Jeremiah 4:27-31 – The tragedy of not putting trust in God

In these last five verses from Jeremiah 4 verse 27 to verse 31, Jeremiah saw the irreversible judgment of God coming upon Judah. His coming judgment on them was inevitable. God’s decision to deal with them had been made and He would not relent from what He had purposed to bring upon them. However, God would not destroy them completely. But the judgment would be severe enough that even heaven and earth witnessing the calamity would mourn. In other words, what was coming would sting but would be inevitable.  

 

Continuing to talk about the judgment, Jeremiah painted a word picture of  the whole of Judah panic-stricken. The enemy army was seen sweeping into the nation. The approaching horsemen and bowmen would send her people scurrying for shelter wherever they could find cover, in thickets and among rocks. Every one of her cities would be deserted and devoid of men.

 

Pictured as a well-adorned prostitute searching for other lovers, Judah would go seeking other nations for alliances. But her so-called lovers, the allies would turn against her and plot her death. Instead of being a sought-after prostitute, Judah would become like a laboring woman in deep travail delivering her first child. As a woman agonizing in her travailing labor pangs, her desperate and sharp ear-splitting cry for help would go unheeded. She had chosen to place herself in the hand of brutal and heartless slayers.   

 

As severe as the judgment on Judah would be it was not greater than the tragedy of Judah’s stubborn refusal to trust the Lord. Despite the onslaught of relentless judgment, Judah would still pivot to trusting their allies. Thus making God's judgment inevitable. We ask how could Judah be so dumb? That is the blinding effect of sin.  It makes a person choose problems and hardship instead of solutions and blessings.  It causes a person to remain spiritually blind. Knowing our fallen propensity, it is prudent to pray for discernment. Sin first blinds us then binds us then leaves us blistered. Remember Proverbs 3:5-6. Trust the Lord with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding. In all our ways, let us consider and acknowledge Him. He promises to make our paths in life straight.