Judgment on the Nations (1): Jeremiah 46-48.17 (5)

Pray Psalm 60.1-4.
O God, You have cast us off;
You have broken us down;
You have been displeased;
Oh, restore us again!
You have made the earth tremble;
You have broken it;
Heal its breaches, for it is shaking.
You have shown Your people hard things;
You have made us drink the wine of confusion.
You have given a banner to those who fear You,
That it may be displayed because of the truth.

Sing Psalm 60.1-4.
(Ein’ Feste Burg: A Mighty Fortress is Our God)
O God, You have rejected us, and broken us in anger.
Restore us, for each beam and truss of Your house strains in danger.
Our rifts and breaches heal. The hardship that we feel,
like strong drink bends us low; ‘neath Your flag let us go,
that truth may once more flourish!

Read and meditate on Jeremiah 48.1-17.

Prepare.
1. What reason did God give for judging Mo

2. What would happen to Moab?

Meditate.
God’s anger toward Moab was nearly as hot as it was toward Egypt. The Egyptians had enslaved His people for 400 years. The Moabites – kindred to the children of Israel – had betrayed, attacked, and polluted them as they journeyed toward the land of promise.

Moabite kings refused safe passage into Canaan to the children of Israel (Deut. 23.3-9). Instead, they came out to fight against them, to keep them from gaining the promise of God; and they tried to hire the false prophet Balaam to prophesy against them. When that failed, they introduced harlotry and idolatry into Israel’s camp, to distract them from their goal (Num. 21-25).

So it takes an entire chapter for God to bring His judgment against Moab and its cities. In today’s text Moab is condemned for trusting in their works, treasures, ease, freedom, and arms (vv. 7, 11, 14, 17). It appears that the Moabites pretended to do the Lord’s work at times (v. 10), but this was in vain, and another cause for the judgment of God. The god of Moab – Chemosh – would be ruined, together with all those who served him (v. 7). The armies of Nebuchadnezzar would plunder every city of Moab, scatter all the population, and destroy the pride of its youth (vv. 8, 9, 15).

More details will follow in the rest of chapter 48 to demonstrate the full extent of God’s wrath against this most persistent and subtle enemy of the people of God.

There is a word of comfort for Israel in the judgment of Moab, along the lines of “The enemy of my enemies is my friend.” God remained the Friend of His people, even through this time of judgment. By removing the Moabites and other nations targeted in chapters 48-50, God was preparing the land as a safe place for His people to return. Just as when Jesus bore our sins on the cross, though He was judged, He would be declared King and Lord, and would prepare a place for all who trust in Him.

Reflect.
1. Does God still go before us, to prepare our way? How does He do that?

2. Moab was condemned for trusting things other than God. Do we ever do that? Explain.

3. How can we make sure that we’re not “pretending” at believing in God?

God prophesied against them, that the Israelites might know, as we reminded you yesterday, that their miserable condition was not overlooked by God, and that though he chastised them, yet some hope of mercy remained, as he undertook their cause and would be their defender. It was then no small comfort which this prophecy brought to the faithful; for they thus knew that God was still their father, though apparently he seemed to be severe to them.. John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Jeremiah 48.1 

Grant me grace today, O Lord, to follow and serve in all my ways as I…

Pray Psalm 60.5-12.
Pray for God’s protection against all enemies, and go in His Name and under His banner to be His witness today. Commit all your activities to the Lord and His glory.

Sing Psalm 60.5-12.
Psalm 60.5-12 (Ein’ Feste Burg: A Mighty Fortress is Our God)
That Your beloved may be spared, save, Lord, and hear our pleading.
In holiness have You declared, “Exult in Me exceeding!”
All nations west and east, the greatest to the least,
from south to north are all Your portion when You call –
let praise from all be rising!

Who now shall lead against our foes when God has left us falt’ring?
Lord, You have left us to our woes, our foes o’er us exalting.

Grant strength to win the day! Lord, help us in the way!
The strength of man is vain The victory to gain;
Through Jesus we will triumph!

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006). All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (available by clicking here).