Daily Devotions

Jeremiah

Jeremiah 
Day 
Day 368

"I will remove it from before My face"

Text: Jeremiah 32:31

GOD’S ANSWER TO JEREMIAH II

The LORD patiently explained to Jeremiah once again how Israel had angered and provoked Him. Their grave sin was that they had perpetrated evil deeds from the earliest days till the present moment!

“‘Because the children of Israel and the children of Judah
have done only evil before Me from their youth.
For the children of Israel have provoked Me only to anger
with the work of their hands,’ says the LORD.
‘For this city has been to Me a provocation of My anger and My fury
from the day that they built it, even to this day;
so I will remove it from before My face
because of all the evil of the children of Israel and the children of Judah,
which they have done to provoke Me to anger—
they, their kings, their princes, their priests, their prophets,
the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.'”
Jeremiah 32:30-32

1. “‘Because the children of Israel and the children of Judah
have done only evil before Me from their youth.
For the children of Israel have provoked Me only to anger
with the work of their hands,’ says the LORD.”

a) Both Israel and Judah were adjudged guilty.

b) They had perpetrated evil from their youth.

c) They provoked the LORD with the work of their hands:

i) Idolatry was in mind.

ii) Evil deeds too.

2. “For this city has been to Me a provocation of My anger and My fury
from the day that they built it, even to this day;
so I will remove it from before My face”

a) The history of both kingdoms. It was one marked by sin!

b) From the time the city was built at the beginning till the present day,
the people had continued to provoke God to anger because of their sins!

c) God determined then that He would destroy the city!

3. “‘Because of all the evil of the children of Israel and the children of Judah,
which they have done to provoke Me to anger—
they, their kings, their princes, their priests, their prophets,
the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”

a) The LORD mentioned the Divided Kingdom.

i) The children of Israel

ii) The children of Judah

b) They were guilty of doing evil and thus provoked God to anger.

i) Their kings

ii) Their princes

iii) Their priests

iv) Their prophets

v) The menfolk of Judah

vi) The general inhabitants of Jerusalem

c) This verse was essentially a repeat of what was said earlier.
The repetition was to emphasise the fact of their wickedness!