The Jeremiah Project, Week 41

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Week 41

Day 1
(Originally posted Sunday, October 5, 2014)

Overview Jeremiah 41:1-18 - "A Dirty Rat And A Cool Cat". Our reading this week is the stuff of which action movies and dark, involving medieval dramas are made. We discover Gedaliah's reward for his trust as well as Ishmael's shrewd calculations. We'll also learn of the heroic and determined Johanan, and his forward thinking.

Day 2 ******* CAUTION *******
******* MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY. *******

Link to video clip

******* MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY. *******
******* CAUTION *******
(Originally posted Monday, October 6, 2014)
*******CAUTION: MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY.*******
Jeremiah 41:1-3 - "Shocking Betrayal" or "For Whom The Red Wedding Bells Toll" or "GoT Check".
Do you remember where you were and what you were doing when JFK was assassinated? If that was before your time, do remember where you were and what you were doing when 9/11 happened?
Our reading today documents the betrayal of Gedaliah and his men as well as his Babylonian guards by Ishmael and his assassins. This act to this remnant of Yahweh's people had the same impact as JFK's murder or 9/11 did to us. This Scripture will come alive to you once you are reacting to it viscerally. It is the only proper response. This is a gut check.
Remember from our reading last week Gedaliah trusted Ishmael was a friend--or at least an ally--who would do him no harm. He was wrong. One ponders if he thought at all, as he was dying, about Johanan who tried to warn him.
About the attached clip: Apologies for the language and length of this clip, however, it very effectively conveys the REAL reactions of REAL people who are emotionally invested in the FICTIONAL characters in the program they are watching. Furthermore, the scene they are watching, while available for viewing, is so graphic as to be traumatizing, and won't be linked to here. It really is too much.

Remember that Gedaliah and his people weren't fictional. They were real.
*******CAUTION: MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY.*******

Day 3

Link to video clip
(Originally posted Tuesday, October 7, 2014)

Jeremiah 41:4-8 - "Adding Insult To Injury" or "Crashing A Christmas Funeral". In our reading today, we see the further treachery of Ishmael and his deadly band as they deceive and ambush a group of pilgrims that are passing through.
Their missing beards, torn clothes and gashes tell us they are formally mourning (probably the fall of Jerusalem), and their grain offerings and incense tell us they were probably on their way to Jerusalem to commemorate the Feast of Tabernacles.
It's a foreign picture to us, but we can get the flavor of it if we can imagine or recall the passing of a loved one at the holidays.

And the hits just keep on coming.

Day 4

Link to video clip
(Originally posted Wednesday, October 8, 2014)

Jeremiah 41:9-10 - "Piling On". In our brief but chilling verses today, we see how Ishmael disposes of the bodies of all those he's killed, and how he takes the remnant of the Remnant that yet live as hostages.

Where will their help come from?

In our lives as Christians, when faced with murderous madness, and held hostage by hideous and heinous hitmen, as Jeremiah probably was with the others, where does our help come from?

Day 5

Link to video clip
(Originally posted Thursday, October 9, 2014)

Jeremiah 41:11-15 - "Get Off My Plain!" or "Johanan To The Rescue". Finally some uplifting and hope-inspiring heroics in our reading today as Johanan and his mighty men track down that dirty dawg Ishmael and free the people he took hostage.

Day 6

Link to video clip
(Originally posted Friday, October 10, 2014)

Jeremiah 41:16-18 - "It's Time To Go... Isn't It?". In finishing the chapter this week, we find a savvy and sensible leader in a time of crisis in the man Johanan. He's figuring after Ishmael's shenanigans have wrought all kinds of havoc on this remnant of Yahweh's people, and left them leaderless by taking out the man that had the approval of the Babylonians, and especially after killing the Babylonian soldiers, the Babylonians will be coming back to finish them off entirely. He's thinking, "It's gotta be time to go... Right?"

Day 7
(Originally posted Saturday, October 11, 2014)

Review Jeremiah 41:1-18 and REST in the realization that
Though soul-crushing betrayal might prevail upon fledgling hopes and infant dreams,
When Yahweh requires it, will we have the courage to not flee as right as running seems?

<==== Back to Menu <== Back to Week 40 Proceed to week 42 ==>

Week 41
Day 1		(Originally posted Sunday, October 5, 2014) Overview Jeremiah 41:1-18 - "A Dirty Rat And A Cool Cat". Our reading this week is the stuff of which action movies and dark, involving medieval dramas are made. We discover Gedaliah's reward for his trust as well as Ishmael's shrewd calculations. We'll also learn of the heroic and determined Johanan, and his forward thinking.
Day 2	***** CAUTION *** *** MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY. *** Link to video clip *** MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY. *** *** CAUTION *****	(Originally posted Monday, October 6, 2014) *****CAUTION: MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY.*** Jeremiah 41:1-3 - "Shocking Betrayal" or "For Whom The Red Wedding Bells Toll" or "GoT Check". Do you remember where you were and what you were doing when JFK was assassinated? If that was before your time, do remember where you were and what you were doing when 9/11 happened? Our reading today documents the betrayal of Gedaliah and his men as well as his Babylonian guards by Ishmael and his assassins. This act to this remnant of Yahweh's people had the same impact as JFK's murder or 9/11 did to us. This Scripture will come alive to you once you are reacting to it viscerally. It is the only proper response. This is a gut check. Remember from our reading last week Gedaliah trusted Ishmael was a friend--or at least an ally--who would do him no harm. He was wrong. One ponders if he thought at all, as he was dying, about Johanan who tried to warn him. About the attached clip: Apologies for the language and length of this clip, however, it very effectively conveys the REAL reactions of REAL people who are emotionally invested in the FICTIONAL characters in the program they are watching. Furthermore, the scene they are watching, while available for viewing, is so graphic as to be traumatizing, and won't be linked to here. It really is too much. Remember that Gedaliah and his people weren't fictional. They were real. ***CAUTION: MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY.*****
Day 3	Link to video clip	(Originally posted Tuesday, October 7, 2014) Jeremiah 41:4-8 - "Adding Insult To Injury" or "Crashing A Christmas Funeral". In our reading today, we see the further treachery of Ishmael and his deadly band as they deceive and ambush a group of pilgrims that are passing through. Their missing beards, torn clothes and gashes tell us they are formally mourning (probably the fall of Jerusalem), and their grain offerings and incense tell us they were probably on their way to Jerusalem to commemorate the Feast of Tabernacles. It's a foreign picture to us, but we can get the flavor of it if we can imagine or recall the passing of a loved one at the holidays. And the hits just keep on coming.
Day 4	Link to video clip	(Originally posted Wednesday, October 8, 2014) Jeremiah 41:9-10 - "Piling On". In our brief but chilling verses today, we see how Ishmael disposes of the bodies of all those he's killed, and how he takes the remnant of the Remnant that yet live as hostages. Where will their help come from? In our lives as Christians, when faced with murderous madness, and held hostage by hideous and heinous hitmen, as Jeremiah probably was with the others, where does our help come from?
Day 5	Link to video clip	(Originally posted Thursday, October 9, 2014) Jeremiah 41:11-15 - "Get Off My Plain!" or "Johanan To The Rescue". Finally some uplifting and hope-inspiring heroics in our reading today as Johanan and his mighty men track down that dirty dawg Ishmael and free the people he took hostage.
Day 6	Link to video clip	(Originally posted Friday, October 10, 2014) Jeremiah 41:16-18 - "It's Time To Go... Isn't It?". In finishing the chapter this week, we find a savvy and sensible leader in a time of crisis in the man Johanan. He's figuring after Ishmael's shenanigans have wrought all kinds of havoc on this remnant of Yahweh's people, and left them leaderless by taking out the man that had the approval of the Babylonians, and especially after killing the Babylonian soldiers, the Babylonians will be coming back to finish them off entirely. He's thinking, "It's gotta be time to go... Right?"
Day 7		(Originally posted Saturday, October 11, 2014) Review Jeremiah 41:1-18 and REST in the realization that Though soul-crushing betrayal might prevail upon fledgling hopes and infant dreams, When Yahweh requires it, will we have the courage to not flee as right as running seems?