Wednesday, April 19, 2023

Judgments on the Nations (Ammon and Edom)

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Jeremiah 49:1-22

 

Proverbs 16:18

Pride goes before destruction,
    and a haughty spirit before a fall.

(ESV)

 

When we think of pride, we often think of one having pride in their accomplishments such as a promotion on their job, graduating from school, or even reaching a milestone like a 50th wedding anniversary. Pride in such accomplishments can be beneficial for it gives one a sense of accomplishment but when a haughty spirit accompanies pride, it becomes a destructive pride leading to a fall (Proverbs 16:18). Nations can also fall prey to this destructive pride, something both Ammon and Edom fell prey to.

 

The passage in Jeremiah 49:1-22 continues the series of judgments on the nations contained in the book of Jeremiah. This passage records the prophecies of judgment against Ammon and Edom. Both Ammon and Edom are part of modern-day Jordan along with Moab. While the judgments against Ammon and Edom differ, there is a common reason for God pronouncing judgment on them, pride.

 

1)      Ammon (Jeremiah 49:1-6) – The pronouncement of judgment against Ammon begins with the Lord asking why Milcom dispossessed Gad and settled in their cities (Jeremiah 49:1). The judgment pronounced against Ammon turns the tables on Ammon as Israel dispossesses those that dispossessed them, sending them into exile (Jeremiah 49:2-3). Ammon is guilty of boasting of their valleys and trusting in their treasures with a pronouncement of judgment bringing terror from the nations surrounding them (Jeremiah 49:4-5). However, the judgment does come with mercy from God with God restoring the fortunes of the Ammonites (Jeremiah 49:6).  

2)      Edom (Jeremiah 49:7-22) – The judgment against Edom begins with the Lord asking if wisdom and counsel have disappeared from Teman (Jeremiah 49:7). So devastating will be the destruction of Edom that God strips the nation bare, with any hiding places uncovered. Only the fatherless children are kept alive with the widows urged to trust in the Lord (Jeremiah 49:8-11). Since people who did not deserve to drink the cup of wrath from God must drink it, Edom has no hope of escaping the cup of God’s wrath (Jeremiah 49:12-13). The judgment from God will come at the hands of an envoy of nations God gathers to attack them (Jeremiah 49:14-15). Edom has brought horror to many nations with this creating deceptive pride in the heart of Edom offering no protection from the clefts of the rock and high places (Jeremiah 49:16). The destruction of Edom will be complete, resembling the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah with the hearts of their warriors resembling a woman in her birth pains (Jeremiah 49:17-22).

 

The judgment against Ammon is due to their boasting of their valleys and trusting in their treasures (Jeremiah 49:4). For Edom it is pride in their hearts because of the horror they have inspired among the nations. They believe hiding in the clefts of the rock and holding the heights of the hill are sufficient to provide protection, but the Lord intends to bring them down from there (Jeremiah 49:16). For both nations, the problem involves pride. Ammon is prideful of their valleys and treasures and Edom is prideful of their military strength and the strength of their defenses. God’s judgment has a purpose, bringing down the pride of Ammon and Edom. However, God does extend mercy to both nations. For Ammon, it is the promise of the restoration of their wealth (Jeremiah 49:6). For Edom it is God protecting their fatherless children and widows (Jeremiah 49:11).

 

Proverbs 16:18 reminds us of the danger of pride. Just as pride led to the fall of Ammon and Edom, pride can lead to our fall. When confronting Jesus, a rich ruler asked Jesus what he had to do to inherit eternal life (Luke 18:18). Jesus answers the question with a question, asking the ruler why he says He is good since only God is good (Luke 18:19). Of course since Jesus is God, He is good, but Jesus does not enter into a theological discussion of His deity. Instead, he cites the commandments against adultery, murder, stealing, lying, and dishonoring one's parents to which the ruler tells Jesus he has kept since his youth (Luke 18:20-21). Jesus then tells him he lacks one thing, he must sell all he has and give to the poor to have treasure in heaven, to which the man turned and walked away for he was wealthy with a haughty pride about his wealth (Luke 18:22-23). The issue keeping this ruler from inheriting eternal life was his pride in his wealth and his unwillingness to trust in God by storing treasure in heaven. His heart was in his wealth and not with God (Matthew 6:21).

 

We should regularly search our hearts to determine what we treasure. If it is not God, we must surrender it to God to rid ourselves of destructive pride and place our trust in God. This begins with one surrendering his or her life to Christ, making Him their savior. If you are reading this and have not done so, please pray with me now to ask Jesus to be your Savior,

 

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.

 

May God challenge and bless everyone reading this post.

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