah 32:33-35
No justice, no righteousness
God is turning his face away for a moment
Allowing them the consequences of their actions
City will be destroyed
And yet,
2). God will
- God promises its renewal
I am going to bring it recovery and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them abundance[d] of prosperity and security. I will restore the fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel, and rebuild them as they were at first. I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me, and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against me. And this city shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them; they shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it. —Jeremiah 33:6-9
God himself will come
- restore justice AND righteousness
- King and Priest
Zedekiah was so annoyed at Jeremiah
- No on judgement, yes on restoration
Sure there were others who felt the opposite
- Yes on judgement, no on restoration
Here is Jeremiah, trumpetting both!
- For him, faithfulness was living into that tension
- His heart yearned for resolution
- But he had to hold both realities
Not
- Genesis 3
- Proclaiming judgement even while anticipating redemption
Jesus
- on the cross, judgement and salvation meet
- Of course, this was the message
We are still stuck in between
- World is deeply broken
- World will be restored
Like, Jeremiah
- message is exhausting sometimes
- message is not popular with either side
God gave Jeremiah sometime practical
- chapter 32, he was told to buy a field
- put his money down on the promise
This Advent, let’s buy a
- Let’s show the world we mean it - we really believe in Jesus’ return
- In a thousand small ways, how can we live in a way that lets us put a down payment on the coming redemption?