24/11/10

Men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem hear the Lord

Jeremiah 35:13 - Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the LORD.


Imagine someone stating 'people of San Francisco and men of California' or 'people of Mumbai and men of Maharashtra'.

One needs to know Jerusalem is a city in the territory Judea (territory occupied by the tribe of Judah). Why is the Lord talking of these two places as two different places when one is a subset of the other? Why does the Lord use the term 'men' for Judah and 'people' for Jerusalem?

Every word in scriptures, even its grammar is of great importance to get the proper and full understanding of the instructions the Lord wants to give us according to season.

During the time of Jeremiah and even later, Judea / Judah was a large territory and Jerusalem a small city but in the spiritual world they are opposite, Judah is small and Jerusalem is big.

Every name of place or person (especially the important characters) in scriptures has meaning and purpose. The word Jerusalem means 'teaching of peace' and the name Judah means 'praise'. The two names although were names of places, but in spiritual sense were referring to the maturity stages of Christian (people of God) growth.

The basic levels are as follow:-
Egypt - people of God who are lost and living like people of the world.
Jerusalem - people just come to know God and are pursuing peace with God.
Judah - people coming into relationship with God.
Zion - people matured in the Lord having authority in Him.

There are also sub-levels in between Jerusalem, Judah and Zion, like Assyria (prosperity gospel seekers) and Samaria (having half truths which they consider as Truth). The basic levels are also further divided into sons and daughters. They are not physical gender basis but according to spiritual gender which is to do with their control of the inner man.

In today's message the Lord is asking those who are just believers and those who are having relationship with Him, to not get drunk in the pleasures of this world and not to worship other gods. Paul instructs us to be sober at all time. It did not mean to be quiet or to be an introvert. It meant to take control of our five senses and of our thoughts and not to let it be set loose especially when it comes to bodily or carnal pleasures. We also must pursue deeper understanding of scriptures by the help of the Spirit of God and brethren, so that we do not follow another god or another Jesus Christ.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord Jesus, You came as man and showed is an example of a fully finished Christian in You. You made way for us take this path by bring us out of Egypt and by your Word and your Spirit put us on the way to Zion, making us sons of God. Lord, we pray for the people of Jerusalem and of Judah that they be strengthened and your grace be abundant on them...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scripture ]
Jeremiah 35:12-15
12 Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying,
13 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the LORD.
14 The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father’s commandment: notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me.
15 I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me.

Jeremiah 34:19-20
19 The princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land[nation - Kingdom of God], which passed between the parts of the calf [symbolizes worldly fertility];
20 I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life: and their dead bodies shall be for meat unto the fowls of the heaven, and to the beasts of the earth.

1 Thessalonians 5:5-10
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.



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