Journal Through the Bible: Week 69 Thursday

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Jeremiah chapter 4

God grieves over the coming destruction of Judah. This is a very poignant passage that tells of the true heart of God, the One who must judge evil but finds no delight in it.

My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war. Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment. How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet? For my people is foolish, they have not known me, they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil but to do good they have no knowledge. (verses 19-22)

Does God issue any commands?

• In an earnest appeal to Judah, God told them to break up the fallow ground of their hearts and not to sow among the thorns.
• God told Jeremiah to declare in Judah and publish in Jerusalem the warning that if the people would not repent terror would come from the north and their cities would be wasted.

Does God make any promises?

• God promised that if the Jews would return to Him and put away all their abominations He would not remove them.
• The king, the princes, and the priests would lose heart when the time of the siege came upon Jerusalem.

Does this chapter teach anything about Jesus?

• Jesus is The LORD that liveth in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness, and the One in whom all nations would bless themselves in Him, and see His glory.

Does this chapter teach anything about yet-future events?

• God described the time of creation in this passage and compared it to the time of judgment. Once sin entered the world the whole earth mourned. God mourned, too. This passage just described the time of judgment upon Judah but one day such a time will come to the whole earth. Judgment must come but God takes no delight in it. The wages of sin is death and payday eventually comes.