Wednesday, 22 March 2023

Jeremiah 13:12-14 – Joy or bitterness dealing, which do we prefer?

In the first eleven verses of Jeremiah 13, the prophet was instructed by God to share an illustrated message with Judah. Illustrating with a linen apron, he showed that Judah was acquired by God to share a close relationship with Him and should demonstrate moral purity but she did not. Her disobedience to His instructions resulted in her becoming a piece of rotten, worthless, and useable apron.

   

Here in Jeremiah 13:12-14, the prophet was instructed to give Judah a second sermon warning them of God’s impending unrestraint wrath. The wine was a symbol of pleasure and joy and Judah’s wineskins should be filled with them. They were supposed to have joy in abundance. And since it was common knowledge that wineskins were made to contain wine, so the people were puzzled that Jeremiah should ask them to fill it with wine to the brim.

 

So in verse 13, Jeremiah gave them God’s response. He told them that God was about to fill Judah's wineskin, not with the wine that brings joy but with wine that brings bitterness. For no one would be spared the wrath of God. Kings from the line of David, the priests, and the prophets of Jerusalem would be intoxicated with God’s wine of wrath till everyone would be reeling in deep distress. Everyone from father to son would be buffeted and destroyed by divine judgment. No one would be spared as God would not be restrained by pity or compassion. Judah would not be able to save herself from the impending disaster.

 

When God judges no one would be able to escape it. Hence it is wise to choose a life of faithfulness and obedience to His Word. we must heed the call of the author of the book Hebrews. So in chapter 12 and verses 28-29, he exhorts us saying, “Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.   

 

 

  

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