Daily Devotions
Jeremiah
"I will bring back the captives of the people of Ammon"
Text: Jeremiah 49:6
BACKSLIDING AMMON
Was there a time when Ammon knew the LORD? Lot was the father of both Moab and Ammon. It is very likely that he spoke to them about the LORD.
The two nations however turned their back on God and were in a state of perpetual backsliding. There came a time when God would judge Ammon and cause it to be conquered by the Babylonians.
“‘Why do you boast in the valleys,
Your flowing valley, O backsliding daughter?
Who trusted in her treasures, saying,
‘Who will come against me?’
Behold, I will bring fear upon you,’
Says the Lord GOD of hosts,
‘From all those who are around you;
You shall be driven out, everyone headlong,
And no one will gather those who wander off.
But afterward I will bring back
The captives of the people of Ammon,’ says the LORD.”
Jeremiah 49:4-6
1. “Why do you boast in the valleys, your flowing valley, O backsliding daughter?
Who trusted in her treasures, saying, ‘Who will come against me?'”
a) Ammon’s boast:
i) In their valleys.
ii) In their treasures.
b) The problem of backsliding:
i) This was a deep underlying problem.
ii) There was trust in their treasures , rather than in God.
iii) They did not believe that they could ever be conquered.
2. “‘Behold, I will bring fear upon you,’ says the Lord GOD of hosts,
‘from all those who are around you; you shall be driven out, everyone headlong,
and no one will gather those who wander off'”
a) Causing fear:
i) God would cause Ammon to feel fear.
ii) They had never feared any enemy believing that
they could not be conquered.
b) Fear will spread without any ability to stamp it out.
i) The fear will come from people among them.
ii) It will get worse when everyone is fleeing the enemy.
iii) Some will be driven away forcefully and many will dash away headlong.
iv) No one would be seeking those who wandered away.
3. “‘But afterward I will bring back the captives of the people of Ammon,’ says the LORD”
a) This was a solemn promise from the LORD.
b) One day, He will bring back the people of Ammonite origin to Himself.
c) This was a hope that was given to Ammon.
d) A similar word of hope was given to Moab (Jeremiah 48:47).