The 13th chapter of Jeremiah is filled with the use of the use of the words "pride" and "darkness." It describes two tangible signs that God provides the people of Judah in order to try to shake them out of their prideful sin. But still they will not hear; they will not repent.
Through two strong analogies, the first being a girdle that is buried and then unearthed in a deplorable condition, and the second being wine bottles that are filled with the source of drunkenness, God warns the people that their lives are in His hands alone and that this should be a fearful place to be: sinners in the hands of a HOLY and angry God, angered by their continued rebellion against His goodness toward them. Yet the people will neither heed and repent, nor will they fear.
Regarding the analogy of the girdle, verses 13:1 through 13:11: when the description of "loins" is used biblically it denotes a sort of strength or security perhaps. The "girdle" protects the loins, the lower back, the hips, which once destroyed, one cannot stand without. The girdle also carried the sword by which one protected himself (see 2 Samuel 20:8). Perhaps these following two verses will illuminate further:
"Bless the Lord, His substance, and accept the work of His hands: smite through the loins of them that rise against Him, and of them that hate Him that they rise not again." Deuteronomy 33:11
"Let their eyes be darkened that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake." Psalm 69:23
God is declaring that He is putting the protection of His name and His glory into the people of Israel first, and then Judah. They were the belt or girdle that He joined to Himself. But they did not glorify the Name that they were called by, they did not bring praise to His Name.
Thus, by using the sign of a damaged and useless girdle, He is telling Judah that as they dishonored His name, so will they be dishonored and cast aside. They have become of no use to Him. And even as the Lord's own loins have been exposed and unprotected by this useless girdle called Judah, so Judah will receive the judgment of being exposed and unprotected as they are cast aside. They will no longer have the Lord to cleave to, because He will no longer cleave to them.
"This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing. For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel, and the whole house of Judah, saith the Lord; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear."
Verses 13:12-14 describe the second sign: "every bottle filled with wine."
When Jeremiah speaks these words, the people mock him in great pride saying, "Do we not certainly know...?"
But of course, they have no idea what they are talking about, because the word of God through Jeremiah is pointing to a soon coming great judgment:
"I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David's throne, and the priests, and the prophets, [speaking of false prophets here] and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness. And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the Lord: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them. Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud, for the Lord hath spoken."
Here the key word is drunkenness. If we look at how that word is used in other scriptures, we will understand better what the Lord means with this analogy of every person being filled with that which produces great drunkenness:
This particular darkness in Jeremiah 13:16 is a judicial darkness, a judgment from God on those in Judah who continue to "enjoy" sin's pleasures, who refuse to repent, who love sin more than they love God. This is further described in 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12:
Chuck Missler says that the Word of God describes at least three forms of darkness.
Besides the judicial darkness already described above, there is a "natural" darkness.
This is a darkness of ignorance, a darkness of an unregenerate heart, a darkened understanding. This is us before the Holy Spirit opened our eyes to see and our ears to hear, and drew us to Christ. Who prayed for us that we might be able to see? Surely, there was someone somewhere, if even a stranger, who, on their knees, pleaded for the the Holy Spirit to bring the light into sin-darkened lives such as ours.
It is of this natural darkness that Paul speaks in Ephesians 4:17-18:
"This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart..."
Often, people with this darkness in them are able to see God as Creator, but not as Redeemer. Without the Redeemer who is the bridge between man and God, they cannot reach God, even if they might think He exists. There is no relationship with the Father without the Son. Yet, Paul says the existence of God is testified to by the works of His hands, in other words, by all of creation that surrounds us (Romans 1:20).
But we cannot understand redemption without the living Word of God found only in Jesus, and without the Holy Spirit to plant faith as a seed in our hearts in order that we might believe in Him. And without that relationship with Jesus there is no relationship between us and the Father. It is in the righteousness of Jesus Christ that we must be clothed, in a sense, before we enter into the presence of so holy a God as ours. We need Jesus to know God. The Word of God declares that there is no other way!
There is a third darkness: one that is deliberate or chosen.
John 3:19-20 describes it as:
But when Jesus returns, Revelation 19:11-16 tells us the manner of His second coming:
After this final battle scene, Jesus will then judge the living and the dead, granting everlasting life with Him to those who trusted in Him, not because of their great deeds, or their might, for we can never EARN such a gift: but simply because they TRUSTED in Him. They trusted their lives to Him, by putting their lives every moment of every day in HIS hands.
But to those who reject Him, continually, willfully, pridefully, He assigns them in His righteous and holy judgment to be thrown into the everlasting lake of fire, along with Satan and his dark angels. Such a terrible, unimaginable place of horror and pain, yet God makes sure everyone knows this...everyone will hear His Word, before being judged.
The choice is ours alone.
Will we choose the love that Jesus has given us and everlasting life in His presence, or will we reject His goodness to us, and choose everlasting darkness and eternal suffering?
Here is what God wants us to choose:
"I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." Deuteronomy 30:19
Through two strong analogies, the first being a girdle that is buried and then unearthed in a deplorable condition, and the second being wine bottles that are filled with the source of drunkenness, God warns the people that their lives are in His hands alone and that this should be a fearful place to be: sinners in the hands of a HOLY and angry God, angered by their continued rebellion against His goodness toward them. Yet the people will neither heed and repent, nor will they fear.
Regarding the analogy of the girdle, verses 13:1 through 13:11: when the description of "loins" is used biblically it denotes a sort of strength or security perhaps. The "girdle" protects the loins, the lower back, the hips, which once destroyed, one cannot stand without. The girdle also carried the sword by which one protected himself (see 2 Samuel 20:8). Perhaps these following two verses will illuminate further:
"Bless the Lord, His substance, and accept the work of His hands: smite through the loins of them that rise against Him, and of them that hate Him that they rise not again." Deuteronomy 33:11
"Let their eyes be darkened that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake." Psalm 69:23
God is declaring that He is putting the protection of His name and His glory into the people of Israel first, and then Judah. They were the belt or girdle that He joined to Himself. But they did not glorify the Name that they were called by, they did not bring praise to His Name.
Thus, by using the sign of a damaged and useless girdle, He is telling Judah that as they dishonored His name, so will they be dishonored and cast aside. They have become of no use to Him. And even as the Lord's own loins have been exposed and unprotected by this useless girdle called Judah, so Judah will receive the judgment of being exposed and unprotected as they are cast aside. They will no longer have the Lord to cleave to, because He will no longer cleave to them.
"This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing. For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel, and the whole house of Judah, saith the Lord; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear."
Verses 13:12-14 describe the second sign: "every bottle filled with wine."
When Jeremiah speaks these words, the people mock him in great pride saying, "Do we not certainly know...?"
But of course, they have no idea what they are talking about, because the word of God through Jeremiah is pointing to a soon coming great judgment:
"I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David's throne, and the priests, and the prophets, [speaking of false prophets here] and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness. And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the Lord: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them. Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud, for the Lord hath spoken."
Here the key word is drunkenness. If we look at how that word is used in other scriptures, we will understand better what the Lord means with this analogy of every person being filled with that which produces great drunkenness:
"And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst:" (Deut. 29:19)
To be drunk is to be insensible, or deceived, is it not? Perhaps to see something that is not really even there. To lie to one's self. A deception, I believe.
"Thou shalt be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup of astonishment and desolation, with the cup of thy sister Samaria." Ezekiel 23:33
Drunkenness produces "astonishment," being caught off guard as the protective instincts are no longer serving that person.
"And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares." Luke 21:34
Drunkenness makes one "unaware" of the danger looming before them. Again it is a form of deception, of a lie that all is well, when it is not.
All of this points to the coming "darkness" of which Jeremiah 13:16 warns:
"Give glory to the Lord your God, before He cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, He turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness."
"Give glory to the Lord your God, before He cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, He turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness."
The final consequence of remaining unrepentant in sin is a darkness caused by God Himself that will fall on those who will not heed the word of the Lord. This consequence occurs even today with those who remain unrepentant of their sins, for God's divine principles never cease to perform that which His Word declares must happen regarding man willful sin.
This particular darkness in Jeremiah 13:16 is a judicial darkness, a judgment from God on those in Judah who continue to "enjoy" sin's pleasures, who refuse to repent, who love sin more than they love God. This is further described in 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12:
"...and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."
Jeremiah is telling them to repent before God sends this darkness upon them from which they cannot recover. (Perhaps the "gross darkness" mentioned in Jeremiah 13:16 is that of hell itself, as the judicial darkness appears to have the potential of becoming a deeper, possibly permanent, darkness for those still unrepentant hearts?)
Amos describes this judicial judgment of darkness as a famine of His Word:
"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it." Amos 8:11-12
God has unimaginable patience with us, far beyond what mere humans can give. Yet, He is to be feared as well, for all sin must end sooner or later; best that we end it right away, rather than wait for God to end it in His great wrath! If God withdraws the understanding of His Word from our hearts, as Amos describes, then we have no hope of being saved, for the Word of God carried by the Holy Spirit is what gives us life. Without this we face only eternal and everlasting death.
It always amazes me that we can so easily see the sins of Judah, but we cannot see what pride and vanity of mind we apply to our own lives rather than admit our personal and deep-rooted sins of pride. It amazes me how few times in our lives, we fall trembling before this almighty, powerful and holy God. What deception lies in our own hearts?
I believe this is the main reason that we are commanded to pray for one another, to plead with God for that dark deception to be removed from each of us, so that our hearts can remain clean before Him. It is so important to pray for one another....at all possible moments.
Amos describes this judicial judgment of darkness as a famine of His Word:
"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it." Amos 8:11-12
God has unimaginable patience with us, far beyond what mere humans can give. Yet, He is to be feared as well, for all sin must end sooner or later; best that we end it right away, rather than wait for God to end it in His great wrath! If God withdraws the understanding of His Word from our hearts, as Amos describes, then we have no hope of being saved, for the Word of God carried by the Holy Spirit is what gives us life. Without this we face only eternal and everlasting death.
It always amazes me that we can so easily see the sins of Judah, but we cannot see what pride and vanity of mind we apply to our own lives rather than admit our personal and deep-rooted sins of pride. It amazes me how few times in our lives, we fall trembling before this almighty, powerful and holy God. What deception lies in our own hearts?
I believe this is the main reason that we are commanded to pray for one another, to plead with God for that dark deception to be removed from each of us, so that our hearts can remain clean before Him. It is so important to pray for one another....at all possible moments.
Chuck Missler says that the Word of God describes at least three forms of darkness.
Besides the judicial darkness already described above, there is a "natural" darkness.
This is a darkness of ignorance, a darkness of an unregenerate heart, a darkened understanding. This is us before the Holy Spirit opened our eyes to see and our ears to hear, and drew us to Christ. Who prayed for us that we might be able to see? Surely, there was someone somewhere, if even a stranger, who, on their knees, pleaded for the the Holy Spirit to bring the light into sin-darkened lives such as ours.
It is of this natural darkness that Paul speaks in Ephesians 4:17-18:
"This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart..."
Often, people with this darkness in them are able to see God as Creator, but not as Redeemer. Without the Redeemer who is the bridge between man and God, they cannot reach God, even if they might think He exists. There is no relationship with the Father without the Son. Yet, Paul says the existence of God is testified to by the works of His hands, in other words, by all of creation that surrounds us (Romans 1:20).
But we cannot understand redemption without the living Word of God found only in Jesus, and without the Holy Spirit to plant faith as a seed in our hearts in order that we might believe in Him. And without that relationship with Jesus there is no relationship between us and the Father. It is in the righteousness of Jesus Christ that we must be clothed, in a sense, before we enter into the presence of so holy a God as ours. We need Jesus to know God. The Word of God declares that there is no other way!
There is a third darkness: one that is deliberate or chosen.
John 3:19-20 describes it as:
"...the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved."
This is when people know they are doing evil, but choose to continue in it willfully. They prefer the darkness to hide the evil in their lives; they refuse to come to the light and to be held accountable. There is great pride involved and the pride wins out. They do not want to change.
This is when people know they are doing evil, but choose to continue in it willfully. They prefer the darkness to hide the evil in their lives; they refuse to come to the light and to be held accountable. There is great pride involved and the pride wins out. They do not want to change.
We are to know and recognize our Creator God, and we are to know and recognize that our Redeemer, our Savior, IS GOD. He is the Word of God made flesh: Jesus Christ. (John 1).
It is His great love for each and every man created, that led Him to give His life on the cross for us. Such great love we have never experienced before Him! How great then, is our rejection, when we refuse to acknowledge what He has done for us? How great must God's anger be towards us who would dare to reject such a gift from almighty God Himself: the gift of His only-begotten Son's life? What great pride and delusion must we be filled with to not see this?
Jesus arrived in our world the first time, in fleshly form, in humility, in what might be described by the world as a position of low birth, and in poverty. Yet multitudes were drawn to Him, the very Word of God made flesh, as He presented to the world the love of God and the very real hope of life everlasting for those who would but trust in Him.
It is His great love for each and every man created, that led Him to give His life on the cross for us. Such great love we have never experienced before Him! How great then, is our rejection, when we refuse to acknowledge what He has done for us? How great must God's anger be towards us who would dare to reject such a gift from almighty God Himself: the gift of His only-begotten Son's life? What great pride and delusion must we be filled with to not see this?
Jesus arrived in our world the first time, in fleshly form, in humility, in what might be described by the world as a position of low birth, and in poverty. Yet multitudes were drawn to Him, the very Word of God made flesh, as He presented to the world the love of God and the very real hope of life everlasting for those who would but trust in Him.
But when Jesus returns, Revelation 19:11-16 tells us the manner of His second coming:
"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."
After this final battle scene, Jesus will then judge the living and the dead, granting everlasting life with Him to those who trusted in Him, not because of their great deeds, or their might, for we can never EARN such a gift: but simply because they TRUSTED in Him. They trusted their lives to Him, by putting their lives every moment of every day in HIS hands.
But to those who reject Him, continually, willfully, pridefully, He assigns them in His righteous and holy judgment to be thrown into the everlasting lake of fire, along with Satan and his dark angels. Such a terrible, unimaginable place of horror and pain, yet God makes sure everyone knows this...everyone will hear His Word, before being judged.
The choice is ours alone.
Will we choose the love that Jesus has given us and everlasting life in His presence, or will we reject His goodness to us, and choose everlasting darkness and eternal suffering?
Here is what God wants us to choose:
"I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." Deuteronomy 30:19
2 comments:
That last verse got me! I DO choose life and I am learning thru church sunday school, to trust the Lord!! I cry daily! I cry for my child. Everytime I cry I hear a voice that asks me, "Why are you crying? Are you listening to Satan who tells you that the ones you love won't repent and therefore won't be with you in heaven? Trust me! I WILL make everything alright!!!" Faith. It gets stronger and I will continue to pray that the Light will take away all darkness I see around me!
Your faith will be helped if you can find a group of people who are strong in intercessory prayer and you begin to pray with faith as they do and with them. "Where two or more are gathered in my Name, there I am in the midst of them." and "And all things, whatsoever you ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." (Matthew 21:22) That is the prayer of faith. As Jesus intercedes for each of us in the presence of the Father, so as imitators of Christ are we called to be intercessors for the lost and for one another. Because of Jesus Christ, we have been given the great privilege of entering into the very throne room of God Almighty to present to Him directly our petitions for those who are lost, including those we love. Do not let the enemy convince you that your child's particular sin is greater than any other. That is his tactic to distract you from the real need: that she needs to know that Jesus loves her so much that He died for her so that she through Him, would have life everlasting. Once she knows that, He will change whatever else needs to be changed in her life to cause her to be a reflection of Him just as He does you and I. The only unpardonable sin is that of rejecting Christ. And there would we all be if it had not been for someone interceding on our behalf and God answering those prayers as He is faithful to do. We were all sinners before the Holy Spirit opened our eyes to see God and that happened because of intercessory prayer. Your child is simply one who has not yet met Christ, but you must believe that this will come about because God loves her even more than you do. And He is able to make a way. Then you rest in Him, do not rest from your tears or your prayers, but rest in your faith with confidence that He will provide life. And pray against the deception, the lying spirits who bind those who are lost, and command them in the name of Jesus to let go of your loved one so that she can see Jesus. Jesus gave us power to bind and to loose. We must walk in His authority at all times, and we can only do this as we walk in obedience. My favorite chapter of the Bible is John 15 and this verse in particular: "I you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." (vs. 7) Intercessory prayer is vain unless our relationship with Christ is intimate as we abide, we live each moment, in His Word, and Him in us. When our lives reflect this relationship, this trust, this love, things around us begin to change, and lives around us are changed. Darkness cannot stay where there is light. I hope that helps. Keep doing what you are doing, keep up the faith in Jesus.
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