Scripture Union Daily Guide 15 May 2020
Topic: Deceitfulness of Sin
Opening Prayer: Open my eyes O Lord that I might behold wondrous things from your word in Jesus name.
Scripture: Jeremiah 44:15–30
Reflection
• What does the passage teach about God the Father, God the Son or God the Holy Spirit?
• Is there any warning for me to heed?
Scripture Union Daily Guide 15 May 2020
Message: Consider the response of the people after hearing God’s message through Jeremiah (vv.15 ─19). They sternly declared that they will not obey God. They would rather continue with their idol worship. Read Hebrews 3:7–12, what do you think is happening to this people? It is a terrible state for one to become so resistant to God’s instructions that one’s heart becomes hardened, eyes blinded, and so become trapped by sin. What can you do to prevent such situation in your life?
Note in vv.17,18,19&25 their reference to a goddess, ‘the Queen of Heaven’ – the Babylonian goddess Ishtar, the goddess of love and war. See also Jeremiah 7:18. Can you imagine how distorted their understanding of God has become (vv.18–19)? Their thinking has become so warped, they concluded that their current suffering was because they were no longer worshiping her the way they should.
Do we observe similar stubbornness around us today? A particular denomination worships this queen of heaven. Jeremiah sought to help them understand that it was for these acts of idolatry that God was punishing them (vv.20–23). Yet, they were adamant. They vowed to go ahead. What a pity and a warning for us.
Practice/Word Application
• And so: The further we drift from God, the more confused our thinking becomes.
Prayer Points
• Search me, O God, and know my heart –––– see if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23–24).
• Thank God for Scripture Union and other organizations that produce Christian materials to understand the needs of the time and meet them.
• Offer a prayer of faith in line with 2 Chronicles 7:14
Read the Bible in one Year
Kings 10–11; Matt. 8:18–34