August 10, 2026, Jeremiah 13:15-27

August 10, 2026, Jeremiah 13:15-27

¹⁵ Hear and give ear; be not proud,
     for the Lord has spoken.
 ¹⁶ Give glory to the Lord your God
     before he brings darkness,
 before your feet stumble
     on the twilight mountains,
 and while you look for light
     he turns it into gloom
     and makes it deep darkness.
 ¹⁷ But if you will not listen,
     my soul will weep in secret for your pride;
 my eyes will weep bitterly and run down with tears,
     because the Lord's flock has been taken captive.

¹⁸ Say to the king and the queen mother:
     “Take a lowly seat,
 for your beautiful crown
     has come down from your head.”
 ¹⁹ The cities of the Negeb are shut up,
     with none to open them;
 all Judah is taken into exile,
     wholly taken into exile.

²⁰ “Lift up your eyes and see
     those who come from the north.
 Where is the flock that was given you,
     your beautiful flock?
 ²¹ What will you say when they set as head over you
     those whom you yourself have taught to be friends to you?
 Will not pangs take hold of you
     like those of a woman in labor?
 ²² And if you say in your heart,
     ‘Why have these things come upon me?’
 it is for the greatness of your iniquity
     that your skirts are lifted up
     and you suffer violence.
 ²³ Can the Ethiopian change his skin
     or the leopard his spots?
 Then also you can do good
     who are accustomed to do evil.
 ²⁴ I will scatter you^[a] like chaff
     driven by the wind from the desert.
 ²⁵ This is your lot,
     the portion I have measured out to you, declares the Lord,
 because you have forgotten me
     and trusted in lies.
 ²⁶ I myself will lift up your skirts over your face,
     and your shame will be seen.
 ²⁷ I have seen your abominations,
     your adulteries and neighings, your lewd whorings,
     on the hills in the field.
 Woe to you, O Jerusalem!
     How long will it be before you are made clean?”

Jeremiah 13:15-27 delivers a final, urgent warning against Judah’s stubborn pride, using vivid and jarring imagery to illustrate the shame, captivity, and inescapable consequences of their deeply ingrained sin.

●      Verse 16 urges the people to give glory to God before the darkness sets in.  Is there an area in your life where God has been gently warning you to change, and how can you humbly respond before facing harder consequences?

●     Verse 15 notes that judgment came because the people “forgot” God and trusted in falsehoods.  In the busyness of your weekly routine, what practical rhythms can you put in place to ensure you don't forget God’s presence and promises?

 

Robin Adams