Jeremiah 51

August 30

Jeremiah 51

"For Israel and Judah have not been forsaken by their God, the Lord Almighty, though their land is full of guilt before the Holy One of Israel." (Jeremiah 51:5, NIV)

 

The people of Israel and Judah surely felt like they had been forsaken by their God. Their cities were destroyed. The walls were torn down. The temple was dismantled. The articles for worship had been taken to foreign nations. The people had to be asking themselves if God had forsaken them or if their God really was the Almighty.

 

But God was not done with Israel and Judah. He had used the Babylonians to bring correction, but now He was going to bring correction upon the Babylonians for their arrogance. God reminds them that He is in control even when it does not appear He is for them. God is all powerful, creator of heaven and earth and all of creation responds to His beckoning.

 

The promises God made to Israel and Judah were still in effect. The idols of the nations are powerless, but God was for Israel and was about to restore Israel with His power. "He who is the Portion of Jacob is not like these, for he is the Maker of all things, including the tribe of his inheritance— the Lord Almighty is his name." (Jeremiah 51:19, NIV) God was about to show His power when He humbled the world powers for their arrogance.

God is for those who enter into a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. There may be times when it seems like God is powerless against the powers of the world. There are times when it seems like God’s people are facing persecution and are being taken advantage of while the ruthless and evil prosper. But when we know God we can know that He will never leave us or forsake us. He will fight our battles for us. What appears to be the case is not always what is true. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31b