SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 48
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Woe to you, Moab! The people of Chemosh are destroyed; your sons are taken into exile and your daughters into captivity. Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab in days to come, declares the LORD. [Jeremiah 48:46-47]
Another difficult passage – so much violence and bloodshed, how can God be a part of this?
Once again, we need to remember that God does not introduce bloodshed out of the blue, but is directing the bloodshed that is already going on.
Chemosh was the god of Moab, and in his name both child sacrifice and mass atrocities were committed [2 Kings 3:7], also against Israel.
God is not just indiscriminately attacking an innocent people, He is executing justice against a violent, unjust and cruel nation.
And still He offers them hope of eventual restoration.
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.’ [Luke 17:1-2]
Thinking of child sacrifice then, or crimes committed against children today, the is a universal sense of anger against those who commit these crimes (ask pedophiles or child abusers in prison).
Jesus speaks of people that ‘cause one of these little ones to sin’, but I also see this as addressing those that sin against ‘these little ones’.
God’s anger, and Jesus’ warning, is directed towards those that commit crimes against the innocent – the day of judgment is coming.
Yes, woe to those what are instruments of such crimes; yes, it would be better if they were throne into the water with a rock around their neck…
This may seem harsh to you, but think about those that at this moment are trying to flee Tripoli in Libya, being stopped, tortured, robbed and killed by mercenary troops loyal to Ghaddafi – how do you think they feel about the need for God’s justice.
Yes, God’s anger is directed towards ANYONE guilty of committing horrible crimes against humanity – and their day will come!
PRAYER:
Lord, please intervene in Libya (and elsewhere), execute justice against the cruel and mercy for the oppressed. Restore peace and hope and justice, restore their land (like Moab) by removing the guilty!
Once again we hear the Word of the Lord, ‘Do this and Live.’
However man chooses to go his own way, being the king of his castle and doing what is right in his own eyes, serving himself at all costs, devastating the lands and the people. Their strength and prosperity lie in themselves so they thought.
And God visits them saying enough is enough. He visits them as was prophesied to turn their hearts to Home. Even though the destruction and wailing is great, the judgement will end where the fortunes of the people will be restored. The hearts need to be changed. This once again sound like a ‘ban’ – God’s plan to remove the impurity among the people so that they would serve Him. And for a time, as the passage states, there is no escape, even if they were given wings.
In the latter days the people will be free indeed by the grace of God. May the people today also see the hand of God at work so that His kingdom will be restored in full. But in the meantime . . .
Am I a soldier of the cross,
A follower of the Lamb,
And shall I fear to own His cause,
Or blush to speak His Name?
Must I be carried to the skies
On flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize,
And sailed through bloody seas?
Are there no foes for me to face?
Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace,
To help me on to God?
Sure I must fight if I would reign;
Increase my courage, Lord.
I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain,
Supported by Thy Word.
Thy saints in all this glorious war
Shall conquer, though they die;
They see the triumph from afar,
By faith’s discerning eye
When that illustrious day shall rise,
And all Thy armies shine
In robes of victory through skies,
The glory shall be Thine.