Jeremiah 4:23

Jeremiah 4:23 says, I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.  God spoke of the coming destruction making the earth seem as it had during the creation.  There would be no cities left standing, and the smoke of the destruction would make it seem that there was no sun.  Verse twenty-four adds, I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.  God said that the mountains that they had worshipped other gods on would tremble.  Verse twenty-five states, I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.  God said that all the people of Israel and even the birds of the air would flee before the coming army.  The destruction was going to be massive, because the people were no longer worshipping God and no longer had His protection.  Verse twenty-six adds, I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger.  The fields would be as wilderness and the cities would be broken down in the presence of the LORD.  Even though it was a foreign army that was going to defeat the people of Israel, it was because of God no longer protecting them that it was allowed to happen.  Verse twenty-seven declares, For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.  God told the people of Israel that even though the destruction would be great that it would not be a complete destruction of God's people.  God would preserve a remnant that were still true to Him.  Verse twenty-eight adds, For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black: because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it.  God said that this was going to happen because He had said it would and He would not change His mind.  God has told us that one day the world is going to face His judgment, and of this we can be certain.  Verse twenty-nine continues, The whole city shall flee for the noise of the horsemen and bowmen; they shall go into thickets, and climb up upon the rocks: every city shall be forsaken, and not a man dwell therein.  God said the people of Israel would flee from the cities and attempt to hide in the woods, leaving the cities desolate.  Verse thirty asks, And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life.  God asked what they would do after they were spoiled or defeated.  He said they would attempt to make themselves look desirable by the enemy, but the enemy would still look to kill them.  The Chaldeans would not be impressed by attempts by the people of Israel to make themselves look desirable.  Verse thirty-one declares, For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, and the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, that bewaileth herself, that spreadeth her hands, saying, Woe is me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers.  God said the people of Israel would cry out like a woman in travail during child birth and would pronounce themselves to be full of woe.  Any time we as followers of Christ stray away from Him and move away from His protective hand, we are full of woe whether we acknowledge it or not.