Doers of the Word
Monday, July 27
Don’t get it wet!
It’s a belt! No, it’s a sash! No, it’s a loincloth!
The prophet Jeremiah often acted out parables and employed word pictures to convey truth. The linen sash was an appropriate symbol for proud people of Judah.
The Lord at first warned Jeremiah not to let his linen sash get wet, in other words: to avoid ruining the costly material. But later God instructed the prophet to hide the sash along the Euphrates River to allow water to spoil the belt. It became a powerful image of Judah – a people intended for worthy purposes now rotted and worthless because of sinful arrogance. Just as Jeremiah’s sash was ruined, so the pride of God’s people destroyed their ability to fulfill His purpose.
Any similarity with what is going on in our country today?
You might want to check out seven other parables of Jeremiah:
- The Boiling Pot (Jer 1:13-16). Symbolized God’s impending judgment of idolatry.
- The Potter and the Clay (Jer 18:1-10). Showed God’s sovereign rule in raising up and pulling down nations.
- The Broken Flask (Jer 19:1-13). Illustrated how God would shatter Judah for its wickedness.
- The Good and the Bad Figs (Jer 24:1-10). Demonstrated two ways that God would deal with His people: accepting good and rejecting evil.
- The Bonds and the Yokes (Chapters 27-28). Advised Judah’s leaders to submit to Babylonian rule.
- The Deed of Purchase (Chapter 32). Testified that God would eventually bring back survivors from Babylon who would buy and sell fields in Judah.
- The Sones in the Clay (Jer 43:8-13). Foretold that God would allow the Babylonians to dominate Egypt.
What stories and symbols demonstrate the events of 2020?