Day 235 – Jeremiah 49-50

Talking Points

• God prophesies His judgment on more nations. Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar, Hazar, Elam, and Babylon will face God’s great wrath. He promises to bring terror on them and make them objects of horror.
• After a great reign of terror and much military success, Babylon itself will be brought low. As unlikely and improbable as this may have seemed, as she had done to others, God would now inflict His judgment on the nation of Babylon.
• Once again, discussing the grievous sins of God’s people, it is pointed out how the shepherds (priests, prophets, leaders) played a role in their fall into wickedness. God says, “Their shepherds have led them astray” (Jeremiah 50:6). There is a grave need for obedient, bold, Godly shepherds.
• God promises restoration for His people. They will return to their land, and their sins will be forgiven, pardoned by the LORD. This act of grace and mercy will come from God, their Redeemer. “Their Redeemer is strong, the LORD of hosts is His name…” (50:34). Redeemer translates as “one who acts as a kinsman and buys back.” Salvation comes through redemption. Praise the Lord for our strong Redeemer, Jesus!

Thoughts

Today, in Christian circles, we talk about being “saved” or getting “saved.” It sounds weird, but it is, in fact, exactly Biblical. The Bible says, “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). By faith in Jesus Christ, we are saved! And, praise the Lord we are!

So, what are we saved from? Maybe we consider how we are saved from hell or saved from sin and its consequences. Maybe we are taught we are saved from our old nature and its slavery to sin. Those are absolutely true results of our great salvation.

But, we should also be completely positive: When we are saved, we are saved from the fierce anger of God. We are saved from God’s sure and promised judgment, poured out in justice and in anger. You read that right — in anger. God has told us in no uncertain terms that His anger toward sin and, yes, sinners will be poured out on those who are not in Christ. He promises that judgment will be terrible, unimaginable, punitive, and eternal. Let us not forget: when we are saved, that is what we are saved from. Thank the Lord! Praise the Lord!

“Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.” (Romans 5:9)