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The Journey Is Not Over

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As the Journey almost comes to an end, you begin to realize that there is still more road ahead to be covered. As we have been going through the pages, we have encountered sections that did not make sense, others that were difficult to understand, and still others that we skipped for one reason or another. Each of these calls for a different response. That which did not make sense calls for more INTROSPECTION. The portions that were difficult to understand call for INSTRUCTION and guidance from others. Those we skipped call for future INTERACTION. In other words, finishing the Journey does not mean we have exhausted the Book. Far from it! There is even more to consider when we remember that there are religious writings beyond the 66 books of the biblical canon. These writings also deserve thoughtful engagement. Some may contain elements of truth, while others may contradict the truth. Either way, we should not be afraid to examine them carefully and understand what they say and how the...
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Jeremiah: A Few Statements Worth Revisiting

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In my earlier article, Tear Drops, I pointed out a few things about Jeremiah's tears and the circumstances surrounding his ministry. Yesterday, our agenda was to focus on his why — why he spoke, acted, and wrote the things he did. He communicated what God had placed in his heart through these three approaches. If the people could not hear the message, they could see it through his actions. If they neither heard nor saw it, they would at least read about it later. One brother by the name of Baruch was instrumental in writing down Jeremiah's messages. We see this relationship introduced in Jeremiah 36, and the opening verses of the book (1:1–3) also give us a narrator's account of Jeremiah's ministry. We are now about sixty years after Isaiah's death. Isaiah was the high-end prophet who spoke about the doom that was coming and the dawn that would eventually follow. Jeremiah comes in to witness that doom unfolding literally. Daniel and Ezekiel will speak during the cap...
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Tear Drops: Reading Jeremiah and Lamentations

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A little TBT on one of the key goals of this year's Bible study journey. The goal is to help us shift from merely getting revelation to arriving at realization. In simple terms, see the story first for what it is, understand what is happening, and then draw lessons from it. Before asking what the story means to me, let me first understand what the story meant in its own setting. As I continue reviewing Jeremiah's writings, I am becoming even more convinced about why this approach is important. Jeremiah was introduced to me as the weeping prophet when I was still young. His other writing, Lamentations, seems to carry that reputation right into its title. He is lamenting. Now, lamenting is a little deeper than simply crying. It is grief expressed through words, cries, and deep sorrow. It is what happens when the pain is so overwhelming that ordinary tears are no longer enough to communicate what is going on inside you. In Jeremiah's case, the situation had reached a point whe...
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Zephaniah: God Is Angry, But There Is Still Hope

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The book of Zephaniah has proved to be one of those books I have struggled to understand. I would read it, finish it, and still feel like I had not quite grasped its flow or direction. The problem, I eventually discovered, was that I had not been reading it in its historical context. Wueh! Sometimes the problem is not the book itself; it is where we begin reading. The context that helped me understand Zephaniah is found in 2 Chronicles 33 and 34. These chapters tell us what was happening in Judah during the generations leading up to the ministry of Zephaniah. His own book tells us that he prophesied during the reign of King Josiah and traces his family line back four generations to Hezekiah (Zephaniah 1:1). If this is the King Hezekiah we know, then Zephaniah was connected to the royal family and was also a distant relative of Josiah. Once we understand what had been happening in Judah, the message of Zephaniah begins to make more sense. So, what is going on in these three chapters? I ...
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Jeremiah Q&A

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A friend read the book of Jeremiah, and found themselves asking God some difficult questions. The book is full of warnings, calls to repentance, promises of mercy and, eventually, judgment. The more she read, the more questions arose. Let’s think through them together. 1. Is God's mercy forever? Will God keep having pity on these people forever? He keeps telling them to return, promising that if they do, He will receive them. We see this in Jeremiah 3:12–14, 3:22 and 4:1. God is merciful, and He repeatedly invites His people to come back to Him. However, mercy should not be mistaken for the absence of justice. At some point, judgment comes. In Jeremiah 25:29, God asks whether Jerusalem, the city called by His name, should go unpunished while He brings judgment upon other nations. By Jeremiah 15:1–2, the situation has reached a point where even Moses and Samuel could not avert the announced judgment. God's patience is real, but it is not permission to continue rebelling indefin...
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He's Already Lifted! This Is Not a Gym.

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There is a song by our sister Chevelle Franklin that goes, “Be lifted high, be lifted high, O Lord, be lifted high, for you are holy, awesome, and worthy Lord. O Lord, be lifted high.” I am not sure whether she is the original artist or was singing a song composed by someone else, but the words got me thinking. There are several other songs with similar lyrics. We sing about lifting Jesus higher through our praise, worship and adoration. Think of one praise song such as; “inua Bwana inua, inua inua, inua Bwana inua, sababu yu mwema.” Another one could be when a soloist calls on us to "inua Bwana inua, inua!” The impression one gets is that our praise and worship is what lifts him, exalts and gives him the honor due to Him. We might be wrong. I suspect much of this thinking comes from Jesus' words in John 12:32: “... and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself. ” The assumption seems to be that the more we lift Him through praise, the more He draws...
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Cattle on a Thousand Hills: Have We Been Reading This Wrong?

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I am shocked, and honestly, surprised! A few days ago, a friend called me and asked whether I would mind reading Psalm 15 so that we could discuss it later. Somewhere along the way, my ears heard Psalm 50 instead. So I went ahead and interacted with Psalm 50 until I later came across their text message and realized that we had been talking about two different Psalms. 😂 However, something caught my attention in Psalm 50, and when I sat down again this morning to review it, I was shocked to discover something I had misunderstood for years. One famous line in this Psalm is found in verse 10: “ For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills ” (KJV). Many of us know this verse, especially in Pentecostal circles. It has often been used to remind us that God is not broke. He owns cattle on a thousand hills! He can sell one or two and sort out our financial problems. Wueh! 😂 But when I read the Psalm in its context, I realized that God was not making a promise to...
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