Jeremiah 48  This prophecy describes the destruction of the nation of Moab.  This territory is now part of the country of Jordan.  It was a place of contention throughout its history, constantly at risk from other nations, including Ammon to the north and Israel to the west.  Eventually Assyria took over.  After that it was part of the general area called Arabia and then the Nabataens moved in and took over. Finally, it was taken by the Romans and eventually became part of Jordan.
  Several important parts of Moab's history :

1.  It is  the location of Mount Nebo, where Moses went up into the mountain and died.
2. It is the birthplace of Ruth, the ancestor of David.. and Jesus.

This passage in Jeremiah declares the end of Moab as a nation. Several  verses point to the reason  that Moab was being judged:

v7 " For because of your trust in your own achievements and treasures you yourself will be captured." 
v26 " Make him drunk, for he has become arrogant toward the Lord.." 
v 29 " We have heard of the pride of Moab - he is very proud- of his haughtiness, his pride, his arrogance and his self-exaltation ." 
v42 " And Moab will be destroyed from being a people because he has become arrogant toward the Lord." 

Verses 11-12 are an interesting description of this nation: " Moab has been at ease since his youth; he has also been undisturbed on his lees, neither has he been emptied from vessel to vessel, nor has he gone into exile.  Therefore he retains his flavor, and his aroma has not changed.  Therefore behold the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I shall sent to him those who tip vessels, and they will tip him over, and they will empty his vessels and shatter his jars." 

The Bible Knowledge Commentary explains this - when  grapes were stomped to produce their juice, it was put into bottles or skins to ferment.  After about 40 days, the wine was carefully poured into another container to separate it from the lees or dregs which had settled on the bottom.  If left as is the wine would be ruined by its sweetness and thickness.  Moab had sat too long in its complacency.
It trusted in a false god that could not save it and in its army that could not survive.  The Lord would send destruction upon Moab and it would lose everything.


Pride, arrogance toward the Lord, trust in its own achievements - sounds very familiar.  Has America sat on its lees too long also?   Are we complacent - trusting in our government to solve every problem and our army to defend us from every enemy?  Even when we don't like what our government does or doesn't do - we expect them to keep our nation running.  Hmm..

Father, open our eyes!  May we trust in You alone.
Amen.