Jeremiah 6  Disaster was coming to Jerusalem.. the "comely and dainty one, the daughter of Zion".. was about to be "cut off".  The enemy would come from the north, surround Jerusalem and attack.  And all this would happen because the Lord ordered it.. "This is the city to be punished, in whose midst there is only oppression.." 

The people of God would no longer listen to Him or to His prophets. They refused His warnings. They refused to repent. They kept getting more and more wicked.  "Violence and destruction are heard in her; sickness and wounds are ever before Me." (v7)  God would pour out His wrath on every one in the city.. the young and the old; the husband and the wife; the aged and the very old.  "For from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for gain, and from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely." (v13)

Judah was described as "treacherous" by the Lord for their deception.. here He says, "and they have healed the brokenness of My people superficially, saying 'Peace, peace' But there is no peace."  Instead of speaking truth.. telling what the Lord was really saying.. that destruction was coming.. they lied and tried to manipulate and pacify the people.  We see.. and hear.. the same kinds of messages today.. 

The people of God "were not even ashamed at all; they did not even know how to blush.. " They were not ashamed of their "abomination" that they had done.  Their idolatry and wickedness would bring them to be  "cast down". They would not listen to the Word of the Lord. They rejected all His warnings.  They went along with useless religious activities with hearts that refused to accept the truth.  "All of them are stubbornly rebellious.. all of them are corrupt." (v28)

"The bellows blow fiercely, the lead is consumed by the fire; in vain the refining goes on, but the wicked are not separated.." (v29)  There are none that will repent.. and therefore the "Lord has rejected them."

We had this discussion last night looking at II Peter 2.. "for if God did not spare angels when they sinned.. and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah.. and He condemned Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction.. having made them an example to those who live ungodly thereafter.. "  And we can add.. if God would not spare Judah, the "dainty daughter of Zion"..  we know that He does bring punishment on those who reject Him and His Word. 

But,  we are also reminded of this wonderful truth.. "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already.." Noah was preserved.. Lot was saved.. and all who call upon the Name of Jesus will also be saved.  Jeremiah will give this message of salvation in chapter 7!

Father in heaven, open our ears that we may hear Your warnings.. Your Truth.. for we live in a culture that has forgotten to be ashamed.. forgotten how to blush.. that tries to pacify people by saying that everything is alright.. but it is not.  We live in a world filled with corruption and rebellion. O God "Let the evil of the wicked come to an end but establish the righteous.." (Psalm 7:9)  We need Your Presence and Your refining work. We pray that there are still many who will turn from their sin and rebellion and come to Jesus that they may be saved! Send forth workers into Your harvest fields.. give them.. give us.. the words to speak and make manifest the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Christ in every place.  We ask this in His Powerful Name. Amen.