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Devotional thoughts (Monday through Thursday mornings) from the pastor of Exeter Presbyterian Church in Exeter, NH // Sunday Worship 10:30am // 73 Winter Street

Friday, March 21, 2008

Jeremiah 48

The great King David, from whom Christ descended, was himself a descendant of the Moabites through Ruth. Ruth is one of the heroes of the Bible. She showed a steadfast commitment not only to her widowed mother-in-law Naomi but also to Naomi’s God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of the Hebrews, our God. In this way she was like her great-grandson David, who left the most complete record of words of devotion to God in the Bible in a large portion of the book of Psalms. Ruth’s devotion to the Lord did not come from being a Moabitess. It was a startling break from her Moabite heritage.

The people of Moab were descendants of Lot through an encounter with his daughter. The Moabites often sought the destruction of Israel. It was Balak, the King of Moab, who tried to hire Balaam to curse Israel. While his efforts were not effective, the men of Israel became involved with Moabite women who led them away from Yahweh into the worship of false gods. During the period of the Judges, Eglon the king of Moab led his nation in the oppression of the Israelites. In that account the Moabites are portrayed as men getting fat on Israel’s produce.

Over these many centuries, Chemosh, the god of the Moabites, was a snare to Israel. During the reign of Solomon, the king apparently built shrines for the worship of Chemosh in Israel, along with similar places for the gods of other lands, in order to satisfy the religious desires of his foreign wives. Even in the days of Nehemiah, descendants of Jacob were still being ensnared by Moabite women who clung to their false gods.

Like so many other nations of this region, Moab would soon face a military struggle, according to the words contained in Jeremiah 48. Similar to many other groups before and after this time, Moab had much national pride. Her soldiers thought of themselves as heroes, as mighty men of war, but they would not be able to stop Moab from being destroyed. They were a mighty scepter, but it is broken now. Where are her stout men now? They are like women in labor. Their loftiness, their pride, their arrogance will be gone.

The nation is like a vessel containing old wine. The contents of the vessel have been allowed to settle, and they are full of sediment. They should have been poured from vessel to vessel in a way that would have allowed the contents to be the best wine. Now God is coming and he will break these jars. The whole nation will be a broken vessel for which no one cares. In this great defeat, it will be evident that the Lord Almighty is stronger then Chemosh, the abomination of the Moabites.

This once-great fighting machine is now like an old drunk who will soon wallow in his vomit. He will be easily mocked, and will no longer be the great man that he thought himself to be. The joy of victory will be gone from Moab. The nation will be filled with signs of ritual pagan mourning. This will be the great sadness of Moab in the year of punishment, when so many sons and daughters will be taken away into captivity.

This much we can understand from a prophet who is a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This we expect as a word from an enemy land. But who can explain the last verse of the prophesy? It is surprising to hear that God will restore the fortunes of Moab in the latter days. This phrase “in the latter days” is an expression that is often used by the Old Testament prophets to describe the coming realities of the New Testament era, or even the culmination of all of God’s promises in the new resurrection age.

When Balaam gave a surprising prophecy about the greatness of Israel and about a star that would come out of Jacob, he spoke of the latter days. When Isaiah spoke glowingly about the mountain of the house of the Lord suddenly being the highest mountain of all, he spoke of the latter days. When Jeremiah talks about a day of ultimate judgment, he takes about the latter days. When God speaks about the great things that he will bring according to his plan of mercy and justice, he speaks of latter days. How is it that Moab will be restored in the latter days?

It is amazing to consider that the defeat of gods like Chemosh are the best news that could be given to the future generations of nations all over the world. These false gods of national pride and military might are of little use to them within a few years of their prime. The victory of the Lord Jesus Christ through His atoning death on the cross has brought the greatest blessing not only upon the elect of Israel, but also on the chosen people of God who are descendants of all sorts of nations. People of faith will come from all kinds of lands in the centuries to come.

It is well worth our while to consider the dead weight of human pride and of burdensome idols. They have given us nothing good. The Lord God Almighty has given us His only-begotten Son. When He defeats an abomination like Chemosh that has been nothing but a snare to both Moab and Israel, it is a very good day. The restoration that any people will enjoy in the latter days can only come through Jesus Christ and the gospel, for there is no other name by which we must be saved.

posted by Pastor Magee @ 7:00 AM

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