One of my goals every year is to read the Bible entirely from cover to cover. This week, I have started reading the book of Jeremiah. When I read the Old Testament Prophets, I am reminded again that God is a judging God. Here are some verses that struck me this morning as I was reading:
1. God will Judge those who Refuse to Repent
"O LORD, do not your eyes look for truth? You have struck them down, but they felt no anguish; you have consumed them, but they reused to take correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; they have refused to repent" (Jer. 5:3). One of the reasons why God judges sin is so that His people would repent and acknowledge their wrongdoing. However, instead of repenting, Israel continues to harden their hearts against God.
2. God will Judge those who Neglect Justice
"They know no bounds in deeds of evil; they judge not with justice the cause of the fatherless, to make it prosper, and they do not defend the rights of the needy. Shall I not punish them for these things?" (Jer. 5:28-29). Another reason why God judges sin is because people neglect to show justice to the orphan and the poor. God cares for the weak and calls His people to do likewise.
3. God will Judge those who Preach Falsely
"An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?" (Jer. 5:30-31). The prophets in Jeremiah's time were preaching that judgment was not coming because God would not judge His own people. They were preaching peace, when there was no peace (Jer. 6:14). Not only were the prophets and priests preaching lies, but the people of God were loving the lies. Both the spiritual leaders and the people of God abandoned the truth for a lie.
Jeremiah prophesies the coming judgment of Babylon. God did in fact use Babylon to judge Judah in 586 B.C. The Temple in Jerusalem was completely burned down and the people of God were driven into Exile. Why did God judge? God judged his people because they refused to repent, neglected justice, and the prophets were preaching lies. This is a good warning for us that God does not tolerate sin and will in fact judge sin.
