- Prepare yourselves baggage for exile, O inhabitants of Egypt! For Memphis shall become a waste, a ruin, without inhabitant. Jeremiah 46:19 – Essentially what the Lord was saying was pack your bags for your exile is certain. The majority of this book has been God’s message directed at the people of Judah, yet now we are going to begin to see the Lord speak to the pagan nations around Judah. This chapter is directed at Egypt. Egypt thought themselves to be a powerhouse of a nation, one that could defeat any army and flaunted that pride. What we see the Lord speak to Egypt was the word that all their might couldn’t save them from the power of Babylon that was coming their way. Soon they would be humiliated and defeated, and like so many other lands their people would be taken into exile. In our verse above God is telling the people to go ahead and pack their bags to be taken into exile, even though the enemy hasn’t even shown up yet. There was no use in trying to fight against what God had spoken, for whatever God said would happen would. In our story we too can’t find success in trying to fight against what God has spoken. We can try with all our might to change the course of things to go a different path than God said it would, but all our efforts would be in vain. If God says consequences follow our sin, then there is no getting around that. If God says only through Jesus can we come to the Father, then there is no working a back door to the Father. What the Lord speaks is sure and surely will take place. Find peace is humbly submitting to the truth that what God says will take place, and find joy in knowing that this isn’t just about God words around His wrath, but also about the fulfillment of His promises to you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3276
- Go up to Gilead, and take balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt! In vain you have used many medicines; there is no healing for you. Jeremiah 46:11 – Our own efforts can’t fix the situation we are in concerning God’s wrath. We see that here in our passage with them trying to use medicines to fix the problem their sinfulness had created. We too must realize that however we try to fix the predicament of where our sin got us outside of God will always come up short. Only a perfect and holy sacrifice can appease God’s wrath on our sin. Thankfully that sacrifice was made by Jesus. So stop the vain effort of trying to fix your wrong standing with God on your own terms, only through Jesus can you find healing with God. Just know Jesus is freely waiting to help you and walk with you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 965
- But fear not, O Jacob my servant, nor be dismayed, O Israel, for behold, I will save you from far away, and your offspring from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease, and none shall make him afraid. Fear not, O Jacob my servant, declares the Lord, for I am with you. I will make a full end of all the nations to which I have driven you, but of you I will not make a full end. I will discipline you in just measure, and I will by no means leave you unpunished. Jeremiah 46:27-28 – I wouldn’t have noticed this unless a commentary pointed it out, but these verses almost mirror the verses in Jeremiah 30:10-11 when spoken about their Babylonian captivity. Whether Egypt, Babylon, or even Satan himself, what we see is God holds the power to save us. No matter how far away the enemy may take us or how deep of captivity we find ourselves in, God remains with us and has the power to save. He will discipline us where and when we need it, but unlike our enemy He won’t make a full end of us. God’s end for us is in glory with Him. Know then today you may be where you don’t want to be. Maybe it was even your own actions that brought you there. If your Savior is Jesus, know that place isn’t your forever home. Yes, God will allow us to learn from our mistakes and that process may be costly, but He will always deliver from evil those who turn to Him. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2178
Daily DEVO 