My Own Heart - Jeremiah 3:15-17

Jeremiah 3:15-17 ESV 

“‘And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. And when you have multiplied and been fruitful in the land, in those days, declares the Lord, they shall no more say, “The ark of the covenant of the Lord.” It shall not come to mind or be remembered or missed; it shall not be made again. At that time Jerusalem shall be called the throne of the Lord, and all nations shall gather to it, to the presence of the Lord in Jerusalem, and they shall no more stubbornly follow their own evil heart.

Israel will at last fulfill the mission of multiplying and being fruitful on the earth. In those days they will have no thought for the old covenant and will inhabit a new and whole Jerusalem. God will return to the city and the nations shall gather to it for worship. 

The heart of Jerusalem will be the presence of God. 

That Know You Not - 10:25

Jeremiah 10:25 ESV 

" Pour out your wrath on the nations that know you not,

and on the peoples that call not on your name,

for they have devoured Jacob;

they have devoured him and consumed him,

and have laid waste his habitation."

The nations that seek the destruction of Israel are the ones who do not know The Lord. They will receive the wrath of God as they follow their deceiver god. 

They know not and their end is the destruction they seek. 

They Had No Light - Jeremiah 4:22-23

Jeremiah 4:22-23 ESV 

“For my people are foolish;

they know me not;

they are stupid children;

they have no understanding.

They are ‘wise’—in doing evil!

But how to do good they know not.”

I looked on the earth, and behold, it was without form and void;

and to the heavens, and they had no light.

The work of creation has seems to be faltering. Though light had been given, they had no light. Though formed and given the word of God for understanding, they have become formless and void. 

It is foolish to not know the Lord. It shows a lack of understanding, like children who know nothing and they are good for nothing in the eyes of the Lord. 

I Will Consume Them - Jeremiah 14:11-12

Jeremiah 14:11-12 ESV 

" The Lord said to me: “Do not pray for the welfare of this people. Though they fast, I will not hear their cry, and though they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence.”"

Jeremiah 15:1-2

"The Lord Will Not Relent

​ Then the Lord said to me, “Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my heart would not turn toward this people. Send them out of my sight, and let them go! And when they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord: 

“‘Those who are for pestilence, to pestilence,

and those who are for the sword, to the sword;

those who are for famine, to famine,

and those who are for captivity, to captivity.’"

This consumption of this people may remind us of the four horseman in Revelation. The fourth horseman appears to be the AntiChrist, followed by the three calamities listed above. 

This may be an indication or clue that Revelation 4 onwards applies to Israel and earth dwellers, and not the church. The church does not experience the wrath of God. 

The Bones - Jeremiah 8:1-2

Jeremiah 8:1-2 ESV 

"​ “At that time, declares the Lord, the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of its officials, the bones of the priests, the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be brought out of their tombs. And they shall be spread before the sun and the moon and all the host of heaven, which they have loved and served, which they have gone after, and which they have sought and worshiped. And they shall not be gathered or buried. They shall be as dung on the surface of the ground."

Can these dry bones find life? All things are possible with The Lord. 

Ezekiel 37:1-6

"The Valley of Dry Bones

​ The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”"

The Door Was Shut - Matthew 25:6-12

Matthew 25:6-12 ESV 

But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

Another warning for all Christians is seen in this parable. Following Jesus is not only a one-time decision, but an ongoing journey of walking with the Spirit. It is possible to have a lamp, though without enough oil for use. It is possible to receive the seed of good news, only to have the branch bear no fruit and wither away. Having little or no light increases the chance of losing your way. 

Jesus opens the door and shuts it. Being with Him ensures you end up on the right side when the door closes. 

Through His Flesh - Hebrews 10:19-20

Hebrews 10:19-20 ESV 

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,

God did a new thing, providing the living way into the presence of the living God. One man went past the curtain into the holy places for us to follow. No longer is only one man allowed to enter once a year on behalf of the nation, for one man has entered the Holy of Holies for the world and remains. 

Jesus said He is the only way to the Father. This is because He and the Father are one. 

It is through our flesh we are able to follow after the flesh of Christ, to be transformed into the resurrected and eternal body which is our inheritance, like Him.