June 2

Journey-through-the-Bible-with-us

READING FOR JUNE 2, 2026: JEREMIAH 7, MARK 14, PSALM 49:10-20

JEREMIAH 7 One difference between ancient literature/history and what is written today is that chronological order was not always the default approach. In the first eight verses of this chapter, we see that God appears to offer yet another “last chance” to avoid disaster. God tells Jeremiah to stand at the entrance to the Temple, much like our greeters Gary Nale and Sharon Wills are stationed at Yorktown Methodist Church each week. Instead of pleasant greetings, however, Jeremiah is to tell everyone who goes in that God says you must change your ways in order to keep coming to worship in this place. He adds they should start being fair to their neighbors, no longer follow deceptive teachers, stop oppressing orphans, wid- ows, and other innocent people, and stop worshipping whatever idols they have installed in their lives. If they make these adjustments, their land will be secure forever. Good idea?

God says that people are captivated by deceptive teaching (vs.8). It is so vital that we discern if preachers and authors today are really teaching the word of God. Some communicators are so skilled at making false teaching sound convincing. Always, always be able to verify any teaching with the Bible: “Now these people [Bereans] were more noble-minded than those in Thessa- lonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11). Here the people of Judah broke God’s commands and followed false teaching even while they continued attending the Temple of God. They thought they were saved (vs. 10), but they only deceived themselves, not God. God said they turned His house into a den of robbers, a verse Jesus later quoted when He cleansed the Temple (Matt. 21:13). 

Then God told the people they should take a field trip to Shiloh. This was where the tabernacle and ark were kept when Israel first settled in the promised land, before the temple was built.  It was a precursor to Jerusalem, but by Jeremiah’s day was in ruins due to being sacked by the Philistines and the Assyrians, who were God’s instruments of judgment: “For they provoked Him to anger with their high places, and moved Him to jealousy with their carved images. When God heard this, He was furious, and greatly abhorred Israel, So that He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh.” (Psalm 78:58-60). God’s point was that this same fate lies ahead for Jerusalem and the Temple. Even worse!  

Shockingly God tells Jeremiah not to pray for Judah (vs. 16). He says in verses 17-20 that He has an unquenchable anger because they are worshipping the “Queen of Heaven.”  This writer doesn’t desire a long debate but just notes that this shows how relevant the Old Testament can be. Here is statement from the well-known Catholic Theologian Elizabeth Johnson:  "All male images of God are hierarchical images rooted in the unequal relation between women and men ...Once women no longer relate to men as patriarchal fathers, lords, and kings in society, these images become religiously inadequate. Instead of evoking the reality of God, they block it.”  Here is God’s final judgment: “I will eliminate from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride; for the land will become a site of ruins” (vs. 34).

READING FOR JUNE 2, 2026 CONTINUED: MARK 14, PSALM 49:10-19                                             MARK 14 This chapter begins with two related, but vastly different, juxtaposed scenes. One is with the chief priests and scribes in what seems like the corner office. The other is Jesus at the home of a leper. What were the living conditions of lepers? “As for the person who has the leprous infection, his clothes shall be torn and the hair of his head shall be uncovered, and he shall cover his mustache and call out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ He shall remain unclean all the days during which he has the infection; he is unclean. He shall live alone; he shall live outside the camp” (Lev. 13:45-46). Not a plush environment. 

It is rarely the case that conspiring in secret represents a wholesome activity, no matter how politically or religiously connected the people are. It is always better to associate humbly with the underdogs focusing on kindness. Both meetings are related to the upcoming cross. The Jewish leadership planned the ultimate shameful act, as Jesus expressed to Pilate in John 19:11: “He who handed Me over to you has the greater sin.” At the other meeting a suspicious woman performed a loving act that Jesus connected with sharing the Gospel in Mark 14:9: “Wherever the gospel is preached in the entire world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her.” We all fit into one of these two categories: “The one who is not with Me is against Me” (Matt. 12:30).  As the Bible and our own lives as Jesus followers repeatedly demonstrate, whenever Jesus gives directions, such as to His disciples preparing for Passover, whatever He says will happen. Also, as our lives demonstrate, whenever we learn disappointing news (the coming betrayal of Jesus), too often our major concern is how it might affect us, not the innocent victim. 

A position that this writer advocates is the bread and wine represent Jesus’s body and blood but don’t become them. It said they all partook, apparently including Jesus. Wouldn’t it be strange if Jesus was eating and drinking His own body and blood? Jesus often spoke in figures of speech: raise the temple in three days, Peter as Satan, visiting Jesus in prison, John the Baptist as Elijah, etc. It makes sense that this is what He is doing in this case. 

With space diminishing rapidly, some last thoughts adding to what was discussed in Matthew:

  • Notice how excruciating the prayer of Jesus is; it reminds us of some tormented Psalms of David. 
  • Remember we mentioned that the unbelieving and world-famous Bible professor Bart Ehrman said that Jesus never claimed to be God in Mark. Once again, Dr. Ehrman is wrong. (Read verses 61-64.)
  • We are hard on Peter, but do we always identify as Christians or ever deny Him in front of others?

PSALM 49:10-19 We all fall into one of two categories. (Note: Sheol is the place of death). 

  • Foolish People. These are people who live totally for earthly successes, such as wealth and recognition. They falsely believe they will never experience physical decline and that their comfortable lifestyle will never end. Those who aren’t rich and famous but envy those who are also foolish. All these folks will soon die and be consumed forever: “Their form shall be for Sheol to consume” (Psalm 49:14).
  • Upright People. These are the redeemed people: “God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol” (vs.15). This happens today through faith in the work of Jesus: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us on a tree... in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Gal.3:13-15).