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CoffeeHOUSE Reflectional Jeremiah 33: The Sure and Certain Promise When John the Baptist was in prison,
he sent messengers to Jesus asking if he was the Messiah or not. The question probably came from confusion and despair. After all, hadn't John proclaimed the Coming One who would take away the sins of the world? Surely the Messiah's coming would bring freedom and fulfillment for everyone. Why was John imprisoned? God had warned Jeremiah from the moment of his call that his ministry would be difficult. Even so, like John the Baptist, there must have been days of frustration. He was ignored, rejected, despised and imprisoned. In the midst of that darkness, God comes to Jeremiah with a candle of light. Sometimes God doesn't rescue us. Sometimes he does. Either way, he extends his love and grace. Warming Up to God When things look dark and depressing, what do you do to gain encouragement and hope?
Jeremiah 33 Promise of Restoration While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the LORD came to him a second time: This is what 3 the LORD says, he who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established itthe LORD is his name: Call to me and I will 4 answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the houses in this city and the royal palaces of Judah that have been torn down to be used against the siege ramps and the 5 [a] sword in the fight with the Babylonians : They will be filled with the dead bodies of the people I will slay in my anger and wrath. I will hide my face from this city because of all its wickedness. Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. I [b] 8 will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. I will cleanse them from all the sin they 9 have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it. This is what the LORD says: You say about this place, It is a desolate waste, without people or animals. Yet in the towns of 11 Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted, inhabited by neither people nor animals, there will be heard once more the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the LORD, saying, Give thanks to the LORD Almighty, for the LORD is good; his love endures forever. For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before, says the LORD. This is what the LORD Almighty says: In this place, desolate and without people or animalsin all its towns there will again be 13 pastures for shepherds to rest their flocks. In the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev, in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah, flocks will again pass under the hand of the one who counts them, says the LORD.
14 12 10 6 7 1 2
The days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah.
In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from Davids line; he will do what is just and right in the land. 16 In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. [c] This is the name by which it will be called: The LORD Our Righteous Savior. For this is what the LORD says: David will never fail to have a man to sit on the throne of Israel, nor will the Levitical priests ever fail to have a man to stand before me continually to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to present sacrifices. The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: This is what the LORD says: If you can break my covenant with the day and my 21 covenant with the night, so that day and night no longer come at their appointed time, then my covenant with David my servantand my covenant with the Levites who are priests ministering before mecan be broken and David will no longer have a 22 descendant to reign on his throne. I will make the descendants of David my servant and the Levites who minister before me as countless as the stars in the sky and as measureless as the sand on the seashore. The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: Have you not noticed that these people are saying, The LORD has rejected the two [d] 25 kingdoms he chose? So they despise my people and no longer regard them as a nation. This is what the LORD says: If I have 26 not made my covenant with day and night and established the laws of heaven and earth, then I will reject the descendants of Jacob and David my servant and will not choose one of his sons to rule over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. For I will [e] restore their fortunes and have compassion on them.
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Discovering the Word Jeremiah is imprisoned in Jerusalem with the Babylonian army at the gates. What does God do to offer him comfort? The Hebrew meaning of the Lord's name used here is "Promise Keeper." Why do you think God repeats his name four times in verses 2-4? God invites Jeremiah to call out for assurance and then immediately offers his response (vv. 4-9). In what way would God's words be comforting? What is God going to do to fulfill his promises to Judah and Israel (vv. 15-18)? The destruction of Israel and Judah could lead to the accusation that God was a covenant breaker. How does God answer this (vv. 20-26)?
Applying the Word Have there been times in your life when you felt confined, trapped or limited? How could or did the knowledge of God help? How would your experience of life and your relationship with God be different if he was untrustworthy?
Responding in Prayer Offer praise to the only God worthy of your trust.

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CoffeeHOUSE Reflectional Jeremiah 33: The Sure and Certain Promise When John the Baptist was in prison,

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