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Daily Devotions

Jeremiah

Jeremiah 
Day 
Day 143

"I will punish all"

Text: Jeremiah 9:25

THE CONCEPT OF DIVINE PUNISHMENT

The children of Judah could not understand the concept of Divine punishment. They thought that since they were the children of Israel, they would never be punished. They were quite wrong!

“‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the LORD,
‘that I will punish all who are circumcised with the uncircumcised—
Egypt, Judah, Edom, the people of Ammon, Moab,
and all who are in the farthest corners, who dwell in the wilderness.
For all these nations are uncircumcised,
and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.'”
Jeremiah 9:25-26

1. “‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the LORD”

a) The Lord spoke about the future.
b) This was a word of revelation from God.

2. “That I will punish all who are circumcised with the uncircumcised—”

a) A sombre statement was made.
b) The LORD spoke of Divine punishment.
c) The people who will be punished by the LORD:
i) The circumcised (the children of Judah)
ii) The uncircumcised (the Gentiles)

3. A short list of nations

a) Egypt
b) Judah
c) Ammon
d) Moab
e) Others who were not named as a nation.
i) “And all who are in the farthest corners”
ii) “Who dwell in the wilderness”
iii) These were nomadic tribes that travelled from place to place.

4. “For all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart”

a) The above list of nations
i) The people were uncircumcised.
ii) These were called Gentiles.
b) The house of Israel
i) This would include “the children of Judah”.
ii) Even if they were “circumcised in the heart”.
c) The punishment is not meted out on the basis
i) Of their circumcision.
ii) Or of their uncircumcision.
d) The divine punishments warned about.
i) This would be meted out to evildoers.
ii) The unrepentant would face Divine punishment.
iii) Divine punishment is the prerogative of the Lord God, the Divine Judge.