Link to the text of Letter of Jeremiah
I have really enjoyed reading (listening) to these books from the apocrypha. Well, I didn’t enjoy the Maccabees; I quit in the middle.
What did I enjoy about this book? One thing was that it reminded me of many of the conversations I have with my children. Describing the differences between good and evil. Admonishing my children to reject the world and remain faithful to God. The perfect example was of me giving my child a cell phone and warning her of all the dangers that exist on it. Of course, the cellphone had about every filter and block on it possible. I still counseled her about the dangers of the phone.
Here were my initial thoughts: He talks about how priest pillage the clothing and gold from the Gods of Babylon. The Gods have no power. I had been listening to a podcast earlier today (included below) on Ward Radio with an Evangelical Pastor who joined the LDS faith. He was talking about the evangelical faith and how it was a business. They would reshuffle the congregations with pastors who wanted the flock and to make a 250K annual salary. But it was all a business to enrich the pastors. 30 minutes later I was listening to the Letter of Jeremiah and seeing so many similarities between the way this pastor explained the Evangelical faith and the priests of Babylon glutting themselves off the donations to a God. I know that is a harsh analysis. But that is what it felt like.
Some more first thoughts: Another thing I liked was how he explained how there are those who speak and they speak like a craftsman who is expert at their craft. I thought it was in relation to building smooth idols of gold. But they deceive the people with their words.
Let’s see if I can pull out a few of the phrases I enjoyed the most.
FALSE GODS
4 Now in Babylon you will see gods made of silver and gold and wood, which are carried on men’s shoulders and inspire fear in the heathen.
5 So take care not to become at all like the foreigners or to let fear for these gods possess you, when you see the multitude before and behind them worshiping them.
6 But say in your heart, “It is thou, O Lord, whom we must worship.”
7 For my angel is with you, and he is watching your lives.
8 Their tongues are smoothed by the craftsman, and they themselves are overlaid with gold and silver; but they are false and cannot speak.
PRIESTS STEALING FROM FALSE GODS
10 and sometimes the priests secretly take gold and silver from their gods and spend it upon themselves,
11 and even give some of it to the harlots in the brothel. They deck their gods out with garments like men — these gods of silver and gold and wood,
28 The priests sell the sacrifices that are offered to these gods and use the money;
33 The priests take some of the clothing of their gods to clothe their wives and children.
THIER GODS HAVE NO POWER
44 Whatever is done for them is false. Why then must any one think that they are gods, or call them gods?
45 They are made by carpenters and goldsmiths; they can be nothing but what the craftsmen wish them to be.
46 The men that make them will certainly not live very long themselves; how then can the things that are made by them be gods?
This reminds me of in the bible when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were not willing to worship a golden image made by King Nebuchadnezzar. They held firm to their faith in the God of Israel. They would have had a mentor like Jeremiah who spoke to them with wisdom, admonishing them to see who was the true and living God. Surely it was not the gods of Babylon.