The Park Forum

Links for today’s readings:

Sep 16  Read: Jeremiah 42 Listen: (3:44) Read: 2 Corinthians 2 Listen: (2:13)

Reflection: Let Go and Let God?

By Erin Newton

One thing that has worked well in my marriage (and I would assume that nearly all relationships would benefit positively) is that when one spouse complains, the other pauses before giving any advice and asks, “Do you need to vent or do you need advice?” Usually for me, I only want to vent. I know what to do, but I need to get all my feelings out there.

There are times when I genuinely have no idea what to do. Do I take this teaching position when I already feel too busy? Do I write a letter to a former church explaining the pain they caused? Do I stay? Do I go?

Our lives are filled with a multitude of decisions, and decision fatigue is a real thing. Sometimes we are simply out of our depth or out of energy. We need advice. I’m grateful for the pastors, mentors, friends, and family that have often been a solid source of guidance.

In chapter 42, Johanan comes to Jeremiah asking for advice. He even vows to take the advice no matter what. That is a strong commitment.

Ten days pass before Jeremiah returns with the words of God for Johanan. I really like this slow approach. It’s not Jeremiah’s opinion given at a drop of a hat. It’s advice that’s been sought after and slowly gathered. Jeremiah is the “God-expert” so to speak. His role as a prophet meant he was the right person to ask advice from. Johanan made a good choice there.

Asking for advice is a humbling experience. One has to let go of control and pride, admit a deficiency in experience or ability, and then hold oneself to the guidance of another. Sometimes our pursuit of wisdom stops there. But what does Johanan promise next? He commits to taking the advice.

Johanan realizes in his vulnerable request that he has relinquished control of the situation and he cannot guarantee the outcome of God’s advice. That can be a scary place.

Sometimes we ask for advice and hope for a particular outcome. We feign commitment by promising to listen and take heed of whatever response is given.

But we will see in the next chapter that asking for advice is one step. Committing to follow is another step. But following through will be the ultimate litmus test of one’s faith.

Are you willing to seek advice? Now are you willing to take it?

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer

Let us make a vow to the Lord and keep it; let all around him bring gifts to him who is worthy to be feared. — Psalm 76.1

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

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Read more: The “Ideal” of the New Testament Church

Rather than one “ideal,” when we look at what the different churches actually did, we see many variations. 

The “Ideal” of the New Testament Church

Links for today’s readings:

Sep 15  Read: Jeremiah 41 Listen: (3:36) Read: 2 Corinthians 1 Listen: (3:52)

Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 41.4-15

4 The day after Gedaliah’s assassination, before anyone knew about it, 5 eighty men who had shaved off their beards, torn their clothes and cut themselves came from Shechem, Shiloh and Samaria, bringing grain offerings and incense with them to the house of the Lord. 6 Ishmael son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he went. When he met them, he said, “Come to Gedaliah son of Ahikam.” 7 When they went into the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the men who were with him slaughtered them and threw them into a cistern. 8 But ten of them said to Ishmael, “Don’t kill us! We have wheat and barley, olive oil and honey, hidden in a field.” So he let them alone and did not kill them with the others. 9 Now the cistern where he threw all the bodies of the men he had killed along with Gedaliah was the one King Asa had made as part of his defense against Baasha king of Israel. Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled it with the dead. 
10 Ishmael made captives of all the rest of the people who were in Mizpah—the king’s daughters along with all the others who were left there, over whom Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah took them captive and set out to cross over to the Ammonites. 
11 When Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers who were with him heard about all the crimes Ishmael son of Nethaniah had committed, 12 they took all their men and went to fight Ishmael son of Nethaniah. They caught up with him near the great pool in Gibeon. 13 When all the people Ishmael had with him saw Johanan son of Kareah and the army officers who were with him, they were glad. 14 All the people Ishmael had taken captive at Mizpah turned and went over to Johanan son of Kareah. 15 But Ishmael son of Nethaniah and eight of his men escaped from Johanan and fled to the Ammonites.

Reflection: Sin Disguised as Virtue

By John Tillman

Johanan warned Gedaliah about Ishmael’s plot, but he didn’t listen (Jer 40.13-14). Jeremiah warned Johanan not to go to Egypt, but he didn’t listen (Jer 42.19).

Whether out of principle or naivete, Gedaliah spared Ishmael’s life when Johanan accused him of an assassination plot. But Johanan was right. Ishmael and his men assassinated Gedaliah in a scene much like Absalom’s assassination of Amnon (2 Sam 13.28-29).

Could Ishmael (and Absalom) have had good motives but misguided tactics? Some might think Absalom sought justice and Ishmael was a patriot. Ishmael was a descendant of David and may have viewed Gedaliah as a Babylonian puppet, a tool of “the oppressors.” Ishmael could have claimed that he was called to restore the throne and kingdom and preserve God’s promises to his ancestor, David. However, Ishmael proved to be just as wicked a traitor as Absalom.

Before anyone knew what Ishmael had done, worshipers approached Jerusalem, repentant, weeping, and calling out to God. Ishmael deceived them by weeping as they did, then had his men slaughter them, filling a cistern with their bodies. He stole their gifts for worship and only stopped killing them when some survivors promised him more goods. 

Ishmael thought only of enriching himself. Instead of freeing anyone, he took them as captives to a different foreign power, the Ammonites. Johanan set out to free the captives and succeeded, but Ishmael escaped. Then Johanan ignored God’s direction and led the people into another disaster.

These messy, confusing, and complex stories from scripture prepare us for the world we live in. So-called “patriots” will commit atrocities. So-called “justice advocates” will reject God’s commands. Self-appointed “heroes” will commit acts of villainy. Sin looks for the best things to corrupt.

Since the garden, sin has crouched at our doors, seeking to devour us (Gen 4.7). Sin seeks to twist good things into evil things. Sex, food, and money are easy examples of good gifts that cause great damage outside of God’s purposes. But there is nothing good that sin cannot and will not twist. Sin’s claws, such as greed, violence, and jealousy, are often disguised as noble things, such as patriotism, justice, or loyalty.

Remember, the worst of villains are those who think they are the hero. We must be ready and willing to confront them, as Jeremiah did, but we must also guard ourselves from becoming them. Watch out for sin disguised as virtue.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons

I will bear witness that the Lord is righteous; I will praise the Name of the Lord Most High. — Psalm 7.18

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

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Read more: The House God Desires

Christ, the true son of David, is building the house that God desires—with rooms for all his children…

The House God Desires

Links for today’s readings:

Sep 14  Read: Jeremiah 40 Listen: (3:50) Read: 1 Corinthians 16 Listen: (2:54)

Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 40.7-12

7 When all the army officers and their men who were still in the open country heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam as governor over the land and had put him in charge of the men, women and children who were the poorest in the land and who had not been carried into exile to Babylon, 8 they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maakathite, and their men. 9 Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, took an oath to reassure them and their men. “Do not be afraid to serve the Babylonians, ” he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you. 10 I myself will stay at Mizpah to represent you before the Babylonians who come to us, but you are to harvest the wine, summer fruit and olive oil, and put them in your storage jars, and live in the towns you have taken over.” 
11 When all the Jews in Moab, Ammon, Edom and all the other countries heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, as governor over them, 12 they all came back to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, from all the countries where they had been scattered. And they harvested an abundance of wine and summer fruit.

Reflection: What’s The Point of Faithfulness?

By John Tillman

When Jerusalem fell, Jeremiah was offered a choice. He could stay or go.

A Babylonian commander pulled Jeremiah from a line of captives and struck off his chains. Jeremiah could choose to live with him in Babylon or stay with the Babylonian-appointed governor.

Which would you choose? Exile from the land or oppression within it?

Scripture is not clear about which choice was wrong or right. Jeremiah chose the harder, and perhaps wiser, thing. One contributing factor was probably that Jeremiah had little reason to trust the commander, but he knew the governor.

Gedaliah was the grandson of a faithful official, Shaphan, who helped with Josiah’s revival. One of Shaphan’s sons carried Jeremiah’s letter to the exiles (Jer 29.3) and another, Gedaliah’s father, protected Jeremiah from execution for his prophetic warnings (Jer 26.24).

Gedaliah took his job seriously and faithfully. He cared for the people and helped them prosper. For a short time, they had good harvests of wine, fruit, and oil but danger bloomed in the wilderness.

Gedaliah was warned about an anti-Babylonian assassination plot against him. He didn’t believe the warning and refused to preemptively kill the accused rebels. The men whose lives Gedaliah spared killed him. This brought a brief post-exile bright spot to an end and plunged the region into more death and destruction.

When nations crumble, collapse, or are conquered, there’s a lot of collateral damage and not very many good choices for those caught in the consequences. Even though Gedaliah and Jeremiah chose (I think) wisely and bravely, things ended badly.

What is the point of being faithful in times such as these? When caught between a violent government and violent rebels, where can we turn? When the foundations are shaken, what can the righteous do? (Ps 11.3)

To compare our lives to Jeremiah and Gedaliah would be a drastic exaggeration. However, there are always pressures and threats that force difficult decisions and choices. Being faithful will always come at a cost and the return on that investment is often not obvious.

The point of faithfulness is not winning battles or blessings. Faithfulness is an end, not a means to an end. Christian faithfulness means conforming to the image of Jesus, including his sufferings, death, and resurrection (Rom 8.17; Phil 3.10; 1 Pet 4.13). Faithfulness is transformational, not transactional.

Remember—hard choices are easier when your goal is faithfulness, not victory or blessings. Because even if we lose now, ultimately all Christ’s blessings and victories are already ours (Rom 8.35-37; 1 Cor 15.57-58; 1 John 5.4-5; Isa 54.17).

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer

Sing to the Lord and bless his Name; proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations and his wonders among all peoples.
— Psalm 96.2-3

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

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Links for today’s readings:

Sep 11  Read: Jeremiah 37 Listen: (3:25) Read: 1 Corinthians 13 Listen: (2:33)

Links for this weekend’s readings:

Sep 12  Read: Jeremiah 38 Listen: (5:18) Read: 1 Corinthians 14 Listen: (5:40)
Sep 13  Read: Jeremiah 39 Listen: (3:11) Read: 1 Corinthians 15 Listen: (8:06)

Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 37.15-21

15 They were angry with Jeremiah and had him beaten and imprisoned in the house of Jonathan the secretary, which they had made into a prison. 16 Jeremiah was put into a vaulted cell in a dungeon, where he remained a long time. 17 Then King Zedekiah sent for him and had him brought to the palace, where he asked him privately, “Is there any word from the Lord?” “Yes,” Jeremiah replied, “you will be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon.” 18 Then Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, “What crime have I committed against you or your attendants or this people, that you have put me in prison? 19 Where are your prophets who prophesied to you, ‘The king of Babylon will not attack you or this land’? 20 But now, my lord the king, please listen. Let me bring my petition before you: Do not send me back to the house of Jonathan the secretary, or I will die there.” 21 King Zedekiah then gave orders for Jeremiah to be placed in the courtyard of the guard and given a loaf of bread from the street of the bakers each day until all the bread in the city was gone. So Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard.

Reflection: True Faith Shows True Colors

By John Tillman

Jeremiah’s relationship with King Zedekiah is complex.

In private conversations, Zedekiah seemed to believe that Jeremiah spoke for God (Jer 38.14-16, 19, 24-26; 37.3, 17). In public, however, Zedekiah’s actions were contradictory. He disobeyed God’s instructions and followed political pressures instead. Zedekiah was also inconsistent (at best) in protecting Jeremiah from political persecution, violence, and imprisonment.

After being beaten and detained, Jeremiah asked Zedekiah where were the prophets who prophesied that Babylon would not attack Jerusalem. Babylon had attacked and taken many captives. Why was Jeremiah punished for telling the truth while prophets who lied to the king walked free, continuing to make politically comfortable “prophecies?”

In the very next chapter, the king’s son, Malkijah, threatened Jeremiah’s life. Instead of intervening, Zedekiah said, “The king can do nothing to oppose you.” (Jer 38.5) Malkijah’s allies put Jeremiah into an empty cistern, expecting him to sink into the mud and drown or starve. Only later, when Ebed-Melek, a palace official from Cush, appealed to the king, did Zedekiah send this African man to save Jeremiah’s life from the cistern.

Will the real Zedekiah please stand up? Will he stand up for the truth? For freedom for Jeremiah? For obeying God? For anything?

In the end, Zedekiah’s actions of foolish rebellion and cowardice showed the true colors of his faith (Jer 39.4-7). In Chronicles, scripture tells us that Zedekiah “did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet.” (2 Chron 36.12) In private, Zedekiah listened. But in public, he would not humble himself to obey.

It is not just kings who act one way in private but their actions contradict their promises. We may never have a private audience with a king, but we may experience this with a boss, religious leader, co-worker, or friend. But the primary place we must watch for this is in ourselves.

And what if we are leaders or “kings” in our circle of influence? Take care to avoid Zedekiah’s errors. Not every critique is from the Lord, but we mustn’t listen and nod to critics and then ignore everything. We must wisely evaluate critiques to discern and correct our errors (Matt 7.3-5).

Whether in leaders, friends, or ourselves, private piety that does not affect public practice is questionable at best. “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” (Jam 2.14-26) True faith will show its true colors. Let trees be judged by their fruit (Luke 6.43-45).

Prayers for the 25th annual remembrance of September 11th: 

The Park Forum has never explicitly addressed September 11th in our writing. That might seem strange for a ministry founded in 2006 in New York City. On this 25th year of remembrance, my first instinct is to keep our heads down in the scriptures rather than look back to the past. However, if I cannot keep my mind from turning there, how can any of us? Especially those of our readers who were deeply affected.

So much has been said about September 11th that I won’t try to say anything new. Instead, I will share prayers that I think of often in relation to September 11th. These prayers do not come from the scripture or from a prayer book. They come from rock and roll elder statesman and New York neighbor, Bruce Springsteen.

Springsteen is no theologian, and his beliefs are murky and confusing to me. It is hard to tell if his frequent scriptural references indicate faith or are merely poetic language bubbling up from the Catholic imagination gifted by his upbringing. But poets see deeply and often see truly, even if they don’t see fully. So, just as Paul quoted Epimenides at the Areopagus (Acts 17.28), today, we will pray Springsteen’s prayers. (Divine Hours prayers will return Monday)

One prayer takes inspiration from, and honors the sacrifice of, those who rushed toward danger, up the stairs, and into fire to save those who could be saved, laying down their lives for others (John 15.13). The second voices the prayers of those who, left in the wreckage of tragedy, prayed for the strength, faith, and love to rise from the ruins. May these prayers aid us in this time of remembering.

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Read more: Love Great or Terrible

The difference in love being great or terrible is usually the character of the lover. Let us love in a way that shows the character of Jesus.

Love Great or Terrible

Links for today’s readings:

Sep 10  Read: Jeremiah 36 Listen: (5:54) Read: 1 Corinthians 12 Listen: (4:25)

Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 36.16-26

16 When they heard all these words, they looked at each other in fear and said to Baruch, “We must report all these words to the king.” 17 Then they asked Baruch, “Tell us, how did you come to write all this? Did Jeremiah dictate it?” 
18 “Yes,” Baruch replied, “he dictated all these words to me, and I wrote them in ink on the scroll.” 
19 Then the officials said to Baruch, “You and Jeremiah, go and hide. Don’t let anyone know where you are.” 
20 After they put the scroll in the room of Elishama the secretary, they went to the king in the courtyard and reported everything to him. 21 The king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and Jehudi brought it from the room of Elishama the secretary and read it to the king and all the officials standing beside him. 22 It was the ninth month and the king was sitting in the winter apartment, with a fire burning in the firepot in front of him. 23 Whenever Jehudi had read three or four columns of the scroll, the king cut them off with a scribe’s knife and threw them into the firepot, until the entire scroll was burned in the fire. 24 The king and all his attendants who heard all these words showed no fear, nor did they tear their clothes. 25 Even though Elnathan, Delaiah and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. 26 Instead, the king commanded Jerahmeel, a son of the king, Seraiah son of Azriel and Shelemiah son of Abdeel to arrest Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet. But the Lord had hidden them. 

Reflection: Unsung Biblical Heroes

By John Tillman

Baruch’s scroll with Jeremiah’s message was immediately recognized as a word from God and read to Jehoiakim, the king.

Jehoiakim burned the scroll as it was read. Three scribes and officials warned Jehoiakim not to disrespect God by burning the scroll, but the disrespect didn’t end there. The king ordered Baruch and Jeremiah to be arrested.

Scripture is a divine-human partnership to produce and present God’s word to the world. It is one-hundred percent inspired by the Holy Spirit and one-hundred percent written by humans. Disrespecting or misusing scripture is a serious offense against God.

Jeremiah 36 provides valuable insight into how parts of scripture were written. We see the role of scribes, the respect that was expected for prophetic writing from the Lord, the dangers those who produced and preserved these writings faced, and how writings like this were gathered, copied, and arranged in order to continue and preserve the message.

The scroll we know as the book of Jeremiah is complex and compiled from many different writings like the ones we read about in Jeremiah 36. Jeremiah’s scribe, Baruch, or other scribes like him, collected and arranged these writings into their final form.

Reading about Baruch and some of the other scribes, priests, and officials in this chapter helps us put a face and name to the many nameless, behind-the-scenes heroes who made the Bible. These courageous scribes, scholars, historians, and literary experts collected, protected, and preserved stories, sermons, letters, records, and prophetic words. That duty often put them at odds with the political powers of the day and caused their lives to be under threat of arrest, persecution, and death.

The officials who first heard Baruch read the scroll immediately recognized its source as from God and its value as important. Do you recognize the Bible for what it is? Are you treating it as something of immense value? Are you reading it and listening to it read?

Many who heard the scroll immediately sought to share it with others. Are you sharing God’s word with others? Telling them what you learn? Inviting them to read with you?

From the time it was written right up to today, many people have suffered danger, torment, and death for you to be able to read the Bible. It is easier than ever for us to do so. Recommit yourself to reading, studying, and sharing the Bible with others.

Divine Hours Prayer: A Reading

His mother and his brothers came looking for him, but they could not get to him because of the crowd. He was told, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside and want to see you.” But he said in answer, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” — Luke 8.19-21

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

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