SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 16
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
For this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Before your eyes and in your days I will bring an end to the sounds of joy and gladness and to the voices of bride and bridegroom in this place. [Jeremiah 16:9]
This sounds very harsh; how can God decree such a thing?
God knows the people are going to ask this same question [Jeremiah 16:10].
The answer is because of the terrible things their ancestors did, and how they were guilty of even worse things.
But you have behaved more wickedly than your ancestors. See how all of you are following the stubbornness of your evil hearts instead of obeying me. [Jeremiah 16:12]
Because we do not know the specifics, we assume that God is over-reacting.
But maybe we (and they) are under-reacting, maybe if we knew how gross and cruel and crooked they had become, we would agree.

Can people ever get to the point where this kind of ‘cleansing’ is necessary?
My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from me, nor is their sin concealed from my eyes. [Jeremiah 16:17]
The thing is, we don’t know how bad things were… but God did, and does.
He sees below the surface, He sees the heart and the secrets concealed there.
He sees what is good, and rewards it; He sees what is bad, and punishes it.
But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. [Matthew 6:6]
God sees it accurately, God sees the intentions behind the deeds.
God knows us inside out, thoroughly and completely.

This may sound scary, but it is the way it is (He is God after all).
Plus, He is good, and He is not watching us because He loves to punish us, but because He loves us and wants to help us.
He knows how dangerous and destructive sin is, how it ruins so many people.
Unless He shakes us up and shows us the seriousness of sin, it will only get worse.
“Therefore I will teach them— this time I will teach them my power and might. Then they will know that my name is the LORD. [Jeremiah 16:21]
If we pay attention, and listen to God’s gracious warning, we will be spared the awful consequence of life without God.
And sometimes God has to resort to extreme measures to get our attention.
Its called discipline, loving discipline.

PRAYER:
Lord, I admit that this judgment seems harsh, but I also know that You know better than I do how bad things were, how bad things are. Help me to know the seriousness of sin, and to hate it as much as You!