Daily Devotions
Jeremiah
"Great is the anger and the fury"
Text: Jeremiah 36:7
RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES
There were still people who came to the Temple in Jerusalem to offer prayers and supplication to the LORD. They believed naively that their prayers and fasting would somehow cause God to relent from the judgment that He had forewarned!
“‘It may be that they will present their supplication before the LORD,
and everyone will turn from his evil way.
For great is the anger and the fury
that the LORD has pronounced against this people.’
And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all
that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him,
reading from the book the words of the LORD in the LORD’s house.”
Jeremiah 36:7-8
1. “It may be that they will present their supplication before the LORD,
and everyone will turn from his evil way.
For great is the anger and the fury that the LORD has pronounced against this people”
a) Presentation of supplication before the LORD.
i) This is a reference to offering prayers to God.
ii) This was a religious observance that the people had learned
from childhood.
iii) The people would be even more fervent in offering prayers
in the context of the Babylonian invasion.
b) Everyone turning from his evil way.
i) Praying was never meant to be separated from one’s personal life.
ii) Offering prayer without turning away from sinful and evil ways
is ineffectual.
iii) The worshippers appear not to have understood this vital truth.
c) The anger and fury of the LORD pronounced against Judah and Jerusalem.
i) There were many reasons why God was angry with Judah.
ii) Judah had forsaken the LORD and worshipped idols!
iii) The leaders and the people had chosen evil instead of righteousness.
iv) If they did not repent, their supplications would avail nothing at all.
2. “And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to
all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him,
reading from the book the words of the LORD in the LORD’s house”
a) Baruch was aware of the dire plight of Judah.
b) He would do his part in the hope that Judah would repent.
c) He read the words of the LORD in the Temple.
i) He read from the book he had written.
ii) Jeremiah had dictated what he must write.
iii) The source of the content was the LORD Himself.