Daily Devotions
Jeremiah
"Execute judgment and righteousness"
Text: Jeremiah 22:3
BASIC MORAL DUTIES
The king and those empowered with judicial powers should be conscientiously seeking to perform basic moral duties! This should have been understood, realised and practised consistently!
“Thus says the LORD:
‘Execute judgment and righteousness,
and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor.
Do no wrong and do no violence to the stranger,
the fatherless, or the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.
For if you indeed do this thing, then shall enter the gates of this house,
riding on horses and in chariots, accompanied by servants and people,
kings who sit on the throne of David.
But if you will not hear these words, I swear by Myself,’ says the LORD,
‘that this house shall become a desolation.'”
Jeremiah 22:3-5
1. “Thus says the LORD: ‘Execute judgment and righteousness, and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor. Do no wrong and do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, or the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place'”
a) This word came from the LORD.
b) These were basic things expected of Jerusalem.
i) Judgment and righteousness must be practised and maintained.
ii) The Plundered should be delivered from the Oppressor.
iii) The officials should do no wrong.
iv) They should never practise violence.
c) The Vulnerable groups were:
i) The stranger
ii) The fatherless
iii) The widow
d) Innocent blood:
i) It should never be shed.
ii) Certainly not in the capital, Jerusalem. The Temple of the Lord was there!
2. “For if you indeed do this thing, then shall enter the gates of this house, riding on horses and in chariots, accompanied by servants and people, kings who sit on the throne of David”
a) A conditional Sentence (IF… THEN).
b) IF the king and his officials do what God commands (Jeremiah 22:4).
c) THEN
i) The leaders of the country would be blessed.
ii) They can ride safely and in glory “On horses and in chariots”.
iii) They would have people to serve them.
iv) There would be a continuity of kings sitting on the throne of David.
3. “‘But if you will not hear these words, I swear by Myself,’ says the LORD, ‘that this house shall become a desolation.'”
a) But if the people do not hear this word from God.
i) They reject this command.
ii) They stubbornly refuse to hearken to the LORD.
b) The LORD swore.
i) The house of the LORD in Jerusalem would become a desolation.
ii) The house of David would also be severely chastised and brought down.