Wed.’s Devo - The Coming Disaster

Read: Jeremiah 4:19-6:15; Colossians 1:18-2:7; Psalm 77:1-20; Proverbs 24:23-25 Jeremiah was sent to speak to Judah of her sins but he also addressed Israel, the ten tribes. Today, he speaks to Judah, the two tribes. He sees the destruction that is coming that will touch every man in Judah. Their status, wealth, position, or poverty will not exempt them from what is coming. He sees the whole land in confusion. The people had ignored Jeremiah’s prophecies saying God would never do such a thing as destroy his chosen people. They accused Jeremiah of treachery and lies but it was the people who lied about the Lord. God promised to be a flame out of Jeremiah’s mouth. God would bring a distant, mighty and ancient nation against them that did not speak their language. The would be wielding deadly weapons and their warriors would be mighty. They would devour their food supply and kill their children. They would take their livestock and produce. They would learn that their fortified cities were not so fortified. They had rejected God and worshipped foreign gods in their own land and now they would serve foreigners in a foreign land. God was appalled at their rebellion. He asks why shouldn’t he punish his children who have rebelled so naughtily. Their prophets gave false prophecies and their priests ruled with an iron hand and the people liked it that way. Jeremiah warns them to evacuate Jerusalem because it will soon be destroyed. The land would be picked over like a reaper at harvest time. The people would refuse to listen and turn so from the young to the old, judgment would come and uproot their lives. Jerusalem’s wickedness spewed like a fountain and her streets were full of violence. It would be turned to a heap of ruins where no one would live. This would happen because they refused to repent. In Colossians, God says that Christ reconciled us to Him through his death and now we are holy and blameless as we stand before him. He sees us without a single fault. We have to stand on this truth and not let it slip from our mind. Our great secret is that Christ lives in us enabling us to do what is right. We have the wisdom of God inside us. Paul admits that this truth is a struggle for him also and he has to constantly reminds himself of God’s great promise. Paul wants them to get this in their hearts so they will have confidence in God’s wonderful plan for the Body of Christ. Lord, help us to understand your mysteries. Thank you that You live in us and enable us to walk righteously and choose the right way. You are our Great Shepherd.