Jeremiah 4:15-31  "Because she has rebelled against Me, declares the Lord...."  Because their "ways and deeds" were evil.. because their hearts were hardened and they were bitter.. because they would not repent.. judgement came.  It came upon Judah.. and it will come upon the whole world.  We see it beginning.. we know the Word of God has made it clear.. yet,  do we live as those who care?

Jeremiah was heartbroken. " My soul, my soul! I am in anguish! Oh, my heart! My heart is pounding in me; I cannot be silent. Because you have heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war." 

Disasters were proclaimed.. land was devastated.. homes were destroyed.. Does any of that sound familiar?

God said, "For My people are foolish, they know Me not; They are stupid children, and they have no understanding. They are shrewd to do evil, but to do good they do not know." (v22)  That also sounds familiar.. We live in a culture that cannot even tell the difference between whether they are male or female! We live in a world where people believe lies and cannot recognize truth. We live in a world bent on their own disastrous choices.. where dangerous drugs are peddled to children.. where children are abused and trafficked and horrible people pay to watch!  Yes, they are shrewd to do evil.. they are good for nothing and fail to acknowledge that God exists.. let alone that He sees them and He will bring judgement upon them. 

Jeremiah wrote for his people during his lifetime.. but his words are God's words for every generation.. and we need to hear Him!

The rest of this chapter gives us a picture of the end results.. of a world that will pass away.. "I looked on the earth and behold, it was formless and void; and to the heavens and they had no light."  The mountains quaked, the hills shook. There were no men, no birds in the heavens, no cities left standing.  "For thus says the Lord, 'The whole land shall be a desolation.. " 

"Yet.. "  He says, "I will not execute a complete destruction, for this the earth will mourn, and the heavens above be dark, because I have spoken, I have purposed, and I will not change My mind, nor will I turn from it." 

When there is no more hope... when all is stripped away.. know this.. God is not done!

"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer a sea. and I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband." ( Rev. 21:1-2)

Father in heaven, Great and glorious God.. You are righteous and just..and merciful and gracious. Our souls cry out for the nations to bow before You.. to repent.. to return to their Creator and King.  We pray for those in our families.. in our neighborhoods.. in our land.. to break up the fallow ground.. their hard, foolish, stupid hearts that are shrewd to do evil and don't know how to do good.  Let the message of salvation through Jesus Christ be preached.. may hearts be turned back to You!  Send forth workers into the harvest fields.. that there may be a fruitful harvest of souls.. to the glory of Your Name. We are so thankful that You are not done.. that there is hope in Jesus Christ.. Hallelujah!  May we bring the sweet aroma of the Knowledge of Him every where we go today!  We ask this in His Name. Amen.