the Fourth Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 3 of 5
Jeremiah 11:1-23
During the reign of Josiah, Hilkiah the priest (some maintain that he was the father of Jeremiah: see Jeremiah 1:1) had re-discovered the book of the law during the work of restoration of the temple (2 Chronicles 34:14). This book included Deuteronomy, where all the consequences of failure to observe the covenant were announced in the solemn Deuteronomy 28:1-68 (see in particular v. 64). Greatly perturbed, Josiah had taken steps, in the name of the people, to renew their covenant (2 Kings 22:8 . . .; 2 Kings 23:1-3). Now our chapter shows us how this covenant has been broken more than ever! There is no further remedy (2 Chronicles 36:16). Henceforth God shuts His ears to their prayers and He commands the prophet not to intercede for the people any more (v. 14; Jeremiah 7:16).
Jeremiah is the representative of a faithful and persecuted remnant. But in him we see in type the Lamb, full of tenderness, yet the target of those who conspired to destroy him, "the tree with the fruit" in order "that His name may be no more remembered" (v. 19: cf. Genesis 37:18; Luke 10:3). Such was the vain intention of men, and that of Satan who inspired them. But the unchangeable purpose of God is that the lovely name of Jesus will be honoured for ever (Philippians 2:9). And we respond to this every time we break the bread and drink the cup in remembrance of Him (1 Corinthians 11:25-26).
