Jeremiah 13:12-14 "Therefore you shall speak to them this word: 'Thus says the LORD God of Israel: "Every bottle shall be filled with wine."' "And they will say to you, 'Do we not certainly know that every bottle will be filled with wine?' "Then you shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land—even the kings who sit on David's throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem—with drunkenness! And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together," says the LORD. "I will not pity nor spare nor have mercy, but will destroy them."'" Each of the ‘Great Prophets’ — Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel — has his own unique voice and perspective, while each speaks the truth powerfully that The Lord has given him. These three verses from Jeremiah 13 are no different, and while we recognise the force in the words, the meaning seemed unclear — at least to me — until The Lord answered my question. Wine can be a picture of The Holy Spirit, and every bottle will refer to ‘His people’ (see verse 11). Jeremiah takes this image of being completely filled — with the Spirit — as an instrument of our destruction instead of salvation. Why is this? The answer must be that God’s people are in constant danger of going astray; can so fully abandon any vestige of holiness that the sinful life becomes their guiding principle. In Mark 3:24-25, Jesus says this: “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.“ The sin that God’s people committed — according to Jeremiah 13:11 — is that they would not hear. Thus the infilling of the Holy Spirit (Christ within you the hope of glory) becomes judgement instead of blessing in those who fail to hear God; simply because God cannot by His very nature touch anything unclean. Indeed, Mark 3:28-30 quotes Jesus as saying "Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation"— because they said, "He has an unclean spirit." The net effect of the power of God sweeping through a now sinful one of His people is the drunkenness that Jeremiah describes — a spiritual anger that destroys — the only cure for which is complete and utter repentance. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The LORD will judge His people." It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. [Hebrews 10:29-31] MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS REVELATION 14:6-7 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— saying with a loud voice, "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water." AT YOUR FEET WE FALL — David Fellingham LEONARD RAVENHILL on PRAYER The secret of praying is praying in secret. A sinning man will stop praying, and a praying man will stop sinning. LISTEN TO THIS MEDITATION BY CLICKING ON ‘DOWNLOAD FILE’ BELOW 
COMING NEXT … #509 PERFECT PEACE |
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