Daily Devotions
Jeremiah
"Why has the LORD pronounced all this great disaster against us?"
Text: Jeremiah 16:10
ANTICIPATING RESISTANCE
The LORD knew that as Jeremiah preached His word, there would be resistance. The difficulties had affected Jeremiah adversely, at least for a while. The restored and renewed prophet must continue to preach the word of truth with courage, no matter the strength of resistance!
“For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel:
‘Behold, I will cause to cease from this place,
before your eyes and in your days,
the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness,
the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride.
And it shall be, when you show this people all these words,
and they say to you,
‘Why has the LORD pronounced all this great disaster against us?
Or what is our iniquity?
Or what is our sin that we have committed against the LORD our God?'”
Jeremiah 16:9-10
1. “For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel”
a) Jeremiah must preach what God tells him.
b) The message comes from the LORD of hosts.
2. “Behold, I will cause to cease from this place, before your eyes and in your days, the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride”
a) Marriage was cause for celebration.
b) Couples sought blessings from God.
c) People offered good wishes.
d) But “the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness” would cease!
3. “And it shall be, when you show this people all these words, and they say to you, ‘Why has the LORD pronounced all this great disaster against us? Or what is our iniquity? Or what is our sin that we have committed against the LORD our God?'”
a) The children of Judah could not accept this message from God.
b) They demanded to know why God had pronounced disaster on the nation.
c) They asked what iniquity had been found in them.
d) They wanted to know what sin they had committed to have God pronounce judgment against the country!
4. God’s reasons for His judgment had been stated countless times
Right from the start, God had declared to Judah its sins. Their questions were spurious!
“I will utter My judgments
Against them concerning all their wickedness,
Because they have forsaken Me,
Burned incense to other gods,
And worshiped the works of their own hands.”
Jeremiah 1:16