The scriptures read are Jeremiah 19-21, Psalm 53 and Hebrews 9.
Jeremiah 19. God has Jeremiah buy a clay pot, go to the valley of Hinnom where they are sacrificing their children in the fire to Baal, preach doom and a siege so long that the people will eat their own children. Then he is to smash the pot. That's how shattered the city will be when it faces the judgment for its sins.
Jeremiah 20. Pashur the senior priest has Jeremiah whipped and put in stocks. Jeremiah then makes a dire prophesy about the fate of that priest and his cronies.
Then Jeremiah wishes he could not prophesy. But he can't stop. He wishes he were never born.
Jeremiah 51. King Zedekiah sends messengers to Jeremiah asking him to pray to God for help. Not only will God not miraculously save Judah but he will join the other side! Only those who surrender to the enemy will live, albeit in exile.
Had Judah been just and merciful with others, this might have gone differently.
Psalm 53. Here's a beautiful polyphonic version of this psalm by Jan Sweelinck.
Hebrews 9. The author is using the visual set up of the tabernacle and the actions of the high priest on Yom Kippur to point to Jesus. He not only is the superior priest but his sacrifice of himself is better than that of goats and calves.
Like a will that goes into effect when the person dies, so does Jesus' new covenant require his death. And he doesn't have to offer that same sacrifice yearly as the high priest does. His one death sends out ripples that will affect everybody once and for all.
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