June 24, 2022 - Jeremiah 18-23

Traveling around the world, it is common to sense the darkness in so many places. These two parables of Jeremiah of the pots seem encouraging to me. In the same way that the Lord is able to reshape Israel, or to start over completely, in order to achieve what he wishes, so the Lord can do something marvelous anywhere he wishes, including the U.S. and Indonesia. And when he does something marvelous, he will do it through the Righteous Branch: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: The Lord is our righteousness” (23:5,6).

Lord, raise your Branch up over this island, and let this people be saved!

Jesus shall reign where’er the sun

does its successive journeys run,

his kingdom stretch from shore to shore,

till moons shall wax and wane no more.

Let every creature rise and bring

the highest honors to our King,

angels descend with songs again,

and earth repeat the loud amen. -- Isaac Watts (1719)