23/01/2017 - DO NOT PROVOKE THE LORD’S WRATH

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Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: You have seen all the calamity that I have brought on Jerusalem and on all the cities of Judah; and behold, this day they are a desolation, and no one dwells in them. Jeremiah 44.2

The Lord is good, pure, and perfect, but He will allow the enemy to oppress he who does not obey His commandments, though they might already have been helped, healed, and saved by His mercy. As a Righteous Judge, He will not keep he who does not want to be kept, or protect he who is careless about what could happen. People such as these have exchanged the loving care of God for a terrible desolation.

The people of Judah did not get things right, even though they saw what happened to the kingdom of the North, which preferred to serve demons. They were led into captivity by the Assyrians, and the people of Judah became slaves in Babylon. Whoever decides to despise the Lord excludes himself from His protecting power, and at the same time, opens himself to the forces of evil and the enemy’s perverse will. Have mercy, Lord!

The prosperous land where the Lord was taking them would be transformed into a desert, and no one would live there anymore. This is a warning for believers who are living a life of sin; when they wake up, it will be too late. The stubbornness of sinning may lead them to suffer in the hands of evil spirits. Many saved people have been afflicted by the same attacks they suffered before their salvation.

The evil done by the inhabitants of Judah, such as burning incense to strange god, put the Lord to wrath, so He allowed them to be enslaved. It is evident that these gods do not exist; they are, in fact, demons. Those who surrender to prostitution and other sins bow to these strange “gods”, and thus, nothing works out well in their lives, and it will be even worst after death.

The Most High sent His servants, the prophets, who did not sleep (v. 4) to warn the people not to do such things. However, since they did not listen to Him, but were deceived by the easy life of idolatry, they were surrendered to the demons whom they loved. Look at what you have done and return in repentance to God.

The Lord is offended when He sends you messengers to warn you of your mistake, and instead of accepting the rebuke, you close yourself and do not listen to Him. There are some people who surrender themselves even more to sin, which will certainly make them prove the bitter taste of their attitude. Every permission from God to discipline you happens because you refuse to listen to His voice.

Never provoke the divine wrath, because when the Lord says that your ways are not right, He is actually being a true Friend. If you remain in sin, your suffering will be eternal. Make the decision of not being contaminated by temptations, and decide to obey the Lord.

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares