(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)
(Jeremiah 49:1-22) Concerning the sons of Ammon. This is what the Lord says:
“Does Israel have no sons?
Or has he no heirs?
Why then has Malcam taken possession of Gad,
And his people settled in its cities?
2 Therefore behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“When I will cause an alarm of war to be heard
Against Rabbah of the sons of Ammon;
And it will become a desolate heap,
And her towns will be set on fire.
Then Israel will take possession of his possessors,”
Says the Lord.
3 “Wail, Heshbon, for Ai has been destroyed!
Cry out, daughters of Rabbah,
Put on sackcloth and mourn,
And move about inside the walls;
For Malcam will go into exile
Together with his priests and his leaders.
4 How you boast about the valleys!
Your valley is flowing away,
You backsliding daughter
Who trusts in her treasures, saying,
‘Who can come against me?’
5 Behold, I am going to bring terror upon you,”
Declares the Lord God of armies,
“From all directions around you;
And you will be driven away one after another,
With no one to gather the fugitives together.
6 But afterward I will restore
The fortunes of the sons of Ammon,”
Declares the Lord.
7 Concerning Edom.
This is what the Lord of armies says:
“Is there no longer any wisdom in Teman?
Has good advice been lost by the prudent?
Has their wisdom decayed?
8 Flee away, turn back, dwell in the depths,
You inhabitants of Dedan,
For I will bring the disaster of Esau upon him
At the time I punish him.
9 If grape pickers came to you,
Would they not leave gleanings?
If thieves came by night,
They would destroy only what was sufficient for them.
10 But I have stripped Esau bare,
I have uncovered his hiding places
So that he will not be able to conceal himself;
His offspring have been destroyed along with his brothers
And his neighbors, and he no longer exists.
11 Leave your orphans behind, I will keep them alive;
And let your widows trust in Me.”
12 For this is what the Lord says: “Behold, those who were not sentenced to drink the cup will certainly drink it, so are you the one who will be held completely blameless? You will not be held blameless, but you will certainly drink it. 13 For I have sworn by Myself,” declares the Lord, “that Bozrah will become an object of horror, a disgrace, a wasteland, and a curse; and all its cities will become permanent ruins.”
14 I have heard a message from the Lord,
And a messenger is being sent among the nations, saying,
“Gather yourselves together and come against her,
And rise up for battle!”
15 “For behold, I have made you small among the nations,
Despised among people.
16 As for the terror you cause,
The arrogance of your heart has deceived you,
You who live in the clefts of the rock,
Who occupy the height of the hill.
Though you make your nest as high as an eagle’s,
I will bring you down from there,” declares the Lord.
17 “Edom will become an object of horror; everyone who passes by it will be appalled and will hiss at all its wounds. 18 Like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah with its neighbors,” says the Lord, “no one will live there, nor will anyone of mankind reside in it. 19 Behold, one will come up like a lion from the thicket of the Jordan to a perennially watered pasture; for in an instant I will chase him away from it, and I will appoint over it whoever is chosen. For who is like Me, and who will summon Me into court? And who then is the shepherd who can stand against Me?”
20 Therefore hear the plan of the Lord which He has planned against Edom, and His purposes which He has in mind against the inhabitants of Teman: they will certainly drag them off, even the little ones of the flock; He will certainly make their pasture desolate because of them. 21 The earth has quaked at the noise of their downfall. There is an outcry! The noise of it has been heard at the Red Sea. 22 Behold, He will mount up and swoop like an eagle, and spread out His wings against Bozrah; and the hearts of the warriors of Edom on that day will be like the heart of a woman in labor.
TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:
“Does Israel have no sons?
Or has he no heirs?
Why then has Malcam taken possession of Gad,
And his people settled in its cities?
2 Therefore behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“When I will cause an alarm of war to be heard
Against Rabbah of the sons of Ammon;
And it will become a desolate heap,
And her towns will be set on fire.
Then Israel will take possession of his possessors,”
Says the Lord.
3 “Wail, Heshbon, for Ai has been destroyed!
Cry out, daughters of Rabbah,
Put on sackcloth and mourn,
And move about inside the walls;
For Malcam will go into exile
Together with his priests and his leaders.
4 How you boast about the valleys!
Your valley is flowing away,
You backsliding daughter
Who trusts in her treasures, saying,
‘Who can come against me?’
5 Behold, I am going to bring terror upon you,”
Declares the Lord God of armies,
“From all directions around you;
And you will be driven away one after another,
With no one to gather the fugitives together.
6 But afterward I will restore
The fortunes of the sons of Ammon,”
Declares the Lord.
7 Concerning Edom.
This is what the Lord of armies says:
“Is there no longer any wisdom in Teman?
Has good advice been lost by the prudent?
Has their wisdom decayed?
8 Flee away, turn back, dwell in the depths,
You inhabitants of Dedan,
For I will bring the disaster of Esau upon him
At the time I punish him.
9 If grape pickers came to you,
Would they not leave gleanings?
If thieves came by night,
They would destroy only what was sufficient for them.
10 But I have stripped Esau bare,
I have uncovered his hiding places
So that he will not be able to conceal himself;
His offspring have been destroyed along with his brothers
And his neighbors, and he no longer exists.
11 Leave your orphans behind, I will keep them alive;
And let your widows trust in Me.”
12 For this is what the Lord says: “Behold, those who were not sentenced to drink the cup will certainly drink it, so are you the one who will be held completely blameless? You will not be held blameless, but you will certainly drink it. 13 For I have sworn by Myself,” declares the Lord, “that Bozrah will become an object of horror, a disgrace, a wasteland, and a curse; and all its cities will become permanent ruins.”
14 I have heard a message from the Lord,
And a messenger is being sent among the nations, saying,
“Gather yourselves together and come against her,
And rise up for battle!”
15 “For behold, I have made you small among the nations,
Despised among people.
16 As for the terror you cause,
The arrogance of your heart has deceived you,
You who live in the clefts of the rock,
Who occupy the height of the hill.
Though you make your nest as high as an eagle’s,
I will bring you down from there,” declares the Lord.
17 “Edom will become an object of horror; everyone who passes by it will be appalled and will hiss at all its wounds. 18 Like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah with its neighbors,” says the Lord, “no one will live there, nor will anyone of mankind reside in it. 19 Behold, one will come up like a lion from the thicket of the Jordan to a perennially watered pasture; for in an instant I will chase him away from it, and I will appoint over it whoever is chosen. For who is like Me, and who will summon Me into court? And who then is the shepherd who can stand against Me?”
20 Therefore hear the plan of the Lord which He has planned against Edom, and His purposes which He has in mind against the inhabitants of Teman: they will certainly drag them off, even the little ones of the flock; He will certainly make their pasture desolate because of them. 21 The earth has quaked at the noise of their downfall. There is an outcry! The noise of it has been heard at the Red Sea. 22 Behold, He will mount up and swoop like an eagle, and spread out His wings against Bozrah; and the hearts of the warriors of Edom on that day will be like the heart of a woman in labor.
TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:
There has been a common theme in these last few chapters of Jeremiah. There is punishment and destruction for anyone who is arrogant and decides to trusts in their own strength and resources, in their own creations, and in their own way. But for anyone who decides to trust in the Lord and turn to Him for salvation, there is restoration and life. Because He is all-knowing, He knows if people in a particular country are going to turn to Him. This is when we see prophecies about fortunes being restored.
God is not a bully who wants to make anyone miserable. Otherwise, why did He come in flesh to suffer and die on a cross in order to pay the price for all sin, for all people, for all time? He loves everyone and wants all to come to know Him personally, and wants the best for us. But because He loves everyone, He has given all people a free will, so He cannot and will not force a person to take His free gift of salvation. We are all orphans with a choice: to go it on our own, or be part of God's family.
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