SCRIPTURE: JEREMIAH 44
DISASTER BECAUSE OF IDOLATRY (vs. 1-30)
The people provoked God to anger by bringing incense and worshiping other gods. So God was going to bring disaster and destroy all Judah. All remnants who went to Egypt will perish. Egypt will fall by the sword or die from famine. They will become an object of cursing and horror, of condemnation and reproach. God will punish them with sword, famine and plague. None of the remnants of Judah who escaped will survive to return to the land of Judah. None will return except a few fugitives.
The people rebelled against the message of Jeremiah and willfully burned incense to the Queen of Heaven and poured out drink offerings to her. So, Jeremiah told them what the Lord said: “I swear by my great name that no one from Judah living anywhere in Egypt will ever again invoke my name or swear. I am watching over them for harm, not for good; the Jews in Egypt will perish by sword and famine until they are all destroyed. Those who escape the sword and return to the land of Judah from Egypt will be very few. Then the whole remnant of Judah who came to live in Egypt will know whose word will stand – mind or theirs. I am going to hand Pharaoh Hopra king of Egypt over to his enemies who seek his life, just as I handed Zedekiah king of Judah over to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the enemy who was seeking his life.” (vs. 26-30)
THOUGHTS:
The people practiced their idolatry in Egypt and even defended it. Their reason was: “they had plenty of food, were well-off and saw no trouble.” But remember, the wicked may prosper but that is temporary. There is no excuse to sin.