In Genesis 18 Abraham negotiates with God over the destruction of Sodom. His argument is that it would be unjust for God to destroy the city if there were as many as ten righteous in the place. God agreed. It turns out that there is a deep connection between that negotiation and Sarah's unbelieving laugh when God announces she will have a son. Inspired by Rabbi Fohrman at AlephBeta.org

Continuing from chapter 51 the prophet declares God's vengeance on Babylon. This because she used her economic power to lead the nations away from God. Since much of this chapter is echoed in Revelation 18, it is not always clear when Jeremiah is speaking of the conquest by the Medes or of the eventual destruction at the end.

In Genesis 15 God makes promises to Abram. Abram believes those promises which is counted to him for righteousness. In Romans 1-4 Paul builds an argument for human responsibility on that passage. He also demonstrates that God's law is a gift of grace and was never intended to save. Only faith will do that.

Beginning a two chapter prophecy about the end of Babylon, Jeremiah lays the blame for Israel's exile on her shepherds. Those leaders who were supposed to keep the nation on course but instead exploited the flock. The prophecies extend to the end times and are repeated in Revelation.

The United States today is awash in emotion. Every bad idea or nefarious cause comes packaged with a strong emotional appeal. The Bible describes the untrained heart, the seat of emotion, as 'desperately wicked' and unreliable as a guide to life. Recognizing our tendencies, the Bible also provides a program of training the heart so that we are not manipulated by the wicked.

Beginning with Egypt the prophet describes what God will do to the surrounding nations. In the case of Egypt, part of the problem is the flight of the remnant after the assenation of Gedeliah. In the case of the other nations it is because of their treatment of Israel when God was chastising her.

In the first four chapters of Genesis we are told of our purpose, our nature and God's nature. We learn that we can have a relationship with our creator. We also learn that He gives us free will and does not interfere with its exercise. We learn that choices have consequences. We learn that the related sins of covetousness and envy lead to death. Finally we learn that God allows us to choose between life and death and that He desires that we choose life.

Gedaliah was left as governor of Judah by the Babylonians. He was murdered by Ishmael at the instigation of the Ammonites. This caused the rest of Judah to panic and flee to Egypt against the wishes of God. In Egypt Jeremiah called them to cease making offerings to the Queen of Heaven. This advice was angrily rejected.

God's appointed times throughout the year help to keep us mindful that He has a plan and that we have a part to play in that plan. Succot reminds us that this world is not our ultimate home and that we look for another while we sojourn here. Looking around, it appears that history is at an inflection point similar to that which spawned the Reformation. The established order has lost control of the social narrative and competing voices are gaining traction.

Jeremiah warns the king and other government officials that Jerusalem is about to be destroyed and gets thrown into a muddy cistern for his efforts. His prophecy is fulfilled and the Babylonians take the city completely eliminating the leadership of Judah and giving the cities and fields to the poor. The Babylonians have been given instructions to treat Jeremiah well in all of this. (Note that my reading of the Chaldean names at the beginning of chapter 39 was more confused than my editrix could repair. Please refer to the biblical text there.)