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Jeremiah: a Message of Hope in the Face of Judgment TODAY with PAUL NYQUIST President of Moody Bible Institute Learning from Judah

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SEPTEMBER 2012 CELEBRATING 25 YEARS I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. Jeremiah 31:3 Jeremiah: A Message of Hope in the Face of Judgment TODAY WITH PAUL NYQUIST President of Moody Bible Institute Learning from Judah Imagine that the Lord heartbreaking account of rebellion and the was to visit your town painful consequences of sin. Why didn’t the today in search of men people of Judah repent? How did they miss and women who are decades of warnings from God’s prophet? honest and truthful. How many people I’ve often told my children that it’s easier to would He find? Would learn from the mistakes of others than to learn you be one of them? from the painful consequences of our own This is exactly what the people of Jerusalem mistakes. As we study the book of Jeremiah, I experienced as recorded in the book of Jere- want us to learn from two key mistakes made miah. God was willing to forgive the entire by the people of Judah that contributed to capital city if He could find just one honest their downfall. person who was seeking the truth, but He found no one (Jer. 5:1). First, though they tried to appear godly on the outside, on the inside their hearts were cor- The people of Jerusalem—and all of Judah— rupt. They continued to visit the Lord in the had turned away from the Lord. Their lives temple (Jer. 7:9–11), but in reality, their hearts were wracked with sin, and they were wor- were far from Him. They mistakenly thought shiping false gods (Jer. 11:13). Among these their worship rituals would give them favor in gods was Baal, a god of the Canaanites (Jer. the eyes of the Lord. 2:8). Baal worship often involved animal sac- rifice and prostitution. In addition to Baal, the Second, the people of Judah ignored godly people worshipped Molech, a god who re- counsel. Because of their stubborn, hard quired the sacrifice of children (Jer. 32:35). hearts, they refused to listen to Jeremiah’s warnings (Jer. 5:3). Jeremiah wrote about this In a tremendous expression of grace, the Lord foolishness when he described them as peo- sent the prophet Jeremiah to warn the people ple “who have eyes but do not see, who have of the impending consequences of their sin ears but do not hear” (Jer. 5:21). and call them to repentance. Tragically, they would not listen. For 40 years, Jeremiah Are we trying in vain to cover the sin in our prophesied, but the people would not repent. hearts by following a religious routine? Do As a result, the Babylonians invaded Judah we humbly listen to the people God has put in three times, conquered Jerusalem, destroyed our lives to speak truth to us? I challenge us to the temple, and captured the people of Judah. learn from Judah’s mistakes by examining our hearts and repenting of the sin in our Despite the heroic example of Jeremiah’s lives, so that we can be right with the Lord. obedience and God’s promise of future resto- May God find us to be honest people who ration (Jer. 30:3), the book of Jeremiah is a are seeking His truth. 1-800-356-6639 THEOLOGY MATTERS by John Koessler The Wrath of God It is rare today to hear a sermon that focuses that the wrath of God, unlike human anger, on the wrath of God. Some may even think is never capricious, self-indulgent, or irrita- that the very idea of anger is incompatible ble. “It is, instead, a right and necessary with the gospel’s message of God’s mercy reaction to objective moral evil. God is and grace. Yet one theme in the book of Jer- only angry where anger is called for.” emiah deals with the real threat posed by the wrath of God. For example, in Jeremiah Believers and unbelievers alike have an in- 4:4 the Lord warned His people: “Circum- tuitive sense of God’s wrath, though not ev- cise yourselves to the LORD, circumcise your eryone will admit that this is their experi- hearts, you people of Judah and inhabitants ence. This inner awareness of God’s of Jerusalem, or my wrath will flare up and displeasure with sin is part of God’s general burn like fire because of the evil you have revelation of Himself to all humanity. But it is done—burn with no one to quench it.” also an aspect of the divine nature that sinful humanity suppresses (Rom. 1:18–19). One The Hebrew noun that is translated “wrath” reason we are uncomfortable with the idea is derived from a verb that means, “to be of divine wrath is because our fallen nature hot.” The imagery of heat often appears tends to live in denial of God’s righteous na- with statements that speak of God’s wrath. ture and His wrath. The impression left by this language is terri- fying. It is meant to be. Elsewhere the Scrip- God’s capacity to experience and express tures warn: “It is a dreadful thing to fall into wrath cannot be separated from His other the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:31). attributes of love and mercy or His propen- This is because God in His wrath is “a con- sity to show grace. To do so would compart- suming fire” (Deut. 4:24; Heb. 12:29). mentalize His nature in an incoherent way. God does not have a split personality. His God’s wrath is a reflection of His justice. It is righteous anger is in harmony with His directed toward those who do evil. Unlike grace. Nowhere is this more evident than in our anger, which is affected by our sinful the person and work of Jesus Christ, who nature, divine anger is motivated by righ- bore our sins in His body on the cross and teousness (James 1:20). In his book Know- delivered us from the wrath to come (1 Peter ing God, theologian J. I. Packer points out 2:24; 1 Thess. 1:10). For Further Study To learn more about this subject read the chapter entitled, “The Wrath of God,” in Knowing God by J. I. Packer (InterVarsity). www.todayintheword.com FROM THE EDITORS by Elena Mafter Today in the Word’s Mailbag Dear friends, Your friendship, partnership, and prayer support are important to us. More than that, the ministry of Today in the Word would not exist without you, our readers. This month, we would like to thank you for your letters, notes, phone calls, and e-mails— a testimony to what God is doing in your life through Today in the Word. Here is a selection of letters and e-mails you have written to us lately. Thank you for keeping in touch! I was born with a mental disability which much for every section of this precious book. led to sin, rebellion, and mental illness. I I would not change a thing. I thank God for never knew what love was. But through the technology that allows me to read my counsel, medication, reading God’s Word, Today in the Word [online]. May God con- Our Daily Bread, and Today in the Word for tinue to richly bless you. many years, I slowly came to realize the —Marilyn (via e-mail) love of God and His care and compassion for me. Thank you so much for Today in the Thank you for this monthly magazine. My Word. Through its words and teaching, I daughter started me on it, and I’m glad to have learned the love of Jesus, and I person- say that my niece is now also reading it. I’m ally want to thank you from the depths of my 84 years old and I’m always learning. soul. You have been a part of lifting me from —Dorothy, IL deep darkness to the light. May the Lord Je- sus Christ be praised! I have been reading Today in the Word for —Arlene, IL over 20 years now. I’ve enjoyed being blessed each month by your excellent stud- I have been reading Today in the Word ies. Recently I moved to London where I since 2005, and I thank God for all of you couldn’t get the monthly booklet in time. every day. This devotional has inspired me Even the daily e-mail didn’t arrive early to stay in God’s Word every day and has enough for my morning devotions. The dis- helped me to understand the Bible better. I covery of your great website has fulfilled my love the “Q&A” section. I never would have needs. I go to the website for my daily study thought to ask the meaning of hallelujah. and also print out the monthly study in PDF Being reminded of its true definition makes for those times I may be unable to access the it so much more meaningful when I sing it or Internet. I thank God for how He has grown say it. The application section is so helpful and blessed me through your ministry. and needed for my daily life. Thank you so —Marcus (via e-mail) Continued on page 38 1-800-356-6639 VOLUME 25 ISSUE 9 EXECUTIVE EDITOR Paul B. Currie MANAGING EDITOR Heather Moffitt Jeremiah: A Message of Hope ASSOCIATE EDITOR Elena Mafter in the Face of Judgment CONTRIBUTING EDITORS John Koessler Kim Pickett Jeremiah had a choice: go to Babylon to live in exile WRITER or stay in Jerusalem.
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