How familiar are you with the book of Jeremiah? It’s somewhat hard to read because it’s full of warning after warning. It’s almost depressing.
Jeremiah is warning Israel to return to God or be destroyed. The people were religous, but their religion involved idols, child sacrafice and not following God’s way.
One time, when Jeremiah warned them, the people thought they would go to Egypt as a sanctuary city. However Jeremiah told them that King Nebuchadnezzar will come to destroy Egypt.
He said “They will chop down Egypt’s army as if it were a great forest,” says the Lord. “There are more enemy soldiers than locusts; there are too many to count.” (Jeremiah 46:23 NCV)
So what’s the point?
All stories in the Bible symbolize Christ and our future. God provides blessing, peopel reject it, He judges them and only a remnant is truly saved.
Story after story, someone in the OT is lost, then saved through God’s love and grace. It’s the story of Jesus throughout the Bible. Jesus is a big deal in the Bible because he is symbolized in every book of the Bible.
Jesus is a big deal in life. Jesus is God’s love offering.
Today, our warning is to accept Christ as Lord and Savior, believe he died for our personal sins and know that he rescues us from judgement and hell; similar to Jeremiah’s day.
To be saved, we have to admit our sin. Accept Christ as our Lord and Saviror. And live as if we believe it. God always provides a means of being rescued - and Jesus is the offer.
It can sound so harsh and narrow-minded to some as it did in Jeremiah’s day. Many just don’t believe or live a life of following God, loving others and extending forgiveness as God does.
Many today say they believe as they did in Jeremiah’s day, yet really don’t live a life that exemplifies their belief. There’s plenty of religion, but not much relationship with themselves and God.
No, no one does life perfect, thus reason we depend on Christ’s perfection and forgiveness.
To be judged and punished - what a shame. What a waste. What pain and agony. God loves when we don’t love Him. He is fair and just. And the warning is as strong today as it was in Jeremiah’s day.
I know it sounds so religous and almost extreme. Yet it is the message of true life. It’s the story of true salvation. It’s the warning of how things will be in the end.
As the Apostle John saw the revelation, he said “Look, Jesus is coming with the clouds, and everyone will see him, even those who stabbed him. And all peoples of the earth will cry loudly because of him. Yes, this will happen! Amen.” (Revelation 1:7 NCV)
It sounds radical. It sounds crazy. It sounds as if believers are obsessed - they are, we are, I am. It’s the best decision I’ve ever made in my life.
LORD, help those who don’t believe see the truth. It can sound crazy. It can come across as religious psycho-babble. Yet, please help us all trust, beleive, follow and love you with all and love others as much as we love ourselves. IJNIP amen ♥️
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