Who is at fault? Who do people blame for their sin if they even recognize sin in their lives? What most really struggle with is Jehovah punishing or condemning anyone who disobeys His holy commandments. We must remember that the very first person we sin against is Jehovah Himself. He has provided us with many examples of His outpouring of His holy wrath against those who sin against Him.
Jerwmiah 7:30 "For the sons of Judah have done that which is evil in My sight," declares the LORD, "they have set their detestable things in the house which is called by My name, to defile it.
Here we again find this uncomfortable displeasure of Jehovah as He calls these idolatrous images as detestable.Yet we find them in His Holy Temple! How did they get there? Who brought them in? Who authorized this abominable act of defiance to Jehovah?
7:31 "They have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, and it did not come into My mind.
Clearly, in this example, Judah adopted the idolatrous beliefs and rituals of the godless nations around them. Instead of being a light on a hill to them, they let Satan into their midst and into His House. They slowly and deliberately creep in and begin to change things very gradually, as they gain the confidence of the weak sheep.
Jude 1:4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
7:32 "Therefore, behold, days are coming," declares the LORD, "when it will no longer be called Topheth, or the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of the Slaughter; for they will bury in Topheth because there is no other place.
7:33 "The dead bodies of this people will be food for the birds of the sky and for the beasts of the earth; and no one will frighten them away.
7:34 "Then I will make to cease from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride; for the land will become a ruin.
This is a very disturbing picture of the final days of Judah and Jerusalem before they are carried away into captivity in Babylon. Worse yet, only a remnant will be carried away, as most will die in the city. Jehovah doesn’t condemn the innocent, but who led these people to their deaths, their eternal deaths?Jehovah sent Jeremiah to them to warn them.
Jeremiah 1:4 Now the word of the LORD came to me saying, 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations."
Jeremiah was chosen by Jehovah as the last prophet to warn Judah. It had been nearly 800 years since Moses warned the nation that if they did not obey Jehovah, they would endure a host of curses. (DT 28). His patience is amazing but it has come to an end.
1:6 Then I said, "Alas, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, Because I am a youth."
1:7 But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am a youth,' Because everywhere I send you, you shall go, And all that I command you, you shall speak. 1:8 "Do not be afraid of them, For I am with you to deliver you," declares the LORD.
1:9 Then the LORD stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to me, "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. 1:10 "See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, To pluck up and to break down, To destroy and to overthrow, To build and to plant."
This is a very specific and unique appointing and calling. He put His words into his mouth. He appointed him over nations and kingdoms. He will be his deliverer. And Jeremiah must declare all the He says to him.
1:11 The word of the LORD came to me saying, "What do you see, Jeremiah?" And I said, "I see a rod of an almond tree."
1:12 Then the LORD said to me, "You have seen well, for I am watching over My word to perform it." Jer 1:13 The word of the LORD came to me a second time saying, "What do you see?" And I said, "I see a boiling pot, facing away from the north."
1:14 Then the LORD said to me, "Out of the north the evil will break forth on all the inhabitants of the land.1:15 "For, behold, I am calling all the families of the kingdoms of the north," declares the LORD; "and they will come and they will set each one his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all its walls round about and against all the cities of Judah. This nation from the north was mentioned by Moses.
At that time, Babylon did not exist. Egypt was the ruling kingdom. Yet, He told Moses that He would bring this nation from the north to judge Israel.
1:16 "I will pronounce My judgments on them concerning all their wickedness, whereby they have forsaken Me and have offered sacrifices to other gods, and worshiped the works of their own hands.
1:17 "Now, gird up your loins and arise, and speak to them all which I command you. Do not be dismayed before them, or I will dismay you before them.
1:18 "Now behold, I have made you today as a fortified city and as a pillar of iron and as walls of bronze against the whole land, to the kings of Judah, to its princes, to its priests and to the people of the land.
1:19 "They will fight against you, but they will not overcome you, for I am with you to deliver you," declares the LORD.
No one would listen to him, just as they did not listen to the prophets before him. He will be alone and all the leaders will be against him for calling out their sin, telling them to surrender to Babylon, and that if not, they will all die.
The ‘church’ today is on the same path of unrighteousness. They and the government and media just want the ‘truth’ tellers to be silenced. They will not listen. They don’t tolerate being told they are wrong, sinful, and subject to Jehovah’s wrath and condemnation.
There will be no update next week. I will be back to continue on December 31st.