Read: Jeremiah 25:15-38; 36; 45: 1-5; 46
God gave Jeremiah a cup that symbolized His cup of wrath over specific nations. He was to take this cup and have the officials of these nations drink from it. When they drank from it, horror, contempt and ruin would fall on their nation. If they refused to drink from it the disasters would fall on them anyway. Jeremiah was sent first to Jerusalem, then Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, Sidon, Dedan, Tema, Buz, Arabia, Zimri, Elam, Media and last of all to Babylon. God always begins judgment in his own house; he judges the Church before he judges the world. He also heals us first.
Next, God told Jeremiah to write down every prophecy he had given Judah through him. At this time, Jeremiah had made king Jehoiakim so angry, Jeremiah had been put in prison. He sent for Baruch and dictated God’s words to Baruch who wrote it on a scroll. Baruch took the scroll and read it aloud in the Temple. It was the Day of Atonement which was a national day of fasting and praying for the nation. When the officials of the land heard the words they were greatly concerned and sent the scroll to the king. He arrogantly ripped the scroll in spreads and threw it in the fire as if this would negate God’s Word. So, God told Jeremiah to not only rewrite it but to add even greater curses to it.
God also gave him a word about Egypt that he was going to send a small nation from the north to destroy their great nation. It would be like a house fly bringing down a big heifer.
He ended his message with the hope of restoration and rebuilding for Judah, because that is always God’s plan.
Lord, thank you for your discipline. It always leads to repentance and restoration for your people.
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