Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Jeremiah+044

Jeremiah 44 (ESV)

1 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Judeans who lived in the land of Egypt, at Migdol, at Tahpanhes, at Memphis, and in the land of Pathros, 2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: You have seen all the disaster that I brought upon Jerusalem and upon all the cities of Judah. Behold, this day they are a desolation, and no one dwells in them, 3 because of the evil that they committed, provoking me to anger, in that they went to make offerings and serve other gods that they knew not, neither they, nor you, nor your fathers. 4 Yet I persistently sent to you all my servants the prophets, saying, ‘Oh, do not do this abomination that I hate!’ 5 But they did not listen or incline their ear, to turn from their evil and make no offerings to other gods. 6 Therefore my wrath and my anger were poured out and kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, and they became a waste and a desolation, as at this day. 7 And now thus says the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel: Why do you commit this great evil against yourselves, to cut off from you man and woman, infant and child, from the midst of Judah, leaving you no remnant? 8 Why do you provoke me to anger with the works of your hands, making offerings to other gods in the land of Egypt where you have come to live, so that you may be cut off and become a curse and a taunt among all the nations of the earth? 9 Have you forgotten the evil of your fathers, the evil of the kings of Judah, the evil of their wives, your own evil, and the evil of your wives, which they committed in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 10 They have not humbled themselves even to this day, nor have they feared, nor walked in my law and my statutes that I set before you and before your fathers.

REFLECTION:

These messages were announced by Jeremiah in 580 BC, and this was the last time Jeremiah prophesied. At this moment, the great mistake of the people of Judah has been made, and the country has fallen. Jeremiah was forcibly taken to Egypt, but he kept reminding the people that worshiping other gods would lead to the ruin of the country. Jeremiah pointed out that because they fled to Egypt against the will of God, they would never be able to return to their home country of Judah. However, the rebellious and hard-hearted people did not learn from the disasters caused by their own sins, and still went their own way. Even though Jeremiah warned them with the evil deeds of the ancestors of Judah, they still had no regrets and no fear. This past episode reminds us what attitude we should have to face the mistakes we made in the past. If we fail to learn from the past failures, we will repeat the same mistakes. We should understand that our lives are growing in constant failures, and our relationship with God is deepened in constant falls. Past failures are not only our pain, but also our medicine in God’s grace and love. May we gain humility and wisdom from the experience of failure, and guide us on the path of walking with God.

PRAYER:

Ask God to comfort us so that you can come out of the depression and pain of past failures; ask God to enlighten you and give you wisdom so that you can learn valuable experience and lessons from failures and see your weaknesses and shortcomings more thoroughly. In order to obey God’s guidance with a more humble attitude, avoid repeating the same mistakes, regain strength from God, and continue to move forward bravely.

HYMN:

Forgiven – youtu.be/9d4m9f4Saps