Daily Dose of Hope

December 26, 2024

Day 5 of Week 39

Scripture: Jeremiah 8-10; 2 Corinthians 11

Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Bible reading plan. I do hope you had a lovely Christmas Day and now get some time to enjoy the after-Christmas peace.

Let’s get right into our Scripture. In these chapters of Jeremiah, we see pictures of the Babylonian destruction of Judah. Jeremiah sees bones filling the Valley of Hinnon at the end of chapter 7. Now, in the beginning of chapter 8, we see the bones are those of the kings and leaders who led the people astray by making idolatry and oppression such a regular part of their lives. And yet, there is an interesting statement that those who survive the Babylonian conquest of Judah will actually be worse off than those who die. Basically, it's going to be terrible when God finally lifts his hand of protection and allows Judah to be decimated.

God expresses some shock that the people have not returned to him. But God knows what has to happen. The current state of affairs can’t be allowed to continue. Judah will be conquered and many will be led into exile.

Chapter 10 takes a bit of a turn. It moves away from discussion of exile and focuses on how God is greater and higher than all these other idols. God is sovereign and all-powerful. He warns the people to not fall into the ways of the Gentiles. At the end of the chapter, there are some prayers and pleas by Jeremiah. To me, it’s rather gut-wrenching.

Our New Testament chapter is 2 Corinthians 11. Up until this point, Paul has avoiding boasting and self-aggrandizement. Because of this, he has gotten slammed by his rivals. Now, he asks the Corinthians to bear with a little foolishness as he boasts. He seems to think there is no other way to address these charges against his authority as an apostle and Christian leader than to clearly articulate why he is qualified. But unlike his rivals, Paul makes it clear that he knows boasting is nothing but foolishness because it leaves God out of the equation.

Paul begins his foolish boasting to counter the attack of his rivals. From reading this, we can guess that those opposing Paul took pride in their Jewish heritage, in their ministry work, and in their visions and revelations. Paul matches them point for point. But he does so knowing it's all a bit ridiculous. The only thing that really matters is boasting about God.

Paul's original discourse with the Corinthians about boasting is found back in 1 Corinthians1:26-31. Reflect on the difference between this and what Paul is expressing in today's passage, Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki