Act with Justice and Righteousness

Monday, September 1, 2014
Jer 22:1-9 

1 Thus saith the LORD; Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word, 
2 And say, Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, that sittest upon the throne of David, thou, and thy servants, and thy people that enter in by these gates: 
3 Thus saith the LORD; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place. 
4 For if ye do this thing indeed, then shall there enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, he, and his servants, and his people. 
5 But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith the LORD, that this house shall become a desolation. 
6 For thus saith the LORD unto the king's house of Judah; Thou [art] Gilead unto me, [and] the head of Lebanon: [yet] surely I will make thee a wilderness, [and] cities [which] are not inhabited. 
7 And I will prepare destroyers against thee, every one with his weapons: and they shall cut down thy choice cedars, and cast [them] into the fire. 
8 And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this great city? 
9 Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God, and worshipped other gods, and served them.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What did the Lord tell the Prophet Jeremiah to do? (v.1)
2) Who did the Lord address His message to? (v.2)
3) What was the Lord's five-part message to His people? (v.3)
4) What would happen if the hearers were obedient to the Word of the Lord? (v.4)
5) What would happen if the people did not obey His word? (v.5)
6) Despite the Lord's love for Judah, what did He say would happen if they rebelled? (v.6-7)
7) How would neighboring nations explain Judah's calamity? (v.8-9)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
8) Have you ever experienced the chastening of the Lord? If so, please decribe what happened?
9) Were any of your brothers and/or sisters aware that you were being chastened? If so, please explain how.
10) If you responded affirmatively to either of the last two questions, what did you do to be restored to God?

PRINCIPLES
11) The Lord always warns His children before chastening us.
12) Just as any parent would, the Lord expects obedience from His children.
13) Though chastening can be painful, it is the proof of God's love for us.