Why the Punishment?

Jeremiah 5:12-13 NLT
“They have lied about the Lord
and said, ‘He won’t bother us!
No disasters will come upon us.
There will be no war or famine.
God’s prophets are all windbags
who don’t really speak for Him
Let their predictions of disaster fall on themselves!’”

The people Jeremiah's talking about are the sinful people where he is preaching. They had this bullet-proof attitude to them. They're thinking that God won't do anything to hurt or even annoy them, no disasters, no war, no famine. God's prophets are windbags (NKJV says 'they become wind') who don't speak from Him. Let their disasters fall on themselves!

Because attitudes like that ALWAYS breed happiness in the Old Testament, right? I see some good times coming for these good people.

Jeremiah 5:14-17
Therefore, this is what the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies says:
“Because the people are talking like this,
my messages will flame out of your mouth
and burn the people like kindling wood.
O Israel, I will bring a distant nation against you,"
says the Lord.
“It is a mighty nation,
an ancient nation,
a people whose language you do not know,
whose speech you cannot understand.
Their weapons are deadly;
their warriors are mighty.
They will devour the food of your harvest;
they will devour your sons and daughters.
They will devour your flocks and herds;
they will devour your grapes and figs.
And they will destroy your fortified towns,
which you think are so safe.

Oh, just kidding. God was going to punish them

People sometimes say that God wasn't a very loving God back in the Old Testament times. But here, they specifically insulted Him and those who He sent. God had a reason for punishing these people. And it wasn't like it was just to be mean. God was trying to show the people where they were wrong and prideful.

God punishes us, because He is a loving, merciful God. I would rather know how to get to Heaven now than I would later when it's too late. God tried to correct them with words, so now He had to use force.

Response Question: (Sorry, we haven't done one of these in forever) What is your response to 'Why was God mean in the Old Testament' (or similar questions).

In His Service,
Joyce