Sunday Morning, August 16, 2020, AM

All right, well, welcome to Sunnyside Baptist Church this morning.

We are glad that you are here worshiping with us today. If you're visiting, we're especially glad that you're here with us.

We look forward to meeting you if we haven't already done so. Few announcements as we get started this morning.

Some opportunities this week. Come back this evening for evening service, that's at 5 .30 p .m.

No nursery yet for that, but nursery does start back up on Wednesday nights in September.

So Wednesday, 6 .30 p .m., Bible study in prayer. And then looking ahead, next

Sunday, the 23rd, we will have communion in the morning service together as a church.

And then in the evening service next week, truth group for the young adults.

So that is next week, the 23rd. This week, our fighter verse that we're looking at comes from the

Psalms. Psalm 34, verses 19 through 22. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the

Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones. Not one of them is broken.

Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. The Lord redeems the life of his servants.

None of those who take refuge in him will be condemned. So hope -filled verses there.

A few more announcements. There will be a TAG meeting. TAG is our truth and grace program that we have for our kids on Wednesday nights.

After the service today, there's going to be a TAG workers meeting immediately following the service in the fellowship hall, just down the hallway.

So if you're going to be working in TAG, don't forget about that. TAG will start up again

September 2nd. That's again the children's ministry. There will be nursery available during that time.

If you want to reach out to some of our missionaries, Jonathan and Rachel Wilcock, their addresses in the bulletin.

Feel free to drop them a note in the mail. And then finally, still because of COVID concerns, our offering plate is at the back of the auditorium on the table back there.

So if you have any tithes or offerings, you can put those in there. Any other announcements that we need to make?

Yes, sir. Okay. So no

Timothy School and no Truth Group next week. Is canceled this week.

That's canceled as well. Okay. So we got that. All right, well, we are going to prepare our hearts for worship together.

Time of just reflection and prayer. And then after that, dad will go ahead and lead us in prayer.

As your heads are bowed, I just would like for you to listen to this passage of scripture before I pray from Isaiah chapter 26.

In that day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah. We have a strong city.

He sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks. Open the gates that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in.

You keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you.

Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. For he has humbled the inhabitants of the height, the lofty city.

He lays it low, lays it low to the ground, casts it to the dust. The foot tramples it, the feet of the poor, the steps of the needy.

The path of the righteous is level. You make level the way of the righteous.

In the path of your judgments, O Lord, we wait for you. Your name and remembrance are the desire of our soul.

My soul yearns for you in the night. My spirit within me earnestly seeks you.

For when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.

Would you pray with me? Lord, we thank you for this encouraging word through the prophet

Isaiah, and it echoes across the centuries to us today.

Lord, may we enter into the gates of the strong city of the

Lord. Lord, may we give you glory and honor and praise today because of your grace.

May our minds be fixed upon you, stayed upon you. Increase our faith, help us to trust you,

Lord, in these difficult days. And Lord, as we read, it is your name and your renown that are the desire of our souls this morning.

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name be glory. May Jesus Christ be praised.

Thank you for your goodness and mercy to bring us together here this morning. To you belong the glory forever and ever.

Amen. Amen. Well, again, welcome.

We're going to begin by our call to worship. If you're new with us, have you stand and you'll see the call of worship on the screen.

And we'll read this in unison together. Take a deep breath.

Exhale. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swell.

We're going to begin with hymn number six. Tis so sweet. I'm sorry.

Sing praise to those, to God who reigns on high. Hymn number six. O God of our salvation, with healing all my soul he fills, and every faithless murmur stills, to God all praise and glory.

What God's almighty power hath made, his gracious mercy keepeth.

By morning glow or evening shade, his watchful eye ne 'er sleepeth.

Within the kingdom of his might, all is just and all is right, to God all praise and glory.

The Lord is never far away, but through all grief distressing.

An ever -present help and joy, a feast and joy and blessing.

As with a mother's tender hand, he leads his only chosen band, to God all praise and glory.

A psalm

I told some way along, I sing aloud his praises.

What men may hear the grateful song, my voice unwary he graces.

He joyful in the Lord my heart, both soul and body bear your part, to God all praise and glory.

You know, sometimes you open a book and you hear it creak.

You know, as if it hadn't been opened in a long time. I don't think

I heard one, praise the Lord. I would pray that you would wear out your

Bible as fast as you can. Don't set it on your coffee table to gather dust, and when you pick it up and open it, it creaks.

Deuteronomy chapter 14, beginning at verse 21.

You shall not eat anything that has died naturally. You may give it to the sojourner who is within your towns, that he may eat it, or you may sell it to a foreigner.

For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.

You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year.

And before the Lord your God, in the place that he will choose to make his name dwell there, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, that you may learn to fear the

Lord your God always. And if the way is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, when the

Lord your God blesses you, because the place is too far from you which the Lord your

God chooses to set his name there, then you shall turn it into money, and bind up the money in your hand, and go to the place that the

Lord your God chooses, and spend the money for whatever you desire, oxen, or sheep, or wine, or strong drink, whatever your appetite craves.

And you shall eat there before the Lord your God, and rejoice, you and your household.

And you shall not neglect the Levite who is within your towns, for he has no portion or inheritance with you.

At the end of every three years, you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in the same year, and lay it up within your towns.

And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your towns, shall come and eat, and be filled, that the

Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.

Let us pray. Father, I thank you and I praise you for your great love and mercy.

I thank you for your word. What a blessing to have your word.

To point us to our Savior, to Christ.

I thank you for these words we read this morning. Give us understanding of them. They may seem strange to us, as some of your

Old Testament laws do. But Father, we know they were for the good of your people, and for your glory.

And so if we don't understand your word, Father, give us wisdom. Open our eyes.

Help us to see what you have for us. May we learn to feast on your word.

To draw up nourishment from it. To taste and see your goodness.

To see your Son, the Lord Jesus, our Savior. In his name

I pray. You may be seated.

And if you would, turn to 350 in your hymnal.

And then in your hymns modern and ancient, your black hymnal. It will be page 62.

Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus. Is it not? Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus.

Just to take him at his word. Just to rest upon his promise.

Just to know, assess the Lord. Jesus, Jesus, how

I trust him. How I've proved him o 'er and o 'er.

Jesus, Jesus, precious

Jesus. Oh, for grace to trust him more.

I'm so glad I learned to trust him.

Precious Jesus, Savior, friend.

And I know that he is with me.

Will be with me till the end.

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him.

How I've proved him o 'er and o 'er.

Jesus, Jesus, precious

Jesus. Oh, for grace to trust him.

Christ alone my hope is found. He is my light, my strength, my song.

Thus cornerstone, this solid ground.

Firm to the fiercest drought and storm. Why heights of love, why depths of peace.

When fears are still, when strivings cease.

Why comforter, my all in all.

Here in the love of Christ I stand.

Christ alone took on flesh.

Fullness of God in helpless pain. This gift of love and righteousness.

Scorned by the ones he came to save. Set on that cross where Jesus died.

The wrath of God was satisfied. For every sin on him was laid.

Here in the death of Christ I live. The ground his body laid.

Light of the world by darkness slain.

And bursting forth in glorious day. Up from the grave he rose again.

And as he stands in victory. Sin's curse has lost its grip on me.

For I am his and he is mine.

Bought with the precious blood of Christ. No guilt in life, no fear in death.

This is the power of Christ in me. From life's first cry to final breath.

Jesus commands my destiny. No power of hell, no scheme of man.

Can ever block me from his hand.

Till he returns or calls me home.

Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.

How marvelous, how wonderful.

And my song shall ever be.

How marvelous, how wonderful.

Is my savior's love for me.

I stand amazed in the presence.

Of Jesus the Nazarene. And wonder how he could love me.

A sinner condemned unclean.

How marvelous, how wonderful.

And my song shall ever be.

How marvelous, how wonderful. Is my savior's love for me.

I just want to say thank you for those of you who have been praying for my daughter Sophia and Becca who is with her right now at the hospital.

Many, many answered prayers. So we can give thanks to God for that. And if you just continue to pray for wisdom and skill for the doctors and for God to heal our little

Sophia by miracle or by medicine. And as we're learning it doesn't, there's not much distance between the two.

So just keep praying. It's what we treasure the most out of all the different ways you've been helping.

And so one of you all sent breakfast to the nurses on her floor. Now don't tell me who it is. But you blessed, you blessed them.

And Sunnyside Baptist has a sweet savory name among the nurses caring for Sophia.

So praise be to God for that. Well let's start with a word of prayer. Father I thank you for gathering us here today.

I thank you for the treasure that we have in your word. And we pray that you would help us this morning to hear.

To hear and to rejoice in what you have to say. Father we ask that as we submit ourselves to the truth of your word.

That you would do what only you can. That as you fill us with your Holy Spirit to receive this word.

And you breathe it out through your spirit. That you will show us your son

Jesus Christ. That as we look at him in this word.

You will help us to look like him in this world. We pray all these things for the sake of Jesus Christ.

The one with whom you are well pleased. Amen. So last chapter of Jeremiah.

Chapter 52. Here at the end of our three year study in Jeremiah.

We are offered an historical postlude. It is a terse record of how

Jerusalem and her king and her people are destroyed. We are given an inventory of the cultural debris of Judah.

And to which dustbins of history they were swept. As we read chapter 52.

It is of the utmost importance that we read it in the context of the previous 51 chapters.

And in so doing we are actually offered definitive proof of Jeremiah's prophetic ministry.

The word of the Lord truly was spoken to and through Jeremiah.

Or to put it more like the way Jeremiah says it time and again. The word of the Lord who came to Jeremiah spoke his words thoroughly and truly to Jeremiah for the sake of his people.

Now most of what Jeremiah had prophesied is proven true right here in chapter 52.

The destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon. And the text is arranged in such a way for us to anticipate that the rest of what

Jeremiah prophesied would indeed come true as well. We are looking in chapter 52 as it were from the theater balcony seats.

And we are looking upon the stage. And the sets, the stage pieces of the old covenant are broken down.

They are broken down. They are taken apart. It is obvious that they are ready to be removed.

They are not removed yet. But they are definitely not what they were.

The stage for the new covenant is not exactly cleared and ready. But the need for the new covenant is blindingly obvious.

And this is one of the major points of Jeremiah chapter 52. And it is really the way that God operates in revealing his kingdom through his covenant stories.

Adam's story after all tells us that we are in need of a new Adam. A new representative before God.

A new creation is needed. That is made clear in Noah's story. Obviously after the flood it is proven that man needs to be changed from the inside out.

And that the world in which we live needs to be transformed as well. Abraham's story tells us that we need a new place.

And of course we will need a new people to live in that place. And Israel's story tells us that that people and that place better be holy.

Evidence by our reading this morning. David's story tells us that we need a new king who can bring about the right kind of worship.

And all these various covenants with their personal and historical details are God's means of preparing his world for the new covenant.

Jesus Christ comes and bears the new covenant in his body and blood. He is the new king with the right kind of worship.

He creates the new people who are holy. He makes all things new preparing the new place. And he is our new

Adam before God. And so that is how we have to read Jeremiah 52.

In the context of the previous 51 chapters. And in the context of God's kingdom through covenant story told throughout the

Bible. This morning we have a lot of text to go through. So I am going to read verses 24 through 34 for us.

And invite you now to stand to receive the words of our Savior and Sovereign Jesus Christ through his prophet

Jeremiah. Jeremiah 52 beginning in verse 24. Then the captain of the guard took

Sariah the chief priest and Zephaniah the second priest with the three officers of the temple. He also took them from the city one official who was overseer of the men of war.

And seven of the king's advisors who were found in the city. And the scribe of the commander of the army who mustered the people of the city.

And 60 men of the people of the land who were found in the midst of the city. Nebuchadnezzar Radon the captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Rehoboth.

Then the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at Rehoboth in the hand of Hamath. So Judah was led away into exile from its land.

These are the people whom Nebuchadnezzar carried away into exile. In the seventh year 3 ,023

Jews. In the 18th year of Nebuchadnezzar 832 persons from Jerusalem. In the 23rd year of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar Radon the captain of the guard carried into exile 745

Jewish people. There were about 4 ,600 persons in all. Now it came about in the 37th year of the exile of Jehoiakim king of Judah.

In the 12th month on the 25th day of the month. That Evil Meradoc the king of Babylon in the first year of his reign showed favor to Jehoiakim king of Judah.

And brought him out of prison. Then he spoke kindly to him and set his throne above the thrones of the kings who were with him in Babylon.

So Jehoiakim changed his prison clothes. And had his meals in the king's presence regularly all the days of his life.

For his allowance a regular allowance was given to him by the king of Babylon. A daily portion all the days of his life until the day of his death.

These are the words of the Lord. You may be seated. Transition from the old covenant to the new covenant is crucial.

To our understanding of the Bible. The gospel. Obviously to the book of Jeremiah.

And it is brought about through judgment. It is brought about through judgment.

Now somebody can only repair a house so long until a new one is needed.

A roof can be patched and re -shingled quite a few times. Foundation can be shorn up, windows replaced, interior remodeled.

But eventually a new house is going to be needed. Whether by demolition or simply replacing everything piece by piece.

Rot and decay multiplied by time proves this to be the case. At least with a house made by human hands.

But should God build a house with everlasting, non -decaying, glorified materials.

It would never need to be replaced. He has and He is.

And we should rejoice in this glory revealed in Christ. To make this new house, to make this new covenant.

God demolishes the rotted and decayed remnants of the old to make way for the new.

The new is not radically distinct from the old. But neither is it simply a repair, remodel and restoration job.

It is the same site. It is the same basic blueprints. But way better material.

House sits at a new angle. Oh and it's a lot bigger. It's a lot bigger. It is of course very difficult to convince anyone.

That their treasured house needs to be demolished and rebuilt. It is difficult to assure someone who has loved their intergenerational home.

That a new house will not only be faithful to the old. But actually far better.

And in fact they're going to feel more at home in the new house than ever before.

That's a very hard sell. But it is truly the case in the transition from the old covenant to the new.

And the path of that transition was laid down by God's judgment. His judgment included both cataclysmic moments of destruction.

And grindingly long centuries of diminishment. But the salient point made in the last chapter of Jeremiah is just this.

The debris of judgment shows our need for the new covenant. The debris of judgment shows our need for the new covenant.

That was true of the Jews in Jeremiah's day. And it was also true of the

Jews in Jesus' time. It is important for us to recognize that the destruction of Jerusalem in 586

BC. Back with Jeremiah. Is theologically, thematically, prophetically tied to the second destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.

The debris of judgment shows our need for the new covenant. That's not only true back then but it's true in our world today.

What does the judgment of God in our world today teach us? Other than that we need

Christ. That we need the new covenant. That we need the good news of Jesus Christ.

Wouldn't you agree that in our cultural debris currently.

As God is turning people over to reprobate minds. As he is unleashing all manner of disaster upon our society.

That what we really need comes down to three things. We need a new king.

We need a new people. And we need a new place. Isn't that what our society needs?

People need to come under the lordship of Jesus Christ. They need to quit with all of the intersectionality and identify in Christ alone.

And we don't need to put our hope in any city but the city that Christ himself builds. Now these needs of a king and a people and a place.

Are emphasized in Jeremiah 52 by way of a chiasm. Now think of a target.

You know you shoot an arrow into. Now think of two rings. One outer ring.

One inner ring. And a bullseye. You have an image. Outer ring.

Inner ring. And a bullseye. And this is the way that this text functions.

On the outer ring. Verses 1 through 11. In the last four verses. Talks about new king.

The need for a new king. The inner ring. Verses 12 through 16.

And 28 through 30. Talks about the need for a new people. And the bullseye of this text.

We see the need for a new place. After all the people of Israel just got exiled from Canaan.

So let's talk about the need for a new king. This is the outer ring. Verses 1 through 11. And verses 31 through 34.

In the first 11 verses. We are told why and how God punished

King Zedekiah. And then in the last four verses. We are told how God elevated another king.

King Jeconiah. Even though he was in exile. And had been in prison. Now there is important lessons here for the

Jews. Preparing them for their Messiah. For the new covenant. But the same lessons matter to us as well.

For Christ is the king. Before whom we all must bow the knee. And in whom we all must take refuge.

So the first 11 verses. We find the rejected kingship removed. Now the why of the removal is in verses 1 through 3.

And then the how of the removal is in verses 4 through 11. In other words. Verses 1 through 3 is the last straw.

And then verses 4 through 11 is how the back of the camel was broken. The last straw that broke the camel's back.

Verses 1 through 3. We hear about King Zedekiah. Now with the exception of good

King Josiah. The last 100 years of Judah's rulers were wicked.

Hezekiah ended poorly. Manasseh reigned for 52 bloody years. His son was so wicked the people assassinated him almost immediately.

Josiah's sons were so bad they kept getting replaced by others. Foreign rulers kept on replacing them.

And Zedekiah isn't even the king who is supposed to be on the throne. Josiah's grandson

Jehoiachin had become king. But he only reigned for three months before he was taken away into exile.

And Nebuchadnezzar replaced Jeconiah with one of Jeconiah's uncles.

And he put Zedekiah on the throne. Now Zedekiah was supposed to be grateful to Nebuchadnezzar for this. And he was supposed to keep the company line.

And do whatever Nebuchadnezzar wanted him to do. But we find that he rebelled. So it's important for us to notice how this happens.

Jehoiachin who is Josiah's grandson. Who was Messiah's royal ancestor.

Is taken away into exile. And a puppet king is installed.

And his name is Zedekiah. And we find out later he conspired with the king of Egypt.

And he was trying to raise up a rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar. Totally against what

Jeremiah told him to do. So verses 1 -3. Zedekiah was 21 years old when he became king.

And he reigned 11 years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamatal the daughter of Jeremiah of Lebanon.

He did evil in the sight of the Lord. Like all that Jehoiachin had done. For through the anger of the

Lord this came about in Jerusalem and Judah. Until he cast them out from his presence.

And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. So Zedekiah is a wicked king.

But the last straw that brought down God's judgment. Was his rebellion against the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar.

Jeremiah had clearly conveyed the warnings. To Zedekiah telling him not to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar.

But he rebelled anyway. And this is why Jerusalem was destroyed and the people were taken off into exile.

But notice verse 3. For through the anger of the

Lord this came about. What does that mean? It means that the

Lord in his holy anger. Judged wicked

Zedekiah. Wicked Jerusalem. Wicked Judea. How?

By putting them into the hand of their own counsel to rebel against Babylon. God's wrath was revealed from heaven.

Long before it was wrought upon earth. God turned these idolaters over.

To reprobate minds to fully indulge in the courses of action. Which would bring about their own destruction.

These people who continually. Now notice the people of Judah. As we have been tracking all through Jeremiah.

The people who refused to hear God's word. He cast away from his presence.

Verse 3 says. That is an opportunity to take warning.

It is an opportunity to offer warning. He who after much rebuke hardens his neck.

Will be destroyed suddenly. And that without remedy. Proverbs says.

So God justly and wrathfully arranged. For Zedekiah to self -destruct and take his people down with him.

And we see how that works in verses 4 through 11. Nebuchadnezzar had ordered his commander and army to lay siege to Jerusalem.

They did this for 18 months. They built a siege wall around the walls of Jerusalem. So that nobody could escape.

The Jews suffered from famine. Pestilence and the sword. Until their numbers were massively reduced.

They were more dead than alive in that doomed city. At this point the walls could do nothing but fall.

You can't defend walls without men upon them. Even any more than the men can survive without walls.

But the point as Matthew Henry says. You could have the best men and the best walls. But unless God was holding them.

Then they would not hold. Verse 4. Now it came about in the 9th year of his reign.

In the 9th year of his reign. On the 10th day in the 10th month. That Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came.

He and all his army against Jerusalem. Camped against it and built a siege wall all around it. So the city was under siege until the 11th year of king

Zedekiah. On the 9th day of the 4th month. The famine was so severe in the city. That there was no food for the people of the land.

Then the city was broken into. And all the men of war fled. And went forth from the city at night. By way of the gate between the two walls.

Which was by the king's garden. Though the Chaldeans were all around the city. And they went by the way of their

Abba. But the army of the Chaldeans. Pursued the king and overtook Zedekiah.

In the plains of Jericho. And all his army was scattered from him. They scattered the king.

And they captured the king. And brought him up to the king of Babylon. At Rivla in the land of Hamath.

And he passed sentence on him. The king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah.

Before his eyes. And he also slaughtered all the princes of Judah in Rivla. Then he blinded the eyes of Zedekiah.

And the king of Babylon bound him with bronze fetters. And brought him to Babylon. And put him in prison.

Until the day of his death. Zedekiah tried to run.

Jeremiah said it won't work. He told him already. He had prophesied to him. It's not going to work. You're going to have to come face to face with the king of Babylon.

And he did. There's no avoiding God's judgment. You can think of the words from Johnny Cash.

You can run on a long time. A long time. Sooner or later God is going to cut you down.

Well that's a biblical observation. You can run on a long time. And Zedekiah did. For eleven years he reigned.

Did things his own way. He tried to run away from the judgment of God. But he could not get away. He had to come face to face with God's judgment.

And the last thing he saw before his eyes were blinded. Was the slaughter of his sons. Now why is that significant other than just out and out cruelty?

The point is this. His line is ended. That's the point.

His kingship is ended. His line is broken. The rejected kingship is thus removed.

And a studious Jew would look at the debris of judgment. And say to himself and to herself. We need a new king.

We need a new king. It's in the debris of judgment that we see that we need a new covenant. Well the promised kingship is promoted at the end of the chapter.

Verses 31 through 44. And in this way it is parallel with the beginning of the chapter. We cannot overemphasize the importance of the contrast offered in this chapter.

The doom of Zedekiah at the beginning. And the elevation of Jehoiakim at the end.

Now why is that going on? It is because of the covenant promise of God made to David.

Which is recorded in many places. One of those places is Psalm 89. I'll read out of Psalm 89.

Verses 3 through 4. Now this covenant that God made with David.

Like the others had conditions and warnings. And concerning the descendants of David. God both warned and assured.

In verses 31 through 37 of Psalm 89. If they violate my statutes. And do not keep my commandments.

Then I will punish their transgression with a rod. And their iniquity with stripes. Well we can see how that is.

The descendants of David ruling there in Jerusalem. Have been wicked for about a century. And here comes the punishment.

Here comes the chastisement. Here comes the judgment. Verse 33. But I will not break off my loving kindness from him.

Nor deal falsely in my faithfulness. He says I will not break off my chesed.

I will not deal falsely in my emeth. Verse 34. My covenant I will not violate.

Nor will I alter the utterance of my lips. Once I have sworn by my holiness. I will not lie to David.

His descendants shall endure forever. And his throne as the sun before me. It shall be established forever like the moon.

And the witness in the sky is faithful. Selah. In other words. As certain as the sun would rise.

And as certain as the moon would go through its phases. So certain it was. That God would establish

David's descendants and throne forever. Which of course causes great struggle for the psalmist.

As his patience concerning God's promises grows thin. It wouldn't yours if the throne in Jerusalem was destroyed.

And it seems like the line of David has been cut off. Speaking of David's descendant.

The psalmist writes. Verses 44 -45. Or 47 of Psalm 89.

You have made his splendor to cease. And cast his throne to the ground.

You have shortened the days of his youth. You have covered him with shame. Selah. How long

O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever? Will your wrath burn like fire? Remember what my span of life is.

For what vanity you have created all the sons of men. In other words. God you made these amazing promises.

About David. About his descendants. About his throne. When are you going to keep them?

God. You know. I don't have much time on this earth. Like. I don't want to die without seeing the fulfillment.

You know. Simeon. Remember Simeon? In the temple. He did receive the promise that he wouldn't die.

Before he saw the consolation of Israel. And he saw the consolation of Israel. In the form of a baby.

Jesus Christ. God incarnate. All this is to say.

That David's rightful heir. And Messiah's royal ancestor. When we read. Get to the end of Jeremiah 52.

Here. Look. Look. There's Jeconiah. Also known as Jehoiakim. There he is. He's the royal ancestor of Messiah.

He's the rightful heir of King David. And you come to the end of the chapter. After seeing

Zedekiah rejected and distorted at the beginning. You come to the end of the chapter. And when we see

David's rightful heir. And Messiah's royal ancestor. Exalted. Our eyebrows had better not remain in fuzzy tedium.

Our eyebrows should lift. And say. Oh. Wow. Would you look at that.

31 through 34. Now it came about in the 37th year of the exile of Jehoiakim. King of Judah.

In the 12th month. In the 25th of the month. That evil Maradoc. King of Babylon. In the first year of his reign.

Showed favor to Jehoiakim. King of Judah. And brought him out of prison. Then he spoke kindly to him.

And set his throne above the thrones. His throne above the thrones. His throne above the thrones.

Of the kings who were with him in Babylon. So Jehoiakim changed his prison clothes. And had his meals in the king's presence.

Regularly all the days of his life. For his allowance. Regular allowance was given to him. By the king of Babylon.

A daily portion. All the days of his life. Until the day of his death. Joseph. Daniel.

Jehoiakim. And Mordecai. Joseph. Daniel. Jehoiakim.

And Mordecai. What do these four men have in common? All of them.

Were brought out of a lowly place. To be set at the right hand.

Of the ruling power of the world. Each of them was honored. With a position of authority.

Each of them. Related to Jesus Christ biologically as Jews. But typologically as signs.

These shadows are easily traced to the substance. Repeatedly. There is a

Jew. Ascended from the depths. To the right hand of dominating power. God is telling his story.

Again and again. We see that once before Israel was a nation.

As Jacob's family was heading away from Canaan. And heading into slavery.

And then three times after. Judah is totally subjugated. Kicked out of Canaan.

The point is made. In the context of suffering. In the context of no self -rule.

When there is no Jewish king on the throne. In the context of God's people in subservience.

This type is flashed again and again and again. Four times. Hey look.

There is a Jew at the right hand of absolute power. Are we picking up what

God is laying down? In the context of dire news. Heard any dire news lately?

In the context of dire news. When we're overwhelmed with troubles. When matters are going from bad to worse.

Behold. There is a Jew at the right hand of absolute power. And his name is

Jesus Christ. This would be made manifest.

In history. Again and again. And it matters for our own time as well.

It is in the debris of judgment that we see our need for the new covenant. Look around at the judgment.

Oh we need somebody else in charge. We need new leadership. We need a new king.

Well Christ is king. Christ is king. And those who rage against his authority

God mocks. And those who submit to his authority find blessed refuge in him.

This means individuals. This means families. This means churches. This means nations. Must be under the rule of Christ.

Must be under the lordship of Jesus Christ. You can think of it this way.

Jesus spoke to the chief priest the night of his trial. He assured the chief priest personally that he would see

Christ's exaltation to the right hand. You will see the son of man coming on the clouds of great glory.

He told him that. He's quoting Daniel 7. You're going to see. You've rejected me as king.

But you're going to see proof positive that I am king. And he did see it when

Jerusalem was destroyed in AD 70. That was proof positive that Jesus Christ predicted this king was indeed king.

And he brought judgment against those who had raged against him. Well we also need a new people.

In need of a new king. In need of a new people. Why do they need a new people? Well think of it this way.

Twice the people of Israel were numbered in the wilderness marching. You can read about that in the book of Numbers.

The first and second generations were numbered. The first was 603 ,550.

And the second one was 601 ,730. And that was only counting the men between the age of 20 and 50.

And discounting the tribe of Levi. They were just counting the men of war. An army of 600 ,000 men both times.

That doesn't count the men younger than 20, older than 50. And it discounts all the Levites. So that's a lot of people.

We're talking about millions of people. During the time of David, 1 .1 million man army.

Between the ages of 20 and 50. And this time also excluding Benjamin. So this is a massive number of people.

It's a practical fulfillment of God's promises to Abraham. That his descendants would be as numerous as the stars of the heavens. But in the last 150 years prior to Jeremiah 52.

Those numbers have been drastically reduced. And only a remnant is left. Now this remnant is talked about.

Spoken of in this chapter. It's a promised remnant.

You can read about the promised remnant all through Isaiah. Isaiah 10 is a good place to go. But in these verses.

Nebuchadnezzar we see sends one of his important servants. Nebuchadnezzar Radon. He's captain of the bodyguard.

Captain of the bodyguard. To come deal with Jerusalem and the people who live there. Now Nebuchadnezzar Radon was chief of the bodyguard.

The translations give us. Well in the Hebrew it's rav.

It's chief or it's head. And it's tabach. Which some people say well it means cook. But it's because the word means slaughterers.

So he's head of the slaughterers. That was his title. Essentially Nebuchadnezzar Radon was used by Nebuchadnezzar.

In the bloody siege work of conquering rebellious cities. He was so good at it that his nickname was the butcher.

And his ranks were full of the slaughter men. And he did his work in Jerusalem very efficiently. He chopped up the temple.

He chopped up the palace. He chopped up the houses. He chopped up the walls. And he burned it all.

He also chopped up the temple artifacts. And he carted them off to Babylon. And he divided up all the people.

And then carted them off. Verse 12. Now on the tenth day of the fifth month. Which is the 19th year of King Nebuchadnezzar.

King of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar Radon the captain of the bodyguard. Who was in the service of the king of Babylon.

Came to Jerusalem. He burned the house of the Lord. The king's house. And all the houses of Jerusalem.

Even every large house he burned with fire. So all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard.

Broke down all the walls around Jerusalem. Then Nebuchadnezzar Radon the captain of the guard. Carried away into exile some of the poorest of the people.

And the rest of the people who were left in the city. The deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon. And to the rest of the artisans.

But Nebuchadnezzar Radon the captain of the guard. Left some of the poorest of the land. To be vine dressers and plowmen.

The remnant. The promised remnant. Are those who were taken away to Babylon. Not those who were left.

Those who were taken away to Babylon. Were under strict instructions from Jeremiah. To build houses.

To live in them. To get married. Have children. Make sure they get married. Have children. To multiply. Not decrease.

And the need for that will become clear when we look at the paltry record. In verses 28 through 30. It's important to keep in mind those numbers of 600 ,000 and 1 .1

million. Okay. Keep this in your head. Now hear the record. Verse 28. These are the people whom

Nebuchadnezzar carried away into exile. In the seventh year. 3 ,023 Jews. In the 18th year of Nebuchadnezzar.

832 persons from Jerusalem. In the 23rd year of Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar Radon the captain of the guard carried into exile.

745 Jewish people. There were 4 ,600 persons in all. That's pretty shocking.

That's pretty shocking. Even when you go back into the record of kings. And you add the 18 ,000 that were taken away in previous deportations.

And you kind of bring in a few stragglers. You have optimistically about 25 ,000

Jews taken to Babylon. That's not a lot is it? Especially compared to 1 .1

million. Consider then around 49 years after the destruction of Jerusalem.

That they are returning under Ezra. And they've got 50 ,000 with them.

And that's just a small portion of the people of the Jews. What happened?

What happened? Well God happened. God made them multiply. Even as they did in the affliction of Egypt.

And multiplied as they did in the affliction of Babylon. They multiplied. But anybody who's reading these numbers here in Jeremiah 52.

We need a new people. We need a new people. And the need for a new people.

Made clear by the diminishment of these numbers. Was not however meant by merely adding new numbers.

By the generation of Christ. One could locate a million Jews in and around Jerusalem alone. Not counting the diaspora.

The mere adding of numbers was not enough. An actual new people was needed. After all when

Jerusalem was destroyed again in AD 70. More Jews than ever were killed in the judgment of God. But that too vividly demonstrated the need for the new covenant.

And a new covenant people. One which would be comprised of true worshippers. Jeremiah 31. The key new covenant chapter in the book.

Promised that God would do something different for the people of the new covenant. That God would remove their hearts of stone.

And he would give them hearts of flesh. And all of them in their new hearts would have God's law written upon them.

Meaning they would all be born again. They would all be alive in the living one. Jesus Christ the resurrected.

The old people were like the evil tenants. Who were in charge of the vineyard. But they wouldn't give the vineyard owner his due.

They rejected and abused all of his messengers. Until at last they murdered his son outside the vineyard walls.

And so what did God do? He came in judgment and destroyed those wicked tenants. And gave the vineyard to a new people.

Who would truly produce the fruit of the kingdom. And that people both

Jew and Gentile. Would not only be thoroughly redeemed to the last.

But they would also outnumber anything close to the old people. 1 .1 million isn't even a tenth of 1 % of Christ's flock now.

And he only knows how many the father has given unto him. In the debris of judgment we see the need for a new covenant.

Look at the diminishment of the people of God. A new people was obviously needed. And the failure of every people group due to sin.

Should have a significant impact on our thinking. When we stroll up and down the beach of history.

And we see the cultural garbage of wicked people group after wicked people group. Being washed ashore.

We understand that yet another ship has gone down. In the storming judgment of God. The only lasting people are

God's people. And though we come from different cultures. It's important to remember that culture is religion externalized.

And so to the degree that we fear God and worship Christ. And are filled by the Holy Spirit. To the degree that our lives are shaped by the

Holy Scriptures. The dominating culture in the lives of Christians from all over the world.

Will be more the same than different. And our differences will prove the adorning handmaidens of bridal unity in Christ.

In other words I have more loyalty to my brothers and sisters in Christ. Planting churches in Iran.

Than I have to my unsaved next door neighbor American citizen.

Why is that? New people of God. Transcendent from any nation. Transcendent to any culture.

So judgment when it comes upon an ungodly

Soviet culture. Or an ungodly Asian culture. Upon an ungodly

Western culture. Or an ungodly third world culture. All of it is to show what?

The need for the new covenant. A new people forged in Christ. And if God used

Babylon to judge Judea. What makes us think that God could not have used America to judge other nations. And if God brought down Babylon and it's perfect timing by others.

What makes us think that he won't do the same to our wicked nation. No matter if we did have a good beginning. So please in your proper

God fearing patriotism. Do not put your confidence in the symbols and artifacts of our temporary nation.

A temporary nation is what we live in. As citizens. But we are citizens of a better country.

We belong to a kingdom which cannot be shaken. The debris of God's judgment shows us not our need for a new constitution.

Or a new adherence to the old one. But God's judgment shows our need for the new covenant. We've often said we don't need new politicians.

We need a new populace. Let's put our focus where it belongs. Not on the numbers. And we're always talking about numbers.

Judah's numbers were bad. It's not the numbers. Look at the promises. Look at the promises.

Look at God's promises given to us in the new covenant. New king, new people, new place.

At the heart of this passage in verses 17 -27. We have the third essential element to God's kingdom expressed through covenant.

The need for a new place. When God's people are in God's place. Blessed under God's rule.

We see God's kingdom expressed clearly. So a new place is needed.

Especially since the temple is all broken apart. In verses 17 -23. We read here about all manner of temple artifacts.

Chopped up by the butcher and taken away from the temple. Taken away from Jerusalem. But remember, this was the place according to 1

Kings 8. This was the place where God had chosen to reveal his name. This was the central point of the place that God had promised for his people.

So when all these sacred pieces are chopped up and carried away. We're seeing the judgment of God which says you need a new place.

Verse 17. Now the bronze pillars which belong to the house of the

Lord. And the stands in the bronze sea which were in the house of the Lord. The Chaldeans broke in pieces and carried all their bronze to Babylon.

They also took away the pots, the shovels, the snuffers, the basins, the pans, and the bronze vessels which are used in temple service.

The captain of the guard also took away the bowls, the fire pans, the basins, the pots, the lamp stands, the pans. And the drink offering bowls, what was fine gold and what was fine silver.

The two pillars, the one sea, and the twelve bronze bowls that were under the sea and the stands.

Which King Solomon had made for the house of the Lord. And the bronze of all these vessels was beyond weight.

As for the pillars, the height of each pillar was eighteen cubits. And it was twelve cubits in circumference and four fingers in thickness and hollow.

Now a capital of bronze was on it. And the height of each capital was five cubits with network and pomegranates upon the capital all around, all of bronze.

And the second pillar was like these, including pomegranates. There were ninety -six exposed pomegranates. All the pomegranates numbered a hundred on the network all around.

In other words, everything that the Jews had used for ceremonial cleansing. Everything that they had used to sacrifice burnt offerings to God.

To signify His presence among them. All of it taken away and destroyed. And special focus is given to the two pillars.

They were mighty pillars. They were not used for architectural support. But theological.

They had names. The first one was called Jachin. The other one was Boaz. They mean,

He will establish in Him His strength. So the breaking of these two pillars signified that God would no longer establish this house.

Nor be the strength of it. Why? A new place is needed.

A new place is needed. God would establish His strength in a new place. A new temple. A new Jerusalem.

Which would never be shaken. Which would never fall. This is what Jeremiah 31, Hebrews 11 and 12, and Revelation 21 and 22 tell us.

The physically rebuilt Jerusalem that Jesus visited. That physically rebuilt temple.

Though grandly adorned. Beautified by Roman money. Herodian architecture.

And Jewish artistry. That was burned. That was laid waste by the judgment of God in AD 70.

And He thereby demonstrated that the place needful. For the forgiveness of sins.

For communion. For relationship with God. That place was new. Totally new.

It was in His Son, Jesus Christ. And Judah was taken away. Verses 24 through 27.

I mean, without the temple. Without the palace. Without the houses or the walls left in Jerusalem. I mean, what is the need for kings and priests and nobles to remain?

They were all taken away from their land. Because they didn't need that. There was nothing for them in that place anymore.

Verse 24. And the captain of the guard took Sarai, the chief priest. And Zephaniah, the second priest with the three officers of the temple.

He also took from the city one official who was overseer of the men of war. And seven of the king's advisors who were found in the city.

And the scribe, the commander of the army who mustered the people of the land. And 60 men of the people of the land who were found in the midst of the city.

Nebuchadnezzar Radon, captain of the guard, took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. Then the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath.

So Judah was led away into exile from its land. The butcher brings 74, 74 representative

Jews to his lord Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah. According to 2

Kings, 72 of the 74 are slaughtered.

72 is significant because it numbers the number of Israelite elders that we read about in the

Old Testament. Why is there 74 taken and 72 killed? What's the point of the two person difference?

1 Kings we're told of five advisors to the king that are killed.

And in Jeremiah we're told of seven advisors who are taken to the king.

So two of these king's advisors are spared. Who are they? Jeremiah 39 verses 11 through 18 tell us.

It was a servant by the name of Ebed -Melech and it was Jeremiah. It's Jeremiah.

The point made here is that as God spares

Jeremiah and Ebed -Melech. And remember the story that the

Nebuchadnezzar told Jeremiah. Where do you want to go? I'll take you to Babylon. I'll send you back home.

What do you want to do? And Jeremiah had no answer. Why? He's really got nothing to go back to. He has no land.

He's a man with no land now. He's caught between a rock and a hard place. The point is being made that the people lost their land.

But really as Leviticus 18 .28 puts it. The land spewed them out because of all their pagan abominations.

It was clear to the exiles even when they returned from Babylon. That they would need a new place.

The land was henceforth inundated with pagans. The new temple was so reduced in size.

That the older men who remembered Solomon's temple. Wept when they saw the small foundation.

The inheritance of the tribes that were laid out so carefully by Joshua. All that geography in the second half of Joshua.

All that's permanently lost. So clearly a new place is needed. A city with foundations.

Whose architect and builder is God. What is needed is a mountain. Which fills the whole earth.

And will not be moved. A kingdom which cannot be shaken. That's what was needed.

That's what God's judgment revealed. The debris of judgment shows our need for the new covenant.

I'm grateful to God for his judgments in the last few months. I think he's been showing us our need for the new covenant.

Our need to lean on the blessings. And enjoy the graces of the new covenant.

He's been showing us our need for it. We have all we need in Christ. We don't need a lot of the trappings of modern society.

And modern evangelicalism. Whether in the open air.

Or in our homes. Or in church building. I think we recognize what an essential need we have. In our gathering together in Christ.

To be deprived of it for a time. I don't know about you. But it felt like me to be temporarily blinded.

Like a soldier deployed away from his family. Not only his family. But to some remote radar post.

My spirit and my worship were pained. They were muted. Like ringing ears left over from an explosion.

Even when I was preaching here at this location. And you were in your homes. It just was not the same. Why is that?

The place of the new covenant is found in Jesus Christ. And when we personally gather in his name.

We genuinely gather in his presence. And that's why it's such a blessing to be with you today.

The judgment of God I think has made clear. What a blessing this is. What a need we have.

And how God has provided. Well this is the end of Jeremiah.

And it remains my aim to preach Christ from all the scriptures. Until he is formed in all of his people.

Wherever he leads us by his spirit. Through his word next. I'm going to carry with me.

After Jeremiah. A far deeper appreciation of God's judgments. My faith has been increased.

Concerning the sovereignly guaranteed success of his preached word. And my courage has been increased to speak truth to a deceptive world.

I think most of all. I have worshipped Christ. Who is promised and signified. And speaking throughout this book.

I trust that God has blessed you as well. In similar ways. And more. Let's pray.

Father I thank you for the time we've had in your word. I thank you for the last three and a half years.

As we've been looking at Jeremiah. And many other texts. But mostly this book. Thank you for showing us again and again.

The sufficiency of your word. To directly speak to our needs. To directly equip us to worship you.

And to follow Christ. We just give you the praise for the ways in which you provide. And we pray these things for Christ's sake.

Amen. Amen and amen.

Would you stand and we will sing our song of benediction for today. Hymn number 512.

It will be the fourth and fifth verses. The fourth verse and the chorus.

And the fifth verse and the chorus. He took my sins and my sorry own.

He bore the burden, suffered and died us.

Oh wonderful and my song shall ever be.

Oh marvelous, oh wonderful is my

Savior's love for me. When with the ransomed in glory his face at last shall see.

It will be my joy through the ages to sing of his love for me.

Oh marvelous, oh wonderful and my song shall ever be.

Oh marvelous, oh wonderful is my

Savior's love for me. Oh marvelous, oh wonderful and my song shall ever be.

Oh marvelous, oh wonderful is my

Savior's love for me.

Is my Savior's love for me.

In the grace of the Son and the fellowship of the