Devotions

The Wealth They Gained has Perished

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As Judah and Jerusalem enjoy a period of thirty-one years of relative peace through the reign of Josiah, Jeremiah prophecies the destruction of Moab. As described in Jeremiah 48:11 “Moab has been at ease from his youth”. The Moabites have occupied this land for some seven hundred years but have become proud. They now come into judgement in Jeremiah 48:7 “because of your trusting in your works and in your treasures”. In Jeremiah 48:33 “joy and rejoicing have been taken away from the fruitful land … And the wine from the wine presses” and in Jeremiah 48:36 “Therefore the wealth they gained has perished”. But the biggest surprise is that Josiah goes out to fight the king of Egypt and is killed ending the time of peace for Judah.

Sword of Yahweh

Jeremiah 47:1–7 

Because of Your Trusting in Your Works

Jeremiah 48:1–9
Jeremiah delivers the word of judgement against Moab in Jeremiah 48:4 “Moab is broken” and in Jeremiah 48:8 “the destroyer will come to every town” and in Jeremiah 48:9 “her towns will become as a desolation, without an inhabitant in them”. But this is not without cause, the Moabites occupy Moab from 1300 B.C. to 600 B.C. and in Jeremiah 48:7 “For because of your trusting in your works and in your treasures, even you yourselves will be taken”.

How the Staff of Might is Broken

Jeremiah 48:10–18
It says in Jeremiah 48:11 “Moab has been at ease from his youth” and that has been some 700 years. But now in

Jeremiah 48:17 Mourn for him, all his surroundings, and all those who knew his name. Say, ‘How the staff of might is broken, the staff of glory.’

He Magnified Himself Against Yahweh

Jeremiah 48:19–27
And again I say, this judgement was not without cause because in

Jeremiah 48:27 Now was not Israel the laughingstock to you? Or was he found among thieves? For as often as you spoke over him you shook your head.

For some it is not enough to live their life and be content. They instead must look down on, they must put down others to declare their superiority. It is their own judgement of Israel that is coming back on them. 

The Wealth They Gained has Perished

Jeremiah 48:28–37
The children of Israel came under judgement because of idolatry. The Assyrians came under judgement because of their cruelty and blood shed. Now Moab comes under judgement because in Jeremiah 48: 29-30 “We have heard of the pride of Moab —he is very proud— his height, and his pride, and his arrogance, and the haughtiness of his heart. 30 I know his insolence,” declares Yahweh …”.

Though the people did not serve the Lord, it is call in Jeremiah 48:33 “the fruitful land” and we also find that “Moab’s favorable agricultural situation is presupposed by the biblical story of Ruth, which has as its setting a time of famine of Judah … Naomi and her family emigrated temporarily to Moab where food was still available (Ruth 1:1, 6)”.1

But now in Jeremiah 48 :33 “joy and rejoicing have been taken away from the fruitful land … And the wine from the wine presses” and in Jeremiah 48:36 “Therefore the wealth they gained has perished”.

I Will Restore the Fortunes of Moab

Jeremiah 48:38–47

Jehoahaz King in Place of his Father

2 Kings 23:29–30 

Stop Opposing God

2 Chronicles 35:20–36:1
Some years go by (maybe twelve or thirteen) after Israel keeps the Passover and as we come back to 2 Chronicles 35:20 it says “After all of this that Josiah had prepared for the temple” and we remember in 2 Kings 23:25 “There was not a king like him before him, who turned to Yahweh with all of his heart and with all of his soul and with all of his might according to all of the law of Moses, nor did one arise like him afterwards”. And because of this, the Lord had granted him peace in 2 Kings 22:19–20 “because you have a responsive heart, and you humbled yourself before Yahweh … Your eyes will not see all of the disaster that I am bringing onto this place”.

Now, though, even after the King of Egypt warns Josiah in 2 Chronicles 35:21 “saying, “What is there between us, O king of Judah? I am not against you yourself this day, but against the house making war against me. And God has commanded me to make haste. Stop opposing God, who is with me that he will not destroy you”. Yet, Josiah in 2 Chronicles 35:22 “did not listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, and he went out to fight in the plain of Megiddo” and Josiah was mortally wounded.

Why is it that Josiah thought that he only heard from God? The Lord was working in other nations, with other people, and he had even used the king of Assyria to accomplish His will and purpose. Somehow Josiah thought that the Lord was on his side. Instead, we must always be looking to be on the Lords side. But there we go, often thinking we only have God’s ear and He will do what we want. Thinking this way cost Josiah his life.

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Jeremiah 47:1-7
  • Jeremiah 48:1-47
  • 2 Kings 23:29-30
  • 2 Chronicles 35:20-27
  • 2 Chronicles 36:1

References

  • 1. Miller, J. M. (1992). Moab (Place). In D. N. Freedman (Ed.), The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (Vol. 4, p. 883). New York: Doubleday.