Jeremiah 43-52

As I wrap up the book of Jeremiah, I get a deep sense of God's sovereignty. Babylon thought that they had conquered Judah because of its own might. But they were actually being used as a tool by God to discipline His people. And once God was done using Babylon for that purpose, God used other nations to completely destroy that once great empire.

Sometimes I think we get the sense that our country is blessed regardless of our attitude and actions toward God. But God is sovereign and not to be mocked. I think of all the people who openly rebel against the clear teaching of God's Word and then just tack on "God Bless America" to the end of their speeches as if that is some magic phrase that is going to prevent God from judging us as a people. But as a nation we are not immune to God's judgment. But the good news is that the evidence of Scripture is that God always preserves a remnant of those who remain faithful to Him in the face of tribulation.

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Jeremiah 25-42

I know I haven't posted on the blog for a while, but I am still reading in Jeremiah and I hope you are, too. In this section of Jeremiah, there is certainly a lot of judgment for Judah as they continue to reject God. So God is warning them of the punishment to come for that sin. But at the same time, there is so much of God's mercy and grace - both present and future - for God's people. I am especially encouraged by these words of God:
I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. Again I will build you, and you shall be built, O virgin Israel! Again you shall adorn yourself with tambourines and shall go forth in the dance of the merrymakers. (Jeremiah 31:3-4 ESV)

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