DRINK UP, EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU !! #Jeremiah 16
How Jerusalem Becomes a Curse for Every City and Nation on the Earth
Hi Guys, a big welcome to new subscribers, thanks for being here, this post is inspired by Jeremiah Chapter 25 & 26. To encourage us all in the Word of God.
To note: Chronologically chapter 26 comes about 4 years before chapter 25. This means that the dramatic trial in chapter 26 allows Jeremiah to continue in God’s call in chapter 25: To be a prophet to the nations of the earth (Jeremiah chapter 1).
FIRST THE BAD NEWS
You might know the quote from the apostle Paul to the Romans: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes … for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith …
Yet it doesn’t end there, he goes on to say:
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth …
To know we are deserving of God’s wrath is a great start in our steps toward salvation. As we read these chapters we see Jeremiah addressing Judah, who for 23 years had not heeded the warnings from God … now they would be made to drink the cup of wrath. That wrath would come from the growing Empire rising in the East, Babylon.
Clearly God in his sovereignty uses nations and armies as instruments of judgement; yet it would be error to reason that each nation is therefore not accountable for their actions before a moral and upright God — No! Jeremiah makes it clear, every one will drink from the cup of wrath! Starting with Israel and Judah, and on to every gentile nation. Just as salvation came first to the Jews and then to the rest of us … so it is with the wrath of God. (See Romans 1)
Many might say; “But I don’t believe in the wrath of God! I refuse to accept this!” Let’s see what God told Jeremiah:
And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup from your hand to drink, then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “You shall certainly drink! For behold, I begin to bring calamity on the city which is called by My name, and should you be utterly unpunished? You shall not be unpunished, for I will call for a sword on all the inhabitants of the earth,” says the Lord of hosts.
Did you see that? God has used Jerusalem (Israel and Judah) as an example for all the world to see. To see what you might ask? To see that He is a good God who judges the world by a true moral standard: Do right and you will be blessed, do wrong and you will be cursed. Jerusalem failed to live by this standard, and Jeremiah was the spokesman to tell them, and us, and the world, of the hellish consequence. (Spoiler alert: This was all done to show that we deserve wrath, and to point the way to Salvation.) (Gal 3:24)
CURSED
It is a tough job today to tell people they are wrong. Our modern society wants everyone to accept everyone (a ridiculous notion when you follow the logic). The one who stands up to say: “Hey, what you are doing is wrong, there is a better way!” or “Change the way you are behaving, or things are going to turn bad - like ‘cursed bad’! Smelly, stinky, putrid bad!” — is basically asking for a one sided public trial. “Biggot! Intolerant! Homophobic ! Whateverotherphobic!”
I can hear the names being called, and although love does not leave your neighbor in a muddy mire - but helps them out; this love-speach would be labelled as hate-speach. As if Jesus hated the woman caught in adultery by telling her to “go, and sin no more.”
This is what Jeremiah got from saying that God on High will repent IF you agree to change your ways. The people were offended: “How could he pronounce such doom upon our Holy Temple, (our Church system), our Land”. Yet their offense blinded them from the opportunity to change, to repent.
We can read of the one sided trial, where the priests and prophets tried (very much the same as in Jesus day) to manipulate Jeremiah’s words so he would be executed. In it we also see glimpses of Jeremiah’s personal growth and resolve, and also the fickleness of the people who first follow the priests and then follow the civic authorities.
DO WE ACCEPT THE BAD NEWS?
If God did not spare the city by His own name, why would He spare you, have you not been warned throughout History? Have you not had an example before your very eyes?
Jerusalem fell under the curse, and so did someone else, just over 2000 years ago.
Perhaps this is why every Apostle, save one, was put to death? Because their life and words were a testimony that God Saves - but to be saved must mean you are drowning. And nobody wants to be told they are drowning in sin, and that sin is cursed, with a sting that leads to death. Let’s be honest, this is offensive to us.
The mention of hell (the ultimate curse) is offensive. We try water it down, yet it was Jesus Himself who spoke of Hell, and Jeremiah stood before the Tribunal and simply said “Guys, I am speaking God’s words, not mine … so do with me as you will.”
After Jerusalem, the wrath of God would again be on display for the entire world to see, it would fall upon a man who was obviously cursed. He would be scarred, mocked, beaten, betrayed, and tortured to death. The problem? Not that he performed miracles and healed the sick and did good to everyone, not that he spoke of the Kingdom of God being available for all. The problem was that He made Himself equal with God. Sinless, perfect to the point that He offered to forgive your and my sin. Who has the right to forgive sin, if not a sinless God?
Jeremiah escaped death on that 19th year of speaking the truth, and he would go on to tell the nations that they would have to drink from the cup of wrath! Has any other nation been so exposed for the entire world to bear witness? Could it be that God wants every nation to learn from example? I would say yes, since Jeremiah was called to be a prophet to all the nations of the world. Yes, somehow that includes you and me.
TRAMPLING THE GRAPES:
So let all the world see that God is a God who loves justice, and longs for the heartbeat of every home to pulse with Light. Today’s society has rejected the light, based on feeling and convenience we are determined to not be drowning, since Jesus saves - and not to be sick, since Jesus came for the sick. Yet Jesus drank the cup of wrath. A cup that everyone must drink. On that day there is no way out of it.
Side-road to bring home the point
As a parent, it is easier to take parenting advice from other parent’s who I know have had to face the reality of colic, nappies, baby blues, sickness, sibling rivalry, and the list goes on. Although well intended, when the advice comes from a college student who has learned from books without having gone through the parenting process … it’s harder to swallow. Perhaps because of the fact that he or she doesn’t know what it feels like to wake up 6 times through the night for months on end, being emotionally spent, and still trying to face the days responsibilities intact … without leaving your phone in the fridge and blaming the dog.
What am I trying to say? When I see a parent with 7 toddlers running around them, and feel the love and weight behind their tired eyes as they offer me a piece of advice. I am listening.
So, there can be little argument when the One handing out the Cup of Wrath is He who Drank the Cup of Wrath Himself. Not only that, but he bled like we bleed, was tempted as we are, experienced the depth of human suffering as we do, and drank the cup in order that we might be saved from it. Yes, if anyone is worthy to trample the grapes— it is certainly Jesus Christ.
And so to complete this post where Jeremiah is showing the world the principles of righteousness and wrath, it points straight to Him who was made sin for us in order for us to be made right with God. A spectacle to behold.
Jeremiah said IF you change your ways, these disasters won’t come. The people did not listen. And History shows that every word Jeremiah spoke came true.
This post asks everyone reading to contemplate the bad news, the reality of sin and the potential of evil within their heart (forget about the nations for now) — Now, we can behold the Good news, as we see in Judah the cup of wrath and we see in Jesus the power of God to save us for a new life of righteousness in God.
Thanks for reading.
May the Lord bless you, see you next week, or the week after :)
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Thank you.
Great study, Jonathan!