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Daily Devotions

Jeremiah

Jeremiah 
Day 
Day 149

"The Portion of Jacob"

Text: Jeremiah 10:16

A LAMENT OVER THE CHILDREN OF JUDAH

Jeremiah was deeply saddened by what he observed about the children of Judah. He remembered their patriarch Jacob and how he chose God.

“Everyone is dull-hearted, without knowledge;
Every metalsmith is put to shame by an image;
For his moulded image is falsehood,
And there is no breath in them.
They are futile, a work of errors;
In the time of their punishment they shall perish.
The Portion of Jacob is not like them,
For He is the Maker of all things,
And Israel is the tribe of His inheritance;
The LORD of hosts is His name.”
Jeremiah 10:14-16

1. “Everyone is dull-hearted, without knowledge; every metalsmith is put to shame by an image; for his moulded image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them”

a) An assessment of the idolaters:
i) Dull-hearted
ii) Ignorant
b) The metalsmith
i) He crafts images from moulds.
ii) They have no life.
c) Yet, no one seems to be able to discern this. People, by the thousands, worshipped these idols!

2. “They are futile, a work of errors; in the time of their punishment they shall perish”

a) The idols
i) To worship them was futile.

ii) The idols were wrought on erroneous teachings.
b) Punishment (Judgment)
i) The people will perish in the coming war.
ii) The idols would perish too.
iii) They are powerless to save themselves.

3. “The Portion of Jacob is not like them, for He is the Maker of all things,
and Israel is the tribe of His inheritance; the LORD of hosts is His name”

a) The LORD is called “The Portion of Jacob”.
i) This idea may be traced to the time Jacob chose to believe in God.
ii) This moving story is recorded in Genesis 28.
b) The God of Jacob
i) He is the Maker (Creator) of all things.
ii) He has a special relationship with Israel.
iii) God calls Israel His inheritance (Deuteronomy 32:9).
iv) His mighty name: “The LORD of hosts”.