I try to be in constant study in both the Old Testament and New Testament. I highly recommend the book of Jeremiah for someone who wants to tackle a major prophet. It's not as difficult as Isaiah, but I'd still recommend taking it one chapter at a time and research each chapter before moving on.
Jeremiah 23 is awesome.
Verses 1-2 begin with a clearly angry God. He has been disgusted by the corrupt leaders of Judah. From the king to spiritual leaders, to local leaders. All corrupt and sinful. "Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!" says the Lord...."You have scattered my flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings."
Many Jews had scattered. Some in captivity in the north and east to Babylon, others south toward Egypt trying to escape the problems in Israel. Predictably, the people of Judah had no time for these warnings from Jeremiah. He was ignored. And predicably, they soon were destroyed by Babylon.
Verses 3-8 take an amazing shift to Messianic prophecy. Jesus predicted over 500 years before His birth. "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord, "that I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; a King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth...now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OF OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS."
The two Hebrew words literally mean YAHWEH'S RIGHTEOUSNESS.
The rest of the chapter (40 verses) is an onslaught of condemnations for false religious leaders and teachers. Condemnations that still apply today.
Verse 11 - "For both prophet and priest are profane; yes, in My house I have found their wickedness," says the Lord.
Verse 17 sounds exactly like the churches today who tell people what they want to hear rather than the truth - "They continually say to those who despise Me, 'The Lord has said you shall have peace'; and to everyone who walks according to the dictates of his own heart, they say, 'no evil shall come upon you.'"
There's a lot more, but the final verse of the chapter should be a chilling warning to false teachers.
Verse 40 - "I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten."
Jeremiah 23 is awesome.
Verses 1-2 begin with a clearly angry God. He has been disgusted by the corrupt leaders of Judah. From the king to spiritual leaders, to local leaders. All corrupt and sinful. "Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!" says the Lord...."You have scattered my flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings."
Many Jews had scattered. Some in captivity in the north and east to Babylon, others south toward Egypt trying to escape the problems in Israel. Predictably, the people of Judah had no time for these warnings from Jeremiah. He was ignored. And predicably, they soon were destroyed by Babylon.
Verses 3-8 take an amazing shift to Messianic prophecy. Jesus predicted over 500 years before His birth. "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord, "that I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; a King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth...now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OF OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS."
The two Hebrew words literally mean YAHWEH'S RIGHTEOUSNESS.
The rest of the chapter (40 verses) is an onslaught of condemnations for false religious leaders and teachers. Condemnations that still apply today.
Verse 11 - "For both prophet and priest are profane; yes, in My house I have found their wickedness," says the Lord.
Verse 17 sounds exactly like the churches today who tell people what they want to hear rather than the truth - "They continually say to those who despise Me, 'The Lord has said you shall have peace'; and to everyone who walks according to the dictates of his own heart, they say, 'no evil shall come upon you.'"
There's a lot more, but the final verse of the chapter should be a chilling warning to false teachers.
Verse 40 - "I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten."
