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Leader Bible Study | God Can Always Be Trusted (Jeremiah 31)

There’s a strong likelihood that you have had to repeat a message to the same person multiple times, whether that person is a spouse, child, coworker, or friend. Some things are so important they are worth repeating. And some people are so quick to forget, we must repeat.

For example, each of my four children have gone through seasons when brushing their teeth was such a chore that you would have thought they were being asked to eat nails. My wife and I would remind them dozens of times in the morning and dozens of times in the evening to brush their teeth, and yet still we would later find evidence that it didn’t happen. I feel confident none of them were belligerent in wanting their teeth to rot, but we were loving enough to remind them that this was likely to happen if they didn’t remember to complete this menial task a couple of times a day.

In Jeremiah 31, there is a phrase that is repeated by the Lord to the hearer of these words. The phrase, “the LORD’s declaration” occurs 10 times in these 40 verses. These words even appear at times in the middle of a thought or sentence, uniquely placed to garner great attention. In addition the phrase, “This is what the Lord says” occurs seven times. Clearly, the Lord wants the hearers to be abundantly clear from whom these words are coming.

We are most certainly forgetful people, often forgetting the smallest of details and even the most significant of facts. The Lord knows us on the deepest level and knows how great our need is for direct reminders.

Jeremiah 31 contains difficult truths and delightful promises. God knows that the hearer is likely to bristle at the warnings and rejoice in the hope, but he also seemingly wants to ensure that we who read these words do not forget that they are His words.

As we read the Bible, it is crucial that we recall the voice behind the words: the voice of God. Only God has the highest authority, holds all knowledge, and is perfectly good. Maybe you need to remember as you read and listen to God’s Word that this is the Lord’s declaration.

Doctrine TO KNOW

God is truthful: In God, there is no falsehood (Titus 1:2; Heb. 6:18). Everything He says can be trusted. Telling the truth is one way we bear the image of God.

Leader Bible Study | Esther Saved Her People (Esther)

You may never have said it aloud before, but there is a good chance that you have thought it: “If I just had ________ [fill in the blank with your greatest desire], then following Jesus would be so much easier.” What is your greatest desire? For some it may be money; for others, possessions; for others, power or a relationship or a feeling.

We live in a broken world and may often fantasize about what life would be like if our ideals came to pass. We may even hurt or mistreat others in pursuit of our dreams—to gain that which we believe has the greatest importance. But the reality is that even if we have all that we want, there is still a great temptation to desire more and continue seeking our own good at the expense of others.

However, we don’t find this temptation when we read about the life of Mordecai in the Book of Esther. We observe Mordecai’s journey from faithful adoptive father of a young girl in a foreign land to his becoming the king’s right-hand man.

Mordecai was faithful. He was faithful to take in Esther, his cousin who was without father or mother. He was faithful to sit, wait, and watch every day at the gate of the king’s palace to see what God would do through this beautiful young woman. He was faithful to speak up with boldness and confidence, even at the threat of death. And he was faithful to lead beside the king in an honorable way, seeking the flourishing of the kingdom.

Mordecai rose to a position of great power and authority. Many figures in power tend to forget their roots, turning to selfishness and unfaithfulness. Mordecai, however, did not. Read Esther 10:3.

In our temptation to seek our own pleasure, we must remember that our Savior, Jesus Christ, “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). In remembering the work of Christ, we find not only an example to follow but also the power to do the same.

Christ in us seeks the good of those around us. No matter how high or low our rank in the world, He is always good and always desires that we seek the good of those around us, for His glory.

People TO KNOW

Esther: the woman named Hadassah at birth who was raised by her cousin among the Jews in Persia. Esther was chosen as queen in Persia. God used Esther to preserve His people.