Jeremiah 33:14-16

The Lectionary will be featuring the book of Jeremiah in this coming Year C. I found it difficult to find much justice in that book. It does have some prophecy like this. The promise of King David was a kingdom that would last forever and show justice and mercy. If you went to church this summer, you saw that did not work out.

You could say that some of Jeremiah's prophecy was right. He warned about being attacked by the Babylonians and that did happen. Normally, a culture being taken into exile is the end of it. But Jeremiah has these ideas about how God can exist in our hearts. Did God change how he related to his people or did the people change, realizing it was the values from their ancestors that they brought with them that were important? The details of which values are important is always a sticking point, but when they return from exile, that's exactly what they start to work out. What we know today as Judaism really began at this point in history. It begins a generational discussion that still goes on today about the importance of family and tribe as well as self determination being accountable for our own actions.

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

Thessalonians is one of the first Christian documents to be written. The previous chapter speaks of the "Jews" who killed Jesus, and the next chapter has dead people being "caught in the clouds" to meet Jesus in the air. So who is he talking to here? Well, the Thessalonians of course. He's pretty proud of them. They suffer afflictions but they stand firm in the Lord. They have faith that Jesus is coming soon. They just need to remain pure and remember God is in charge. Just believe in Jesus will return soon, mind your own business and lead a quiet life.

Luke 21:25-36

The "caught in the clouds" passage I mentioned above, from Thessalonians 4 is referring to this prophecy that is retold in the synoptic gospels and scattered throughout the epistles. Jesus was coming back, soon. Jesus himself said, "this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place". Paul had to explain that despite this prophecy if someone you knew had died, they would have a place in heaven too. Advice like this, especially in the last verse here about being alert, has tormented young people throughout the ages. Some learn to deal with it, but I wonder how much trouble has been caused by those who couldn't discuss how it felt and had no other community to escape to. It's hard to imagine the tension caused by being constantly on guard for the day when Jesus comes and collects all the good believing people. Were you one of them? Was your sibling, or friend?