Old Testament reading: Jeremiah 50
The overwhelming flood from the north shall be destroyed by the same. This is God’s message to Babylon, who was repeatedly referred to as a great nation from the north (e.g., 1:13-14, 4:6, 6:1, 47:2). Another mighty force from the north, this time a confederation of armies, would serve as God’s instrument of wrath against Babylon (50:8-10). This would be the Medo-Persian Empire, which shall be identified in chapter 51. The proclamation against Babylon is among the lengthiest texts in this entire book. But why so much ink for Babylon? I believe it is because Nebuchadnezzar and his servants were given every opportunity to witness the power of the one true God, and even acknowledged Him as such, but they did not depart from their idolatry, particularly the worship of Bel and Merodach (Marduk, 50:2). Go back and read the statement from Nebuzaradan in Jeremiah 40:1-3. It is an interesting thought, at least to me, to consider that God would have blessed the Babylonian empire had they forsaken their worthless idols and embraced the God of Heaven.
New Testament reading: Luke 23-24
“All things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me” (Luke 24:44). These are among the last words spoken by our Lord before His ascension. They are not unlike the words He spoke early on in His earthly ministry, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me” (John 5:39). Earlier in today’s reading, Jesus rebuked the men He met on the road to Emmaeus saying, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!” The Old Testament points us to Christ beginning in Genesis 3 wherein Christ is veiled as the seed of woman (Luke 1:26-35; Gal 4:4). From there, the Old Testament marches forth to the coming of the seed of Abraham (Gen 12:3, Matt 1:1; Gal 3:16), the prophet like unto Moses (Deut 18:18-20; Acts 3:22-26), the Holy One who was of the seed of David (Ps 132:11; Ps 16:9-10; Matt 1:1; Matt 22:41-45), and the Redeemer who would come to Zion (Jerusalem – Isa 59:20; Matt 20:18-19). Thus, we see the things written in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Him.
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