Jeremiah 25:27 says, Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Drink ye, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you. God's judgment called on the people of Judah to fall, because they had turned from Him. Verse twenty-eight states, And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ye shall certainly drink. Jeremiah was to offer the cup of wine to all the rulers, and if they refused to drink it, he was to tell them that God said that they would indeed drink it. The cup represented the coming judgment, and even if the rulers did not want to accept the fact that it was coming, it was coming nonetheless. Whether we believe it or not, God's word will always be fulfilled. Verse twenty-nine declares, For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the LORD of hosts. God said that He was bringing judgment on Jerusalem, and asked if the rest of the people of Judah thought that they would escape His judgment. If those who follow idolatry are punished, those who teach them to do so should not expect to escape it. Verse thirty proclaims, Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth. God had been patient with His people as they turned away from Him, but now His judgment was at hand. God may not immediately deal with us if we stray away from His word, but we will ultimately be held accountable. Even if we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we are not free to do whatever we desire to do, but must look to the Holy Spirit for guidance. Verse thirty-one adds, A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the LORD. God said this judgment was going to come on all the nations who were ruled by wickedness. Verse thirty-two declares, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth. God said that the coming judgment would be like a great whirlwind, which destroys everything in its path even if you do not hear it coming. Verse thirty-three adds, And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground. God said that those killed during this time would not be mourned nor buried. When Christ returns, those who have not accepted Him as Savior and Lord will likewise find themselves without any hope. Verse thirty-four states, Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel. God warned that even those who were looked on with the greatest honor would fall. How we are viewed by the world is not important, but how we are viewed by God is the all important question. Verse thirty-five adds, And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape. God said that there would be no way of escape for the shepherds or the flock. Those who were supposed to be the spiritual leaders of the people of Judah would fall with the rest of the people. Verse thirty-six continues, A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and an howling of the principal of the flock, shall be heard: for the LORD hath spoiled their pasture. God said the cry of the shepherds would be heard, because He had spoiled their pasture. Verse thirty-seven states, And the peaceable habitations are cut down because of the fierce anger of the LORD. God said there would be no place of peace for them. We may declare everything good in life today, but if we are not living in accordance with God's word, then we will find no place of real peace. Verse thirty-eight concludes, He hath forsaken his covert, as the lion: for their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger. God said that He was no longer going to protect the people of Judah because they had turned away from Him. God's judgment will always be based on our failing to live up to our relationship with Him, and not be just because God has tuned His back on us while we were being obedient to Him.
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