The last five verses of the Book of Jeremiah. The release of Jehoiachin, king of Judah, in the 37th year of his exile. Was he in captivity for 37 years? Jeremiah, a book of judgment, ends with a wonderful note of grace.
There was a curse on Jehoiachin. Read Jeremiah 22.24-30. 'This is what the LORD says: Record this man as if childless, a man who will not prosper in his lifetime...' But he did prosper. He is included in the lineage of Jesus Christ, Matt 1.12. Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel. He produced several sons. God can turn a curse into a blessing. There is nothing impossible for Him!
Evil-Merodach released Jehoiachin from prison on the 25th day of the 12th month. [Well, that is not December 25th!] The king of Babylon spoke kindly to him. He gave him a seat of honour higher than those of the other kings who were in Babylon. Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life he ate regularly at the king's table. [Reminds you of Mephibosheth, doesn't it? But even more, it reminds us of Joseph who came out of prison in Genesis 41.]Moreover, Jehoiachin got a regular allowance from the king of Babylon every day, as long as he lived, till the day of his death.
There is obviously a deep message here. From prison to throne, from barrenness to fruitfulness, from curse to blessing. This is the work of the Cross. This is the experience of Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.
Friday, November 11, 2005
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Monday, October 10, 2005
Psalm 146
This is a copy of a worship message given on Sunday morning, October 9th, 2005.
Psalm 146 begins with heart-felt praise. 'All my life I will praise the Lord!' Four times in the first two verses we find the Psalmist praising the Lord. The Psalm begins and ends with praise. The book of Psalms ends with heaps of praises to the Lord. Our Christian journey must end like that.
The Psalmist has proved God by faith and experience. He has also proved man by experience. He says categorically, 'Do not put your trust in princes.' The best of men will fail. Man is incapable and useless; he cannot even save himself! Man, by thinking [and vain imagination] puffs himself up, presuming that he is wise and powerful. But his very thoughts perish, the day he dies! He has no control over his own life!
The Psalmist shows that if we trust in man, we cannot trust in God. We have to depend entirely on the Lord, or our faith is defective. Blessed is the man whose help and hope is in the Lord. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not upon yourself or upon anybody else or anything.
God is our Creator, the Maker of heaven and earth and the sea - and all creation. He is the One who gives life to us. God is our Redeemer, who restores to us the life we have lost. He is the God of all grace. He is our Saviour, our Deliverer, who delivers us from every difficult situation in life.
Seven examples are given. He executes justice for the oppressed [eg. Israel in Egypt]; gives food to the hungry [feeding the 5000]; sets free the prisoners [whether Joseph or Jehoiachin]; gives sight to the blind [not only Bartimaeus]; lifts up those who are bowed down [as we can see in so many Psalms, which begin with pain and end with praise]; protects the alien [like Abraham in Canaan]; and supports the orphan and the widow [like Ruth & Naomi in Bethlehem]. In fact, God does much more; He delivers and He blesses. There is that extra blessing in whatever God does. It is always 'much more'; 'exceeding abundantly'.
But though He is a God of grace, who is faithful to His promises [6c] and who loves His children [8c], He is also a Righteous Judge, who executes judgment upon the wicked. He frustrates the way of the ungodly. History has many examples of divine judgment in the recent past, such as the overthrow of Communism in Russia, the growth of Christianity in China [despite persecution]; and the spread of the gospel in Nepal [a Hindu kingdom]. It is as if God allows the ungodly to build their tower of Babel, and then 'with the breath of His mouth' He brings it down! Vanity is writ large on the way of the unrighteous [unbelievers].
God is in control. He is not only the Creator God, but a Redeeming God and a Reigning God. His Throne endures forever.
All this is of great comfort and assurance to the family of believers, to Zion - which speaks of the church!
Therefore, trusting in this Faithful and True God - God of mercy, God of grace - believing in this proven Psalm, let us by faith worship Him.
Psalm 146 begins with heart-felt praise. 'All my life I will praise the Lord!' Four times in the first two verses we find the Psalmist praising the Lord. The Psalm begins and ends with praise. The book of Psalms ends with heaps of praises to the Lord. Our Christian journey must end like that.
The Psalmist has proved God by faith and experience. He has also proved man by experience. He says categorically, 'Do not put your trust in princes.' The best of men will fail. Man is incapable and useless; he cannot even save himself! Man, by thinking [and vain imagination] puffs himself up, presuming that he is wise and powerful. But his very thoughts perish, the day he dies! He has no control over his own life!
The Psalmist shows that if we trust in man, we cannot trust in God. We have to depend entirely on the Lord, or our faith is defective. Blessed is the man whose help and hope is in the Lord. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not upon yourself or upon anybody else or anything.
God is our Creator, the Maker of heaven and earth and the sea - and all creation. He is the One who gives life to us. God is our Redeemer, who restores to us the life we have lost. He is the God of all grace. He is our Saviour, our Deliverer, who delivers us from every difficult situation in life.
Seven examples are given. He executes justice for the oppressed [eg. Israel in Egypt]; gives food to the hungry [feeding the 5000]; sets free the prisoners [whether Joseph or Jehoiachin]; gives sight to the blind [not only Bartimaeus]; lifts up those who are bowed down [as we can see in so many Psalms, which begin with pain and end with praise]; protects the alien [like Abraham in Canaan]; and supports the orphan and the widow [like Ruth & Naomi in Bethlehem]. In fact, God does much more; He delivers and He blesses. There is that extra blessing in whatever God does. It is always 'much more'; 'exceeding abundantly'.
But though He is a God of grace, who is faithful to His promises [6c] and who loves His children [8c], He is also a Righteous Judge, who executes judgment upon the wicked. He frustrates the way of the ungodly. History has many examples of divine judgment in the recent past, such as the overthrow of Communism in Russia, the growth of Christianity in China [despite persecution]; and the spread of the gospel in Nepal [a Hindu kingdom]. It is as if God allows the ungodly to build their tower of Babel, and then 'with the breath of His mouth' He brings it down! Vanity is writ large on the way of the unrighteous [unbelievers].
God is in control. He is not only the Creator God, but a Redeeming God and a Reigning God. His Throne endures forever.
All this is of great comfort and assurance to the family of believers, to Zion - which speaks of the church!
Therefore, trusting in this Faithful and True God - God of mercy, God of grace - believing in this proven Psalm, let us by faith worship Him.
Thursday, October 06, 2005
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