After disclosing his
observation of the overthrown city of Jerusalem and it's patrons,
Jeremiah transitions his words to speak of the source of these
devastating events. In chapter four and verse eleven, Jeremiah named
“The LORD” as the cause where he wrote:
The LORD has
accomplished his fury; he has poured out his fierce anger, and has
kindled a fire in Zion, and it has devoured the foundations thereof.
The
verse begins, “The LORD has accomplished his fury;”
Jeremiah wrote that the LORD
“accomplished”
which means “consumed, determined, ended, failed, finished,
be complete, be ended, be at an end, be finished, or be spent” his
“fury” or “heat, rage, hot displeasure, indignation,
anger, wrath, poison or venom”. Notice that the word “accomplished”
is in the past tense form. Within this one word we know the Lord
fulfilled what He promised He would do, and Jerusalem felt the heat
of God's wrath.
The
verse goes on to say, “he has poured out his fierce anger, and
has kindled a fire in Zion,” As though one phrase wasn't enough
to describe what the Lord did, Jeremiah repeats the thought with
“poured out his fierce anger” and “has kindled a fire
in Zion”. The word “fierce” means “anger or heat”
and like molten steel that is poured out the Lord's anger fell upon
the rebellious people of the city. The word “kindled”
means “burn, set on fire and left desolate” and refers to when a
person starts a fire, leaves it unattended and it becomes a wildfire
destroying all that is in it's path.
Finally
the verse goes on to say, “and it has devoured the foundations
thereof.” The result of God accomplishing His fury, pouring out
His fierce anger and kindling a fire in Zion was “it has
devoured” which means “eaten, consumed, wasted and destroyed”
“the foundations” or “base or bottom” of the city. Ash
several inches thick could be found over the city of Jerusalem when
it was overthrown, and the fulfillment of God's promise to destroy
them was just as He said.
When
most people think about God they think of Him being gracious, loving
and kind, and they think correctly. However, we see by this verse
that God does have His limit, and the people of Jerusalem exceeded
it. We might use our time of pondering to think of those who may be
at God's limit and pray they will turn to Him before it is too late.
May the Lord remind us of His grace that is extended to all well
before He pours out His fury on those who refuse to receive Him.
Next
time see how the people of Jerusalem thought themselves impenetrable,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be
Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the
Mount” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ;
www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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