Jeremiah 47 “Repeated History, Guiding Providence”

Jeremiah 47 NIV

Suggested Praise Songs:      

• Sovereign ‑ Chris Tomlin
• Hillsong Worship – Cornerstone
• It Is Well – Kristene DiMarco

Resources for Family Worship (with Children):

• God’s ways vs Man’s ways | A funny Animation – YouTube – Lesson for Kids
• All Creatures of Our God and King | Weird Animals VBS | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• God Is Good | Cross Culture Norway VBS Music Video | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• King of the Jungle | Dance-A-Long with Lyrics | Kids Worship – Song for Kids
• Discussion Questions for Children & Youth are located in the section after Explanation, Meditation, and Prayer (at the end of this email/blog).

Explanation:

The Philistines were seafaring people who migrated from Crete and established a nation along the southwestern Mediterranean coast of Canaan—what is now the Gaza Strip. Before Israel settled in Canaan, the Philistines were among the five major tribes already living in the land. Their location—situated between Egypt to the south and the great empires to the north—often drew them into military conflict, and through those conflicts they developed significant military strength. One reason the Israelites had to take the long route through the wilderness during the Exodus was that the Philistines lived along the shorter route. After Israel settled in Canaan, it never fully conquered the Philistines, and frequent wars erupted between the two peoples. As a result, the two nations became irreconcilable enemies.

Pharaoh Neco of Egypt attacked Gaza, one of the five Philistine cities, several times around the period when Jeremiah was called as a prophet. During that time, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah (v. 1). The Lord declared that although the Philistines would be destroyed, it would not be by Egypt but by Babylon (v. 2, “an overflowing river from the north”). Even the troops summoned from Tyre and Sidon would be annihilated by the Babylonian army (vv. 3–4). The Philistines included descendants of the giant Anakim, but even they would not stand against Babylon (v. 5). This judgment would happen because the Lord had determined to judge the Philistines through Babylon (vv. 6–7). In 604 B.C., the Philistines ultimately disappeared from the earth under Babylon’s conquest.

Meditation:

About six hundred years after the fall of the Philistines, their name reappeared in history because of the Roman emperor Hadrian. After suppressing the Jewish revolt, Hadrian dispersed the Jews throughout various parts of the Roman Empire and then renamed the land Palestina (A.D. 136), meaning “the land of the Philistines.”

By naming the land after the nation most despised by the Jews, Hadrian intended to inflict a deep sense of defeat upon them. As a result, Israel—barely surviving up to that point—disappeared from the map. The people who later lived in Palestine had no actual connection to the ancient Philistines, yet they considered themselves their descendants.

Nearly two thousand years later, Israel was reestablished in the land of Palestine. Jews who had been scattered among many nations gathered to rebuild a country, preserving their identity as the people of Israel. Yet even through multiple wars, Israel did not gain control of the Gaza Strip—just as during the conquest of Canaan. That land became a major base for the Palestinian people, and even today, Hamas fights against Israel from that territory.

There may be no clearer example of the saying “history repeats itself” than the story of the Philistines and Israel. History does not necessarily offer hope; rather, it can offer comfort. Knowing that what we experience now has happened before can give us a small measure of consolation. Yet history does not repeat itself aimlessly or by accident. It repeats and progresses under the guidance of God, the Lord of history.

Therefore, our hope lies only in God, who sovereignly directs all history. And so we lift our eyes from the horizon of human events and look toward heaven. The things we long to accomplish in this world but cannot achieve are possible only when God gives them. This is why we hope and pray for the “new heaven and new earth.”

Prayer:

Lord, the Master of history, help us act responsibly within the history of the time in which we live. Yet keep us from becoming so absorbed in earthly events that we forget Your hand at work. Help us trust in Your providence that guides all things and make us faithful in the work You have entrusted to us here and now. Amen.

Discussion Questions for Children & Youth:

Key Point: Even when history feels confusing or scary, God is still guiding everything. We may not control the world, but we can trust the God who leads history toward His good plan.

• For Preschool-Elementary:
  • What helps you feel safe when the world feels confusing or scary?
  • The story shows that history can be repeated. What is one thing God never changes about?
  • If God is guiding history, what is one small good thing you can do today?
    
• Youth:
  • History often repeats itself, just like in the story of Israel and the Philistines. Why do you think knowing this might give people comfort rather than fear?
  • The devotional says real hope comes from God, not from world events. What is one part of today’s world—news, conflicts, school pressure—where you wish God would bring peace or healing?
  • The devotion reminds us to “lift our eyes to God.” What does that look like for you in your everyday life in our community—at school, home, or church?