Tues.’s Devo - The End is Coming

Read: Jeremiah 16:16-18:23; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-5:3; Psalm 81:1-16; Provers 25:6-8 Jeremiah and God continue their conversations. God told Jeremiah he was sending fishermen and hunters to catch those that hid from him. He would double their punishment because they defiled his land with images of their detestable gods. Jeremiah told God that He was his hiding place. The generations yet to come will be appalled by the inheritance of foolish idols that had been left to them. God declared that their sins had been engraved in their stony hearts and even their children followed in their pagan worship. All of it would become plunder to their enemies. The inheritance the Lord had planned for them would be given to their enemies and they would be taken prisoner to a foreign land. But the people who remained loyal to the Lord will be blessed. They will not be worried by long months of drought; they will stay green and never stop producing fruit. God will search the hearts of every person and give them the reward their heart deserved. God sent Jeremiah to all the gates of Jerusalem starting at the one the king used.He was to give His message. He told them to stop trading and doing business on the Sabbath. If they obeyed the Lord then they would always have a descendant of David sitting on the throne. IF they didn’t obey then the gates he stood in front of would be torched with fire. Next, he told Jeremiah to go down to the potter’s shop and watch how the potter shaped the clay. If he didn’t like the way it was coming out, he would crush it back into a lump and start over. God said that he would do as this potter had done to his clay. He would crush them if they didn’t repent. The more Jeremiah prophesied, the more the people refused to listen. God said that the land would be desolate and their enemies would shake their heads in astonishment. The rebellious ones hated Jeremiah and plotted to kill him so they wouldn’t have to listen to his warnings. Jeremiah knew of their plans and took them to the Lord. He wanted justice. Paul dealt with some of the same things. The new Christians were surrounded by evil and sexual promiscuity. He warned them to stay away from all sexual sin and be holy. He told them that they controlled their bodies and with God’s help, they could live holy lives. Following God requires turning from sin. Then he encouraged them to love one another. Paul encouraged them about death. Their loved ones who died would be raise to life again and come back to live on the earth when Christ returns. The ones living at that time who are believers will meet the Lord in the air and join the ones coming to the earth to live in the Millennial reign on earth. This will happen when the earth least expects it. They will think they are secure but find out they were wrong. They will not be able to escape. The believers would already have been taken in the Rapture. He is not coming to us as a thief, but he is coming to the world in the end as a thief. Lord, may we be ready for all you are doing. May we hear the voices of your prophets and heed their warnings. May you be our only God.