Are We Humble or Proud?

O. T. #1756  "Are We Humble or Proud?"
August 14, 2020
Jeremiah 13
Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud for the LORD hath spoken. (verse

LET IT GLOW

When I looked out the window of my front door, I saw such a contrast of the tiny hummingbird and the huge vulture. They were both flying around searching for food. The red flowers on my porch attracted the small bird for sweet nectar. There must have be a dead animal in the wooded area that caused the big bird to fly overhead. Jeremiah's life was a contrast of an obedient, godly servant and those marred with corruption and sin; humility and pride.

When Jeremiah surrendered himself to be used by God, little did he know what that involved and where he would go. In this chapter, God gave specific instructions in order to use Jeremiah to illustrate an effort to bring Judah to repentance and their condition. Judah was a precious people to God who were to give Him praise and glory. There were two object lessons for the people found here-a linen girdle and bottle of wine.
Concerning the first, what were those instructions?

• Go buy a linen girdle (a belt; also a band), wear it, and don't wash it.
• Wear the girdle to the Euphrates River, hide it in a hole in the rocks.
• After a long time, go get the girdle that was hid.
• It was marred (to decay; ruin; corrupt; waste) so the girdle was good for nothing because it was rotting and falling apart.

Some commentaries say that this linen girdle was worn as an undergarment under Jeremiah's robe. Others say it was like a belt that held the robe in place and used to gird it up out of the way while working or running. It was a sash that was to not get wet nor washed. This way it was stronger and less likely to rot, as well as stiff and less apt to bend. Judah was to remain close to God, strong and showing God to the world. But their rebellion spoiled it all.
The Euphrates River was far away, in Babylonian territory, perhaps 700-1,000 miles total journey by foot. It would have taken a few weeks for Jeremiah to accomplish this trip. Babylon is where their bondage would take place. The moisture in this area would ruin the girdle. As the rotten linen was like rags and good for nothing, so were the chosen people. That is why it must have remained dry before it was placed in a hole in the rock. It was their idolatry that spoiled their relationship with God.
Then Jeremiah was told to make another trip to retrieve the girdle. (I recon he got his exercise, huh.)
The girdle was useless, good for nothing, and do was Judah, for pride made them that way.

Have we been closer to God than today? Have we allowed pride to seep into our life and we go on our merry way? Have we allowed sin to seep in our heart and make our life seem to be good for nothing? Are we clinging to Jesus during this pandemic?
There is hope-Jesus Christ. Come to Him if you are weary and heavy laden and He will give you rest.
Even if sin has marred us, Jesus will forgive and clean us up.

LET IT GROW

The second object lesson or illustration?

• Bottles (animal skin or earthen jars) were to be filled to the brim with wine.
• The people, kings, priests, propjets, and inhabitants of Jerusalem, would be filled with drunkenness (intoxication).

The drunkenness of the people, their irrationality and helplessness, showed their ruin under divine judgment. God told them that He would not pity, spare, have mercy on them, but destroy them. (verse 14) Judah had digressed into a people worthlessness, uselessness, despicable, and gone to the rag pile.
Pride kept them from repenting. But pride goes before destruction and a fall. God resists the proud. But His grace was available for the humble.
Are we proud or humble? Is it our self that we are exalting or the God who provides us with everything we have?

LET IT GO
Americans need rescuing, Jesus, for we are a proud and prosperous people, in need of nothing.
Reach down and rescue us, O God of mercy.
Just give me Jesus.