Could This Warning Be Applied to the Western Christian World?
Jeremiah is the major prophet who warned God’s people prior to the first fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple and city. He had been admonishing God’s people to reject paganism and decadence for decades, then Jehovah sent him this shocking message:
Jeremiah 11:13-14, “For according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem you have set up altars to that shameful thing, altars to burn incense to Baal.
“So do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry out to Me because of their trouble.”
The nation was inundated with various idols. Pagan peoples had a number of idols, some for weather or prosperity or fertility or success in battle etc. At this point in history, God’s people had sunk to this level. They were complete backsliders. Note what God says.
Jeremiah 11:15-16, “What has My beloved to do in My house, Having done lewd deeds with many? And the holy flesh has passed from you. When you do evil, then you rejoice.
“The LORD called your name, Green Olive Tree, Lovely and of Good Fruit. With the noise of a great tumult He has kindled fire on it, And its branches are broken.” (NKJV)
Jehovah is telling them that they now rejoice in evil and lewd behavior. Does the West celebrate sinfulness? Jeremiah’s warning is that God, having blessed them in the past, is now threatening to remove His protection and let them be burned down. God hates paganism, which included burning babies to pagan gods out of superstitious fears. They had been called by God “lovely,” but no longer.
Has the Western World Reached the Point of No Return?
When a plane flies out over the ocean it reaches a point at which it cannot return to the home base, it must be able to reach the destination or suffer disaster. Jeremiah was telling the nation that they had reached such a point. If a nation, such as Nineveh, repents God can remove all curses and penalties. They will be safe. Jeremiah is warning that the nation has gone too far down the road of decadence to turn back to God. The enemy had now entered the land and the suffering had begun (around 597 B.C.).
Jeremiah 14:9-11, “Why should You be like a man astonished, Like a mighty one who cannot save? Yet You, O LORD, are in our midst, And we are called by Your name; Do not leave us!
“Thus says the LORD to this people: ‘Thus they have loved to wander; They have not restrained their feet. Therefore the LORD does not accept them; He will remember their iniquity now, And punish their sins.’
“Then the LORD said to me, ‘Do not pray for this people, for their good.’”
The king and the queen mother had both rejected Jeremiah’s warnings. But America has begun to back away from total abortion –– the sacrificing of babies for convenience and finances. Is this a positive sign that America has not reached a point of no return?
Jeremiah 14:12, “When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.”
Through Jeremiah and other prophets, God warns them of greater disasters if they do not repent. But other voices in that society were contradicting what the prophet was saying. Progressive clerics, progressive media pundits and a progressive education establishment are also telling us to ignore the Bible and the history of western civilization. Why? So they can steer our society down a very secular pathway. Is a substantial repentance possible?
We Too Are Ignoring Important Prophetic Warnings
The spokesmen for Jehovah warned Jerusalem, but other false messages led them to remain on their unwise, sinful, pagan course. They wanted only positive messages that confirmed their decadence.
Jeremiah 14:13-14, “Then I said, ‘Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, the prophets say to them, “You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.’”
“And the LORD said to me, ‘The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart.”
What are the western Christian nations listening to primarily, Biblical moral warnings or progressive license? We know the answer! The pattern is similar to the time of the fall of Jerusalem. During the build up to the final collapse of Jerusalem, Jeremiah warns them of their bad attitude. The leadership is saying, “We are going to continue the course we are on despite the problems.”
Jeremiah 18:11-12, “Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Behold, I am fashioning a disaster and devising a plan against you. Return now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.”’
“And they said, ‘That is hopeless! So we will walk according to our own plans, and we will every one obey the dictates of his evil heart.’”
They were determined to continue on with the plans and lifestyles they believed in and desired. They also rejected their godly heritage and altered their true history.
Jeremiah 18:13, “Therefore thus says the LORD: ‘Ask now among the Gentiles, Who has heard such things? The virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing.’”
Verse 15 continues, “Because My people have forgotten Me, They have burned incense to worthless idols. And they have caused themselves to stumble in their ways, From the ancient paths, To walk in pathways and not on a highway,”
America’s strong religious heritage as founded primarily by the Puritans is now being rewritten by academia. America’s heritage of being a mostly godly nation of rugged winners is being erased. The God of the Bible is not pleased. Can we substantially return to God and repent? Are we close to the point of no return? The people of Israel had forgotten Moses who warned them of the dangers of straying away from the true God.
If We Ignore the Old Testament, We Lose Vital Warnings
One of the Parables given by Jesus warns believers of the danger of ignoring any part of the Bible. Remember that when Jesus gave this warning message, the New Testament had not even been written!
Luke 16:29-31, “Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’
“And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
“But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’”
A person cannot be saved unless they listen to Moses and the Prophets –– like Jeremiah. It is dangerous not to listen to ALL of the Eternal God’s warnings and messages.
Jeremiah 2:9-11, “‘Therefore I will yet bring charges against you,’ says the LORD, ‘And against your children’s children I will bring charges.
“‘For pass beyond the coasts of Cyprus and see, Send to Kedar and consider diligently, And see if there has been such a thing.
“‘Has a nation changed its gods, which are not gods? But My people have changed their Glory for what does not profit.’”
Jeremiah warns Jerusalem that the pagans never alter their false deities, yet they had rejected the true God and His blessings. God says it is unbelievable!
Jeremiah 2:12, “‘Be astonished, O heavens, at this, And be horribly afraid; Be very desolate,’ says the LORD.”
Has America rejected the sound and reasonable laws of God? Discarded true ethics for weird progressive concepts that are worthless if not nearly crazy? They were self-deceived… are we?
Jeremiah 2:35-36, “Yet you say, ‘Because I am innocent, Surely His anger shall turn from me.’ Behold, I will plead My case against you, Because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’
“Why do you gad about so much to change your way?”
The Two Main Reasons for Prophetic Warnings
It’s important that God’s people understand the reasons for horrible punishments and learn to reject the evil ways that produce societal decadence and harm. God does not want people to think that bad results are just bad luck or a coincidence. God wants them to know why He is allowing great curses to occur. Note Deuteronomy 28.
Secondly, God is giving people the opportunity to alter course before future disasters occur. The prophets of God are vehemently warning, “REPENT, REPENT!” Further, they are explaning that we must repent with correct knowledge of the true God and His ways.
We ignore Biblical warnings in the Old and New Testaments at our own national peril. However, we can each repent individually.
