Judgement & Discouragement 08.29.08

Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today we are continuing our studies on the book of Jeremiah, please read Chapters 49-50 in your Bible or Click Here to read. Cut & paste to your browser: biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah%2049-50&version=9

Today we will read and learn about the judgements against Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar, Hazor, Elam, And Babylon foretold; and the promise of Isreal's redemption. Today's message focuses on the importance of realizing that God is constantly working in our lives to persuade us to forsake sin and to bring us into His presence in true worship. As long as we put our faith and trust in Him we can overcome any person or thing that tries to discourage us.

God issues judgement on all who deliberately war against Him and His people, Chapter 49 goes into detail of the judgements placed before these nations. Jeremiah prophesied that the Ammonites, descendants of Lot who were historically hostile to the Israelites, would be destroyed. "Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites; and it shall be a desolate heap, and her daughters shall be burned with fire: then shall Israel be heir unto them that were his heirs, saith the LORD......Behold, I will bring a fear upon thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts, from all those that be about thee; and ye shall be driven out every man right forth; and none shall gather up him that wandereth." (Jeremiah 49:2,5).

He then prophesied that Edom, a nation that descended from Jacob's twin brother Esau. Edom has always been a jealous enemy of Jacob's descendents and jumped at the oppurtunity to join forces with Babylon. "For thus saith the LORD; Behold, they whose judgment was not to drink of the cup have assuredly drunken; and art thou he that shall altogether go unpunished? thou shalt not go unpunished, but thou shalt surely drink of it." (49:12). Judgment was then pronounced against Babylon, "Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces." (50:2).

We can expect the forces of evil to discourage us in an effort to destroy our faith in God. However, God is not glorified by our fears, doubts, or frustrations. In fact, despondency is a sin. We must keep our eyes on the promises of God that have never failed.

Jeremiah sent a written prophecy to the exiles in Babylon concerning its overthrow, "Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria. And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount Ephraim and Gilead. In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve." (50:18-20). He was reassuring them that God had not forgotten His Covenant promises to them and that they would return to Isreal safe and unharmed.

Judah's faith in the prophetic message of God was a precious type of the repentant backslider who believes that God has freed him from sin, who leaves the world of slavery and returns to worship the Lord. God works out every purpose that He has for us one way or another, even if we vere off course He will draw us back by using trials and chastisement. All who repent and return to the Lord are freed from the bondange of sin.

In today's message Jesus Christ is revealed through the Redeemer who pleads our cause (Jeremiah 50:34). Jesus is our Redeemer, "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:13-14).

Today's Prayer:
Dear Lord,
As heirs of Your salvation, we have been purchased with the sacrificial blood of Your precious Son, Jesus. He gave His all that we might be saved from the eternal consequences of sin. We have the blessed assurance that we are redeemed from sin and saved for eternity in heaven. In Jesus' name......Amen.

Have a great and wonderful day!
God bless,
Christina

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