Daily Devotions
Jeremiah
"The city of praise"
Text: Jeremiah 49:25
DAMASCUS, SYRIA
Damascus was an old city. Syria was once an ally of King Ahab (1 Kings 20:31-34). There was a time when the LORD even had a good regard of it.
“‘Why is the city of praise not deserted, the city of My joy?
Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets,
And all the men of war shall be cut off in that day,’ says the LORD of hosts.
‘I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus,
And it shall consume the palaces of Ben-Hadad.'”
Jeremiah 49:25-27
1. “Why is the city of praise not deserted, the city of My joy”
a) There was a time when Damascus was called “The city of (God’s) joy.”
b) It was a city that many praised.
c) The city was well-populated (not deserted).
2. But Syria had long and recurring wars against Israel
a) The nation became arrogant as it increased in strength.
b) There came a time when God would destroy this ancient nation.
3. “‘Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets,
and all the men of war shall be cut off in that day,’ says the LORD of hosts”
a) Then came the judgment of the LORD.
b) The men of war would be cut off.
c) The young men would fall in the streets of the city.
4. “I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus,
and it shall consume the palaces of Ben-Hadad”
a) The term “Ben-Hadad” was used as a title to describe the ruler of Syria.
b) Ben-Hadad had beautiful palaces.
c) He also had strong walls to defend the city.
d) But the fire of war would raze the wall and the palaces to the ground.
e) This would be the fate Syria and its many cities.