Jeremiah for Me! Lesson 7: "Change Your Ways and Your Doings!" A Jeremiah Journey, Journal, and Puppets & More!
In chapter seven Jeremiah stands in the gate of the temple proclaiming his sermon to the people as they enter. Careless and clueless the people came only out of duty and ritual rather than a love for the Lord. So once more Jeremiah warned them of their idolatry and wickedness. However, they failed to heed his message. Beginning in Jeremiah 7:17 and following read about families in the streets worshipping their idol gods even though the Lord had warned them over and over not to walk after other gods and to obey him alone. Finally, hear the story of a unique street person named Authur Stace who chalked the word "Eternity" all over his city! Find out how his story so fits with our Jeremiah one!
Jeremiah's Temple Gate Message: The lesson begins with Jeremiah at the gate of the temple announcing his message: "Hear the word of the LORD." Jeremiah continues," Amend or change your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell or live in this place." Jeremiah goes on, "Trust ye not in lying words." What were those lying words? Did you hear them? Exactly, "The temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, ..." were chant-like or mantra-like words. Why did the people do this? It was because they felt when they came into the temple where the ark of the covenant was they'd be safe. But God challenged them by saying you sin so often and think you can come into this house and expect my protection.
Ritual Like Practices: How often have you watched people repeating words, songs, or prayers out of habit believing these words might save them? But do they? Many, just as in the past, attend church out of habit too believing going to church will save them. But will it?
Jeremiah Gem Verse: Jeremiah 7:3: "Amend your ways and your doings ...." In our gem verse the action word or verb is "amend" which means "to change!" Some synonyms for amend are alter, adjust, change, correct, fix, set right, and reform. Jer. 7:5 repeats the words again adding "throughly" (KJV spelling) which means completely! Reminder: IYJ (In Your Journal) and IYB (In Your Bible)
Jer. 7:3 is the perfect verse to use for a week. Each day repeat the verse as it is written. Then change "amend" to another word and repeat it again. e.g. "Reform your ways and your doings. Jer. 7:3 By the way my favorite "doings verse" is from Prov. 20:11: "Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right."
The Tray Temple Message "Proclaim This Word!": Here's a simple scene to draw IYJ or just to make on a tray. Needed: tray, bubble wrap, stickers/paper, proclaim/verse strips, bottle tops, lined paper, crayons, markers, tape, paper punch, and small scissors. Cut a simple bubble wrap gate top, two posts, and print "Proclaim this word:" on lined paper. Around the "o" draw a mini-Jeremiah and punch out his mouth. Tape "Proclaim" inside two bottle tops and tape each above a gate post. Do look below to view photo of the tray!
The "This List": There are at least a dozen places in this chapter where you'll find the word "this" starting with verse one where the Lord directs Jeremiah to say, "Stand in the gate and proclaim there this word, ...." IYB highlight the "this" verses. Look at the end for more about the "this list."
Two Temple Questions: Jeremiah 7:8-16 begins with "Behold, ye trust in lying words (like Jer.7:4) ...." Then the Lord asks this question: "Will you steal, murder, ... commit adultery, ... swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods ... and come ... stand in this house (temple) ... and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations (sins)?" Then this question follows: "Is this house (temple) which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes?" God's message continued with what I call "a rising up early verse"* where the Lord reminds them how he has sent his true prophets to warn them of their sins, but they didn't listen. Therefore, says the Lord, these people will suffer the consequences! *Note these verses are scattered throughout Jeremiah!
IYJ Rising Up Early Page: Draw or make a sunrise page by using crayons, chalk, or tissue box side for 3 1/2" X 6" background. Make small rising sun. Add wispy cotton clouds/bird if you wish. May cut sun/rays from foam. Print verses/glue to page. Note the three-punch dot symbol for "therefore." Highlight: up early, therefore, all my servants the prophets, and truth is perished. See journal photo at end of lesson!
Jesus Repeats a Jeremiah Verse: In Matthew 21:13, Mark 11:17, and Luke 19:46 the Lord Jesus is in the temple talking to the people where he reminds them of the "den of robbers" verse from Jeremiah. In contrast to "a den of thieves" Jesus refers to the temple as " a house of prayer." It's always remarkable how beautifully the New Testament is connected to the Old Testament. How foolish are those people who want to throw out prophetic books and seldom ever read them! In Jesus' NT discussions he often prefaced his OT quotes with "It is written ...." Like Jesus we too should be referencing and teaching our children to be aware of OT words quoted in the New Testament!!
The "In the Streets of Jerusalem Question:" "Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah* and in the streets of Jerusalem*?" (Jer. 7:17) This was the Lord's question to Jeremiah and his people. If one changes Judah and Jerusalem to a city or street in the USA what a poignant question it would be for us today! *Notice often Judah and Jerusalem are mentioned together; I call them "J and J."
What do we see happening in our cities and streets right now? An honest answer would have to be such devastating, destructive, and abominable things. As Jeremiah 7:28 declares "... truth is perished."
Families Worship Pagan Goddess in the Cities and Streets: Just what were the families doing? In verse eighteen it says the kids found the kindling, the fathers fixed the fires, and the mothers kneaded the dough, and baked the cakes. After the families gave the cake, drink, and incense offerings to Ishtar- "The Queen of Heaven." As someone said, "It was a family affair."
Of Ishtar an Amplified Bible (Zondervan 1987) page 837 note records that she is a goddess of fertility identified with the planet Venus. Offerings to this goddess included cakes made in the shape of an eight-sided star. (Jer.7:18)
Another great book with informative data about the "The Queen of Heaven" is Queen of All by Jim Tetlow, Roger Oakland, and Brad Myers (c. 2006 Eternal Productions). Especially read chapter five "Biblical Expose of the Queen of Heaven." Find the entire book online here:
"Queen of Heaven" Journal Page: Draw/cut out tiny street topped with star; on it print "Queen of Heaven Worship." Onto page draw a "family face chain" including the father, mother, and two children. See how they are attached together at the neck. Draw an altar, cakes, wood pile, incense box, and drink offering bowl. Recall little ones may make their drawings large! See below for the "Street Sheets" pad!
Pray 4 the USA: A Street Stripe Booklet: Use any flag pic/patriotic napkin that has curvy street-like stripes. Draw or copy it. Cut into small pages. Make a cover, and prayer pages. Staple or fasten with a brad. On: "Pray 4 the ...." write or glue requests. e.g. "Pray 4 the streets where the Supreme Court judges live." Or "Pray 4 the streets near to you where folks gather."
As I thought about these street scenarios, I heard a riveting story about an Australian named Arthur Stace, "Mr. Eternity." Listen to it here!
Arthur Stace's Street Story: Arthur Malcolm Stace was born in Redfern, Australia near to Sydney in 1885. Arthur was so poor as a young boy he took to the streets to steal bread and milk. As a teen he became an alcoholic. Later he was a soldier in WWI. What a messed-up life Arthur lived until August 6, 1930, when all things changed for Arthur. Arthur Stace - Wikipedia Person of Faith: Arthur Stace – Mr Eternity | ChristianToday Australia
It was on that day as Arthur said, "I went into a church to get a cup of tea and a rock cake, but I met the Rock of Ages." For it was there at St. Barnabas Church Broadway, Arthur heard a sermon by the Rev. R.B.S. Hammond. As he listened Arthur was very taken by the word "eternity!" Knowing he was not ready to meet the Lord Arthur went across the street to Victoria Park and knelt beneath a huge fig tree. There Arthur repented of his sins and trusted in the Lord Jesus to be his Savior. And Arthur became a new person for as II Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new."
Arthur Hears Another Eternity Message: Two years later Arthur heard evangelist John G. Ridley speaking on "The Echoes of Eternity." In his sermon Ridley read Isaiah 57:15 which says: "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Ridley said, "Eternity, Eternity, I wish I could sound or shout that to everyone in the streets of Sydney. You've got to meet it, where will you spend eternity?"
Arthur's Call to Write "Eternity!" After hearing Ridley's message Arthur so wanted to write "Eternity" throughout the streets of Sydney. Even though he couldn't write his name well and couldn't read either God helped him to write "Eternity" with yellow chalk on Sydney's doorsteps, streets, and squares. This became his mission. Just like Jeremiah Arthur never forgot this mission for the rest of his life. In fact, like God's servants, the true prophets, Arthur got up at 4AM every morning and went out into the dark secretly writing "Eternity!" until it is estimated when he died in 1967, he had chalked a half million one-word messages round Sydney.
Yellow Chalked Word in City
Yellow chalked word in the city,
Yellow chalked word in the dark,
Yellow chalked word in the city,
Yellow chalked word in the park.
Yellow chalked word in the city,
Yellow chalked word in the square,
Yellow chalked word in the city,
Yellow chalked word everywhere,
Yellow chalked word in the city
Yellow chalked word some did see,
Yellow chalked word in the city,
Whatever could that word be?
Eternity! (Shout it out loudly!)
LEP
Use this poem for an action rhyme for the little ones. Let them stoop and pretend to write "Eternity." On the last line jump up and loudly shout "Eternity!" Older kids may read it in unison breaking up into two groups. Have one read the "city" refrain, while the other group reads the "in-between" lines. End by having all shout out "Eternity!" Be sure to explain that eternity means forever and ever--a never ending period of time!
Arthur the Street Preacher: Like Jeremiah Arthur too became a street preacher. It's said he'd hide his Bible under his hat, point to the hat, and tell his listeners, "It's alive, it's alive, it's alive!" Then he'd uncover the hat to show the hidden Bible. Even though he couldn't read it he then recited from memory many Scripture verses. Make a pop-up hat with a hidden Bible. See journal photo below.
Honoring Arthur! After Arthur's death, he became famous in Sydney--there were museums, theaters, and other buildings built in his memory. At the turn of the new Millenia the Sydney Bay Bridge was lit up with the word "Eternity." A book Mr. Eternity was written by Roy Williams and Elizabeth Meyers with the Australian Bible Society. A song by Colin Buchanan too was sung fifty years after his death. Its last verse says,
"Eternity (Arthur Stace)"
Arthur felt the chalk inside his pocket
And although he could barely write his name
He wrote that word in copperplate perfection
Again and again and again
For years and years we'd no idea who did it
He wandered Sydney's darkened streets alone
Then finally at 83 old Arthur
Dropped his chalk and finally headed home.
From: https://www.eternitynews.com Listen here: Colin Buchanan sings about Mr Eternity - Eternity News
In Your Journal Arthur Stace Street Story: Either draw/cut out Stace images from online collection and glue them in your journal. Label them. See two-page story photos below.
Jeremiah Street Sheets: Jeremiah Street Verses: In the KJV Bible there are 63 references to streets with fifteen of them in the book of Jeremiah. Create a street sheet note pad. On each sheet write a verse ref and some words in the verse that stand out. Here are ten Jer. refs to check out: Jeremiah 5:1, 7:17, 7:34, 11:6, 11:13, 33:10-11, 44:6, 44:17, 44:21. View my Jeremiah Street Sheet Pad photo below!
Don't Miss "This List" Places: Search for these "this" refs! "This List:" this word, this place, this is a nation, this house, this people, and this thing, and this day. Note some "this _____" are in more than one verse; did you find them? IYB circle the words; IYJ list them.
What Word Would You Chalk? If you could chalk a one-word sermon as did Arthur, what word would you choose? The third verse of "Stop; and Let Me Tell You" goes this way: "Watch, and be ye ready, for the Lord may come today. Watch and be ye ready for the Lord may come today, He will come again in the clouds for me And take me home for eternity. Watch and be ye ready for the Lord may come today." Are you ready like Arthur for eternity comes to us all! Hear the song here: Stop and let me tell you - Bing video
One of Jeremiah's "this word" words was "Amend!" or Change!" Later Jeremiah said, Throughly (completely) amend!" Amend what? "Your ways and your doings!" Stanton W. Gavitt's song "Things Are Diff'rent Now" says: "Things are diff'rent now, Something happened to me when I gave my life to Jesus, things are diff'rent now, I was changed it must be when I gave my heart to him. Things I loved before have passed away- things I loved far more have come to stay. Things are diff'rent now something happened to me when I gave my life to Him!" Have you asked Jesus to be your Savior from sin like Arthur did? Have things changed for you? Hear the song here: Things Are Different Now - No. 27 - The Gospel Singout Project - Christian Songs, Choruses & Hymns - Bing video
Try Chalking a Street Message: On a sidewalk or where it is allowed choose a special word and chalk it. Try it first on some black paper. See photos at end of lesson. Happy chalking!
Puppet Photos: View the Jeremiah's Temple Gate Message here; use various puppets around him. Also view the puppet family that worshipped Ishtar or "The Queen of Heaven."
