Theme: BECOMING A WISE AND UNDERSTANDING NATION
Text: “Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?” – Matthew 15:1-3.
Comment: The caste system is one of the numerous barbaric and ungodly practices that is prevalent in some parts of the world. It started many centuries ago when the world was in gross darkness. (Isaiah 60:2) The people so despised were said to be associates of deities who resided in the vicinity of their shrines and excluded themselves from routine engagements with the larger society. For reverence of the gods, the civil society did not allow close interaction (including marriage) with these associates of the gods. In some cases their ears and fingers were pierced or chopped off for easy identification.
It is ironical that while allegiance to the traditions that gave birth to this system hardly exists today, Satan has kept this evil system alive in some areas and used it to cause disunity as some people who are seen as “descendants of slaves” are prevented from mingling with those regarded as “freeborn”. In this age of enlightenment, of freedom and of equality, it is retrogressive for anyone to be made to feel that way.
St. Paul, addressing the Christians in Rome states: “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another”. (Romans 12:10) King Solomon says, “Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker”. (Proverbs 17:5) Again St. Paul warns: “He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit” – 1 Thessalonians 4:8.
Theme: COMMENTARY ON HEBREWS 11:32 - 40
Text:“For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Wherefore dost thou prophesy, and say, Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it.” – Jeremiah 32:3.
Comment: Because the king and people of Judah had given themselves to the worship of the devil, God Almighty used Jeremiah the prophet to warn them, telling them that if they would not repent, He would make Jerusalem and the temple they took pride in to suffer the fate of Shiloh, where the name of God was in earlier times before it was destroyed and abandoned. (Joshua 18:1; 19:51; 1Kings 14:2.) For warning the people against sin the leaders determined that Jeremiah must die. (Jeremiah 26:1-10) However, some of the elders, together with Ahikam, an officer of the king, intervened to prevent them from their wicked plot.
Again, when the Chaldeans besieged Jerusalem, Jeremiah was instructed by God to tell them to submit to their rule to avoid death and destruction. This was seen as treason for which the leaders of the people convinced King Zedekiah to cast Jeremiah into.a well. But God also delivered him. When we stand up for the truth, even in the face of danger, God will give us victory in the end. St. Paul in his writings recalled God delivered them “from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us” (2 Corinthians 1:10).. He added that God Almighty shall deliver him “from every evil work, and will preserve him unto his heavenly kingdom. – 2 Timothy 4:18