After reading the book of Jeremiah, it really has instilled in me the importance of not only listening to the Lord but obeying Him as well. It is a sad thing how the Lord had topunish Judah and Jerusalem and discipline them by having the Babylonians take them captive into their land and destroying theirs. He had had enough of their idol worship and looking to other gods for their comfort and trust and also for them not listening to Him and obeying His commandments.
The Lord warned them through Jeremiah over and over again how they were not listening to the Lord and worshipping other idols and howHe was sodespisedwith alifestyle that chooses to serve anythingor anyone other than the Living God. They didn't listen or believe Jeremiah, yet the Lord kept giving them warnings trying to spare them of their captivity but with no avail. Their land ended up being destroyed and only a remnant of thepeople of their land wasleft.
We have the prophesies and truths of Jeremiah. The history of what happened to Israel and then how Babylon was one of the richest prosperous cities andnow there is nothing left of it. The Lord prophesied through Jeremiah about their destruction as well. The importance of knowing this and studying the scriptures and history is of such value because it validates the past and the Lord's word and how it has come to pass and gives us a living hope that what He says is truth and will come to pass.
Reading the Old Testament gives us the history of what happened in the past and giving us assurance that God did what He said He would do every time. Then toread the New Testament and the truths that Jeremiah spoke of of the coming Messiah and then to have Jesus come in the flesh in Spirit and inTruth telling us what we must do to be spared and live eternally with Him by believing that He is our salvation, the way the truth the life. Just as Israel had the opportunity to believe in what Jeremiah was saying but chose not to, we have the opportunity to believe in what Jesus tells us in the New Testament. It is our choice.
Why chose not to believe, when we can believe and have not only an abundant life but a life lived in eternity with Him? Studying the word and understanding history validates and brings Jesus to life and gives us the assurance and hope that there is a future for us not of this earth but of another. There is a new Jerusalem to be built for those who believe and choose to trust in our Lord Jesus Christ. Why wait, why wait to experience that hope, joy and truth?
When I did not know enough about the Lord, I asked Him to please reveal Himself to me. I wanted to know Him more. I wanted to live the life He wanted me to live. The bible says, "If you seek me with all of your heart, you will be found by me." I sought Him and He answered. I was led to a church, studied the word, and really learned who Jesus is and what He did for me. I can say thirty-three years later, to follow Jesus has been the greatestdecision of my life. My three grown children know the Lord and I pray that they will pass this heritage of knowing our Lord to their children so they will receive the same blessings not onlyin thislife on earth but also the life to come.
Written by KCB
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