Jeremiah 22:1

 Jeremiah 22:1 says, Thus saith the LORD; Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word,  God sent Jeremiah to the king of Judah's house.  Jeremiah was to speak to the earthly king of the people of Judah on behalf of the heavenly King, Who was the only one Who mattered.  We must not fear to speak out against the rulers of this land if God tells us to.  Verse two declares, And say, Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, that sittest upon the throne of David, thou, and thy servants, and thy people that enter in by these gates:  God gave Jeremiah the message to share with the king.  He was to remind him of who he was, and that was the king of God's people.  He sat on the throne of David, a man after God's own heart.  The king was called on to hear God's word.  We as followers of Christ can never afford to forget who we are and Who we represent in the world today.  Verse three adds, Thus saith the LORD; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place.  Jeremiah was to tell the king that it was time to following God's law, which the king should have already known and have been doing.  Verse four concludes, For if ye do this thing indeed, then shall there enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, he, and his servants, and his people.  Jeremiah was to tell the king that if he and the people of Israel continued to follow God that God would continue to bless and protect them.  If we are being obedient to God's word, He will always bless us spiritually, no matter what happens in this life.  Verse five then proclaims, But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith the LORD, that this house shall become a desolation.  Jeremiah was to then tell the king what would happen if he did not listen to and follow God's word.  The word but serves as a warning to the king based on His choice.  The same is true today.  If we obey God's law He will bless us, but if we don't, then we will suffer the consequences of our disobedience.  Verse six adds, For thus saith the LORD unto the king’s house of Judah; Thou art Gilead unto me, and the head of Lebanon: yet surely I will make thee a wilderness, and cities which are not inhabited.  Jeremiah was to tell the king that as long as he was obedient to God that he was like Gilead to God, or that God was with him.  Verse seven continues, And I will prepare destroyers against thee, every one with his weapons: and they shall cut down thy choice cedars, and cast them into the fire.  The God said that if they king continued in disobedience that he would no longer have the protection of God and that he would find his defenses worthless.  If we attempt to stand under our own power without God's protection, none of our defenses will be worth anything.  Verse eight says, And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this great city?  God said that other nations would ask why God had done this to the people of Judah.  Other people may not have given God credit for the success of Judah, but they would question why He had caused their destruction.  Verse nine concludes, Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God, and worshipped other gods, and served them.  God had an answer for those who questioned what had happened to Judah.  It was because they had forsaken their God and had worshipped and served other gods.  No one can serve God effectively if there is any other god in their life.