Mike Blogs

Since this book of the prophet Jeremiah is a collection of his sermons over a period of more than 40 years, we can expect some abrupt starts and stops. Did Baruch the scribe arrange the sermons chronologically? Probably, though it is not out of the question that he might pair up some sermons with similar themes even if one is early and another one later.   Also, certain themes might shift in meaning over time. For example, in the early sermons when Jeremiah said, as God told

Anthropologists have reported for every society that stories are used to build a people’s worldview. Of course, there are compelling stories and then there are competing stories challenging the main vision of reality. Social organization often emerges from this struggle over whose story captures the meaning of people’s existence. Leaders work mightily to protect their power by controlling which story gets heard. We see this all around us.   Social psychologists have shown tha

Denial. Some people live in that excuse as long as they can. One says: ‘Our nation is at risk’. Another answers: ‘Oh, really; we’re not as bad as other nations’. ‘We are headed for a recession’. ‘Eggs are cheaper; the economy is doing fine’. ‘OK, this conversation is going nowhere’.   The passage of Scripture before today’s study was a hymn of praise for the wonderful God that we adore: “ It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and b

Evangelical Mission Society, Wheaton, IL.  Saturday, March 14, 2026.                                              Theme: Theological Anthropology for Missional Engagement Theological anthropology is central to missiological reflection and practice, since acts of gospel witness, service, and cultural engagement all rest on assumptions about human identity, dignity, and destiny. In a rapidly changing world—marked by shifting views of spirituality, ethnicity, gender, technology,

Elijah has been carried away in a chariot of fire in a whirlwind (II Kings 2); but Jezebel still reigns as queen of Israel and her son Joram is king. Why do the evil rich and powerful live long? Well, not too long. Actually, the end is nearer than Jezebel imagines.  Elisha, Elijah’s successor, has sent a young member of the company of the prophets to anoint Jehu to remove and replace Ahab as king of Israel. Here is what Elisha told that young prophet to say. “ Thus says the L

We left the party last week in the middle of a performance by the prophet Jeremiah. To remind us; Jeremiah warns the people about being overly-impressed by the idols of the Babylonians who have defeated them. The temptation is to think that the idols are real and powerful. The results of warfare in those days was thought to be a statement about whose god was stronger. So the temptation would be for the Israelites to think that they need a new god.  In fact, Judah’s defeat was

After the confrontation with Jezebel’s prophets of Ba’al and Asherah, Elijah fled the country. Jezebel put out an all-counts bulletin for her lackeys to find Elijah so she could kill him. Ahab continued in his wayward ways.   One day Ahab was gazing out his palace window (too much time on his hands) when he saw a nice plot of land not far away. He discovered that the vineyard, for it was a productive farm, was in the possession of a man named Naboth. So, Ahab made an offer to

10: 1-2.    Hear the word that the LORD speaks to you, O house of Israel.               Thus says the LORD: Do not learn the way of the nations    or be dismayed at the signs of the heavens,    for the nations are dismayed at them.  Here is a thought that needs some careful discernment as, in fact, they all do. If we let the phrase, “ Do not learn the way of the nations,” stand as a general command, then we undermine other thoughts in the Bible. The miracle of tongues at

Last week we saw that Jezebel was at work trying to establish new gods as the central belief and trust of Israel. She went about it with vengeance and violence as well as with money and propaganda…pretty much as the elite does today.   Jezebel not only sidelined the prophets of YHWH, but she also hunted them down, took away their rights which had been given them by God, and carried out political executions. Ahab’s own palace steward, Obadiah, was secretly faithful to YHWH. Ob

God has instructed Jeremiah to tell the people that they might as well go ahead and call professional mourners so they can practice their dirges and be ready to sing.   The previous section began with one word: “ Consider.” Derivatives of the root of this word occur nearly 200 times, often used by God through the prophets, including Job. God told Jeremiah to be wise and skillful with God’s word; to discern what God is saying and attend to its meaning.   Now, God gives the nex