Jeremiah 6:1

 Jeremiah 6:1 says, O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Bethhaccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction.  Jeremiah gave the people of Benjamin a dire warning.  They were to flee before the army coming from the north.  Benjamin occupied a part of Jerusalem, and although everything appeared safe, God said that destruction was coming because of His judgment.  Even if they were to flee Jerusalem and attempt to set up defenses elsewhere, the outcome would be the same.  Verse two adds, I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman.  God said that the people of Israel were like a delicate woman who knew no hardship and was ill prepared to handle it.  Matthew Henry says this points out that the more that we live in luxury the less able we are to handle problems when they come.  God had not really called the people of Israel to a life of luxury but to a life of service, and the same is true for us today as followers of Christ.  Verse three states, The shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed every one in his place.  Those who were coming against Jerusalem and the people of Benjamin were compared to shepherds, who are used to hard work with very little comfort from the things of this world.  Matthew Henry says this can also mean that the land that the people of Israel occupied was desirable to the Chaldeans, and that they would easily take it.  Without God to protect them, the people of Israel were not an impressive force to be dealt with.  We need to realize that when we are out of God's will that we are easily defeated by the evil that is all around us.  Verse four declares, Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day goeth away, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.  The Chaldeans resolved to prepare for war, even in the heat of the day.  We cannot choose to fight against evil only when it is convenient for us to do so, but must face it head on no matter the time of day.  Verse five adds, Arise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces.  Again, the time of day did not matter.  The invading army was ready to fight at anytime day or night, and the enemies of God still are today.  Verse six states, For thus hath the LORD of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.  We are given the reason for God allowing His chosen people to be defeated.  They had become wholly oppressive to God's will and calling.  The Chaldeans may have thought that they were being successful by their own power, but they were only successful because God had removed His protective hand from the people of Israel.  As long as we are obedient to God, we can never be defeated spiritually, even if we lose our life in this world, but if we begin to ignore God as His people, then we will see how easy it is for the world to lead us away from Him.  Verse seven continues, As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness: violence and spoil is heard in her; before me continually is grief and wounds.  God said that the wickedness of the people of Israel flowed like a fountain.  Verse eight declares, Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited.  God called on the people of Jerusalem to listen to Him once more unless they wanted to be made a desolate land.  God will always call on His people to listen to Him, and He gives us a warning of the destruction that will come if we do not.