Jeremiah 12:14-17

14 Thus says the LORD: “Against all My evil neighbors who touch the inheritance which I have caused My people Israel to inherit—behold, I will pluck them out of their land and pluck out the house of Judah from among them. 15 Then it shall be, after I have plucked them out, that I will return and have compassion on them and bring them back, everyone to his heritage and everyone to his land. 16 And it shall be, if they will learn carefully the ways of My people, to swear by My name, ‘As the LORD lives,’ as they taught My people to swear by Baal, then they shall be established in the midst of My people. 17 But if they do not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation,” says the LORD.
Jeremiah 12:14-17 NKJV

The nations by which the punishment of God's people came would not escape the judgments of God. Even though God allowed them to destroy and capture the Jews, the hands of the Babylonians and their allies were not innocent. The wickedness of those by whom the captivity came would merit justice. Those nations who had taught Judah the worship of false gods and encouraged them to forsake the true God, bore some responsibility for their actions. Judah was not free from their own responsibility for doing what they knew to be wrong. Going along with evil just because everyone else is doing it does not absolve one of responsibility for what we choose to do. Those who lead in the evil are also accountable to God for what happens and for their choices. Faithfulness to God's leading is the only way we have of being kept in His life. Our choices will determine our fate. God said that when he gave Judah a second chance by bringing them back to the land of promise, He would also give the nations around a second chance. If the nations learned the ways of obedience to God and worshipped Him who was their creator, they too would rest in the love and blessings of God. The final end of Judah and the nations around was not yet to be. There would come a time when they would be able to choose to serve the Lord and put their trust in Him. The witness of God's justice with His people and His mercy with His people would give opportunity for all the nations to choose to follow the true God. Judah would have the chance to teach the surrounding nations of His love and what it meant to be faithful to God. The second chance would lead to choices once again for God or against God. The captivity would be a time of learning to trust in God, a chance to develop the heart religion that the Jews needed so desperately.


Lord,
Help me today to be a help to others and not a hindrance. Help me to point others towards You. Help me to refrain from doing anything that would cause others to move farther from You. Help me to act in ways that help others see Your love for them. don't let me get in the way with my ego to come between You and any of Your children.