Jeremiah 13-14 - The worthless waistband

carpecollum@gmail.com — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 14:41:38 GMT

At the beginning of Jeremiah 13, there is a great visual aid God gave Jeremiah. Jeremiah was to purchase a waistband (but not to wash it) and wear it for a while. God then told him to go hide it by the Euphrates (which, by the way, was quite a distance from Judah!). After a long period of time, God told Jeremiah to go reclaim the waistband, which was, by that time, ruined. What's the point? God said Judah was His waistband, but they had become corrupt. They had self-destructed. They were now worthless to God! What a poignant and powerful picture. And how distressing to be called worthless by God, who can see the human heart.

I was also struck by the THIRD time God told Jeremiah not to pray for the people (Jeremiah 14:11). It seems two things were happening. 1) Jeremiah really wanted to pray for these people. 2) God really didn't want him to. Why not?

Nathan

Daily Bible Message

Jeremiah 13-14 - The worthless waistband