Sep27 Written by:Nathan Williams
Thursday, September 27, 2007
In Jeremiah 16:2 God told the author not to take a wife. He gave Jeremiah good reasons; it was for his own good. In 16:3-4 God said:
3 For thus says the LORD concerning the sons and daughters born in this place, and concerning their mothers who bear them, and their fathers who beget them in this land:
4 "They will die of deadly diseases, they will not be lamented or buried; they will be as dung on the surface of the ground and come to an end by sword and famine, and their carcasses will become food for the birds of the sky and for the beasts of the earth."
God was sparing Jeremiah these things. God's commands to us are always for our good in some way. Sometimes we don't understand why, but sometimes He tells us.
Later in Jeremiah 16:10-13 the people basically demand: "What have we done to deserve this impending destruction?" It reminds me of that fellow who recently was tasered by the police as they attempted to escort him from a public assembly. "Help!" he cried. "I didn't do anything! What are you doing to me?!" Why is it people lie to themselves and convince themselves they are innocent when all evidence points otherwise? God showed them in these verses exactly their sin - they had turned to other gods and THEY DID NOT LISTEN TO GOD anymore! So here are people who have convinced themselves they are okay and they won't listen to anyone who says otherwise. It's a hopeless situation. God was tired of putting up with it. Shall we tire God to that point? Let it not be.
Nathan
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