DESOLATION

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty; and at the heavens, and their light was gone. I looked at the mountains, and they were quaking; all the hills were swaying. I looked, and there were no people; every bird in the sky had flown away. I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert; all its towns lay in ruins before the Lord, before his fierce anger.

This is what the Lord says:

“The whole land will be ruined, though I will not destroy it completely. Therefore the earth will mourn and the heavens above grow dark, because I have spoken and will not relent, I have decided and will not turn back.”

At the sound of horsemen and archers every town takes to flight. Some go into the thickets; some climb up among the rocks. All the towns are deserted; no one lives in them. What are you doing, you devastated one? Why dress yourself in scarlet and put on jewels of gold? Why highlight your eyes with makeup? You adorn yourself in vain. Your lovers despise you; they want to kill you. I hear a cry as of a woman in labor, a groan as of one bearing her first child—the cry of Daughter Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands and saying, “Alas! I am fainting; my life is given over to murderers.”

Jeremiah 4:23-31

This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

What happens when you decide to completely turn away from God, disrespecting and disregarding Him while worshiping the things of the world?

Desolation, that’s what, and there is no better poster child than the Old Testament Israelites as we see in these closing verses of Jeremiah 4:

I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty; and at the heavens, and their light was gone. I looked at the mountains, and they were quaking; all the hills were swaying. I looked, and there were no people; every bird in the sky had flown away. I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert; all its towns lay in ruins before the Lord, before his fierce anger.

This is what the Lord says:

“The whole land will be ruined, though I will not destroy it completely. Therefore the earth will mourn and the heavens above grow dark, because I have spoken and will not relent, I have decided and will not turn back.”

At the sound of horsemen and archers every town takes to flight. Some go into the thickets; some climb up among the rocks. All the towns are deserted; no one lives in them. What are you doing, you devastated one? Why dress yourself in scarlet and put on jewels of gold? Why highlight your eyes with makeup? You adorn yourself in vain. Your lovers despise you; they want to kill you. I hear a cry as of a woman in labor, a groan as of one bearing her first child—the cry of Daughter Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands and saying, “Alas! I am fainting; my life is given over to murderers.”  Jeremiah 4:23-31

The scene is one of devastation and horror after God’s judgment. The people of Israel were handed a beautiful, perfect land to settle in. They had it made. All they were required to do was be faithful to God and God alone, following His word and will and way. Doing so would keep them in His favor and in receipt of His blessings.

But they failed to do so and did so miserably, not just once but time after time after time until God had enough. And as Israel would find out, facing an angry God and His consequences led to not only desolation but destruction and isolation.

First came the invaders from Assyria who singlehandedly wiped out the entire northern kingdom of Israel and even advanced through most of the southern kingdom of Judah before giving way to the Babylonians who would finish things off in Judah and Jerusalem. The armies were strong and merciless. Just the mere thought of their coming struck fear into the hearts of the Israelites as they realized God had given them over to their assailants and was no longer willing to protect and rescue them. They wanted to turn from God and seek other gods. Now they would see just how useless those other gods were when they failed to come to save the Israelites from their plight. It would be a tough lesson to learn but when it was all over, God’s people would know that He and He alone is the One who takes care of them and keeps them from harm.

It’s a shame it had to come down to that. The story of the Israelites could have been so much different if they had just committed themselves to God and then remained faithful to that commitment. Desolation didn’t have to happen.

So what have we learned from this some 2,000 years later? Have we learned anything from the mistakes of the people of Israel?

I’m afraid not.

Just look at the world we live in today and ask yourself how many people are truly committed to God and His word, will, and way. Frankly, the numbers get smaller every year it seems as people more and more are in the world and of it, more devoted to its ways than God’s. At least in America, we have claimed to be one nation under God but looking from the outside in, it doesn’t appear that way at all. The words seem to be just that, words with no action behind them. At least that is, no action from God’s people.

As for God, He is not a God of inaction. The scriptures clearly reveal this. Either God will bless when His people are loyal and obedient to Him or He will judge and punish when they aren’t. We are clearly in the latter category, I’m afraid.

Friends, we had better wake up and wake up fast. Desolation, destruction, and isolation can and will be knocking on our door just as easily as it came to the Old Testament Israelites. No nation is so powerful that they can stand up to God’s judgment when He brings it and there is no questioning the fact that He will bring it.

We had better repent, turn back to Him with our fullest dedication, and never forsake Him again before it happens.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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