10.23.2016 – Old Testament: Jer 9.20–22

To read the Bible in a year, read Jeremiah 9–10 on October 23, In the year of our Lord 2016

By Don Ruhl

Jeremiah spoke plainly of the doom headed toward the nation of Judah for their sins, especially the sin of idolatry. Therefore, the Lord through Jeremiah told them to hire professional mourning women, because Judah did not yet have the broken and sad heart that the nation needed. He spoke to the women of Judah further,

Yet hear the word of the LORD, O women,
And let your ear receive the word of His mouth;
Teach your daughters wailing,
And everyone her neighbor a lamentation.
For death has come through our windows,
Has entered our palaces,
To kill off the children—no longer to be outside!
And the young men—no longer on the streets!
Speak, “Thus says the LORD:
‘Even the carcasses of men shall fall as refuse on the open field,
Like cuttings after the harvester,
And no one shall gather them.’”
(Jeremiah 9.20–22) 

The middle of that lamentation almost sounds like Judah would suffer the same fate as Egypt during Israel’s exodus. Women would mourn because of their dead children when death came in through the window. Even the palaces would suffer horrible things.

Of course, the Lord spoke these things, showing what headed their way, and that knowing these things, they might repent, but they did not.

What about us? Shall we repent of our sins?

Questions:

• What motivates you to repent?
• Do you read the Scriptures daily?