For through the anger of the LORD it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, till He had cast them out from His presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it, and built forts against it round about. So the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. And in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land. (Jeremiah 52:3-6)
The destruction of Judah and Jerusalem that GOD had foretold through Jeremiah is here recorded. As we look at this last chapter of Jeremiah we see that GOD used a rebellious and corrupt king to accomplish His goals and plans. He also used a gentile and unbelieving country to overthrow and punish the people of Judah. Their rebellion had reached the end of GOD's patience and He had them chastised and the survivors of the siege of Jerusalem went into captivity just as He had told them over many years and through all His prophets. GOD is faithful and keeps His Word, even about the things and events we think are terrible, but He is also merciful in that He warns us over and over again of the consequences of our sIn.
GOD is just and Holy, and must punish sIn, especially in His own people. Whether His justice comes after death, because of His mercy and long-suffering, or it comes immediately because of the effect of our sIn, GOD has already condemned all of us for our sIn. Those of us who are forgiven by the shed blood of Jesus Christ, are so because we surrendered to GOD on His terms and were born again because of our faith in His finished work on the Cross of Calvary. Those of us in the Church are to be holy because He is Holy, and carry out His command and commission to tell this lost and dying world of His Judgment to come, the sIn that separates them from GOD and deserves punishment, and the mercy and grace He offers through His Son.
If you don't know Him yet, Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. While He must punish sIn, He is not willing that you should perish, and wants you to receive Him by Faith and believe that you might be born again. He wants to give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship in Him that is abundant and everlasting. His free gift of Salvation is already paid for, and is yours for the asking.
If you are one of His, share Him with those you meet that they might know.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
GOD is just and Holy, and must punish sIn, especially in His own people. Whether His justice comes after death, because of His mercy and long-suffering, or it comes immediately because of the effect of our sIn, GOD has already condemned all of us for our sIn. Those of us who are forgiven by the shed blood of Jesus Christ, are so because we surrendered to GOD on His terms and were born again because of our faith in His finished work on the Cross of Calvary. Those of us in the Church are to be holy because He is Holy, and carry out His command and commission to tell this lost and dying world of His Judgment to come, the sIn that separates them from GOD and deserves punishment, and the mercy and grace He offers through His Son.
If you don't know Him yet, Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. While He must punish sIn, He is not willing that you should perish, and wants you to receive Him by Faith and believe that you might be born again. He wants to give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship in Him that is abundant and everlasting. His free gift of Salvation is already paid for, and is yours for the asking.
If you are one of His, share Him with those you meet that they might know.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
RSS Feed