Charles Spurgeon's "Morning & Evening" Devotional: July 19th

 Charles Spurgeon's "Morning & Evening" Devotional: July 19th

Morning

“With great mercies will I gather thee.”

Jeremiah 25:1-14

Let us now read that famous prophecy of Jeremiah in which a period of seventy years was indicated as the time of the captivity in Babylon.

Jeremiah 25:1-3

It is a great grief to a minister when his earnestness is disregarded, and men still turn a deaf ear to his appeals. This is, moreover, a great aggravation of sin; for every rejected reproof adds a new degree of sinfulness to transgression. Are any of our household resisting the voice of God, and sinning against light and knowledge? If so, may the Lord turn them by his grace.

Jeremiah 25:4

When parents, teachers, brothers, and sisters have spoken to us, and we remain hardened, we have much to answer for.

Jeremiah 25:5-7

Wrong-doing always hurts those who are guilty of it. Every man who sins is an enemy to himself.

Jeremiah 25:8 , Jeremiah 25:9

The Medes and other northern people were confederate with Babylon, and by their ferocious destructiveness turned Judea into a desert, and made its cities heaps of ruins.

Jeremiah 25:10

The houses which remained standing were uninhabited; in the morning no grinding of the handmill proclaimed the preparation of the early meal, and in the evening no night lamp was lit at the time when labour ends. Destruction reigned supreme.

Jeremiah 25:11-14

Seventy years Judah must be captive, the exact amount of the Sabbaths of the 490 years from the reign of Saul to the captivity, and therefore a most righteous retribution for violated Sabbaths. God’s judgments are by rule and measure, but his mercy knows no bounds. To Babylon judgment came more terribly than to Judah, according to the spirit of that text: “If judgment begin at the house of God, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” Judah rose again, but Babylon never; the Lord utterly consumed the rod with which he had so sorely smitten his chosen nation. Lord, when thou dost chasten us, deal with us as with sons, and not as thou dost with aliens and enemies.

Evening

“I the Lord search the heart.”

Jeremiah 17:1-17

In those evil days Jeremiah continued to plead with the people and mourn for their hardness of heart. Let us hear him speak Jeremiah 17:1-17.

Jeremiah 17:1 , Jeremiah 17:2

They were as keen after idols as if the propensity to idolatry had been graven into them with an iron pen never to be erased, and they were as confident in it as if it had been sanctioned by a law inscribed with a diamond-point upon their altars. Upon the tablets of men’s hearts, where God’s holy law should be, all manner of evil is written.

Jeremiah 17:5 , Jeremiah 17:6

The Jews were prone to trust in Egypt as the rival of Babylon. Creature confidence is essentially idolatry, and if it be found in us we are guilty of that sin, even though no image be set up in our house. The dreary junipers of the desert are more to be envied than men who trust in men.

Jeremiah 17:7 , Jeremiah 17:8

Trials will come, even as heat and drought try every tree, but faith sets the believer above circumstances, and makes him always flourish.

Jeremiah 17:9-11

The bird, with all her care, often fails to hatch her eggs; and so Jehoiakim and other oppressors gathered together what they were not permitted to enjoy.

Jeremiah 17:12

High places for sin he had condemned, but his soul rejoices in the glorious high place of everlasting love. To that sacred mount let us daily resort.

Jeremiah 17:14

I praise thee for past mercies. O be gracious to me now in this time of need!

Jeremiah 17:15

In taunting mockery they challenged the prophet’s message, and defied the Lord to fulfil his threats; this made him a man of sorrows.

Jeremiah 17:16

He foretold their destruction, but he did not desire it. When ministers preach of hell, unthinking persons call them harsh, but it would be far greater harshness if they suffered men to live in false peace, and to die unwarned.

Jeremiah 17:17

He felt the unkindness of his hearers, for he had a very sensitive heart, but he feared most of all being left of God. It is not likely that so good a Master would cast off his faithful servants, and yet when we are hard pushed grievous doubts will intrude. Lord, increase our faith.

Study Further

Related passages, insights, and questions for personal reflection.

Take today’s devotional further. Explore related Scriptures and open any verse in the Study Desk for deeper study.

1 Peter 4:17: For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?

Judgment beginning at God's house, quoted in devotional's theme.reason

↳ Since judgment starts at God's house, how seriously do you take obedience?

Psalm 1:3: He will be like a tree planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season, And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.

Tree by water flourishing pictures trusting believer's blessedness.

↳ What roots your life so you can flourish like that tree?

1 Samuel 16:7: But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God does not see as man sees, since man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

God searches the heart, not outward appearance.

↳ What might God see in your heart that others miss?

2 Chronicles 36:21: to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. All the days of its desolation it kept the Sabbath until seventy years were complete.

Seventy years exile fulfilling the land's neglected Sabbaths.

↳ Where in your life have you neglected times set apart for rest?

2 Corinthians 5:10: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive compensation for his deeds done through the body, in accordance with what he has done, whether good or bad.

God rewards each according to searched, judged deeds.

↳ How would knowing Christ evaluates your deeds change today's choices?

 

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