The Court of Heaven
October 25 Jeremiah 48:1-49:22
Object Lessons That Demand Obedience
The Court of Heaven
“Beauty fades. Dumb is forever.”
“I’m the boss, Applesauce.”
Those are just a couple of Judge Judy’s famous quotes.
No one pulls “the wool” over her eyes! When she steps behind the judges’ bench people start to wrench because the truth is about to be revealed… like it or not!
The court is in session and here are the cases coming up for sentencing in today’s passage:
Moab is present and charged for their trust in their god Chemosh. In his unfaithfulness, even King Solomon had worshiped this false deity.
This was a big mistake! The wisest man who ever lived was proving Judge Judy right… “Beauty fades. Dumb is forever.”
What king who was given all wisdom, splendor, peace, and unlimited wealth bites the hand that feeds him? Well, that was Solomon and the god was Chemosh. Moab’s sin was complacency. They cozied up to this false god and the problem with this is that the real king on the throne is the God of the universe. They had broken his first commandment. “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
Moab was also known for pride, insolence, arrogance, pride and a haughty heart. (48: 29)
“I eat morons like you for breakfast. You’re gonna be crying before this is over.” --Judge Judy
In light of their behavior, Moab isn’t going to make it until lunch!
Next on the docket is Edom, who were descendants of Esau, Jacob’s brother. Not to mention, Egypt, Ammon, and Babylon.
They all had something in common… Pride, arrogance, idolatry, rebellion, and blasphemy.
It is judgment day and God is IN THE HOUSE…and it is HOUSE CLEANING TIME.
Those that took pleasure in harming the people of God are receiving punishment. Those that spoke as if they worshipped God but really worshipped idols are “going down”.
God is really accomplishing three goals all across the land…
Purge, Purify, & Pledge.
Jeremiah demonstrates God’s object lessons to His people over and over again, “And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me, and I will pardon all their iniquities”…(Jer. 33:8)
The Almond Rod (1: 11-12), The Boiling Caldron (1:13-14), The marred girdle (13:1-11), The full bottle (13:12-14, The drought (14: 1-12, The Potter’s vessel, (18: 1-6), The baskets of figs (24: 1-10).
They say “A picture paints a thousand words”... Their God has given them a million pictures! This is what love looks like… This is what discipline feels like.
They weren’t listening then and they aren’t listening now…
Over and over in the book of Jeremiah, we have seen glimpses of Grace as well.
Christ is pictured in the book of Jeremiah as the Fountain of Living waters (2:13), The Great Physician (8:22), The Good Shepherd (31: 10; 23: 4), and The Righteous Branch (23:5).
There are glimpses of him as the Redeemer and our Righteousness.
God is PURGING this “Rotten Meat” as it can not be salvaged so that He can send his only Beloved son, Jesus to PURIFY His people from their sins.
What is God seeking?
Do you remember God’s words, “All you Judeans now living in Egypt: ‘I have sworn by my great name,’ says the LORD, ‘that my name will no longer be spoken by ANY of the Judeans in the land of Egypt. None of you may invoke my name or use this oath: “As surely as the Sovereign LORD lives.” (44:26)
They spoke his name but did NOT honor HIS name!
God is a covenant God who seeks a two-way relationship.
Words without action don’t count. If you think Judge Judy is tough you “haven’t seen nothin’ yet!”…God is not fooled!
We dare not miss that not all of the prophecies in this passage are completed yet. The passages of Babylon were true for that day but also conveyed a future meaning as well…
The Court of Heaven will convene again soon… I praise God that we have a great advocate and defense attorney who has paid our debt. There is but one name by which we are saved!
PS. He's the boss, applesauce!
