Morning Fellowship with God's Word

Sharing with you this Morning devotional Daily Manna written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi Today Thursday October 29, 2015 
Topic: Severity Of God’s Wrath

Text: Jeremiah 13:1-14

Key Verse: “And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them” (Jeremiah 13:14).
Shortly before his death, a friend of William Claude Dukenfield, an American comedian, actor and writer, visited him in hospital. He was surprised to find Dukenfield flipping through a Bible and he curiously asked him what he was doing with it. Dukenfield replied, “I’m looking for loopholes”. The people of Judah could also be said to be looking for loopholes in the Bible.

They had a penchant for disobeying God due to their association with neighbouring nations. God, therefore, decided to punish them. In symbolic language, God instructed Jeremiah to purchase a linen waistband and wear it without washing it, which he did. Later, the Lord told him to take his waistband to Euphrates and hide it there in a hole of the rock. After a while, God asked him to return to Euphrates and retrieve the waistband. When he did this, he found out that the waistband had become ruined beyond usefulness. God’s initial purpose was for Judah and Jerusalem to cling closely to Him and become an ornament of glory. Unfortunately, they had turned to worship idols.

They had tarnished themselves and got spoiled by contact with the polluting influences of other nations. Their stubborn attitudes to worship other gods made God angry with them. So, He decided to destroy their pride, just as the waistband was destroyed. Those who refuse to learn from the past are often condemned to relive it. Judah failed to learn from Samaria’s mistakes, and drew herself inexorably into utter ruin and perdition. Just like Judah, many people still refuse to learn from God’s indignation upon the impenitent. It is only while suffering from their iniquities that they belatedly begin to call upon God. Don’t wait until it is too late before amending your ways. The time is now. Tomorrow might be too late.

Thought for the day: Beware of God’s severity and wrath