The Strand Study Bible

JEREMIAH JEREMIAH Be it through natural elements (Deut 28:15-24/Jere 14:1) or through natural circumstances (Gal 6:7) your spiritual life will always echo back at you by way of the physical. Whether you lack in your spiritual life ( Job 1:1b ) or you lack of a spiritual life (Joel 1:1-5), the spiritual will always reverberate back at you via the physical. Why are the natural elements likened to echoes in life? Because, like an echo , the natural elements are made up of individual atoms (individual decisions), which in turn create chain reactions (echoes of itself ). Zig Ziglar once noted: Life is an echo. What you send out, comes back. What you sow, you reap. What you give, you get. What you see in others, exists in you. 1 2. A potter (the physical) is likened to purpose in life (the spiritual) (Jere 18:1-6/Rom 9:20-21) Why is purpose likened to a potter ? Because, like a potter, purpose determines what you become. 3. Honey (the physical) is likened to wisdom in life (the spiritual) ( Prov 24 :13- 14 ) Why is wisdom in life likened to honey ? Because, like honey, wisdom in life not only tastes good, it’s good for you. 4. A plumb line (the physical) is likened to insight for life (the spiritual) ( Amos 7:7 -8); a mirror (physical) is also likened to insight for life (spiritual) ( II Cor 3:18 , Jms 1:23-25); a schoolteacher (physical) is also likened to insight for life (spiritual) ( Gal 3:24 ). Why is insight for life likened to a plumb line, a mirror, and a schoolteacher? Because, like a plumb line, a mirror , and a schoolteacher , insight for life comes from instruction ( schoolteacher ), reflection ( mirror ), and correction ( plumb line ); it comes from exposing our ignorance ( schoolteacher ), our imperfection ( mirror ), and our crookedness ( plumb line ). 5. A tree (the physical) is likened to the cure to bitterness (the spiritual) ( Exo 15 :23- 25 /Acts 5:30-31) Why is the cure to bitterness likened to a tree? Because, like a tree, the cure to bitterness is found within. Just as the cure to physical health is found within every tree, shrub, and plant (Rev 22:1-2/Ezk 47:12), so the cure to mental anguish due to bitterness is found within the bitterness itself. If bitterness is the result of an unfulfilled expectation (and it is – Gen 27:34 and Heb 12:15b ), then the cure to bitterness is to stop expecting anything. If you never expect anything, you can’t become bitter. 6. A rock (the physical) is likened to salvation (the spiritual) ( Exo 17:6 /I Cor 10:1-4); a seed (the physical) is also likened to salvation (the spiritual) (I Pet 1:23); a lamb (the physical) is also likened to salvation (the spiritual) ( Gen 3 :20- 21 / Isa 61:10/Zech 3 :1- 4/Mt 22 :1- 11 ); bread (the physical) is also likened to salvation (the spiritual) ( Jn 6:32 -33/ I Cor 11:26 ); t he Jews crossing the Red Sea (the physical) is also likened to salvation (the spiritual) (Exo 14:21-31/ Jn 6:28-29 ). Why is salvation likened to a rock, a seed, a lamb, bread , and the Jews crossing the Red Sea? Because, l ike a rock, a seed, a lamb, bread, and the Jews crossing the Red Sea , salvation has some “unexpected things” that come out of it. Who expects a rock to bring forth refreshing deliverance ( Jn 4 :1- 10 -14)? Who expects a tiny seed to bring forth eternal life ( Jn 3 :1- 5 )? Who expects the blood of a lamb to cleanse a sinner and make him a saint (Jn 1:29)? Who expects a piece of bread to completely satisfy one’s hunger (Jn 6:27-35)? Who expects a nation of people to come out of a sea? Just as the people of God in the barren wilderness were enjoyably surprised and exceedingly satisfied about a rock that brought forth water, so we who are promised eternal life (Jn 10:27-30) are just as pleasantly surprised and outstandingly satisfied when we finally discover all the “unexpected things” that come out of salvation ( Eph 1:3 -14). 7. The ingredients in water (the physical) are likened to the ingredients in salvation (the spiritual) ( Gen 1:6b – point #3/J n14 :1- 10,14 ) Why are salvation’s ingredients likened to the ingredients in water? Because, like water, salvation’s ingredients: *consist of two ingredients: the WIND /Word (Ezk 37:1-8)/the SPIRIT /Seed (II Thess 2:13, Titus 3:5, I Pet 1:22-23 and Jn 3:5). * don’t always obey the laws of God and nature ( Gen 1:6b – point #3 – third asterisk) * are controlled by one source (the sun/ SON – Mal 4:2 ) 8. The birth of a baby (the physical) is likened to salvation (the spiritual) (Jn 3:1-5) Why is salvation likened to the birth of a baby? Because, like the birth of a baby, salvation only occurs once ( Jn 3 :1- 3b ) and is the product of two ingredients ( Gen 4:1a / Ezk 37:1-8 / Jn 3 :1- 5 ): (1) the male seed (which depicts the Word – I Pet 1:23); and (2) the female soil (which depicts the SPIRIT – Gal 5:22 -23). Warren W. Wiersbe in Be Mature notes: Just as a human baby has two parents, so a spiritual baby has two parents–the Word of God and the Spirit of God. 2 Just as it takes two ingredients to bring forth physical life, so it takes two ingredients (the Seed/Word and the SPIRIT/WIND – II Thess 2:13, Titus 3:5, Jms 1:18, I Pet 1:22-23 and Jn 3:5-6) to bring forth spiritual life (once – Heb 9:11-12,24-28 & 10:10). 9. Moses and the rock (the physical) is likened to the assurance of salvation (the spiritual) (Num 20:1-11) 10. The heavens (the physical) are likened to spiritual personalities (the spiritual) ( Gen 1:14a,b / Mal 4:2 ) and ( Gen 1:16-18 / Dan 12:3b / I Cor 15 :41- 42 ) 11. The wind (the physical) is likened to the visible evidence of a believable believer (the spiritual) ( Jn 3 :7- 8 / Acts 4:13a ) 12. Food (the physical) is likened to spiritual growth (the spiritual) (Mt 4:4) Why is food likened to spiritual growth? Because, like spiritual growth , food is what sustains us and develops us from one stage in life to another (I Pet 2:2 and Heb 5:12-14). Remember: The Bible is compared to four kinds of foods: honey (Ezk 3:3), milk (I Pet 2:2), bread (Mt 4:4), and meat (Heb 5:14). 13. Empty wells and storms which produce no water (the physical) are likened to false teachers (the spiritual) (II Pet 2:17) Why are false teachers likened to empty wells and storms which produce no rain? Because, like empty wells and storms which produce no rain, false teachers promise refreshment only to deliver barrenness; like a hopeful storm which carries no rain, they mock the thirsty soul who sincerely wants to learn from God. 14. The events in the nation of Israel (the physical - I Cor 10:1-11) are likened to a new believer (the spiritual) (I Cor 10:6,11) 1 Zig Ziglar quote 2 Wiersbe, Warren W. Be Mature , Wheaton, ILL, Victor Books, 1978. Print. 1167