TOPIC: JUDGMENT FOR THE DISOBEDIENT
KEY VERSE: Jeremiah
25:9
“Behold, I will send and take all the families of
the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant,
and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and
against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make
them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations.”
TEXT: Jeremiah 25:1-11
1. The word
that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of
Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that was the first year of Nebuchadrezzar
king of Babylon;
2. The which
Jeremiah the prophet spake unto all the people of Judah, and to all the inhabitants
of Jerusalem, saying,
3. From the
thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, even unto this day,
that is the three and twentieth year, the word of the LORD hath come unto me,
and I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye have not
hearkened.
4. And the
LORD hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising early and sending
them; but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear.
5. They said,
Turn ye again now every one from his evil way, and from the evil of your
doings, and dwell in the land that the LORD hath given unto you and to your
fathers for ever and ever;
6. And go not
after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to
anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt.
7. Yet ye have
not hearkened unto me, saith the LORD; that ye might provoke me to anger with
the works of your hands to your own hurt.
8. Therefore
thus saith the LORD of hosts; Because ye have not heard my words,
9. Behold, I
will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and
Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against
this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations
round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and
an hissing, and perpetual desolations.
10. Moreover I
will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of
the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and
the light of the candle.
11. And this
whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall
serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
MESSAGE:
Charles Spurgeon once
said, “Obedience which is not voluntary is disobedience, for the Lord looketh
at the heart, and if He seeth that we serve Him from force, and not because we
love Him, He will reject our offering”. Obedience is a key to success for the
Christian.
It must be prompt and
real as it brings blessings. Disobedience on the other hand brings judgment,
destruction, damnation and death to the disobedient.
Today’s passage is a
pronouncement of judgment on the disobedient and mockers of God’s prophets. God
sent Prophet Jeremiah to pronounce judgment on the children of Judah and all
the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Over the years, the
Lord had raised up several prophets who had spoken God’s mind to them; urging
them to turn from their evil ways and not serve the gods of the land. Despite
all the warnings and pleadings, the children of Judah had scorned God’s words
and even mocked His prophets, thereby, provoking Him to anger with the works of
their hands.
For being
incorrigible, God sent His prophet, Jeremiah to pronounce judgment on them.
Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon would invade Judah and utterly destroy the
land and its inhabitants. The land will become a perpetual desolation and the
voices of joy, gladness and celebrations shall cease.
Darkness and hissings
shall take over the land of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. The
consummation of the judgment was that the entire nation would be brought under
the captivity of Babylon for seventy years.
Obedience to God’s
word, will and way, is the only pathway to life’s bliss, joy and happiness.
Disobedience on the other hand, leads to loss, destruction and damnation. To
receive God’s favour, we must obey His word and reverence His prophets.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Obedience is the key to real faith!
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 1-4
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