The Seven Streams Method

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Micah 7 We are in the Exile Stream reading the Holman Christian Standard Bible. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Streams | Donate

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Lord Jesus, come quickly for we long to see you do right and have there be justice and righteousness on the earth. Amen.

Micah is in his usual mode dealing with everything moral and spiritual high-and-low between Death Valley and the top of Everest.

This man must have been a vigorous gent' to be around if his energy level day to day was anything like his writing style. 7 - Getting right into his final chapter, he eviscerates Israel for centuries of shabby management on every level.  There's no food on the vines or trees.  There are no godly people.  They are wholly evil. They plot, scheme, and steal, and murder. Yeesh, the people are carrying on like baboons in the wild turning on each other.  You'd have an easier time hugging a porcupine than dealing with these people! The day of trouble is right upon you people in the north. And when it comes, you will not be able to look to anyone for a trustworthy remedy - not even in your own home.                   But Micah still has faith! Then a clear warning is given against those who would be elated to see Zion get run over by marauders.  Yes, Jerusalem has a day of reckoning coming for its disobedience but it will not be the end of the Hebrews or of Jerusalem as the city of God's special dwelling.  Granted, there is a difficult; very difficult season the Hebrews are going to need to get through with the 70 years of captivity, but a return from exile shall come. Jerusalem shall be rebuilt, and her enemies are going to experience a wasting that is going to hurt and be their end. Micah then closes his book with a vision of the glorious future when the promises of God are all fulfilled; the promises made to Abraham are realized and a right rule is upon the earth.  Miracles will abound as the enemies of God are silenced and humiliated.  God will show all His great attributes toward His own.  What a wonderful time to dwell unimpeded in God's love, forgiveness, faithfulness and delight.  Bring it on, God. Bring it on.

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Lamentation 3-4 We are in the Prophetic Stream reading from the Holman Christian Standard Bible. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Streams | Donate

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Lord, the grief and the mourning that we suffer through is made bearable upon turning to You. Thank you for being very near to the broken hearted.  Amen.

3 - Jeremiah has been given commentary on the state of Jerusalem-the-desolate, God's sentiment that led to this horror. Here Jeremiah is focussing on himself.  He is down and out and feeling very in the dark. He's feeling trapped, weighed down, broken, desolate, pained, mocked, deprived, lost ... and yet there are vv. 21-24ff.  Jeremiah KNOWS that God is yet merciful, faithful, loving.  His feelings mentioned are good to share. He must articulate this to let soul drain clear and let the goodness of the Lord pour in.  Jeremiah has time to sit quietly with the Lord. There aren't many options these days in a deserted city! We are reminded to receive the Lord's discipline. In these days, everyone is living in turbulence. There is no "Easy Street". Jeremiah fully realizes the fate that has overcome this place. Tears flow constantly. The few left are jeering and pestering Jeremiah and he wants God to give them their due for their cruelty to him - a prophet who has simply done his job of warning that this was coming if they  did not turn.

4 - The terrors lingering in the city are too much to bear. We've heard of this before in literature written in the history and other prophets but here it is last time from Jeremiah who, like anyone witnessing this, would not get over it. The condition?: the gems are gone, the people are smashed, babies deserted, selfishness rules, luxuries traded in for garbage digging, the reduction of the city is worse than terrible, the once handsome are now covered in soot, starvation is everywhere, exhaustion, cannibalism, fire/smoke, treachery ... Bad religious leaders ruined Jerusalem. The glory of the earth is the shame of it now. The illicit priests have led the people into disobedience and this unleashed enemies by removing God's favor on Judah and Israel.  So where did this bad religion take them? Where might it take us today?!?! In the finale~ there is rebuke for Edom. It is reminiscent of the book of Obadiah. Edom is said to have been howling and cheering with delight as Jerusalem burned.  Well Edom is getting their due too.

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Psalm 120-132 We are in the Wisdom Stream reading from the Holman Christian Standard Bible. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Streams | Donate

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Lord, You are the one, the Only One who does all these wonderful works on our behalf. It's a testament to your endless love.  Thank you Lord God.  AMEN. We reference 13 Psalms today so don't look away from your Bible yet but keep your Bible in front of you so you can reference what we are talking about as we go through all these gems.

120 - David is feeling the fugitive and is getting exasperated that everywhere he goes people are liars. Liars liars liars. He mentions Meshach; they are a people far north.  He mentions the tents of Kedar; they are nomadic people to the south and east.  David is wanting home and truth and peace. It seems God was making sure David grew 100% weary of wandering among liars. The training is working. This is especially vital because David's entire life is leadership training and leaders must loathe lying or they do not lead rightly.

121 - The Lord is our Protector who keeps us on our feet, He's a security guard 24/7/365.  This is protection from someone who is all powerful and all wise. It was especially touching in the "Diary of Anne Frank" when the family is slipping into dismay from being in hiding so long - they pull out and read Psalm 121. [heavy sigh] 122 - The prayer for Jerusalem captures the excitement of going into God's realm, going to Temple, being among God's people. The joy of it all!  David has obviously secured "Salem" from the Jebusites; It was  Jebus' Salem. It is forever to be called Jeru-Salem. And it a marvelous place to be even now. Husband and I talk about going to church as kids and the people flocking in, the greeting, the sharing time, the music, playing tag in the basement, the friends and VBS and games and stories and the awesome potlucks. They were wondrous days. Well David is as excited as a schoolboy up to Jerusalem 123 - The favor of the Lord will get you farther in a day than a 1,000 days of labor. Be asking for the Lord's favor on your life and watch things get miraculous 124 - When the Lord is on your side / when we are on the Lord's side [and vow to stay there] we escape and become eternally victorious.  God had delivered them from fearful danger. 125 - Trusting the Lord is all that can be trusted. The evil will fall, but the Lord surrounds those who trust Him and He gives them peace. 126 - They had been brought back from captivity in Babylon and they felt like they were dreaming. Compare this Psalm to 137 and things really have changed in their hearts and souls as they are no longer in Babylon. It's certainly wonderful to be home. 127 - Solomon wrote this one and Psalm 72.  Here he is talking about building; something Solomon is quite adept at! He built the Temple, his residences, structures, pools, shelters for his workers, his horses, ad infinitum. He is also bent on teaching people to build homes - not just houses. Because 'family' is the a strong shelter against the elements and the enemies. 128 - This wedding song is by a different writer than Solomon but the theme is an extension of 127.  It talks about healthy boisterous strong families led by God-fearing men with fruitful productive wives. This is what a stalwart nation is built upon. Without this a nation is basically building it's foundation out of sand at the water's edge during low tide ... it will be washed away. 129 - This is a fervent prayer that the enemies of Zion would wither and be starved out and gone! 130 - This cry for mercy is of a soul awaiting redemption. The writer is in penance and truly looking to God alone for restoration. If all people reacted this way to their sins, transgressions, iniquities then no one would be addicted to anything.  This Psalm surely shows a better way back for distressed hearts. 131 - Israel; Believers everywhere, put your hope in the Lord and you will sleep like a baby! 132 - This is a reassertion that David's dynasty will not disappear. It will be eternal regardless of what era of history we find ourselves in. God promises this. The Ark is Present. The Priests are righteous.  David's family is established. There is Provision and abundance, salvation and worship, glory and joy.  Halelujah; praises be to God.

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I Chronicles 9-12 We are in the Nation Stream reading from the Holman Christian Standard Bible. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Streams | Donate

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

God you are exciting, Your plans are exciting, your world is exciting, your future (with us in it) is exciting. Amen.

9 - This is the last chapter of successive genealogies. It covers the return from Exile in Babylon. And with these records being kept, this made it possible to return to Israel and they would know which people were to go back to which land. These nine chapters of genealogy walk us through the streams, via the names, of all the biblical history that has happened so far.  The generation to generation run down ties the national family together through time and this deeply authenticates the Hebrew story.  And no one is trying to kid anyone here - what is more enchanting? walking around a quaint city or sitting in a hotel room in that city while reading that same city's phonebook? duh! This first nine chapters of Chronicles has been a bit like reading the phonebook. It is the truth. It IS this same city but it doesn't inspire like some of the stories that teach and get us dreaming and praying while making our spirit soar to new heights!  So after reading the first part of Chronicles ... read the read of the Bible! :-)

The next three chapters are dedicated to the process of David becoming King. The matching narrative is seen in II Samuel which begins at Saul's death. which in turn passed the kingdom to David. I.e. I Chron. 11-29 and the book of II Samuel are parallel stories with each having a distinctive focus.  I Chron. is a little more focused on the ritual of worship that was so vital to David. 10 - This is the tale of Saul's finale~  He was a base man; practically secular, though he had a spiritual calling (by default). His death is gory and pathetic as his sons are killed with him. The Bible is specific to state why he was taken out the way he was. "He was unfaithful...he did not keep God's Word, he resorted to witchcraft, he did not seek the Lord."  So God put him to death in a way that makes all of the future souls that have even a vague sense of observation to read of Saul and vow to not live like that apostate man. 11 - David is anointed king and he wastes no time in taking Jerusalem. One of the things that is easily missed is that it has been nearly 400 years since the Israelites came into this promised land. And after taking Jericho, had they stayed on track, they certainly would have been able to take Jerusalem within a generation or so. It was only 13 miles away! But 400 years had rolled by and Jerusalem was still occupied by a pagan people.  A brief review of Judges 2:7-13 gives a clear explanation as to why they got sidetracked for 300+ years. Ridiculous isn't it?  But David took Jerusalem and it is dedicated to God. David was dedicated to God and dedicated to the core of his soul. And God was with David. The man became unstoppable.  The takes of the valiant deeds of the men dedicated to him are impressive. They are the scenes of blockbuster movies. When God is in a movement, fear nor failure are matters that are not even pondered, much less experienced. 12 - This is a 'by the way' chapter that jumps back a bit and gives the story and numbers of people who jumped to David's side even before he was the full-fledged king with Saul out of the way.  It is a marvel to see the ground swell that arises around David; the gathering that surrounded him with aid and comfort and defense at all costs.  The skills, the speed of these men, their heart/soul dedication, the valiancy that they all have for DAvid's cause! Good heavens. The gathering at Hebron had to be a sight. Y'can almost hear David exclaim 3000+ years later, "aww, you should have been here!!"  This is just under 341,000 men hearts like lions, tough as leather, trained as Marines, ready to serve a God who is called a consuming fire and mighty in battle.  And they ate and drank and reveled in what God had brought on for three days! It says, "and there was joy in Israel!"  Forgive the modern-day insertion here but can you imagine the catering bill for well over 3Million meals for robust hungry soldiers who do NOT just pick and nibble, but scarf and eat and eat and eat?!

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Numbers 12:1-15:21 We are in the World Stream reading from the Holman Christian Standard Bible. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Streams | Donate

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

God, you have so much better planned out for us. Forgive us for ever thinking otherwise. Take us to your glory in heaven - and do so on earth as it is in heaven. Today's reading includes a grievous, faithless decision made by Israelite leaders that had them waste 38 years. And it is why everyone who personally experienced the Exodus as an adult never crossed the Jordan to go into the Promised Land. Let's deeply take this to heart.  A faithless and grievous decision ends up costing people to lose 38 years. Some historians may say they got off light. There are many instances through time where generations of lives can be wasted by a poor decision.  Let's move forward in faith not fear.

12 - Aaron and Miriam go after Moses because his wife was from Cush. Zipporah was likely deceased and Moses had opted to not remain a widower. Cush was 'Ethiopia' and thus Moses' wife was a different shade than the other Hebrews. This is not a strange or unique trait: people are going through times of struggle and they blame it on the people around them who are a different color than they are. Moses did not retaliate or push back. He was the paragon of humility. God stepped in to rebuke Aaron and Miriam, Moses' older brother (of 4 years), Miriam the older sister (of 7 years). The Word from God, the cloud enveloping, the leprosy, the frantic petition/prayer ... It's a salient tale in the Bible that forever teaches to not pester nor accuse nor mock one's called and anointed, legitimate, spiritual leader.  Don't get ugly with him, and when struggling with a matter, don't change the subject - take it to God. Or God will "take it to you"!

13 - It is time to go into the Promised Land. 12 spies are sent in. They include Joshua (Hebrew for "Jesus") of the tribe of Ephraim, and Caleb of the tribe of Judah. They are to give a full report about everything they observe. It is 40 days of stealth movement among giants, watching, noting, spiriting into the next grove, forest, thicket, cave. You thought "capture the flag" during Middle School summer camp was exciting?! This was over the top --> to do this, and to never seem threatening to the locals, and/or remain incognito, and to be certain to never away the real reason you are there.  And as the story unfolded, the 12 spies came back ... 10 of them are chicken-hearted. They report that to proceed in is impossible due to the size of the inhabitants. Joshua attempted to insert some reality based upon the God who had brought them this far; the God who had gotten them out of Egypt; while eradicating the world's toughest army! Faith marked Joshua and Caleb. Fear marked the other 10 spies. 14 - As the strange psychology and/of mathematics go, 10 spies were able to spread negativity and convince the 600,000 Israelite men (likely 2million+ Israelites total) to wail and fret all through the night. Joshua and Calebs' encouragement is 100% ignored.  In their fretting he people threaten to stone Moses/Aaron/Joshua/Caleb - [yea, tell me about it]--> 'whoopie' for leadership over a people who have no vision  It is a very unfortunate development.  God is angry enough to kill them all. And yet Moses intercedes; THIS is great leadership!  The Lord does not destroy them but neither will he allow any of this generation to cross the Jordan and enter God's Promise or come into His rest for them. They are doomed to walk in circles for 38-39 more years and die in the desert. God wasn't done making his statement - he struck the 10 faithless spies dead; those who incited all the Israelites to rebel instead of move on in faith. With them dead, the people grieved, then they decided to move into Canaan.  It was too late. God said 'no'. Obeying God 24 hours later IS disobeying. Don't let anyone you ever know or meet forget this. Some thought they could override what God had dictated and started walking into the land --- they received a country-whoopin' from the Amalekites and that ended that! 15 - There were laws about offerings and they had to be adhered to.  Notice that foreigners were to abide by these same laws regardless if they were passing through, residing temporary, or for long term.  In other words a foreigner could not traverse through be smug declaring, "ahhh, I'm not a Hebrew, these laws don't apply to me."  We see today, across the world, where this attitude is causing havoc, domestic upheaval, civil tension, and worse where a foreigner thinks they can enter another country and live like the Devil because that's how we did it back in wherever country they are from. --WRONG! The crucial importance of the Sabbath is asserted.  And there is distinct reminders instituted so that the Law is not forgotten.  Yes, God thinks of everything for us. We simply need to follow his plan

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II Thessalonians 1-3 We are in the Church Stream reading from the New International Readers Version. 7streamsmethod.com | @serenatravis | Donate

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis II Thessalonians was written shortly after the first letter to the Thessalonian church.  It was right around 52 A.D.   Rome was thriving (brutal as it was) and Greek culture (at least) was still very prevalent. Olympic gatherings were scheduled events in the Empire.  Paul writes again to this prominent city they called Thessaloniki.  This second letter is almost as if Paul had a moment of "oh yea, people, just a few more things I want you to know..."  II Thes. is further teaching about the Lord's Coming back, about it being sudden, the event being unexpected, about it being very terrifying for the disobedient.

1 - Paul's greeting is gracious and it takes him no time to get into encouraging the church. They will get through the suffering. Those who afflict them will come to severely regret it.  The Lord is coming back and whereas he had a more glorious rendition and focus in I Thess., he adds that this same event will be a horrible day for those who shunned the marvelous gospel of Jesus Christ.  Paul's reference to "fire" is in keeping with other symbolism and statements about "fire" in Matt. 25, Heb. 10, & Rev. 20.  And because of this Paul says "we keep praying..." eight more times before the chapter closes! 2 - The Rebellion; The Man of Sin that is coming; the antiChrist is described here. His traits, the trademarks of the times that will occur before Christ returns is told so that the Thessalonians (and we!) do not succumb to lies and the forces that lead so many astray while awaiting to see Jesus. Verse 3 is especially good: "don't let anyone trick you in any way."  However those subjected to deception are those who do not want the truth.  The Holy Spirit is the one who restrains the evil in the world. Imagine when the Believers are taken away, and the Holy Spirit that resides on them is absent!  People illicitly complain that "if there is a God, why is there evil?" Hmm, when the grace of God departs THEN people are going to experience a true foretaste of 'outer darkness'. It will be evil like the earth has never known. Pity the survivors.  Paul ends this section with gracious encouragement punctuated by "remain strong in the faith." 3 - has great Christian instruction and a salutation as good as any, but the bulk of this chapter addresses the duffers in Thessalonica and the Church there. Paul was concerned with the 'idle'; the lazy and how they were not pulling their part.  The concept of Christian charity was being taken advantage of in this church and it was not to tolerated further. Paul was very particular to teach giving, caring, helping the poor. His teaching on charity has greatly affected the world through the cause of Christ. But to round out the teaching about the true purpose of charity, it must be gathered and distributed precisely and properly. The abuse of the kindness afforded by wealthy Believers was pathetic. Offerings gathered are not for the purpose of enabling the "hammock dwellers" to remain there. That type of helping is not helping. In fact, it is what kills charity.  He told the Galatians in Gal.6:5 that each should carry his own load.  He means it here too. The Thread Through the Streams The theme we heard threading throughout the scripture this week was: "Keep God in it every step. Don't try to do it alone." -in Numbers the Levites are set apart to be priests; to stand in and serve God, representing Him to the people. This may seem an overly obvious assessment, but in their demise before the invasions, the Priests had forgotten this. They did not represent God...and the nation followed them right off a cliff. -Chron. included the part about serving God in music at the Tabernacle - that they followed and did it according to the rules they were given. The Levites set up the work of the Tabernacle just as Moses, the servant of the Lord, had commanded. The nation started right by keeping God in it. The concurrent complaining and punishment proves the same by providing a double-contrast (obedience and blessing / sorry-attitude and punishment. -Psalms enforces the best way to keep God in it all - keep in The Word -The grieving in Lamentations matches, Jesus' words, "blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted." This is vital to know how to grieve. The lament is a version of prayer. Mourning done in God's realm is restorative. Mourning done in solitude or at a tavern takes one further astray. Keep God in it when mourning ... and the morning WILL come ! -Micah took us through steep terrain of glory and desolation. The Savior arrives later yet retribution for horrid behavior shall be upon you sooner than you wish. Keep eyes on the one who will arrive in Bethlehem AND keep your eyes on God even when drudging into exile. The Judeans did and returned. The Northern tribes didn't and were lost to history. -Jesus talking in Luke this week gave us so many reasons and ways to go to God in prayer: when suffering injustice, come into prayer humbly, come childlike, come empty-handed, bring your needs, come determined to meet Jesus ... the call to prayer asserts "don't go it alone." -The Thessalonians are urged to endure the suffering with God in mind as He will deal with the persecutors. In other words, go to God in this time v.s. getting your revenge. God is going to deal with these pagans - don't you try to. Don't try to do it alone, no, keep God in every step.

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Micah 5-6 We are in the Exile Stream reading from the New International Readers Version. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Streams | Donate

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Lord God, we have need of a Savior since leaving Eden. Thank you for sending what we need and reaching out to us and loving us first.  Amen.

Remember Micah is prophesying during ca. the 740's B.C. to the 720's.  He was speaking up through Hezekiah's reign.  He saw the northern kingdom fall to Assyria. He witnessed Assyria proceed on south and trounce through Judah nearly wiping them out also. His theme and tone fluctuate without warning from ruinous desolation -to- glory and the good days that are coming for the Hebrews as a Savior arrives. Some skeptics reference matters like this in the Bible to talk about God being inconsistent and 'bi-polar' so to speak. Not the issue at all. God is working his loving plan in an endless effort to encounter and redeem inconsistent, 'morally bi-polar' people whom He loves though they have turned away and embraced darkness in most of their behavior.

5 - Micah gives one of the famous descriptions of: a baby, born in an obscure setting, who would rule - though born in Bethlehem 700 years from that time. He had just finished telling, in the prior chapter that we read last week, of the glorious future of Zion, then the miserable exile, then of the Assyrians raiding prior to that, then he goes forward to the wonderful future ... this is Micah. Just stay with him. Micah has good news to tell amid the worst of times. The city of Jerusalem had recently experienced the harrowing delivery from the Assyrian army when 185,000 were struck dead at night from the angel of the Lord; [II Chron. 32:21 & II Kings 19:35]. Micah prophesies of the future delivering king against this overwhelming scenario of delivery. The Hebrew people would also be spread throughout the world. At the time of it's writing the prophecies here are intriguing and mysterious. In time, the meaning of them come clearer and clearer. Micah is spot on in all the prophecies he gives for us to follow through the centuries. This is the only place in the Old Testament where the location of The Savior's birth is told. It's the same Savior Isaiah 9 tells about who is "Wonderful, Mighty, Everlasting..." 6 - We return now to Israel getting read "the riot act" against them for centuries of disobedience and phony religious behavior.  They have been completely ungrateful to God, dishonest, liars and tricksters, idolatrous to the core and punishment is what is due them.  Israel; the north will be left hungry, they will be robbed, they will be over-run [by Assyria].

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Micah 1-2 We are in the Exile Stream reading from the Tree of Life Version. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Streams | Donate

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis Micah prophesied in Judah in the latter 700's B.C. He was not far away when Sennacherib's 185K-man  army was entirely struck dead by God's angel, btw!  He lived SW of Jerusalem about 30 miles. He was writing when Isaiah and Hosea were writing. The Southern Kings that he saw rule were, in order,  Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Ahaz was a wretch, Jo- and Hez- were quite good.  So he witnessed the moral terrain rise/fall/&rise again.  He prophesies to the north and south kingdoms. Yet his focus is to the capitals; Samaria and Jerusalem.   He has three main thrusts in his book: 1] the sins of these two capital cities, 2] their due desolation, and 3] restoration. He fired clearly between these two themes of glory in the future /against/ desolation in the present. And as Micah goes back and forth between these two themes, he isn't altogether concerned about making his transitions smooth. Just so you know.

1 -  He wastes no time getting to the core of his concern. Micah takes a hard swipe at both Samaria and Jerusalem right from the start.  He kind of says to Samaria, "Jacob once lived and walked and talked with God, right here!  Now, for the love of God, what have you done to this place? Do you think you will get away with your behavior and 100% irresponsible leadership?" Samaria had a powerful position as the leading cultural city of the north and they had completely led the northern kingdom into cultic ritualism and occultic worship. God was about to smash their idols, their vineyards, clean out their prostitutes right into bankruptcy.  Samaria had a habit of "digging through the religious dumpsters" of the ancient near east to find whatever false god to use for leading the Israelites astray. And It worked!  God sent them the most salient prophets of all time. But Israel had stopped its ears; 'they wouldn't listen. Micah states it plainly, that Samaria's wound is incurable. All they will hear in the near future is coyotes.  The people will be hauled away. Samaria will soon be stripped and made into rubble after this by the Assyrians.  AND 46 cities of Judah [in the south] would be overrun as well.  Exile and shame will be their lot. For your sins are aggressive, deliberate, and you are deeply committed to sin...far more than you are to God. 2 -  Not only were the Israelites idolatrous and spiritually dark as midnight in their souls, there were brutal to each other.  They would mercilessly strip widows of their possessions.  The Law forbid this and they could not care less than they did. Land, clothing taken as security and then they would financially break them so they could [in their minds] then keep the land and fabrics for 'failure to pay.' Soldiers lost in war would have their widows cleaned out. Children were left destitute, evicted with their desperate mothers.  The powerful would get more so and the poor... more so. The Israelites-turned-pagan were ignoring their God and devouring their neighbors.  Things were vicious in the northern kingdom / Samaria.  And midstream, between vv. 11 and 12, Micah abruptly changes his tone and goes from denouncing falsehood and drunkenness to declaring that the Lord is going to gather his people all together in a single place and them (again like He once did).  The sharp changes are almost jolting.  Could we call Micah, the "A.D.D. Prophet?  It's not so strange though. Haven't we all been so angry at our children [whom we love] we've had moments we were so angry we would like to sell them cheap at a fruit stand. Both sentiments going on simultaneously at our own flesh and blood because they play to dufus, play deaf, disobey and then they claim they don't know why they disobeyed.  We are feeling what God is feeling about his "first born" So exasperation and hope and affection and subtle rage all for the same soul is not so strange.  God knows this and knows it most.

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Jeremiah 49-50 We are in the Prophetic Stream reading from the Tree of Life Version this week. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Streams | Donate

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Lord God, your ways are too intricate to be fully understood this side of meeting you face to face.  Still we press forward and study your ways in faith; knowing that you do all things well.

49 - Jerusalem was/had been burned in Jer. 39. And the surrounding nations were not at all bothered by this. They were entertained and delighted even by what appeared to be the end of the Hebrew nation.  A notable portion of the remainder of Jeremiah's book (since Jerusalem fell) is that of punishment upon Jerusalem's enemies who had been gloating over her destruction. Egypt's punishments is told in Jer. 46, the Philistines in 47, Moab in 48.  In Jer. 49 we hear of Ammon being reduced to a mound of ruins; burning ruins at that.  Ezekiel 25 tells the same for Ammon.   Next Edom also will be punished since they delighted in Jerusalem's destruction as well.  They will be stripped bare; a land laid to waste, utterly conquered, offspring destroyed. Edom will be a disgrace, and accursed for it. Edom will cry for help but be swept away. The prophet Obadiah had his words for Edom as well.  Syria and Damascus (next in the litany) are too feeble, decrepit and demoralized to put up a fight anymore.  They wither and fall as their capital is easily lit on fire and conquered. They were 'big stuff' 150 years prior. Not now.   Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor are listed next. These people are those who have scattered across Arabia and dwell among themselves in tents.  We might today refer to people like these as a collection of hermits.  Well, so much for hiding - Nebuchadnezzar is coming after them too. They will be desolate; a demolished people. They will people that will not be found anymore.  Elam, mentioned last, are the people of the area where today it's southern Iran.  They were Persian people. Their actions against Israel in the past earned them a day of reckoning and it was coming soon.  They would be a people shattered. God was very angry at them.  But the chapter ends that God will restore them. wh-Why? Look at their heritage and involvement. Elam was the father of a whole race. Elam was Shem's son - Shem being one of the three sons on the ark.  Elam therefore was "Shemite"; a Semitic people. The Jews were exiled to this area and learned Aramaic; a language that is 45% identical to Hebrew. Jesus spoke Aramaic as his mother tongue. Do you realize that Jesus was linguistically intertwined with the Persian people? And Jesus is our Savior.  So yes, Jesus is going to gather up the Elamite people. It may seem a far-fetched tale but it's in the Book, so it's true.

50 - Here comes a doozy of a prophecy: Babylon is going to fall.  Captured, disgraced, dismayed, left desolate - It's all coming.  The Hebrews they held captive will return to the Promised Land they entered after the Exodus. What a joy it will be to go back after 70 years in Babylon.  This captivity was predicted in Jeremiah 25. (Capitivity began in 604 B.C. - so it ends in the 530's B.C.).  And doom of Babylon is a detailed rendition of bad things that are coming for Babylon. They had 'steamrolled' the whole known world. Now it's their turn. The Lord Himself is summoning together an alliance of peoples and armies to take Babylon down.  It will be doom for Babylon's soldiers, farmers, workers, their culture - thrashed to pieces. They will be conquered and their people killed.  And as has been said elsewhere in literature, "it will become a haunt for jackals and hyenas."  Babylon's ancient capital is still an archaeological dig today.  Saddam Hussein said he would raise up Babylon again. It didn't happen. It won't happen.  The fall of Babylon is going to be a trembling cry that is heard across the nations.  Jeremiah talks about this development (after the fall of Jerusalem 586 B.C.) and what is going to happen to Babylon --> it did in 539 B.C.  That region still hasn't recovered.  Thus it goes for those who fight the God of Abraham and His Chosen.

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Psalm 115-118 We are in the Wisdom Stream reading from the Tree of Life Version. 7streamsmethod.com | @7StreamsMethod | @serenatravis | #7Streams | Donate

Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis

Lord, we thank you for your endless and loving care.  Amen

115 - Blessing and praise all go to the Name of the Lord our God.  He is in heaven and as real as anything; MORE real than anything we see. Idols are nothing. [In fact, "EE-dole" is the greek word for: something a human has made though it really is nothing; it is a nothing.  And yet the pagans trust in these things. Verse 8 has the stinging assessment: "those who make them become like them." I guess that those who worship carved blocks of wood become blockheads, those who worship the earth turn into "dirtballs" and those who worship animals start acting like them in time...or acting worse actually.  It isn't meant to be funny. It's more the Psalmist bellowing at us to not have idols.  But the house of Israel, their God IS God. And that is the glaring / even cosmic contrast between what we worship legitimately and what the lost folks worship to no avail.

116 - A tremendous Psalm of deliverance by an attentive God who saves from death, darkness, trouble, affliction, evil men, and calamity.  In case anyone felt inquisitive the Hebrew that lands in the script without warning: kedoshim...blessed are...the death of kedoshim - that refers to those who serve God faithfully / His saints / we can presume this refers to martyrs as well.  This Psalm inspires us to live lives dedicated to our Lord and King.  It's a great one to read especially in a ceremony to those committing to or being dedicated into ministry. 117 - As of this Psalm we have reached the middle of the Bible. It is inviting all nations to come worship and follow God.  This is The Psalms itself distilled into two verses. Paul quotes it with the same fire in his soul in Rom. 15:11 as this Psalm writer did writing 117 118 - As you listen and ingest this Psalm [play it again if you wish!] remember that it is the last Psalm that Jesus sang to end the Last Supper.  This is the last Psalm he spoke publicly with others before going to pray alone, to pray and walk through a moment of personal dread asking if there was any way that Calvary/the Crucifixion could be skipped. This is the last verse that he wanted the disciples to remember before they went into complete dismay to see their Christ Jesus be crucified and mangled beyond recognition.  We must remember this too, that whatever road or trial we find ourselves traversing, struggling through, longsuffering amid, and feeling lost in: we MUST remember that --> His love endures forever.