Judgment and Hope: God's Covenant Promise in Christ
Summary
### Summary
Dear friends, today we delve into the book of Jeremiah, focusing on the themes of judgment and hope. Jeremiah's message is stark, depicting God's severe judgment on Israel due to their persistent rebellion and sin. This judgment is vividly illustrated through the ancient practice of "cutting a covenant," where sacrificial animals are split in two, symbolizing the severe consequences of breaking a covenant. This practice is mirrored in Genesis 15, where God makes a covenant with Abram, promising him land and descendants.
Jeremiah's words are harsh, but they also carry a promise of hope. In Jeremiah 29, God assures the exiled Israelites that after 70 years, He will bring them back and fulfill His good plans for them. However, this promise is often misinterpreted in our culture, where we equate blessings with material success and upward mobility. This misreading can lead to a distorted view of God's promises, making us believe that good things happen because we deserve them and bad things happen because we have failed.
Our culture's obsession with upward mobility contrasts sharply with the biblical narrative, where salvation is depicted as God coming down to meet us in our lowest moments. From the Exodus to the incarnation of Jesus, God's movement is always downward, reaching out to us in our brokenness. This is epitomized in Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, where He submits to God's will, even though it leads to His suffering and death.
The cross is the ultimate demonstration of God's downward movement. Jesus, the perfect covenant-keeper, takes on the punishment for our broken covenants, offering us a new covenant in His blood. This means that no matter how far we fall, there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. God's promises are not a formula for success but an invitation to cling to Jesus, who meets us at the bottom of the ladder and lifts us up.
In light of this, Jeremiah 29:11 is not a good luck charm but a profound promise that God has plans to prosper us in Jesus, to give us hope and a future in Him. This promise holds true regardless of our circumstances, offering us a steadfast hope in the midst of life's uncertainties.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Severity of Breaking Covenant: The ancient practice of "cutting a covenant" involved severe consequences for breaking it, symbolized by the splitting of sacrificial animals. This illustrates the gravity of Israel's rebellion against God and the serious nature of their broken promises. It serves as a reminder of the weight of our commitments to God and the consequences of our unfaithfulness. [01:13]
2. Misinterpreting God's Promises: Jeremiah 29:11 is often taken out of context and used as a good luck charm, implying that God's blessings are tied to our success and upward mobility. This misinterpretation can lead to a distorted view of God's promises, making us believe that we are blessed because we deserve it and cursed because we have failed. Understanding the true context of this promise helps us see it as an assurance of God's faithfulness, not a formula for success. [05:42]
3. God's Downward Movement: Contrary to our cultural belief that good is up and bad is down, the biblical narrative shows that salvation is God coming down to meet us in our brokenness. From the Exodus to Jesus' incarnation, God's movement is always downward, reaching out to us in our lowest moments. This challenges our perception of success and failure, reminding us that God's presence is with us even in our darkest times. [13:29]
4. The Cross as the Fulfillment of Covenant: Jesus' death on the cross is the ultimate fulfillment of the broken covenant. He takes on the punishment for our unfaithfulness, offering us a new covenant in His blood. This means that there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, as He has already borne the consequences of our sins. The cross is a powerful reminder of God's grace and the depth of His love for us. [19:54]
5. Clinging to God's Promises in Uncertainty: Life's uncertainties can make us feel like we have fallen off the ladder of success, leading us to question God's presence and favor. However, Jeremiah 29:11 assures us that God's plans for us are good, even when circumstances are dire. This promise invites us to cling to Jesus, who meets us at the bottom of the ladder and offers us hope and a future in Him. [22:15]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:13] - The Severity of Breaking Covenant
[02:27] - Covenant with Abram
[03:30] - Ancient Near Eastern Practices
[04:31] - Judgment and Hope in Jeremiah
[05:42] - Misinterpreting God's Promises
[06:28] - Hashtag Blessed Culture
[08:12] - Good is Up, Bad is Down
[09:22] - The Ladder of Success
[10:19] - Personal Story of Suffering
[11:57] - The Misconception of Fault
[13:29] - God's Downward Movement
[15:13] - Meeting God on the Mountain
[16:01] - Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane
[17:37] - The Cross and the New Covenant
[19:54] - Fulfillment of Covenant
[22:15] - Clinging to God's Promises
[24:06] - Living Under Uncertainty
[24:50] - Conclusion and Hope in Jesus
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Jeremiah 34:18-20 - "Those who have violated my covenant and have not fulfilled the terms of the covenant they made before me, I will treat like the calf they cut in two and then walked between its pieces. The leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the court officials, the priests, and all the people of the land who walked between the pieces of the calf, I will deliver into the hands of their enemies who want to kill them. Their dead bodies will become food for the birds and the wild animals."
2. Jeremiah 29:10-11 - "This is what the Lord says: 'When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"
3. Genesis 15:6-10 - "Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness. He also said to him, 'I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.' But Abram said, 'Sovereign Lord, how can I know that I will gain possession of it?' So the Lord said to him, 'Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.' Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half."
#### Observation Questions
1. What does the practice of "cutting a covenant" involve, and what does it symbolize in Jeremiah 34:18-20? [01:13]
2. How does Jeremiah 29:10-11 provide hope to the exiled Israelites, and what is the context of this promise? [05:42]
3. In Genesis 15:6-10, what does Abram's interaction with God reveal about the nature of God's promises and covenants?
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the severe imagery of "cutting a covenant" in Jeremiah 34:18-20 help us understand the gravity of Israel's rebellion against God? [01:13]
2. Why is it important to understand the context of Jeremiah 29:10-11 when interpreting God's promise of prosperity and hope? [05:42]
3. How does the downward movement of God, as seen in the Exodus and the incarnation of Jesus, challenge our cultural perceptions of success and failure? [13:29]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt like you had broken a commitment to God. How did you deal with the consequences, and what did you learn from that experience? [01:13]
2. Have you ever misinterpreted a Bible verse to fit your own desires or circumstances? How can you ensure you are understanding God's promises in their true context? [05:42]
3. In what ways can you recognize and resist the cultural obsession with upward mobility and instead embrace the biblical narrative of God meeting us in our brokenness? [13:29]
4. How does the cross, as the ultimate fulfillment of the covenant, impact your understanding of grace and forgiveness in your daily life? [19:54]
5. When facing life's uncertainties, how can you practically cling to Jesus and His promises, especially when you feel like you have fallen off the ladder of success? [22:15]
6. Think of a recent situation where you felt distant from God due to a personal failure or hardship. How can you remind yourself of God's presence and promises during such times? [24:06]
7. How can you support someone in your life who is struggling with the belief that their suffering is a result of their own failures? What specific actions can you take to offer them hope and encouragement? [10:19]
Devotional
Day 1: The Weight of Our Commitments to God
The ancient practice of "cutting a covenant" involved severe consequences for breaking it, symbolized by the splitting of sacrificial animals. This practice, vividly illustrated in Genesis 15, underscores the gravity of Israel's rebellion against God and the serious nature of their broken promises. It serves as a stark reminder of the weight of our commitments to God and the consequences of our unfaithfulness.
In our modern context, we may not physically cut animals in half, but the spiritual and relational consequences of breaking our commitments to God are just as severe. This calls us to reflect deeply on the promises we make to God and the importance of living faithfully according to His will. Understanding the severity of breaking a covenant helps us appreciate the depth of God's grace and the seriousness of our relationship with Him. [01:13]
Jeremiah 11:10 (ESV): "They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear my words. They have gone after other gods to serve them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant that I made with their fathers."
Reflection: Think about a commitment you have made to God. Are you living faithfully according to that promise, or have you strayed? What steps can you take today to renew your commitment and live in alignment with God's will?
Day 2: Understanding God's Promises in Context
Jeremiah 29:11 is often taken out of context and used as a good luck charm, implying that God's blessings are tied to our success and upward mobility. This misinterpretation can lead to a distorted view of God's promises, making us believe that we are blessed because we deserve it and cursed because we have failed. Understanding the true context of this promise helps us see it as an assurance of God's faithfulness, not a formula for success.
God's promise in Jeremiah 29:11 was given to the Israelites in exile, assuring them that despite their current suffering, He had good plans for their future. This promise is not about immediate success or material prosperity but about God's long-term faithfulness and His ultimate plan for our redemption. Recognizing this helps us trust in God's timing and His plans, even when our circumstances are challenging. [05:42]
Jeremiah 29:10-11 (ESV): "For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt disappointed because God's promises did not align with your expectations. How can understanding the true context of Jeremiah 29:11 help you trust in God's long-term plans for your life?
Day 3: God's Presence in Our Lowest Moments
Contrary to our cultural belief that good is up and bad is down, the biblical narrative shows that salvation is God coming down to meet us in our brokenness. From the Exodus to Jesus' incarnation, God's movement is always downward, reaching out to us in our lowest moments. This challenges our perception of success and failure, reminding us that God's presence is with us even in our darkest times.
God's downward movement is a powerful reminder that He is not distant or detached from our struggles. Instead, He enters into our pain and suffering, offering us His presence and comfort. This is epitomized in Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, where He submits to God's will, even though it leads to His suffering and death. Understanding this helps us find hope and strength in God's presence, no matter our circumstances. [13:29]
Psalm 34:18 (ESV): "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit."
Reflection: Think about a time when you felt at your lowest. How did you experience God's presence during that time? How can you remind yourself of God's nearness in your current struggles?
Day 4: The Cross and the New Covenant
Jesus' death on the cross is the ultimate fulfillment of the broken covenant. He takes on the punishment for our unfaithfulness, offering us a new covenant in His blood. This means that there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, as He has already borne the consequences of our sins. The cross is a powerful reminder of God's grace and the depth of His love for us.
The cross represents the culmination of God's downward movement, where Jesus, the perfect covenant-keeper, takes on the punishment for our broken covenants. This act of sacrificial love offers us a new covenant, one that is not based on our ability to keep the law but on Jesus' finished work. This profound truth frees us from condemnation and invites us to live in the light of God's grace and forgiveness. [19:54]
Hebrews 9:15 (ESV): "Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant."
Reflection: Reflect on the significance of the new covenant in your life. How does understanding Jesus' sacrifice on the cross change the way you view your relationship with God and your daily walk with Him?
Day 5: Clinging to God's Promises in Uncertainty
Life's uncertainties can make us feel like we have fallen off the ladder of success, leading us to question God's presence and favor. However, Jeremiah 29:11 assures us that God's plans for us are good, even when circumstances are dire. This promise invites us to cling to Jesus, who meets us at the bottom of the ladder and offers us hope and a future in Him.
In times of uncertainty, it is easy to feel abandoned or forgotten by God. Yet, His promises remain steadfast, offering us hope and assurance. Clinging to God's promises means trusting in His faithfulness and His good plans for our lives, even when we cannot see the way forward. This trust is not based on our circumstances but on the unchanging character of God and His unwavering love for us. [22:15]
Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV): "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
Reflection: In what areas of your life are you currently facing uncertainty? How can you actively cling to God's promises and trust in His faithfulness during this season? What practical steps can you take to remind yourself of His steadfast love and mercy?
Quotes
1. "Jeremiah says, People of God, you entered into covenant with the Almighty, and you broke covenant. You were unfaithful to your promises. You ran away from the God of promise. You persisted in your sin and unbelief, and even when the northern kingdom was taken into exile, you still wouldn't repent. So you're going to become like those animals. Terrible words. Terrible words of judgment in Isaiah." [04:31] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "When we take that promise, that strong promise from God, and kind of domesticate it, and give it a snack, and pat it on its head, and put it on a leash, when we take that promise and we put it in a box, we end up misreading that promise. It's the kind of thing that you would cross-stitch and put on needlepoint, put it on your wall, right? And it belongs there as a reminder of a strong promise, and yet, taken out of context, it can become, almost a talisman, almost a good luck charm." [05:42] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "In our culture, we have a fundamental way of thinking and living that says good is up and down is bad. It's like we've got a ladder in our own experience. In the experience of our own bodies and the way we talk in our culture, I mean, you can be, things can be looking up for you, or business can be on the rise, or your spirits can rise, or you can even jump for joy. And everything that's good is up." [08:12] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "My friend said, when you're at the bottom of the ladder, you cannot relate to the God that's at the very top of the ladder. He's so far away. And it feels like he's mad at you. We experience in our bodies, we talk about this way in the English language. We live like this in our culture. Good is up and therefore bad is down. And when bad things happen, it feels like you're far away from the God who must be up there at the top of the ladder, up in heaven somewhere, where all the good things are." [12:37] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "But I have to tell you, the biblical witness is not that good is up and bad is down. For the Bible, salvation is fundamentally down. God comes down to rescue the people of Israel from Egypt in Exodus chapter 3. God comes down to cut covenant. With those chosen, redeemed people on Mount Sinai in Exodus 19. Isaiah, the prophet's plea for salvation is that Yahweh would rend the heavens and come down. That's the goal, the promise, the hope that God would come down." [13:29] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Salvation isn't something we reach up and attain. Salvation is something that comes down from God. As finite, fallen human beings, we can't even get all the way up the ladder to God. They tried. Remember the Tower of Babel? Back in Genesis chapter... In the Tower of Babel, they built intentionally to go all the way up to the heavens. And ironically, Genesis 11 tells us, God said in heaven, what are they doing down there? Let's go down and find... He can't even tell what they're doing from way up here. He's got to go all the way down to find out what they're doing with that tower." [14:25] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane is God come all the way down the ladder to meet us at the very bottom. My friend said he could hardly pray, but with faltering lips he could also say, but thy will be done. Just as Jesus in the garden prayed, not my will, but thy will be done. Jesus prays in the garden, your will be done, Father. And you see God's will be done, but it's not the kind of prosperity that you expect. Isaiah gives us a picture of what's going on in Gethsemane at the cross. He says, it was the will of the Lord to crush him." [16:50] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "Jesus prays, let this cup pass from me. And yet this cup of judgment that we read about in the book of Jeremiah, this cup of judgment, Jesus will drink to the dregs so that he can offer you and me a different kind of cup. Did you hear it in Matthew chapter 26? Jesus gives, gives you a different cup. As they're eating, Jesus took bread and broke it and said, take and eat, this is my body. And then he took a cup. And when he had given thanks, Jesus gave it to them saying, drink of it, all of you, for this cup is what? My blood of the covenant." [18:16] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "So when it feels like you've been knocked off the ladder and it somehow must be your fault, you run to the blood of the covenant. Paul, in Romans chapter 8, says, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. There's no condemnation left. Jesus drank the cup to its drain. Jesus took the punishment for the covenant on himself and his bloody body on the cross. There's no condemnation left for those who are in Christ Jesus." [20:47] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "Jeremiah 29 is an invitation to cling to Jesus. When you see that promise in light of Jesus, in light of the cross and the blood of the new covenant, when you hold on to that promise, as you hold on to the cross of Jesus, then you know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you in Jesus and not to harm you, plans to give you hope in Jesus and a future in Jesus. And then that strong promise becomes, well, not a good luck charm, but something you can hold on to no matter what." [22:15] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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