From Lamentations 3.37-5.22
Jeremiah instructs his hearers to test and examine their ways. I guess we should all be doing that. In part we need to be continually training ourselves in righteousness, learning to discern good from evil. Intrinsic to that is to keep reading the scriptures, knowing what pleases the LORD. How often do you look in the mirror?
This post is part of my bible in a year series.
Passage and Comments
Jeremiah continued to lament the punishment inflicted on Judah. He calls for justice to be executed on their adversaries. He pleads with the LORD for restoration. Jeremiah accepts the punishment of the LORD on behalf of Judah.
37 Who has spoken and it came to pass,
unless the Lord has commanded it?
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
that good and bad come?
39 Why should a living man complain,
a man, about the punishment of his sins?
40 Let us test and examine our ways,
and return to the LORD!
41 Let us lift up our hearts and hands
to God in heaven:
42 “We have transgressed and rebelled,
and you have not forgiven. (La 3:37–42)
Is this something we do today? Why? Why not?
Jeremiah instructs his hearers to test and examine their ways. I guess we should all be doing that. In part we need to be continually training ourselves in righteousness, learning to discern good from evil. Intrinsic to that is to keep reading the scriptures, knowing what pleases the LORD.
Story of Israel
Judah seemed to learn their lesson in part. They returned to the promised land zealous for the law. But their heart was not in it.
Story of Jesus
After Jesus died and rose again, those who followed him started recalling the prophecies and exhortations in the Old Testament. The exhortation to ‘test and examine’ is repeated I suspect in different ways. Paul says;
5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! (2 Co 13:5)
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