Suffering the Consequences

 

By:  Dale Weckbacher

 

Text:  Jeremiah 7:30-8:3

 

John 3:17-18

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  ¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

(ESV)

 

The sons of Judah have exhausted God’s grace through ignoring God’s many calls to repent and turn back to God.  However, God remains gracious and gives Judah another opportunity to repent by providing details of one of the detestable things they have done in their land and the consequences it will bring.  We find these details in Jeremiah 7:31 describing the sacrifices at the high places of Topheth where they sacrificed their children to the pagan gods they choose to worship.  While we may read this passage and become appalled at how the sons of Judah could justify such brutality, it does not differ from the millions of unborn babies aborted each year at the altar of free sex and the elimination of an unwanted pregnancy.  While we are fortunate to have a gracious God, we must guard against exhausting God’s grace and suffering the full consequences of our sin.  God’s grace is not an excuse to sin but rather a provision of an opportunity to repent of sin (Romans 2:4-5).  May we not suffer the consequences of an unrepentant attitude of sin like Judah and instead develop an attitude of repentance, knowing God will forgive sin confessed from a repentant heart (1 John 1:9). 

 

The topic heading for Jeremiah 7:30-8:3 is the valley of slaughter.  This is a reference to the new name given to the Topheth, the Valley of the Son of Hinnom.  The Valley of the Son of Hinnom was located at the southern shoulder of Jerusalem (Joshua 15:8).  The changing of the name to the Valley of Slaughter is in reference to the defilement of the area due to the offering of children as offerings to Molech (2 Kings 23:10).  In addition to the detestable practice of offering their children to a pagan god, the area was a place where the sons of Judah practiced fortune-telling, omens, sorcery, dealing with mediums, and with necromancers or those practicing wizardry or magic (2 Chronicles 33:6). 

 

Those practicing these detestable acts in this location would have known the Lord was speaking to them, giving them an opportunity to repent and receive forgiveness by returning to the Lord (Deuteronomy 30:1-3).  However, they continue to ignore the warnings from God and will be buried in Topheth because there will be no room elsewhere with their bodies becoming food for the birds.  The cities of Judah and Jerusalem will also be silenced with no sound of mirth, gladness, or the voice of the bride or bridegroom.  With the benefit of hindsight, I find myself screaming at the page saying repent but know this is a historical account that I have no control over.  Instead, as we read this we must learn from the historical account and make sure we do not repeat the mistakes made by the sons of Judah.  Unfortunately, the murder of millions of unborn children through abortion indicates the historical lesson is ignored subjecting modern society to God’s judgment.  Please join me in praying society realizes how detestable the practice of abortion on demand is to God our creator and repent and stop the practice. 

 

The evil done by Judah will have consequences.  Judah has committed a detestable crime against God by setting detestable items of worship to other gods in the temple of the Lord where God dwelt during the Old covenant (Jeremiah 7:30).  They also practiced human sacrifices of their children at the high places of Topheth, something unheard of by God (Jeremiah 7:31).  The consequences or sentence God declares for these crimes is the bringing out of their bodies from their tombs, displaying their bones under the sun, moon, and hosts of heaven they have worshipped in place of God.  So angered is God with Judah’s detestable practices, he will not even gather or bury their bones but declares they will be as dung on the ground.  God warned Judah numerous times and yet they chose to ignore the warnings and must now suffer the consequences (Jeremiah 7:1-3). 

 

While grace from God is a wonderful thing making it possible for us to have salvation from our sins (Ephesians 2:8) it is also something we must not abuse.  While those with great and egregious sin may boast at receiving God’s grace, all need God’s grace for all have sinned (Romans 3:23).  Additionally, since our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), to continue sinning after receiving salvation through a profession of faith in Jesus as savior is defiling the temple of God.  For revival to come in our world, the church must study God’s Word to lose conformity to the world and its sinful practices and lead transformed lives through the renewal of their minds by God’s Word (Romans 12:1-2).  God promises not to tempt His children to sin beyond what they can tolerate (1 Corinthians 10:13) so when tempted to sin look for the way out and consider the consequences.    

 

There are many detestable practices in the world today that will not end through the political system or some great human leader but only through the intervention of God.  God does not force Himself on people and only does so when asked so I want to take a moment to invite those who need Godly intervention in their lives to pray with me now to either accept Jesus as their savior for the first time or rededicate their lives to serving God,

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

For those that just prayed, know that you are not under God’s condemnation but his grace for Jesus did not come the first time to judge the world but save it (John 3:17).  I now encourage everyone to share this post and blog with others that need Jesus in their lives so they can escape God’s condemnation and be saved by God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8).  May God bless everyone reading this post and blog and continue praying for revival in our troubled world.