In the following Scripture we will see the people of Israel, God's people being disobedient. Are we anything like these people? I pray not, yet we have these words recorded so that we may know that there are consequences for not following the Word of God. They heard the word of the Lord and debated that after they begun to follow God, things were harder for them, but when they worshipped the Queen of Heaven they were better off. Is it not true that many believe that Christianity is hard and that they were better when then followed Satan? What a ridiculous assertion.!! Christians should look at the people of Israel and know that when we follow God's Word, we will suffer persecution, but that's only half of the story. We will also receive the blessings of God. So while it may seem that life got more difficult in Christ, think of what He did for us on the cross and thank Him. Would you rather be disobedient to God and suffer His wrath? I think not. Yet, many people today continue to thumb their noses at the Bible and defiantly conclude not to obey His Word. May God help them. (Please read concluding statement)
Jeremiah 44: 11-30-11 "Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Behold, I am going to set My face against you for woe , even to cut off all Judah. 12 'And I will take away the remnant of Judah who have set their mind on entering the land of Egypt to reside there, and they will all meet their end in the land of Egypt; they will fall by the sword and meet their end by famine. Both small and great will die by the sword and famine; and they will become a curse, an object of horror, an imprecation and a reproach. 13 'And I will punish those who live in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, with the sword, with famine and with pestilence. 14 'So there will be no refugees or survivors for the remnant of Judah who have entered the land of Egypt to reside there and then to return to the land of Judah, to which they are longing to return and live; for none will return except a few refugees.' " 15 Then all the men who were aware that their wives were burning sacrifices to other gods, along with all the women who were standing by, as a large assembly, including all the people who were living in Pathros in the land of Egypt, responded to Jeremiah, saying, 16 "As for the message that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we are not going to listen to you! 17 "But rather we will certainly carry out every word that has proceeded from our mouths, by burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, just as we ourselves, our forefathers, our kings and our princes did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; for then we had plenty of food and were well off and saw no misfortune . 18 "But since we stopped burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have met our end by the sword and by famine." 19 "And," said the women, "when we were burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven and were pouring out drink offerings to her, was it without our husbands that we made for her sacrificial cakes in her image and poured out drink offerings to her?"
20 Then Jeremiah said to all the people, to the men and women—even to all the people who were giving him such an answer—saying, 21 "As for the smoking sacrifices that you burned in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, you and your forefathers, your kings and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the LORD remember them and did not all this come into His mind ? 22 "So the LORD was no longer able to endure it, because of the evil of your deeds, because of the abominations which you have committed; thus your land has become a ruin, an object of horror and a curse, without an inhabitant, as it is this day. 23 "Because you have burned sacrifices and have sinned against the LORD and not obeyed the voice of the LORD or walked in His law, His statutes or His testimonies, therefore this calamity has befallen you, as it has this day." 24 Then Jeremiah said to all the people, including all the women, "Hear the word of the LORD, all Judah who are in the land of Egypt, 25 thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, as follows: 'As for you and your wives, you have spoken with your mouths and fulfilled it with your hands, saying, "We will certainly perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her." Go ahead and confirm your vows, and certainly perform your vows!' 26 "Nevertheless hear the word of the LORD, all Judah who are living in the land of Egypt, 'Behold, I have sworn by My great name,' says the LORD, 'never shall My name be invoked again by the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, "As the Lord GOD lives." 27 'Behold, I am watching over them for harm and not for good, and all the men of Judah who are in the land of Egypt will meet their end by the sword and by famine until they are completely gone. 28 'Those who escape the sword will return out of the land of Egypt to the land of Judah few in number. Then all the remnant of Judah who have gone to the land of Egypt to reside there will know whose word will stand, Mine or theirs. 29 'This will be the sign to you,' declares the LORD, 'that I am going to punish you in this place, so that you may know that My words will surely stand against you for harm.' 30 "Thus says the LORD, 'Behold, I am going to give over Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt to the hand of his enemies, to the hand of those who seek his life, just as I gave over Zedekiah king of Judah to the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who was his enemy and was seeking his life.' "
These examples should encourage us to persevere no matter what. God is truly merciful, but He is also just. He does not reward disobedience, rather He will punish those who are not obedient to His Word. What would we be without the Word of God??? We would be lost. But, we do have His Word recorded for us in the Holy Bible to read, follow and to learn from so that we may be encouraged that all hope is not lost. We gave us His Word to read each day. We must never debate whether or not it is good to follow God's Word. His Word is good because He is good. The best medicines tastes very bad, but the results from taking them are good. Be encouraged today to Love Him enough to follow His Word so that you too may experience the good results, His Peace and His Joy that is everlasting.
No comments:
Post a Comment