Jeremiah 4 reminds me of the tsunami that
hit Indonesia in 2004. The horrific videos show two important
things; the warning signs were clear, and very few people took the
right action. In many cases people were actually drawn to the
empty shore as the tide withdrew just prior to the catastrophe.
The curious onlookers were swept away in shock. Moments before
they were laughing, and then wave after wave of destruction came.
Many voices are heard shouting warnings of the approaching terror,
but few understood the magnitude of the danger. It is
remarkable, but people standing side-by-side made life and death
decisions. Those that quickly got above the water lived,
literally the ones that were saved went up. In today’s
chapter, Jeremiah continues his warning to the nation of Israel and
perhaps to us today. “If
you, Israel, will return, then return to Me… put your detestable
idols out of My sight and no longer go astray… then the nations
will invoke blessings by Him and
in Him they will boast“.
Genesis 12:3 includes this promise to Abraham and “I
will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth will
be blessed through you“.
Today, Israel is slowly being isolated. Is the tide going out?
God continues to alert Israel, “Break
up your unplowed ground… circumcise your hearts…
or My wrath will flare up…
because of the evil you have
done“. The Lord is
saying; make a very personal change now, but also let others know.
“Announce…
Gather together… Flee for
safety without delay!”
Are there some personal changes you need to make?
Jeremiah continues, “A
lion has come out of his lair; a destroyer of nations… to lay waste
your land“. Is Satan
real? Is there evil in this world? Friend, he is called
the Liar and the Deceiver. This is called the day of man, but
the Day of the Lord is coming. Today we are surrounded by the
consequences of sin. “So
put on sackcloth, lament and wail“.
Those that look for peace on earth without first finding peace with
God will stumble. “In
that day…the king…will
lose heart, the priests will be horrified, and the prophets will be
appalled“. Those that
preach to look inward for truth are ignoring the danger signals.
“How completely you have
deceived this people… by saying, ‘You will have peace’.”
Jeremiah screams, “Look! He
advances like the clouds, his chariots come like a whirlwind, his
horses are swifter than eagles…
wash the evil from your heart and
be saved“. It is
decision time and you cannot outrun the terror.
Jeremiah’s commentary is heartbreaking as
he prophesied of the future, “How
bitter it is! How it pierces to the heart! Oh, my
anguish… I writhe in pain. Oh, the agony of my heart! …Disaster
follows disaster“.
How helpless to be standing on a
balcony, seeing the obvious and not being able to make them listen,
“My people are fools; they do
not know me. They are senseless children; they have no
understanding“. Perhaps
seeing the aftermath, Jeremiah observes, “I
looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty; and at the
heavens, and their light was gone… and there were no people“.
The pictures of Indonesia after the tsunami are indescribable.
The Lord adds one glimmer of hope, “I
will not destroy it completely“.
God always protects a remnant. I recall an image from the
tsunami and floods; some people continued to pull others up onto
rooftops and terraces. They took risks and got dirty and kept
reaching down to help others. The Lord asks, “What
are you doing, you devastated one?”
Describing the behavior of a prostitute, He asks, “Why
dress yourself in scarlet and put on jewels… Why highlight your
eyes with makeup?” He
adds, “You adorn yourself in
vain. Your lovers despise you; they want to kill you“.
Are you too busy trying to make yourself look good to help others
up? If you are in the muck maybe it is time to look up?
“For God did not appoint us to
suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ”
(1 Thessalonians 5:9).