June 4

Journey-through-the-Bible-with-us

READING FOR JUNE 4, 2026: JEREMIAH 9, MARK 16, PSALM 50:12-23

JEREMIAH 9  The 1950’s pop song “Cry Me a River” was first written for the great jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald. Likely, the lyrics weren’t inspired by this chapter, but they express a similar sentiment. Jeremiah wishes his head were full of water so his eyes could cry a fountain of tears, such was his sorrow over God’s upcoming punishment of Judah. A corollary poetic wish of his is to have a desert residence to escape the prevailing sins in the land. That sentiment might be appropriate for us as we contemplate the sins that surround us.  

Today, Jeremiah might be criticized by church folks and leaders as being “judgmental.”  This writer fears that this view seriously misrepresents the biblical meaning of that term. The book of Romans lays out the depth of sins of all people individually and as entire cultures in Rom. 1:18-30. The rest of the book provides the only solution for any and all: faith in Jesus (Rom. 10:9-13). No matter how sinful anyone is, we shouldn’t “judge” them as being beyond God’s grace to bring them to repentance (Rom.2:1-4).  We are commanded, though, to tell those who are lost about this good news (Rom. 10:14-15). It is life or death.

A particular sin highlighted in the opening verses of this chapter is lying or deceitfulness. That this behavior is now the norm might be the only point of agreement among liberals, moder- ates and conservatives today. In verse three God says the underlying problem is that people don’t know Him. In fact, in verse six He says they even refuse to know Him. Same as today. What’s God’s game plan for this situation?  He will refine them through punishment (vs.7-9). 

As we read the details of how God will go about this, we cannot escape that God intentionally administers this punishment. It is not primarily because other nations are the bad guys:

  • “I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins, a haunt of jackals” (vs.11a).
  • “I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without inhabitant” (vs.11b).
  • “I will feed this people wormwood” (vs. 15a).
  • “I will give them poisoned water to drink” (vs.15b).
  • “I will also scatter them among the nations” (vs.16a).
  • “I will send the sword after them, until I have consumed them” (16b).

This last statement of intent sounds permanent, but verses 3-4 clearly state the purpose is not termination but refinement and testing. Later, God clarifies: “For behold, days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will restore the fortunes of My people Israel and Judah.’ The Lord says, ‘I will also bring them back to the land that I gave to their forefathers, and they shall take possession of it’” (Jer.30:3).

In fact, this chapter closes with some of the most reassuring words in the Bible:  “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord” (vs.23-24).

READING FOR JUNE 4, 2026 CONTINUED: Mark 16, PSALM 50:12-23                                     MARK 16 Likely most of you know that no one presently has the original manuscripts of the New Testament. What we have are many thousands of hand-written manuscript copies in the original Greek. Because of modern technology, we do know the dates they were copied. There are many more thousands of early New Testament manuscript copies than any other docu- ment of ancient history. Thus, if the New Testament is not authentic, we could not possibly know if any other early person existed, including Julius Caesar, Alexandra the Great, and Plato. The section of Mark 16:9-20 does not exist in the earliest Greek manuscripts. Thus, this study will not include it in our discussion. The verses might be genuine, but why risk it? 

In verse one, we again see the two Mary’s. Because they scouted out the burial on Friday, they now knew where to go to anoint the body on Sunday morning. Even though they brought their spices, they had reason to think the stone was still blocking the tomb’s entrance. They were women who didn’t let such barriers stop their devotion to Jesus. GREAT ROLE MODELS. 

The “young man wearing a white robe” told them that Jesus of Nazareth (considered a lower-class place in John 1:46) who was crucified (considered a shameful death in Heb.12:2) had risen. His being risen or resurrected means more than what happened to Lazarus or Jarius’s daughter, Talitha. They were fully dead, but their old bodies were resuscitated. Jesus was given a glorified, resurrected body, which he continues to have. As believers, we also will have such a resurrected body: “It has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is” (1 John 3:2). This is good. 

PSALM 50:12-23 What does God want from His people that He apparently is not receiving? He wants thanksgiving, our pleas to Him for help, and our honoring Him (vs. 14-15). What does God want us to stop doing? He wants us to stop quoting His word while not obeying it—being hypocritical. He wants us to stop associating in common cause with thieves and adulterers. He wants us to stop deceiving and slandering others. Perhaps most of all, we need to recast our understanding of who God is. He is not like us in all our sinful human limitations. He is totally holy/sinless, loving, wise, powerful, present, faithful, and eternal for starters. If we don’t remember who God is and who we are, God states, “I will tear you in pieces, and there will be no one to save you” (vs 22).  Because of who we are, we need to be saved. Because of who He is, only He can save us (vs. 23).  Let’s not make God in our own or our culture’s image but see Him as He has revealed Himself in His word. Then go to Him repentantly for salvation.