Thought for August 4th. “THE LORD WILL ROAR …”

We have a most challenging selection of chapters today; the most challenging are the words the LORD to Jeremiah.  Suddenly, the LORD’s revelations to him about the future – extends far beyond the impending judgment on Jerusalem because of his people’s utter godlessness.    The LORD now looks further afield beginning with the nations nearby, Egypt, the Philistines, Edom, Moab …Tyre …”[25 v.19-21], these are the Arab nations adjoining Israel today, and then, “all the; kings of the north, far and near, one after another, and all the kingdoms of the world …” [v.26]This message about “all the kingdoms of the earth” is repeated twice.  Solomon in his wisdom said, “a threefold cord is not quickly broken” [Eccl. 4 v.12]  We must not avoid meditating on the climax to which Jeremiah’s message develops, “The LORD will roar from on high …. against all the inhabitants of the earth… for the LORD has an indictment against the nations, he is entering into judgement with all flesh.” [v.31]Fearsome!  God’s judgment to be upon all, whether they believe in him – or not!     And those who believe in him?  Paul’s words today that we read in the 14th chapter of Romans should dominate their minds – surely that includes you and I!   More that our human anxiety about what we might face as our world suffers God’s judgements, is the way Paul quotes Isaiah 45 v.23, words that are totally challenging to each one of us.  Paul writes, “For we will all stand before the judgement seat of God; for it is written, ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue confess to God.’  So then each of us will give an account of him(her)self to God.” [v.10-12]