The Prophet of Signs

November 6
Oftentimes in ancient Israel God would tell one of His prophets to do some seemingly outrageous thing that would become a sign to Israel of impending judgment. Jeremiah did several of those outrageous things. In chapter 13 of his prophecies, he was told to buy a loincloth and put it around his waist. I assume he was also told to publicly display the loincloth (wear it without anything else) because that would have been the only way for Israel to make the connection he was about to make in a prophecy from God about the loincloth. He was told to take it off after he had worn it and go to the Euphrates and hide it there in the cleft of a rock. Later (we aren’t told how much later), he was told to go retrieve the loincloth. When he did, behold, it was spoiled, “good for nothing.”

Then God told Jeremiah,
“Even so will I spoil the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who stubbornly follow their own heart and have gone after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be like this loincloth, which is good for nothing. For as the loincloth clings to the waist of man, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, declares the Lord. That they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory, but they would not listen.”

Then a strange exchange of words took place. God told Jeremiah to tell Israel, “Every jar will be filled with wine.” Israel’s response, “Do we not indeed know that every jar will be filled with wine?” (v.12) It may seem subtle 2700 years later, but it appears they completely misunderstand what Jeremiah’s words, as given to Him by God, meant for them. They thought it meant they would once again be celebrating and partying, living the good life. Jeremiah told them what it really meant,

Behold, I will fill with drunkenness all inhabitants of this land: the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And I will dash them one against another, fathers and sons together, declares the Lord. I will not pity or spare or have compassion, that I should not destroy them.

Today, across this immense parcel of land we call the United States of America, God is sending His prophets, and they are few, to warn it His judgment is about to come upon it for its complete and utter refusal to listen to and live by His word. I don’t know who they are or where they are, but I am confident I am not the only one to whom He is speaking. Small groups like those of you who are reading this blog are getting His warnings; and you are either getting down on your knees and praying He will turn the hearts of the leaders and citizens of this land back to Him or you are going on your way each day, continuing to do as you have always done.

The future of this land depends on those of us who claim to be God’s children. We can repent of our sin, get on our knees and ask God to forgive us and our leaders for all of our sin, beseech Him to transform all of our lives, give all of us a new heart of flesh, and make us His faithful servants; or, we can let come what may come. Are you willing to be a sign to America? Would you do what the Lord asked Jeremiah to do if He asked you to do it? Are you the loincloth before it was hidden in the cleft of the rock? Or are you good for nothing? You decide; if the Lord is God follow Him. There is no middle ground when it comes to obedience and unwavering faithfulness to the living God and His revealed word. Compromise of truth is what got us into the mess in which we find ourselves in the first place. And that’s His word for us today.