Devotion 1 of 2: Jer 20
In this chapter Jeremiah was put in stocks and freed the next day by Pashhuri, the chief priest of the Jerusalem temple (v.2). Then Jeremiah gave a scathing prophecy, declaring Pashhur would see his family and friends, to whom he prophesied lies, along with the people of Judah, defeated, taken captive and killed in Babylon (v.4-6)! He added that Babylon would plunder all the treasures of Jerusalem!
Once more, let’s confirm the general scene throughout the book of Jeremiah: Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon are expanding their empire, and Judah is worried about a possible invasion. But the priests and prophets of Judah are saying Babylon won’t invade! The people of Judah believe their prophecies, but Jeremiah is saying those are lies, and there will be an invasion, and many will be taken captive to Babylon!
The way I apply this story to our day is by seeing Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon as pictures of AC and his forces. The priests and prophets of Judah are a picture of Christian leaders, some who are sincere believers but who don’t understand endtime truth and therefore believe in the pretrib rapture and others who are liberal in theology and lukewarm in their faith.
Let’s understand the message of Jeremiah to us in the endtime and be faithful to fulfill our calling as the Jeremiah of our day!
デボーション1/2：Jer 20
この章では、エレミヤはエルサレム神殿の祭司長パシュフリによって足かせをはめられ、翌日解放されました(2 節)。それからエレミヤは痛烈な預言をし、パシュフリが嘘を預言していた家族や友人が、ユダの人々とともにバビロンで敗北し、捕虜にされ、殺されるのを見るだろうと宣言しました (4-6節)。さらに、バビロンはエルサレムの財宝をすべて略奪するとも言いました。
もう一度、エレミヤ書全体の場面を確認しましょう。ネブカドネザルとバビロンは帝国を拡大しており、ユダは侵略の可能性を心配しています。しかし、ユダの祭司や預言者たちは、バビロンは侵略しないと言っています。ユダの人々は彼らの預言を信じていますが、エレミヤはそれらが嘘であって、逆に侵略が起こり、多くの人がバビロンに捕虜にされると言っています。
この物語を現代に当てはめると、ネブカドネザルとバビロンは反キとその軍勢の象徴とみなされます。ユダの祭司と預言者たちはキリスト教指導者の象徴であり、中には誠実な信者でありながら終末の真実を理解しておらず、そのため患難前携挙を信じる者もいれば、自由神学の立場に立って、生ぬるい者もいます。
終末の時代に私たちに向けたエレミヤのメッセージを理解し、現代のエレミヤとして召命を忠実に果たしましょう。
この箇所の日本語訳はまだありません。英語の原文を表示しています。
Devotion 2 of 2: Acts 20
This chapter describes the continuation of Paul’s 3rd missionary journey from Ephesus to Troas (v.1-12) and then to Miletus, where he called for the elders of the Ephesus Church to come for one last talk (v.13-38).
Troas is famous for the young man Eutychus falling asleep during Paul’s long teaching. Eutychus ended up falling from the 3rd floor and dying! However, Paul embraced him and declared his life was in him! Then he continued teaching until morning, ate and departed. Only after that did Eutychus rise from the dead!
A modern pastor famous for raising people from the dead is Pastor Josephat Gwajima of Glory of Christ Church in Dar Es Salaam, the capital of Tanzania. They have actually seen over 1,000 people raised from the dead. I visited many years ago had the privilege of interviewing 4 who had been raised from the dead.
One woman testified she collapsed at church and went to heaven. She was amazed at the beauty and love and happiness of heaven and wanted to stay, but the pastor prayed powerfully, commanding her to come back! When she revived, she was upset at the pastor for bringing her back! She said she would rather have stayed in heaven!
Pastor Gwajima said raising people from the dead is a powerful witness that has brought multitudes to Christ! His church numbers over 100K! Let’s believe that God will use us in this powerful ministry also!
— Pastor Elmer Inafuku