30 “Now prophesy all these words against them and say to them:
“‘The Lord will roar from on high;
he will thunder from his holy dwelling
and roar mightily against his land.
He will shout like those who tread the grapes,
shout against all who live on the earth.
31 The tumult will resound to the ends of the earth,
for the Lord will bring charges against the nations;
he will bring judgment on all mankind
and put the wicked to the sword,’”
declares the Lord.32 This is what the Lord Almighty says:
“Look! Disaster is spreading
from nation to nation;
a mighty storm is rising
from the ends of the earth.”33 At that time those slain by the Lord will be everywhere—from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be mourned or gathered up or buried, but will be like dung lying on the ground.
34 Weep and wail, you shepherds;
roll in the dust, you leaders of the flock.
For your time to be slaughtered has come;
you will fall like the best of the rams.
35 The shepherds will have nowhere to flee,
the leaders of the flock no place to escape.
36 Hear the cry of the shepherds,
the wailing of the leaders of the flock,
for the Lord is destroying their pasture.
37 The peaceful meadows will be laid waste
because of the fierce anger of the Lord.
38 Like a lion he will leave his lair,
and their land will become desolate
because of the sword of the oppressor
and because of the Lord’s fierce anger.
(Jeremiah 25:30-38 NIV)
In the previous passage, the Lord used Jeremiah to hand out judgments upon the entire world. In verse 18, the Lord started “at home” in Jerusalem and Judah. From there, the Lord went on to describe all the other known lands.
In today’s text, the Lord moves from addressing individual nations to addressing the entire world. In verses 30 – 31, the Lord says His voice will be heard to the ends of the earth. Everyone will know His voice and feel His power.
In verses 32 – 33, the Lord details the disaster that is about to take place. The devastation will be across the face of the earth – so much so that the dead will lie on the ground, with no one to mourn over them or even give them a proper burial.
Verses 34 – 37 address the rulers of the world. As in previous passages, the term “shepherd” refers to the king of each country. While the kings may try to protect themselves and preserve their lives, the Lord says that each one will face his day of judgment and slaughter. No ruler will be spared.
In verse 38, the Lord is depicted as a lion coming out of His den, hungry and unstoppable.
May we remember that God’s wrath is against sin and unrighteousness. God’s wrath is not a mystery – it is a known fact. Listen to the Apostle Pul’s words:
18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.
(Romans 1:18-19 NIV)
Paul goes on to say that all are held accountable – God has revealed Himself to all:
20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
(Romans 1:20 NIV)
As we look within ourselves, may we allow the Lord to search our hearts, then confess and repent of any sins in our lives that He points out.
As we look at the world around us, may we humbly offer God’s grace, hope, and love to others who so desperately need it, just as we received His grace and salvation.
Blessings,
~kevin
kevin lotz 