Daily Devotions
Jeremiah
"The year of their punishment"
Text: Jeremiah 48:44
DIVINE PUNISHMENT
Moab’s father was Lot, the nephew of Abraham. But Moab had grown up rejecting the LORD, whom Lot had worshipped! Over the years, Moab had become arrogant because of its wealth and might. They had not reckoned with the LORD and His sovereignty over the nation.
“‘Fear and the pit and the snare shall be upon you,
O inhabitant of Moab,’ says the LORD.
‘He who flees from the fear shall fall into the pit,
And he who gets out of the pit shall be caught in the snare.
For upon Moab, upon it I will bring
The year of their punishment,’ says the LORD.”
Jeremiah 48:43-44
1. “‘Fear and the pit and the snare shall be upon you, O inhabitant of Moab,’ says the LORD”
a) This word of warning was sounded to all who lived in Moab.
b) Three problems were highlighted:
i) “Fear”
They would experience fear instead of arrogant self-confidence!
ii) “The pit”
The nation was not aware of the pitfall that awaited them.
iii) “The snare”
Moab would be ensnared and captured by the Babylonian hunters
2. “‘He who flees from the fear shall fall into the pit,
and he who gets out of the pit shall be caught in the snare.
For upon Moab, upon it I will bring the year of their punishment,’ says the LORD”
a) “The pit”
i) Pits were dug, in the ancient days, to capture animals.
ii) These pits were well-covered so that an unsuspecting animal may fall in.
iii) Some Moabites may be able to escape falling into such pits.
b) “The snare”
i) The snare is even more cleverly disguised.
ii) It is even harder to escape from deadly snares.
c) The year of punishment:
i) Moab had been judged by the LORD.
ii) It had been found guilty by God.
iii) Its punishment would be the humiliating defeat by the Babylonians.
iv) Moab would not be able to escape divine punishment.