“Known Ahead of Time!” FBC Morning Light (10/23/2023)

A good Tuesday morning to you. Today, in our Bible reading, we're in Jeremiah chapter 49 and 50, about to finish up the book of Jeremiah, and then Hebrews chapter 8 and Ecclesiastes chapter 10. I want to focus on Jeremiah this morning, and something struck me as I was reading through these chapters.

If you think back, if you've been following in this Bible reading schedule, maybe you notice this as well. Back in chapter 46, you start having this series of pronouncements of judgment that's coming upon these different lands.

In chapter 46, for example, there's the judgment on Egypt, and the Lord says that the Babylonians are going to come against Egypt and going to bring destruction, going to defeat the Egyptians. Then in chapter 47, he pronounces judgment on Philistia.

In chapter 48, a judgment on Moab. Chapter 49, where we're reading today, he pronounces judgment on Ammon, the Ammonites, and also the Edomites and Damascus. Then in the end of chapter 49, judgment on Elam.

The Lord's Foreknowledge in Jeremiah's Judgments

What struck me as I began this reading today, and as I was reflecting back on how there's this judgment pronounced against all these different places, it struck me that the amazing thing in these chapters is that the Lord announced ahead of time how these various nations were all going to be destroyed and overthrown by the Babylonians.

What's amazing about that is it was absolutely correct. That's exactly what happened. The Lord announced ahead of time that the Babylonians were going to come and overthrow Egypt and Ammon and Elam and Moab and so on.

He announced it ahead of time. This is amazing because of the foreknowledge, the omniscience of God, that he could announce this judgment was going to come, and then it came exactly as he announced it.

What's also interesting is that the ones who brought this judgment or this punishment or this military defeat in these different places was Babylon. The Babylonians came and destroyed all these countries.

But then you come to chapter 50, and in chapter 50 it says that this judgment is going to come on Babylon as well. Think about this. Well before any of the military victories of Babylon over these different countries, the Lord said Babylon was going to defeat them, and then he said Babylon is going to be defeated by yet another nation.

He says in verse 3 of chapter 50, out of the north a nation comes up against Babylon which shall make her land desolate and no one shall dwell therein. That's exactly what happened. Is this amazing? This should give us a great deal of confidence in the veracity, the reliability, the dependability of Scripture and biblical prophecy.

What the Lord says is going to take place will indeed take place. He's proved it over and over again. But there's more. Not only does the Lord say this judgment is going to come, but he also promises in a couple of different places some gracious restoration.

Restoration Promised for Ammon and Elam

So in chapter 49 verse 6, for example, after he declares this judgment the Babylonians are going to defeat and destroy the Ammonites, in verse 6 he says, but afterward I will bring back the captives of the people of Ammon.

I will bring some restoration. And also in verse 39 of chapter 49, after he speaks of the judgment on Elam, in verse 39 he says, but it shall come to pass in the latter days I will bring back the captives of Elam.

And then I also want you to notice in chapter 50, with this destruction of Babylon, that the Lord is going to bring about that destruction of Babylon, the overthrow of Babylon for the sake of his people.

And we see this in chapter 50 verses 17 and following. He says, Israel is like a scattered sheep. This is the way things are. The lions have driven him away. First the king of Assyria devoured him. Now at last this Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has broken his bones.

Therefore, verse 18, thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, behold I will punish the king of Babylon and his land as I have punished the king of Assyria. I'm going to bring their defeat as well.

But, he says, I will bring back Israel to his home. And he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan. His soul shall be satisfied on Mount Ephraim and Gilead. In those days and in that time, says the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought, but there shall be none.

The sins of Judah, but they shall not be found, for I will pardon those whom I preserve. So the Lord, in promising and prophesying that judgment is coming on these places and has come on his people, he also promises that there will be restoration for some of the other nations, but especially for his people.

God's Judgment and Grace Toward His People

What a wonderful, powerful, all-knowing God we serve. And not only powerful and righteous in his judgment, but gracious in the restoration that he brings. So our Father and our God, we do thank you today for who you are.

We thank you for your power, we thank you for your knowledge, we thank you for your grace and mercy and kindness to your people. We also thank you for your righteousness, that you bring judgment upon wickedness and erring people, but you do so for the sake of your people, and we thank you and praise you for it.

Now bless these thoughts to our hearts today, we pray in Jesus' name, amen. All right, well listen, I hope you have a good rest of your Tuesday, and may the Lord bless you in it. Have a good day.