Diakonos

English follows after Afrikaans

Skares lieg. Hoe meer mense, hoe minder waarheid. Integriteit word nie versterk deur getalle nie. Dit is maklik om hierdie stelling te toets – watter belofte is meer waarskynlik om gehou te word? Die een wat die politikus aan ‘n skare van 10,000 maak of die belofte wat twee vriende aan mekaar maak?

Sy hele lewe lank moes Jeremia met skares werk. Andres as baie van die ander profete wat in die woestyn gewoon het, was Jeremia ‘n stadsmens. Daagliks het hy in die stad se strate gestap. Hy was gereeld in die tempel se voorhowe. Tog, al was hy in skares, is Jeremia nie beheer deur skares nie. Hulle het nie die inhoud van sy boodskap bepaal nie. Hulle het nie sy waardes bepaal nie. Hy het nie ‘n meningspeiling gehou om uit te vind wat die skares in Jerusalem oor God wou hoor nie. Hy het nie ‘n stemming gehou oor watter morele waardes belangrik was nie. God het sy waardes bepaal. God het sy lewe gerig.

Lees: Jeremia 35:2, 6-10, 13, 15-16: “2 “Gaan na die gemeenskap van die Regabiete en praat met hulle! Bring hulle dan na die huis van die Here, na een van die vertrekke, en laat hulle wyn drink.” 6 Maar hulle het geantwoord: “Ons drink nie wyn nie, want Jonadab, seun van Regab, ons voorvader, het ons beveel, ‘Julle en julle afstammelinge mag tot in ewigheid nie wyn drink nie. 7 Huise mag julle nie bou nie, saad mag julle nie saai nie en wingerde mag julle nie aanplant of besit nie. Maar in tente moet julle woon, al die dae van julle lewe, sodat julle lank mag leef op die grond waar julle as vreemdelinge vertoef. ’ 8 Ons het geluister na die stem van Jonadab, seun van Regab, ons voorvader, na alles wat hy ons beveel het: om nie, solank ons leef wyn te drink nie – ons, ons vroue, ons seuns en ons dogters – 9 en om nie huise te bou om in te woon nie. Wingerde, landerye of saad besit ons nie. 10 Ons het in tente gewoon, en ons het geluister en gedoen net soos Jonadab, ons voorvader, ons beveel het. 13 “So sê die Here, Heerser oor alle magte, die God van Israel, ‘Gaan en sê vir die manne van Juda en die inwoners van Jerusalem: “Wil julle nie teregwysing aanvaar deur na my woorde te luister nie?”’” is die uitspraak van die Here. 15 Ek het aanhoudend al my diensknegte, die profete, na julle gestuur om te sê, ‘Draai tog om, elkeen weg van sy verkeerde pad, en doen wat goed is! Moenie agter ander gode aanloop om hulle te dien nie, sodat julle kan bly woon in die land wat Ek aan julle en julle voorouers gegee het.’ Maar julle het nie julle ore oopgemaak en na My geluister nie. 16 Ja, die afstammelinge van Jonadab, seun van Regab, het die opdrag van hulle voorvader, wat hy hulle beveel het, in stand gehou, maar hierdie volk luister nie na My nie.”

– Wat tref jou? – Hoe laat dit jou voel? Wat kan jy met jou saamneem?

Dink na: Eugene Peterson: “The moral level of our society is shameful. The spiritual integrity of our culture is an embarrassment. Any part of our lives that is turned over to the crowd makes it and us worse. The larger the crowd, the smaller our lives. Pliny the Elder once said that the Romans, when they couldn’t make a building beautiful, made it big. The practice continues to be popular: If we can’t do it well, we make it larger. We add dollars to our income, rooms to our houses, activities to our schedules, appointments to our calendars. And the quality of life diminishes with each addition. On the other hand, every time that we retrieve a part of our life from the crowd and respond to God’s call to us, we are that much more ourselves, more human. Every time we reject the habits of the crowd and practice the disciplines of faith, we become a little more alive.“

Bespreek:

– Hoe het Israel gereageer op God se boodskap wat deur die profete gebring is?

– Waar roep God jou om hoër standaarde as die mense of omgewing rondom jou te handhaaf?

– Watter faktore kan jy in jou lewe insluit wat jou sal help om getrou te wees aan God se roeping vir jou?

– Watter keuses maak jy om ingesluit te word in die samelewing rondom jou? Help hierdie keuses jou om getrou te bly aan God se standaarde? Hoe of hoe nie?

Bibliografie:

Peterson, Eugene H. (2019). Run with the Horses: The Quest for Life at Its Best.

Peterson, Eugene (1994). Excellence: Run with the Horses (LifeGuide Bible Studies).

Afrikaans hierbo. English below.

Crowds lie. The more people, the less truth. integrity is not strengthened by multiplication. We can test this observation easily. Which promise is most likely to be kept: the promise spoken by a politician to a crowd of ten thousand or the promise exchanged between two friends?

Jeremiah dealt with crowds most of his life. Unlike many of the prophets who were men of the desert, solitary and rustic, Jeremiah was a man of the city. Daily he walked its streets. Frequently he assembled in the temple courts. But while Jeremiah was often in crowds he was not crowd-conditioned. The crowd did not dictate his message. The crowd did not shape his values. Jeremiah did not commission a public opinion survey to find out what the Jerusalem crowds wanted to hear about God. He did not ask for a show of hands to determine what level of moral behaviour to stress. God shaped his behaviour. God directed his life.

Read: Jeremiah 35:2, 6-10, 13, 15-16: “’‘2 Go to the Rekabite family and invite them to come to one of the side rooms of the house of the Lord and give them wine to drink.’ 6 But they replied, ‘We do not drink wine, because our forefather Jehonadab son of Rekab gave us this command: “Neither you nor your descendants must ever drink wine. 7 Also you must never build houses, sow seed or plant vineyards; you must never have any of these things, but must always live in tents. Then you will live a long time in the land where you are nomads.” 8 We have obeyed everything our forefather Jehonadab son of Rekab commanded us. Neither we nor our wives nor our sons and daughters have ever drunk wine 9 or built houses to live in or had vineyards, fields or crops. 10 We have lived in tents and have fully obeyed everything our forefather Jehonadab commanded us.

13 ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: go and tell the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, “Will you not learn a lesson and obey my words?” declares the Lord. 15 Again and again I sent all my servants the prophets to you. They said, ‘Each of you must turn from your wicked ways and reform your actions; do not follow other gods to serve them. Then you shall live in the land I have given to you and your ancestors.’ But you have not paid attention or listened to me. 16 The descendants of Jehonadab son of Rekab have carried out the command their forefather gave them, but these people have not obeyed me.”

– What strikes you? – How does it make you feel? – What can you take with you?

Reflect:

Eugene Peterson: “The moral level of our society is shameful. The spiritual integrity of our culture is an embarrassment. Any part of our lives that is turned over to the crowd makes it and us worse. The larger the crowd, the smaller our lives. Pliny the Elder once said that the Romans, when they couldn’t make a building beautiful, made it big. The practice continues to be popular: If we can’t do it well, we make it larger. We add dollars to our income, rooms to our houses, activities to our schedules, appointments to our calendars. And the quality of life diminishes with each addition. On the other hand, every time that we retrieve a part of our life from the crowd and respond to God’s call to us, we are that much more ourselves, more human. Every time we reject the habits of the crowd and practice the disciplines of faith, we become a little more alive.“

Discuss:

– How had the people responded to God’s messages through the prophets?

– In what areas of your life do you sense God calling you to higher standards than the people or patterns around you?

– What factors can you include in your life to help you remain faithful to God’s calling for you?

– List choices you make that fit in with society around you. Do any of these choices keep you from living up to God’s standards? How or how not?

Bibliography:

Peterson, Eugene H. (2019). Run with the Horses: The Quest for Life at Its Best.

Peterson, Eugene (1994). Excellence: Run with the Horses (LifeGuide Bible Studies).

English follows after Afrikaans

Wat se tipe mens was Jeremia? Wat het hy gedoen as hy alleen was? Daar is een, duidelike reguit antwoord hierop, hy het gebid. Daar is sewe perikope in die boek Jeremia waar hy in die eerste persoon praat. In hierdie gebede, belydenisse, wys hy sy innerlike lewe. Buite die publieke oog was hy in God se teenwoordigheid – hy het gebid. Die belydenis in Jeremia 15 is een so voorbeeld.

Lees: Jeremia 15::10-21: “10 Wee my! Ag, my moeder, dat u my in die wêreld gebring het – ‘n man wat aankla en stryd voer met die hele land! Ek het nie uitgeleen nie, en hulle het nie aan my geleen nie, maar almal vervloek my. 11 Die Here het gesê: “Waarlik, Ek sal jou onversetlik maak tot jou beswil; waarlik, Ek sal vir jou by die vyand intree in tye van onheil en nood. 12 Kan iemand yster breek, yster uit die noorde, of koper? 13 “Jou rykdom en skatte sal Ek as buit gee, nie vir geld nie, maar as die prys vir al jou sondes, en as die prys vir jou hele grondgebied. 14 Ek sal jou ‘n slaaf maak van jou vyande

in ‘n land wat jy nie ken nie; want ‘n vuur, aangesteek in my toorn, sal telkens teen julle opvlam.” 15 U weet dit self, Here. Dink aan my, sien om na my, wreek my op my vervolgers. Moet my nie wegneem ter wille van u geduld met ander nie. Besef tog dat ek oor U bespotting moet verduur. 16 Toe u woorde gevind is, het ek hulle verslind. U woorde was vir my ‘n vreugde, ‘n genot vir my hart. U Naam is immers oor my uitgeroep, Here, God van alle magte! 17 Ek het nie in die kring van uitbundiges gesit nie, en ek was nie uitgelate nie. Vanweë u hand het ek alleen gesit, want U het my met u verontwaardiging gevul. 18 Waarom is my pyn onophoudelik? Waarom is my wond ongeneeslik, wil dit nie gesond word nie? U het inderdaad vir my geword soos ‘n bedrieglike stroom water wat nie standhoudend is nie. 19 Daarom, so sê die Here: “As jy jou bekeer, en Ek jou toelaat om jou te bekeer,

sal jy in my diens staan. As jy woorde wat waardevol is, uitspreek, en nie wat waardeloos is nie, sal jy weer my segsman wees. Hulle moet na jou terugkeer – jy moet nie na hulle terugkeer nie. 20 Ek sal jou vir hierdie volk ‘n versterkte stadsmuur van koper maak. Hulle sal teen jou veg, maar nie die oorhand oor jou kry nie; want Ek is met jou om jou te verlos en jou te red,” is die uitspraak van die Here. 21 “Ek sal jou red uit die hand van slegte mense, jou bevry uit die greep van geweldenaars.””

– Wat tref jou? – Hoe laat dit jou voel? Wat kan jy met jou saamneem?

Dink na: Wat is gebed? Die Persoon vir Wie ons tyd eenkant sit vir ‘n intieme gesprek is God. Dit is ons diepste en mees persoonlike gesprek. Gebed is nooit volkome in eensaamheid nie, dit is bedoel om intiem en versigtig bewaar te word. Gebed is om eerstehands na God te luister, om eerstehands met God te praat. Dit verg die maak van tyd en die geleentheid daarvoor. Dit begin by die oortuiging dat die lewende God ongelooflik belangrik is vir my en dat Hy my alleen aandag verdien.

Daar is egter ook ‘n nabootsing van gebed wat heeltemal te veel gebeur. Die besonderhede lyk dieselfde, maar persoon by die tafel is Ekself en die kelner is God. Hierdie kelner-God is nodig, maar eintlik ‘n randfiguur. Jy kan nie aandete hê sonder Hom nie, maar Hy eet nie saam nie. Hy is Iemand aan wie jy bevele gee, teenoor wie jy kla, en dalk, aan die einde, voor dankie sê. Die persoon op wie jy eintlik fokus is Jyself – jou buie, jou gedagtes, jou belangstellings jou tevredenheid of ontevredenheid. Wanneer jy die restaurant verlaat vergeet jy van die kelner tot volgende keer. As jy gereeld na dieselfde restaurant gaan, mag jy dalk die kelner se naam onthou. Die gebede, belydenisse van Jeremia is nie nabootsings nie, dit is die ware Jakob – dit fokus op God, gee intense onverdeelde aandag aan God.

Bespreek:

– Wat sê hierdie gedeelte vir jou oor die tipe persoon wat Jeremia was?

– Waarop fokus Jeremia in sy gebed, waaroor is hy bekommerd?

– Dink aan ‘n tyd toe jy soortgelyk soos Jeremia gevoel het. Wat het jy met daardie gevoelens gedoen?

– Jeremia was geweldig eerlik in sy gebed. Wanneer vind jy dit moeilik om met God eerlik te wees ?

– Wat sê jou gebedslewe oor jou?

– Hoe kan jy meer eerlik met God en jouself wees wanneer jy bid?

Bibliografie:

Peterson, Eugene H. (2019). Run with the Horses: The Quest for Life at Its Best.

Peterson, Eugene (1994). Excellence: Run with the Horses (LifeGuide Bible Studies).

Afrikaans hierbo / English below

What was Jeremiah really like? What did he do when he was alone? There is a single, clear, straightforward answer to these questions: he prayed. In seven passages in the book of Jeremiah, the prophet speaks in the first person. When he was out of the public eye he was passionate with God—he prayed. Jeremiah’s inner life is revealed in these confessions. The confession in Jeremiah 15 is one example.

Read: Jeremiah 15:10-21: “10 Alas, my mother, that you gave me birth, a man with whom the whole land strives and contends! I have neither lent nor borrowed, yet everyone curses me. 11 The Lord said, ‘Surely I will deliver you for a good purpose; surely I will make your enemies plead with you in times of disaster and times of distress. 12 ‘Can a man break iron – iron from the north – or bronze? 13 ‘Your wealth and your treasures I will give as plunder, without charge, because of all your sins throughout your country. 14 I will enslave you to your enemies in a land you do not know, for my anger will kindle a fire that will burn against you.’ 15 Lord, you understand; remember me and care for me. Avenge me on my persecutors. You are long-suffering – do not take me away; think of how I suffer reproach for your sake. 16 When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, Lord God Almighty. 17 I never sat in the company of revellers, never made merry with them; I sat alone because your hand was on me and you had filled me with indignation. 18 Why is my pain unending and my wound grievous and incurable? You are to me like a deceptive brook, like a spring that fails. 19 Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you,

but you must not turn to them. 20 I will make you a wall to this people, a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to rescue and save you,’ declares the Lord. 21 ‘I will save you from the hands of the wicked and deliver you from the grasp of the cruel.’”

– What strikes you? – How does it make you feel? – What can you take with you?

Reflect:

What is prayer? The person with whom we set aside time for intimacy, for this deepest and most personal conversation, is God. Prayer is never complete and unrelieved solitude; it is, though, carefully protected and skilfully supported intimacy. Prayer is the desire to listen to God firsthand, to speak to God firsthand, and then setting aside the time and making the arrangements to do it. It issues from the conviction that the living God is immensely important to me and that what goes on between us demands my exclusive attention.

But there is a parody of prayer that we engage in all too often. The details are the same but with two differences: the person across the table is Self and the waiter is God. This waiter-God is essential but peripheral. You can’t have the dinner without him, but he is not an intimate participant in it. He is someone to whom you give orders, make complaints, and maybe, at the end, give thanks. The person you are absorbed in is Self—your moods, your ideas, your interests, your satisfactions or lack of them. When you leave the restaurant you forget about the waiter until the next time. If it is a place to which you go regularly, you might even remember his name. The confessions of Jeremiah are no parody but the real thing—exclusive focus on God: intense, undivided preoccupation with God.

Discuss:

– What does this passage tell you about the kind of person Jeremiah is?

– What are Jeremiah’s concerns in his prayer?

– Think of a time when you felt similar to Jeremiah. What did you do with those feelings?

– Jeremiah was extremely honest in his prayer to God. When do you find it difficult to be honest with God?

– What does your prayer life reveal about you?

– How can you be more honest with God, and yourself, when you pray?

Bibliography:

Peterson, Eugene H. (2019). Run with the Horses: The Quest for Life at Its Best.

Peterson, Eugene (1994). Excellence: Run with the Horses (LifeGuide Bible Studies).

English follows after the Afrikaans

Die tyd waarin hy geleef het: Jeremia is geroep as profeet in die 13^de jaar van Koning Josia (Jer 1:2, 4). Dit was in 627vC, dieselfde jaar waarin Assurbanipal (Assiriese Koning) gesterf het.

Volgens 2 Konings 22-23 en 2 Kronieke 34-35 het Koning Josia groot godsdienstige hervormings gedoen nadat die wetboek van die Here (bes moontlik ‘n gedeelte van Deuteronomium) in die tempel gevind is. Hierdie hervorming – die verwydering van sinkretistiese aanbiddingsplekke, die herstel van die verbond met God en die herinstelling van die Pasga fees – het in die 18^de jaar van Josia gebeur, 622vC.

Die hervorming het net geduur terwyl Josia geregeer het. Met die Koningskap van Jojakim (vanaf 609/8vC) het dit gestaak. Nie Konings of Kronieke noem Jeremia in verband met die hervormings nie. Die enigste verwysing is in 2 Kronieke 35:25 waar Jeremia ‘n treurlied oor Josia dig.

Lees: Jeremia 18:1-10: “1 Dit is die woord wat van die Here tot Jeremia gekom het: 2 “Maak gereed en gaan af na die pottebakker se huis; daar sal Ek jou my woorde laat hoor.” 3 Ek het toe afgegaan na die pottebakker se huis; hy was juis besig om iets op die pottebakkerswiel te maak. 4 Maar die houer wat hy besig was om van klei te maak, het onder die hand van die pottebakker misluk. Hy het toe ‘n ander houer gemaak, soos die pottebakker dit goed gedink het om te maak.

5 Toe het die woord van die Here tot my gekom: 6 “Is Ek nie in staat om soos hierdie pottebakker met julle te maak nie, huis van Israel?” is die uitspraak van die Here. “Kyk, soos klei in die hand van die pottebakker, so is julle in my hand, huis van Israel. 7 Een keer dreig Ek om ‘n nasie en ‘n koninkryk uit te ruk, af te breek en ten gronde te laat gaan. 8 Maar as daardie nasie teen wie Ek die bedreiging uitgespreek het, hom bekeer van sy boosheid, sal Ek jammer wees oor die onheil wat Ek beplan het om hom aan te doen. 9 ‘n Ander keer sê Ek oor ‘n nasie en ‘n koninkryk dat Ek dit sal bou en plant. 10 Maar as hy doen wat verkeerd is in my oë deur nie te luister na my stem nie, sal Ek jammer wees oor die goeie wat Ek gedink het om aan hom te doen.”

– Wat tref jou? – Hoe laat dit jou voel? Wat kan jy met jou saamneem?

Dink na: In Jeremia se tyd is pottebakkery nie op ‘n rak gesit om bewonder te word nie, dit was ‘n gebruiksartikel. Maar, net so belangrik, was ‘n stuk pottebakkery ooit sonder ‘n kunstige aanraking van die kunstenaar se hand nie.

Daar is geen mens wat nie ‘n rol het om te speel in wat God besig is om te doen nie. En daar is geen mens wat nie uniek is met spesiale lyne en kontoere nie. God vorm ons vir Sy doel, en Hy is elke dag daarmee besig. Die stof waaruit ons gemaak is en die Beeld van God is die een en dieselfde.

Bespreek:

– Hoe sal jy God se gevoelens oor die volk Israel in hierdie gedeelte beskryf?

– Hoe dink jy het Jeremia gevoel?

– Wat sal ‘n hedendaagse parallel wees vir die pottebakker? Iemand wat iets probeer vorm, maar waar die grondstof in ‘n mate moet saamwerk.

– Hoe sal jy God se pleidooi aan Sy volk in hierdie gedeelte beskryf?

– Hoe weerstaan ons soms die vorming deur God?

– Hoe kan jy, al is dit op ‘n klein manier, saamwerk met God se vorming van jou lewe na die van ‘n volwasse Christen?

– Terwyl jy bewus is daarvan dat ons almal soms God se vorming weerstaan, hoekom dink jy hou God aan om met ons te werk?

Bibliografie:

Lundbom, J.R. (1992) “Jeremiah (Prophet),” The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary. Edited by D.N. Freedman. New York: Doubleday.

Peterson, Eugene H. (2000). A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society (The IVP Signature Collection).

Peterson, Eugene H. (2019). Run with the Horses: The Quest for Life at Its Best.

Peterson, Eugene (1994). Excellence: Run with the Horses (LifeGuide Bible Studies).

Afrikaans hierbo / English below

The time he lived in: Jeremiah was called to be a prophet in the 13th year of King Josiah (1:2, 4). This was 627 B.C., the same year Assurbanipal (Assyrian king) died.

According to 2 Kings 22–23 and 2 Chronicles 34–35, a major reform took place in Judah during Josiah’s reign. The entire reform—the purge of syncretistic worship sites, the covenant renewal ceremony, and the celebration of passover—takes place in the 18th year of Josiah, 622BC, and is the immediate response of the king to the finding of the lawbook (most likely a part of Deuteronomy) in the temple.

The reform lasted only as long as Josiah reigned; when Jehoiakim became king in 609/8 it came to a full stop. Neither Kings nor Chronicles mentions Jeremiah in connection with the reform. The only reference in either to Jeremiah’s prophetic activity is 2 Chr 35:25 where it is reported that Jeremiah gave a lament for Josiah at his death.

Read: Jeremiah 18:1-10: “1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 ‘Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.’ 3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 4 But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.

5 Then the word of the Lord came to me. 6 He said, ‘Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?’ declares the Lord. ‘Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel. 7 If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, 8 and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. 9 And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, 10 and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.

– What strikes you? – How does it make you feel? – What can you take with you?

Reflect:

No one in Jeremiah’s time ever put a piece of pottery on the mantel just to look at, using it to give a touch of elegance to a bare shelf. But neither—and this is just as significant—did anyone use a piece of pottery just because it was useful; always there was evidence of an artist’s hand.

There is no human being who is not useful with a part to play in what God is doing. And there is no human being who is not unique with special lines and colours and forms distinct from anyone else. God shapes us for his eternal purposes, and he begins right here. The dust out of which we are made and the image of God into which we are made are one and the same.

Discuss:

– What words would you use to describe God’s feelings about the nation of Israel in this passage?

– What do you think Jeremiah might be feeling?

– What would be a contemporary parallel to the analogy of the potter: someone who tries to create something but needs the participation of whatever is being molded?

– How would you summarize God’s plea to his people in this passage?

– What are some of the ways that people today resist being moulded by God?

– What are some actions—however small—you can take to cooperate with God’s moulding you into a more mature Christian?

– Knowing that we all sometimes resist God’s workings, why do you think God keeps working with us?

Bibliography:

Lundbom, J.R. (1992) “Jeremiah (Prophet),” The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary. Edited by D.N. Freedman. New York: Doubleday.

Peterson, Eugene H. (2000). A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society (The IVP Signature Collection).

Peterson, Eugene H. (2019). Run with the Horses: The Quest for Life at Its Best.

Peterson, Eugene (1994). Excellence: Run with the Horses (LifeGuide Bible Studies).

English follows after the Afrikaans

Wie was hy? Hy is gebore as die seun van ‘n priester, Hilkia, in die dorpie Anatot. Anatot was ‘n dorpie 3-5km noord van Jerusalem in die ou area van die Benjamin stam.

Die presiese betekenis van die naam Jeremia is nie seker nie: dit mag beteken “die HERE verhef” of “die HERE gooi of werp.” Wat wel seker is dat die Naam van God in sy naam voorkom. Jeremia is dus ‘n naam wat gekoppel is aan die Naam en aksies van God. Die enigste ding meer belangrik vir Jeremia as hyself was God. Hy het in die Naam van die Here geveg en die realiteit van God ondersoek. Hierdeur het hy gegroei en ontwikkel, volwasse geword. Hy was deurentyd aan die soek vir die waarheid. So het hy meer van God geleer en daardeur meer homself geword.

Die tyd waarin hy geleef het:Manasse was die ergste koning wat die Israeliete ooit gehad het. Hy was deur en deur ‘n slegte mens wat ‘n totale korrupte regering gehad het. Hy het vir vyf-en-vyftig jaar in Jerusalem geregeer, ‘n baie donker halfeeu. Hy het die aanbidding van heidense afgode aangemoedig en het hele gemeenskappe gekry om deel te neem aan seksuele orgies. Hy het selfs sy een seun op die altaar in die tempel verbrand as ‘n offer aan ‘n afgod (2 Konings 21). Jeremia is in die laaste dekade van Manasse se regering gebore. Dit is teen hierdie agtergrond wat Jeremia grootgeword het. Na Manasse het sy seun Amon geregeer. Hy het voortgegaan met wat sy pa gedoen het.

Soos vandag was Jeremia se tyd ‘n tyd waarin godsdienstige ondervindings gesoek is. Daar was nie ‘n soeke na ‘n lang dissipelskap of groei in die geloof nie (die vroeë Christene het so ‘n groei “heiligheid” genoem).

Lees: Jeremia 7:1-11: “1 Dit is die woord wat van die Here tot Jeremia gekom het: 2 “Gaan staan by die poort van die huis van die Here. Roep hierdie woorde daar uit en sê, ‘Hoor die woord van die Here, die hele Juda wat by hierdie poorte ingaan om voor die Here in aanbidding te buig! 3 So sê die Here, Heerser oor alle magte, die God van Israel: “Laat julle doen en late goed wees, sodat Ek julle in hierdie plek kan laat bly! 4 Moet julle vertroue nie stel op bedrieglike woorde deur te sê, ‘Die tempel van die Here, die tempel van die Here, die tempel van die Here is dit!’ nie. 5 As julle werklik julle doen en late goed maak, as julle werklik die reg handhaaf onder mekaar, 6 vreemdelinge, vaderloses en weduwees nie verdruk nie, nie onskuldige bloed vergiet op hierdie plek nie, en agter ander gode nie aanloop tot onheil vir julleself nie, 7 dan sal Ek julle in hierdie plek laat bly, in die land wat Ek vir julle voorouers gegee het, van altyd af en vir altyd. 8 Kyk, julle bly julle vertroue stel op bedrieglike woorde wat niks baat nie.

9 “‘“ Sal julle steel, moord pleeg, egbreuk pleeg, vals sweer, vir Baäl offers verbrand, agter ander gode aanloop vir wie julle nie ken nie, 10 en dan inkom en in my teenwoordigheid kom staan in hierdie huis, waaroor my Naam uitgeroep is, en dan nog sê, ‘Ons is gered!’ sodat julle met hierdie afstootlike dinge kan voortgaan? 11 Het hierdie huis, waaroor my Naam uitgeroep is, ‘n grot van struikrowers geword in julle oë? Ook Ek, kyk, Ek het dit gesien,”’ is die uitspraak van die Here.”

Bespreek:

– Beskryf die houding van die Israeliete teenoor aanbidding.

– Wat se “bedrieglike woorde” het die Israeliete hulle vertroue in geplaas?

– Hoe moes hulle verander (:5-8)?

– Wat is die verhouding tussen aanbidding en hoe ons ons lewens lei? Hoe het jou aanbidding van God jou lewe beïnvloed?

– Wat is die gevolge daarvan om God te gehoorsaam of ongehoorsaam te wees (:3, 7, 14-15)?

– Hoe beïnvloed die feit dat ons in ‘n gemeenskap en kultuur leef wat die uiterlike beklemtoon ons vermoë om eerlik met onsself te wees?

Bibliografie:

Lundbom, J.R. (1992) “Jeremiah (Prophet),” The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary. Edited by D.N. Freedman. New York: Doubleday.

Peterson, Eugene H. (2000). A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society (The IVP Signature Collection).

Peterson, Eugene H. (2019). Run with the Horses: The Quest for Life at Its Best.

Peterson, Eugene (1994). Excellence: Run with the Horses (LifeGuide Bible Studies).

Afrikaans hierbo. English below

Who was he? He was born the son of Hilkiah, a priest at Anathoth. Anathoth was a village 3-5km north of Jerusalem in the old territory of Benjamin.

The exact meaning of Jeremiah is not certain: it may mean “the LORD exalts”; it may mean “the LORD hurls.” What is certain is that “the LORD,” the personal name of God, is in his name. Jeremiah—a name linked with the name and action of God. The only thing more significant to Jeremiah than his own being was God’s being. He fought in the name of the Lord and explored the reality of God and in the process grew and developed, ripened and matured. He was always reaching out, always finding more truth, getting in touch with more of God, becoming more himself, more human.

The time he lived in: Manasseh was the worst king the Hebrews ever had. He was a thoroughly bad man presiding over a totally corrupt government. He reigned in Jerusalem for fifty-five years, a dark and evil half century. He encouraged a pagan worship that involved whole communities in sexual orgies. One day he placed his son on the altar in some black and terrible ritual of witchcraft and burned him as an offering (2 Kings 21). Jeremiah was born in the last decade of Manasseh’s rule. This was the background when he grew up. After Manasseh his son, Amon, ruled. He just carried on with what his dad did.

Like today, his time had a great market for religious experience; there was and is little enthusiasm for the patient acquisition of virtue, little inclination to sign up for a long apprenticeship in what earlier generations of Christians called holiness.

Read: Jeremiah 7:1-11: “1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2‘ Stand at the gate of the Lord’s house and there proclaim this message: ‘ “Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the Lord. 3 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. 4 Do not trust in deceptive words and say, ‘This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!’ 5 If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, 6 if you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, 7 then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave to your ancestors for ever and ever. 8 But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless.

9 ‘ “Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, 10 and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, ‘We are safe’ – safe to do all these detestable things? 11 Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the Lord.”

Discuss:

– Describe the attitude of the Israelites as they approached worship.

– What deceptive words were the Israelites trusting in?

– In what ways did the Israelites need to change (vv. 5-8)?

– What is the connection between worship and how we live our lives? How has worship affected the way you live?

– What are the consequences of obeying or disobeying God according to these verses (vv. 3, 7, 14-15)?

– How does living in a society that emphasizes outward appearances affect our ability to be honest with ourselves?

Bibliography:

Lundbom, J.R. (1992) “Jeremiah (Prophet),” The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary. Edited by D.N. Freedman. New York: Doubleday.

Peterson, Eugene H. (2000). A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society (The IVP Signature Collection).

Peterson, Eugene H. (2019). Run with the Horses: The Quest for Life at Its Best.

Peterson, Eugene (1994). Excellence: Run with the Horses (LifeGuide Bible Studies).