A Prayer for Today

Jeremiah’s Prayer

Jeremiah 10:23-25

"Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps. Discipline me, Lord, but only in due measure — not in your anger, or you will reduce me to nothing. Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge you, on the peoples who do not call on your name. For they have devoured Jacob; they have devoured him completely and destroyed his homeland."

What a prayer for today’s world – especially those who oppose Israel! What a warning for those who would oppose and despise the Word of the Living God.

Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own; An acknowledgement that our lives belong to and are in God’s hands. Sometimes, as in Hebrews 10:31 “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” But actually, our lives are always in His hands

It is not for them to direct their steps.  It is for God to direct our path and our steps. His Word is a lamp, a light, maybe even a torch for our feet. Only those who's God is not the Lord dare to tread a different path – usually the path that leads them straight to death and hell.

Discipline me, Lord, but only in due measure— not in your anger, or you will reduce me to nothing. Here, Jeremiah acknowledges God’s right to punish His children – but asks for the punishment to fit the crime, as it were, and not to punish all for the sins of a few.

Pour out your wrath – upon whom?

On the nations that do not acknowledge you, Those who do not acknowledge our loving heavenly Father; those who have rejected His Son and the sacrifice He made for us all.

On the peoples who do not call on your name. Those who call on the names of other Gods; dead Gods with no hope of an answer. Like the Israelites at Mount Carmel, it is time for all to chose and follow He who is the true God.

Why does Jeremiah call for them to be punished?

For they have devoured Jacob; This is the first mention of the “apple of God’s eye”, Israel. Those who oppose and who would try to remove her from the world map.

They have devoured him completely and destroyed his homeland. This is the other reference to what her enemies have tried to do to Israel. Those who want nothing less than the destruction of Israel must eventually suffer retribution for their stupidity in opposing God’s own people. They may destroy Israel but the Lord promises the remnant and He also promises that His retribution shall be just. So for every word and action against Israel, there will be a call to answer for the crime.

So much for Replacement Theology. God’s Word says otherwise.