Jeremiah Chapter 43

Arrogance against God despite all the warning signs!

Reading today’s chapter made me consider if much has changed since the time of Jeremiah?

By now, Jeremiah’s warnings to be people have come to pass in many ways. And yet, when warned not to go down to Egypt to escape from the Babylonians, Jeremiah was accused by the people of speaking falsehood. And they chose to listen to another and went down to Egypt.

Back to the land where God had taken them out from hundreds of years ago. Back to the land where they suffered as slaves. They chose to go back to their shame instead of holding onto God who led them to the land flowing with milk and honey. They chose to trust in men and not in the Almighty. Instead of worshiping the One True God, they went back to the land of idols.

Self interest and preservation took precedence over obedience and trust in God.

You seen so many examples of this around us today in the world. Proud people proclaiming there is no God and that they only trust in themselves.

“You can do it!” “Only you can decide your destiny!” “Believe in yourself!”

These are common phrases motivational speakers use today. As if we can control our own lives.

But even when they went down to Egypt and escaped Babylon, it was for a moment. The word came to Jeremiah that Babylon was come down to Egypt ….

¹¹ When he comes, he shall strike the land of Egypt and deliver to death those appointed for death, and to captivity those appointed for captivity, and to the sword those appointed for the sword. ¹² I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt, and he shall burn them and carry them away captive. And he shall array himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd puts on his garment, and he shall go out from there in peace. ¹³ He shall also break the sacred pillars of Beth Shemesh that are in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians he shall burn with fire.” ’ ”

~ Jeremiah 43:11-13

What a judgement!

In the same way, God will come and judge the world one day and nothing will escape Him. The question will be are we among those who listened to God’s Words and do it or are we among those who are proud and ignore God’s words when we are still in this world?

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