Hate Hidden Sin

Hey, hey, good morning, good morning. Welcome to Coffee and Devotions. This morning we are going to be at, I say, Jeremiah chapter 48? Nope, 49. We did 48 yesterday, long chapter yesterday. Isaiah 49, but we're just going to do the first six verses, so not nearly as long. We're still in this judgment section of Jeremiah, and now this is a judgment of the nation of Edom. No, Amnon. Edom's next. Amnon. Obviously I need some coffee. Let's have some coffee. We'll pray and get into God's Word.
Let's pray. Father, we thank you so much for this day, and we thank you for your word, and we pray that your Holy Spirit would please work in our hearts that we might know you, follow in your ways, love you, and keep your commandments. We pray this in Jesus' name, amen.
Here we go, Jeremiah chapter 49. Against the Ammonites, thus says the Lord, has Israel no sons? Has he no heir? Why then does Milcom inherit Gad, and his people dwell in its cities? Therefore behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that I will cause to be heard an alarm of war. in Rabbah of the Ammonites, it shall be a desolate mound, and her villages shall be burned with fire. Then Israel shall take possession of his inheritance, says the Lord.
Well, O Heshbon, for I is plundered. Cry, you daughters of Rabbah, gird yourselves with sackcloth, lament, and run to and fro by the walls. For Milcom shall go into captivity, and his priests and his princes together. Why do you boast in the valleys, your flowering valley, O backsliding daughter? You who trusted in her treasure, saying, Who will come against me? Behold, I will bring fear upon you, says Jehovah, God of hosts. From all those who are around you, you shall be driven out, everyone headlong, and no one shall gather those who wandered off. But afterward, I will bring back the captives of the people of Ammon, says Jehovah.
All right, so we need to ask ourselves, A, what's this about? B, what's the best verse to summarize this? And C, what are we called to do?
So what's this about? This is the woe to Ammon. Ammon is that nation that historically was just north of Moab. Israel invaded that area. That was given to the two and a half tribes on the Transjordan. And so this is that area where there should have been Israelites living and it should have been their nation and yet we know that the Ammonites were not eradicated just like the Canaanites weren't on the other side of the Jordan and so you end up back with this king of Ammon and with that kingdom is Milcom.
And so, Malcolm is coming directly from the word Melech. And so this idea of the king in Hebrew, right? And so the king is Melech. So Malcolm is their God, who they're calling their king. And he says, hey, your king, his priests, and all the princes can be taken captive, right? This is a nation that should have been following the Lord Rabbah and Rabbah of the Ammonites, it shall be a desolate mound, and her villages shall be burned with fire. Then Israel shall take possession of his inheritance, says Yehovah." Right? This is the land that belonged to the two and a half tribes. And they're going to come and they're going to take the land. There's going to be captivity and this is what he's saying with all these things going on. And so this is this whole captivity, and they're backsliding daughters, and they should have been following the Lord, and he says he's going to bring fear upon them, verse 5. Everyone's going to fall headlong, but afterwards he's going to bring people back from captivity. Interesting that he says that about Moab, but now he says it about Ammon. And so even there we see the Lord being gracious, even in his judgments.
And so What's this about? This is Ammon's judgment. This is their judgment for their idolatry and not following the Lord. What's the best verse to summarize this? Well, I think I would underline verse 1 as the best verse, but then I would also underline verse 3. So, has Israel no sons? Has he no heir? Why then does Milcom inherit Gad and his people dwell in the cities? Wail, O Heshbon, for I has plundered. Cry, you daughters of Rabah, gird yourselves with sackcloth. lament and run to and fro by the walls for milcom shall go into captivity and his priests and his princes together right similar to what he had said about chemosh and moab he's also saying to milcom in ammon so i think those are what i would underline
so now the question is c calling what are we called to do this is a hard one right because i mean it's an issue in my life I think it's an issue in every Christian's life. Do we give quarter to sin? My God says, let there not even be a hint of sexual immorality among you. And we're not to be covetous or slanderers, adulterers, sexually immoral, not to be those who are fits of rage, lovers of this world. And yet how often, how often do we find in us sin? At our church, we're going to be celebrating the Lord's Supper this Sunday and thinking about, even in my own heart, where are those areas in my life that I'm still holding on to, not putting to death the sinful desires of my flesh? Whether it's gluttony or covetousness, lack of self-control, or not being gentle and kind and gracious, where do we not fully do what God has told us to do, right? We don't wage war against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual powers in this world, against our own flesh.
So as I think about this passage and I think about the two and a half tribes and the transjordan, I can't judge them too severely thinking, come on, why didn't you just wipe them all out? And I'm still struggling to wipe out the sin in my own heart and my own life. God, as Nathan said yesterday, God takes sin seriously. Do we? Do we hate our sin and turn unto God? This is what He's called us to do by the power of His Holy Spirit, to walk in lives of repentance. Walk not as people who are slaves to sin, but people who are wrestling with it, putting it to death and looking to Christ, being filled with the Spirit.
Father, we pray that we would not be prideful as we read even this passage today, but that we would have sobriety even as we look at our own hearts, that we would turn from our sinful ways, turn from our sinful desires, turn from our sinful actions and thoughts. And God, we pray that we would follow after you, that we would walk in your ways, Help us, God, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
May the Lord bless you. May you know that even though you are sojourners and pilgrims in this world, that you have a heavenly home and an inheritance kept safe for you there. May God bless you today. May you look to Christ, and I'll see you next time. Bye.