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How Far Can We Go?

How Far Can We Go?

Jeremiah was a prophet who was dealing with a people who forgot the Lord. God told Jeremiah that His people no longer knew Him. 22 “For my people are foolish; they know me not; they are stupid children; they have no understanding. They are ‘wise’—in doing evil! But how to do good they know not.” Jeremiah 4:22 | ESV
There is a similarity today how people live now, as compared to Jeremiah's time. Nobody wanted to listen to the truth, so God used this prophet to pronounce their judgement. "I looked on the earth, and behold, it was without form and void; and to the heavens, and they had no light. 24 I looked on the mountains, and behold, they were quaking, and all the hills moved to and fro. 25 I looked, and behold, there was no man, and all the birds of the air had fled. 26 I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a desert, and all its cities were laid in ruins before the Lord, before his fierce anger. Jeremiah 4:23c-26 | ESV

God made their land a waste and desolation as a result of their wickedness and their unrepentant hearts. For thus says the Lord, “The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end. 28 “For this the earth shall mourn,and the heavens above be dark; for I have spoken; I have purposed; I have not relented, nor will I turn back.” 29 At the noise of horseman and archerevery city takes to flight; they enter thickets; they climb among rocks; all the cities are forsaken, and no man dwells in them. 30 And you, O desolate one, what do you mean that you dress in scarlet, that you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold, that you enlarge your eyes with paint? In vain you beautify yourself. Your lovers despise you; they seek your life. 31 For I heard a cry as of a woman in labor, anguish as of one giving birth to her first child, the cry of the daughter of Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands," Jeremiah 4:27-31a | ESV.

God was and still is in a real sense married to Israel, and through her wickedness she committed spiritual adultery. Through her sins she cheated on God and God had to judge her. He mocks her by saying in verse thirty "what do you mean to dress in scarlet, that you adorn yourself with ornaments...your lovers despise you; they seek your life." She had left the Living God and had no repentance, even the ones she was creating with couldn't stand her wickedness. This is what sin does friends, it leaves you with nothing in the end. Even the ones you are sinning with leave you in the end. Jesus came to the earth offering sinners like you and me, new life, but we have to accept it. Just like Israel God will only put up with so much rebellion on our part until He makes your life a waste.

Through repentance and faith in Jesus, we can have our sins forgiven, but if we continue to commit adultery against God, one day He will say enough! Jeremiah felt this frustration when at the end of chapter four he said, “Woe is me! I am fainting before murderers.” This is Mike.

Jeremiah 4:31c | ESV

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