August 8: Jeremiah 4-6

August 8, Jeremiah 4-6

Jeremiah 4 Jeremiah warns Israel (and us) that we cannot serve both God and idols. We cannot serve both God and something else. Either we are all in for Him or we are not. There is no half way point. We must obey God to glory in His blessings.

If Israel returns and gets rid of their idols and swears that God is God alone - God will bless them and then we learn that God will glory in them!

God was calling Judah also to repent. Get rid of their evil deeds.

God was also declaring through Jeremiah that disaster was coming to His people in order to bring them to repentance, and it was not going to be pretty - pretty much destruction. The people had chosen rebellion over obedience at their heart. What Jeremiah was seeing was so horrible, he was literally sick to his stomach over it - in genuine anguish. And yet the people disregarded what he was proclaiming. God knew that His people were being foolish and stupid. They were good at doing evil and pretty much unable anymore to do good. In a sense, they were passed the point of no return. God declared that he was going to bring them to destruction, but not full destruction for His remnant - those that truly worshipped and cared for Him. Even if they wanted to lean on their old allies to help them, it would not help. Only God can help them, but they refused to turn to Him.

Jeremiah 5 Even though Jeremiah continually warned them to repent, they refused. At that time there was not even one person who was seeking truth. They lied. They refused to repent. They refused discipline and correction. A stubborn people they were. How could God pardon those that have forsaken Him over and over? Their kids followed their footsteps as well. God took great care of them and they got lazy, and pursued whoring after idols all the more - and also were sexually immoral - all of this was leading up to punishment. 

God will use Babylon to destroy Israel & Judah, and they were the fiercest in the land. But God will save His remnant. The majority though have served foreign false gods, not the One True God. They are foolish and don't listen. They had no fear of God. They are stubborn and rebellious, their prophets falsely prophesy and they love evil (are you seeing a trend here?). 

Jeremiah 6 God is going to reject those that reject Him. Disaster is looming for Judah and all will be against her. Their continual love for evil - they will be given over to it. They have been warned and they refuse to listen. They were making a conscience choice of living in disobedience. God is long-suffering, but he was growing weary of them pleasing themselves. They became an object of His anger. Again, they had no shame in their sins - no fear of the Holy God who created them and called them.

Their burnt offerings and sacrifices did not please God - they were not genuine. So, God was going to put stumbling blocks in front of them so that they would fall. Babylon was going to come in and have zero mercy on them. All they had to do was repent and turn back to God.

To sum it all up: 

• Either you are all in as a Christ-follower or you are not. This is not a game. We cannot pretend to be something we are not. Are you In or Out?
• We also need to search our hearts and see if there is sin in us that we need to repent over… take some time today and ask God to reveal to you what it is that is evil in you, then seek His forgiveness and receive it - then run from that sin and don't turn back. 
• Wouldn't it make sense that God will reject those that reject Him? Why would He save those that want nothing to do with Him?
• Like Israel, all we need to do is repent and turn back to God. A better life awaits you - I am not talking about prosperity and health. I am talking about the joy that comes from living a life of obedience and purity. When you are walking in obedience you will experience a freedom that you never knew was possible. Sin is bondage - whether you realize it or not, you are a prisoner to whatever owns you, typically your idols.