Reading for December 8th

Read Lamentations 3.52-66. In 3.52-66: A psalm of praise. As in 3.1-14, the individual cataogues his complaints generally and metaphorically: like a bird, v. 52; pit, vv. 53,55 (Ps 7.15; 9.10). As in a psalm (Ps 31), God is reported to have answered the prayer. In verse 52: Without cause: strinkingly different from the assumption of guilt (vv. 22-39). In verses 59=66: Complaint about enemies. Although the preceding verses suggest that God has already responded to the individual's plea, the speaker explicitly call for God to punish enemies (1.21-22). Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 7th

Read Lamentations 3.25-51. In 25-41: A teaching on God's goodness I an jarring shift, this section at the center of the book offers beautiful statements of God's mercy faithfulness, and compassion (vv. 22-23) and teaches silence in the face of suffering. Because some passages appear to contradict material that comes before and after ( v. 39; why should anyone complain?), these verses are often considered a later addition to the book. They function, however, to balance the community's expression of suffering with the book's insistent theme that God is justifiably punishing Judah for its sins. In verse 40-41: because God acted justly, Judah must examine its own wrongs. In verses 42-51: A communal lament. While beginning with recognition of gult, the section also complains that God has refused to forgove (vv. 42, 44). Further complaints follow. The shame of defeat and enemy taunts, mentioned earlier in the book, is repeated. In verse 48: While the speaker shifts to "I" the theme remains the fate of the city. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 6th

Read Lamentations 3.1-24. In 3.1-66: Multiple responses to suffering. Spakers and moods shift throughout this chapter, making a neat outline difficult. Has the material been adjusted to fit the acrostic pattern? Does the jarring style mimic the dissociation of trauma? In verses 1-24: An individual lament. Like other individual laments (Ps 38; 22), this section includes nonspecific complaints of suffering (vv. 1-19) and a statement of confidence in God (vv. 21-24). Identified neither with the poet who has spoken previously nor with Woman Zion, the speaker is an individual male (Heb., "geber"). He expilictly blames God for his troubles, comparing God to a wild animal (v. 10) and an enemy warrior (vv. 12-13). His troubles are not outlined but are compared to heavy chains (v. 7) and gravel to the teeth (v. 16). In verse 15: Wormwood (also v. 19) is a bitter-tasting plant (Jer 9.14). In verse 19: Gall: Bile. In verse 21-24: Statements of confidence, a feature of the individual lament. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 5th

Read Lamentations 2.20-22. In 2.20-22: Jerusalem petitions God. The stark picture of women eating their own children and the death of the young raises this question: has God punished too severly? Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 4th

Raed Lamentations 2.11-19: In 2.11-19: The poet continues his lament. In verse 11: Both the stomach (aslo 1.20) and bile refer to the seat of emotions (Jer 4.19); bile in addition means "bitterness" (from the taste of the digestive substance secreted from the gallbladder). In verse 14: Unwarrented messages of comfort (jer 14.13-16). In verses 15-16: Jerusalem suffers not only the famine of children but also the taunts of enemies (Jer 19.8). In verse 17: As He ordained long agao may refer to the teaching of the pre-exilic prophets, for whom destruction of the nation as punishment for sin was a common motif. In verse 18-19: The poet urges Jerusalem to petition God. comments or Questions..

Reading for December 3rd

Read Lamentations 2.1-10. In 2.1-10: The poet on God's great anger The poet describes the severity of God's punishment: Jerusalem is destroyed and humilated. In verse 1: Footstool: the Temple (Ps 99,5). In verse 2: Without mercy: without restraint. In a series of reversals, the great are brought down to the ground. In verses 3-5: God's right hand, his weapon hand, does not defend Israel but draws a bow against her like an enemy (Ex 15.6-12). In verses 6-7: Booth, tabernacle: The temple, which along with a festival, king, and priest embodies the religious core of the nation, centered in Jerusalem and linked with the monarchy (2 Sam 7). In verse 8-10: Stretched a line: Apparently a step in destroying a building (2 Kings 21.13). God has broken down the very fetaures intended to protect Jersualem: wall, gates, and ramparts (used for defense during military attacks). The listing of groups within the city undrescores the totally of the destruction. Dust and sackcloth (v. 10) are typical gestures of mourning. Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 2nd

Read Lamentations 1.11b-22 In 1.11b-22: Jerusalem herself speaks. The speaker changes at the end of v. 11, as the woman Jerusalem speaks in the first person. She repeats themes of the first speaker: She is shamed, and the devastation is punishment from God. In verses 13-15: Net, fire: Punishments are described generically (ps10.9;Isa 63.3). The weight of Israel's sin is compared to a yoke worn by captives of war (Isa 9.4). In verse 16: The lack of a comforter is a repeated theme of the book. In verse 17: The voice shifts back to third person briefly. Zion (the mountain on which Jerusalem is set ), Jacob the ancestor of the Israelites), and Jerusalem are used as synonyms. Fifthy things is the menstrual uncleanness of 1.9. In verse 18: The voice of Jerusalem returns, acknowledging her sin yet lamenting the pain she has experienced. In verse 20: Jerusalem's lament resembles that of Jeremiah (Jer 8.18-9.1). In verses 21-22: Again concerned with being shamed in the face of others, Jerusalem asks they they, too, be treated according to their deeds. Day you have announced refers to the day of the Lord, envisioned as a day of vindication against enemies (Isa 13.6-16). Comments or Questions..

Reading for December 1st

Read Lamentations 1.1-11a. In 1.1-11a: A poet laments Jerusalem. As in many prophetic books (Hosea, jeremiah, Ezekiel), Jerusalem is personified as a woman. In a striking series of contrasts, she who was great is now destitite like a widow; once a princess, she is now a vassal, the underling in political leadership. In verse 2: Political allies are called Jerusalem's lovers (Hos 2.7). In verse 3; Exile, the conquering strategy of the neo-Babylonian empire, involved moving large amount of groups of people out of their homelands into new locations. In verse 4: Public activities (festivals and gates, where people gather) have ceased. Priests and young girls are among the many categories of people that the book shows as suffering. In verse %; The book repeatedly claims that the Lord has made her suffer. In verses 8-10: Nakedness may have a sexual connotation (Lev 18.6). Uncleanness refers to menstratuations (Lev 15.16-24). These conditions unrensify her shame, considered by the author to be as significant as physical suffering. The immediate mention of precious things and the invasion of her sanctuary, while on the surface referring to the Temple, mayhave sexual connotations as well. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 30th

Read 3 John 1-15. In verse 1: The opening and closing mark this as a genuine letter. The elder (see 2 Jn 1) addresses the beloved (see 2, 5, 11; 1 jn 2.7; 3.2; 4.1, 7). Gaius was a common Roman name (see Acts 19.29; 20.4; Rom 16.3; 1 Cor 1.14). Just as the elder claimed to truly love the recipients of 2 John, he now affirms his genuine love for Gaius. In verse 2: Prayers for well-being of the recipients often follow the greeting. In verses 3-4: The elder notes reports of the faithfulnss of Gaius, to whom he refers as one of his children, probably a convert. Reference to walking in the truth (see 2 Jn 4) probably denotes the christological confession of faith. In verses 5-8: Supporters of the older reported the hospitality (see 2 Jn 10-11; Titus 3.13) shown by Gaius to the friends (literally brothers). Hospitality shown to the supporters of the elder is said to make those who gave it co-workers with the truth (compare 2 jn 11). In verses 9-10: The critque of Diotrephes signals a leadership struggle withthe elder. I have written something to the church is probbaly a reference to 1 John. He seems to have been a local leader with authority similar to that of the elder. Just as the elder counseled the refusal of hospitality to his opponents, so Diotrephes used his authority to enforce the refusal of hospitality to the supootrters of the elder, the firends. In verses 11-12: Whoever does good is from God (see 1 jn 2.29; 3.10; Mt 7.15-20). Demetrius seems to have been a supporter of the elder. Perhaps his credentials were challenged by Diotrephes and now the elder calls all supporters to his aid. Our testimony is true, see Jn 5.31-37; 19.15; 21.24. In verse 13-15 The closing, like that of 2 Jn 12-13 asserts the priority of a face-to-face meeting over a lengthy letter (compare 1 Cor 16.19-20). The greeting of peace, the Jewish greeting, sets 3 john apart from 1 and 2 John, as do the reciprocal greeting from friends (rather than children). Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 29th

Read 2 John 1-13. In verse 1-3: The opening greeting has a standard letter format: from A to B, greetings. The elder was an authoritative leader (see 1 Peter 5.1) addresing the elect lady and her children, a symbolic reference to a local church and its members (see v. 13). Such a greeting often mentioned virtues of the persons addressed. Here the elder affirmed that he, and all who know the truth truly love the addressees. The greeting, in the name of the Father and the Son, overlooks the Spirit (compare 1 Tim 1.2; 1 Tim 1.2) while stressing the reality of the relationship of the Father and the Son, again using the key themes of truth and love. In verses 4-6: reference to some of the children walking in the truth may indirectly reveal that the schism of 1 John 2.19 had affected this community also. The truth may be a reference to the christological confession, the command, no longer new, was foundational for the community(see 1 jn 2.7-8; 5.3; Jn 13.34). In verses 7-9: The many deceivers are like the false prophets and antichrist who deny the incarnation (see 1 Jn 2.18-23, 26; 3.7; 4.2-3, 6). The warning shows that the threat of the influence of the schismatics had not disappeared. Reference to going beyond the teaching of Christ suggests the schismatics were progressive in their teaching (see 1 Jn 1.1-4; 3.23). In verse 10-11: The warning against providing hospitality to the false teachers argues that to aid them is to assist in their mission (compare Tit 3.10). In verse 12: This conclusion is like that of 3 Jn 13-14. Stated preference for face-to-face contact is common. In verse 13: The elder greets his readers in the name of his own community. comments or Questions..

Reading for November 28th

Read Jeremiah 52:17-34. In verses 17-23: The capture of the sacred Temple vessels by the Babylonians underscores the end of worship life in the land. In verses 28-30: The numbers of exiles are provided, but their historical accuracy is in doubt. In verses 31-34: King Jehoachin, also imprisoned in Babylon, survives and is restored to the table, though not yet released. The scene of the king's survival may offer a glimmer of hope to exiles for whom the king's survival with dignity may show the way to the furure. This book has been about survial in the face of overwhelming castastrophe. If Jeremiah's words of judgment were fulfilled, then his words of hope will triumph as well. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 27th

THE END In Ch 52: The prose conclusion of the book reports the end of national life in Judah, but niether God nor Jeremiah appear in it. The purpose of this bleak report maybe to describe the fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophetic word. The setting is the exile, when Babylonian defeat is far from sight. The chapter nearly identical tot he account of Judha's fall that concludes the book of Kings (2 kings 24:18-25.30). The narrative divides into six scenes. Read Jeremiah 52.1-16. In verses 1-3: Kings Jehoiakim and Zedekiah angered God and Judah and Jerusalem were expelled from the presence. In verses 4-11 Zedekiah's failed escape and the tragedy of his capture and imprisonment and death suggest the possible fate awaiting Judah. In verses 12-16: The people are deported and divided with the poor remaining in the land. Comments or questions..

Reading for November 26th

Read Jeremiah 51.54-69. In a symbolic act written in prose, Baruch's brother, Seraiah goes to Babylon under Jeremiah's directions. There Seraiah is to read the scroll containing prophecies against Babylon aloud, attach a stone to the scroll, and sink it in the Euphrates River. Like the sinking scroll, so will Babylon sink from its high position. This symbolic act embodies the divine will, it needs only to come to fulfillment. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 25th

Read Jeremiah 51.45-58. In 51.45-58: Again God's calls the exiles to depart and save themselves. In verse 46: They must overcome their fears, which are being caused by rumors among them. In the future God will destroy Babylon. In verses 47-48: The cosmos will particpate in the celebration. In verse 50: It is urgent that the exiles should not linger but remember that God is in Jerusalem. In verses 50-58: An imaginative portrayal of the attack ends the poetry of the book. There is a cry, smashing, crashing, for the destroyer has come aginst Babylon. Her leaders will be drunk, asleep, never to wake. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 24th

Read Jeremiah 51.34-44. More accusations describing Nebuchadrezzar's violence against the people of Zion accumulate. Babylon and its God, Bel, will be drunk and engorged. The super power is ugly and out of control with its destruction of others. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 23rd

Read Jeremiah 51.24-33. War preparations continue and promises Babylon, the destroying mountain, that it will be attacked. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 22nd

Read Jeremiah 51.23. In verses 15-19: A hymn, perhaps representing the voice of the exiles, praises the Creator, wise and understanding, who made the earth and mountains it natural processes. compared to the Creator, the idols are worthless. They are the lifeless gods of the goldsmith. In verses 20-23: Eight times the Creator says to his weapons or his armies, I will smash with you, creating a rhythmic beat of destruction. Smashed will be the nations, peoples, animals, and rulers. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 21st

Read Jeremiah 51.1-14. In 51.1-64: Flee. The opposing futures of Babylon and Israel continue to echo each other in this chapter. However, for the first time God orders the exiles to flee from Babylon and return to Zion. God's power dominates these passages to show that God is the sovereign of history. Out of nothing God will create a future the will overturn systems of domination. In verses 1-5: Speaking in the first person, god plans the siege of Babylon. I am going to stir up a ... wind ... i will send winower. God is bringing about cosmic upheaval that will destroy Babylonian power. In verse 5: despite their guilt, God has not abandoned Israel and Judah. In verses 6-10: The exiles must flee. Urgent appeals to them to escape from the vengence about to engulf Babylon open the poem. In verse 8: Babylon has been like a golden cup in God's hand but now has fallen. A voice calls for healing balm, but it is too late. In verse 9: The exiles tried to heal Babylon but they could not, so they flee to Zion to declare God's work. In verses 11-14: War preparations continue. God orders armies to make their wepons ready and to prepare ambushes. The Medes, an empire of the time, will destroy Babylon. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 20th

Read Jeremiah 50.35-46 A curse like poem about the sword gloats over the reversal of circumstances about to take place. It is as if chanting words about the sword would activate thrusts into the heart of Babylon. Five times the poem brings the sword against some elemnt of Babylonian society. The last verse shifts to drought. The reson for the attack is Babylon's idolatry. In verses 41-46: The people from the north approach; they are cruel, noisy, and arrayed for battle against daughter Babylon. The agent of destruction is God, coming like a lion, coming with a plan that will make the earth tremble. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 19th

Read Jeremiah 50.21-34 The battle preparations continue and become more vivid. In verses 23-24: Babylon, the hammer of the whole earth, will be cut down despite its great power, for the enemy is God. In verse 28: Fugitives escape from the city and run to Zion to announce the changed state of affairs. In verses 31-32: God accuses Babylon of exceeding its divine commission to punish Judah: Babylon has gone beserk in its violence. Interpretation of international events has turned upside down in this book. Here Israel and Judah are oppressed people, not guilty people. They have a future, and the enemy will be punished for excesses. In verse 34: Their Redeemer will buy back the captives and give rest to the whole earth. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 18th

Againist Babylon Chs. 50-51: These poems form a suitable conclusion to the book. In them the punisher is punished, the destroyer is destroyed, and the inflictor of pain receives pain. Although erlier parts of the book interpreted Bbbylon as an agent of God to punish Judah, these poems see Babylon as the aggressor who oppressed Israel. They portray God as a warrior who sets right the world's injustices and restores the victim's well-being. The exiles recieve a vision of a future in which they will be released from their captivity, but these is not yet energy for wild hope and dancing (chs. 30-33). Read Jeremiah 50.1-20 God's declaration of celebration opens the poem. The phrases expresses deep feeling in a few words. Babylon is taken and her gods are shamed. The agent of destruction is the mythic foe from north. In verses 4-10: The fate of Babylon is connected to the fate of Israel, for the coming attack on Babylon will signal the return of Israel and Judah. They will come weeping to seal the covenant with God. In verses 11-16: The plunderers will be destroyed; God commands the army to take position. According to this poetry, the victory is already won, so the celebration may begin. In verses 17-20: God reinterprets Israel's history as a series of attacks upon lost sheep. They are helpless, even if sinners, and they will be pardoned. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 17th

Read Jeremiah 49.34-39. Elam will be destroyed in a cosmic upheaval, but God will restore their fortunes. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 16th

Read Jeremiah 49.23-33. In 23-27: Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed. Again no sin is identified. In verses 28-33: Kedar and Hazor, cities in the north, will be attacked by Nebuchadrezzar and their people will be dispersed. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 15th

Read Jeremiah 49.7-22. The Edomites are Israel's nieghbors and descendants of Jacob's brother Esau (Gen 36). In verses 7-10: God will bring calamity upon them and leave only a remnant of orphans and widows with no future. Their sin is never named. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 14th

Read Jeremiah 49.1-6. In 49.1-39: Against many nations In verses 1-6: The history of relations between Israel and their neighbors, the Amomonites, was bitter (40.13-41.3). They will be punished for land-grabbing, but God will finally restore them as well. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 13th

Read Jeremiah 48.34-47. In 48.47: Even more surprising, the poem closes with a divine promise to restore Moab. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 12th

Read Jeremiah 48.28-33. In verses 28-30: God next addresses the residents of Moab, uring them to flee and accusing them of false pride. In verses 31-33: Surprsisingly, God wails for Moab. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 11th

Read Jeremiah 48.14-27. In verses 18-20: God warns the capital city, Dibon, addressed as a woman, that she too is under attack. In verses 21-27: The cities of Moab are about to be destroyed. Commments or Questions..

Reading for November 10th

Read Jeremiah 48.1-13. In 48.1-47: Against Moab. This long poem concens a traditional and bitter enemy and neighbor of Israel. In verses 1-2: God announces an invasion of Moab, whereupon a voice cries in alarm. Moab's sin is arrogance arising from its wealth and power. In verse 7: Chemosh was the chief God of Moab. In verses 11-12: Because Moab was known for its production of grapes, the poem describes Moab's complacency in terms of wine about to be poured out. Comments or Questions..

Reading for November 9th

Read Jeremiah 47.1-7. In 47.1-7: Against the Philistines. These historical difficulties with this poem, since Philsta was not a major enemy of Isreal during this time. Through its city-states along the seacoast continued for a long time, they ceased to exist as a larger unity during the Babylonian period. In the poetic world of this poem, however, God is the enemy bringing an attacker In verses 6-7: The poem ends with the "song of the sword" in which the poet addresses God's weapon and begs it to be still, but the sword is unable to deny God's command. Comments or Questions..