Today’s Living Word #5                                                                                         05-29-26  

“I Will Cause.” 

Hello dear friends, 

“I will cause,” is a phrase that shows up often in the Bible. By my count in the NKJV 41 times! (23 in the  Book of Jeremiah alone!)  It’s the equivalent of the placard made famous by President Harry Truman which said “The buck stops here.” 

 

In response to the idol worship and the shedding of innocent blood via child sacrifice that was being practiced by God’s people He warned them that He would cause a siege against the city of Jerusalem that would be so bad, people would resort to eating the flesh of their children and even their friends.

 

Jer 19:9 "And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and everyone shall eat the flesh of his friend in the siege and in the desperation with which their enemies and those who seek their lives shall drive them to despair."'

 

The immediate fulfillment of this prophecy was when the Babylonians sieged Jerusalem for two full years. (558 to 556) Imagine a siege that would last that long. No  one comes in to the city and no one goes out. ….eventually the food runs out and mass starvation is next, leading to despair and the desperation of cannibalism!

 

Desperate men do desperate things.

 

God makes it plain that unless they stop worshipping idols and sacrificing their kids the day will come when in desperation, they will be sacrificing their kids to themselves.

 

God doesn’t need me to defend His actions. He is sovereign! He is just and He is merciful. Before you question His actions against these people, read chapter 21 where He warns the inhabitants of what He will “cause.”  And He gives them time to repent, and get out of town.

 

Jer 21:8 "Now you shall say to this people, 'Thus says the LORD: "Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.

 9 "He who remains in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; but he who goes out and defects to the Chaldeans who besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be as a prize to him.

 

God warns His people to leave the city before His coming judgement, but for those who stay, He will cause them to experience a fitting judgement.

 

Jer 21:14 But I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings,"

What were their “doings?” Idolatry and the sacrificing of their children! This judgment of God is fittingly gruesome. But an eternity in hell is even more gruesome.

God desires all to come to repentance and live with Him for eternity. Eze 33:11 "Say to them: 'As I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn (repent, repent, repent) from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?'

 

Jesus said in Mr 1:15 "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."

 

That’s Todays Living Word – Remember Jesus loves you…tell your face about it.