Our ‘PRIDE’ will ‘RUIN’ us from fulfilling God’s PURPOSES!
August 11 Bible Reading: Jeremiah Chapters 13-15
Our ‘PRIDE’ will ‘RUIN’ us from fulfilling God’s PURPOSES!
Then the word of the
Lord came to me, saying, "Thus says the Lord: 'In this manner I will ruin
the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. This evil people, who
refuse to hear My words, who follow the dictates of their hearts, and walk
after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be just like this sash
which is profitable for nothing. For as the sash clings to the waist of a man,
so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to
cling to Me,' says the Lord, 'that they may become My people, for renown, for
praise, and for glory; but they would not hear.' (Jer. 13:8-11)
The linen sash is the first of the symbolic acts used to
convey God’s word to the people through Jeremiah. Linen was the material used
for priestly garments (Exodus 28:42; Ezekiel 44:17, 18) and symbolizes Israel
as a holy people, a “kingdom of priests”
(see Exodus 19:6). The sash, as an emblem of Israel, speaks of the intimate
relationship of God to His covenant people (v. 11).
The hiding and finding of the sash was a symbolic lesson to
Judah. Symbolic of Judah’s sinful pride, the sash was not to be washed. However,
just as the sash got ruined because of water contamination and became
unprofitable, so would the “pride of
Judah” and the “great pride of
Jerusalem” also became unprofitable (v. 9). Just as the sash was ruined, so
the pride of God’s people had ruined them in terms of fulfilling God’s purpose.
Their evil ways had made them “profitable
for nothing” (13:10). Judah had
spoiled her relationship with God by contamination with Assyria!
The linen sash was especially appropriate as a symbol for
proud Judah. Linen was a costly material (Isaiah 3:23), often imported from
Egypt (Proverbs 7:16). The Israelites generally reserved its use for making
exquisite furnishings, such as those in the tabernacle (Exodus 26:1, 31, 36),
and fine garments, such as those worn by the priests (28:39) or a favored
person (Esther 8:15; Ezekiel 16:10, 13).
The linen sash symbolized the close relationship between God
and His people. Its ruin depicts the corruption of the people, no longer fit
for a relationship with the Lord. The Lord cautioned Jeremiah to avoid letting
his linen sash get wet (Jeremiah 13:1). To do so would have caused the waste of
fine material. Yet later, God instructed the prophet to hide the sash along the
Euphrates River (13:4) so that the waters could rot the belt over time. This
made it into a powerful image of what Judah looked like—a people intended for worthy, noble purposes, but now worthless and
rotten because of sinful pride.
Let us realize that God’s expects us to fulfill His purposes
in our lives as well. In order to do that we have to humble ourselves and draw
near to God and learn from Him. However, it is possible that our inner pride
will lead us to trust our skills, talents and resources rather than God that
will cause us to walk in our own ways. When we do that, we are ruined and
incapable in fulfilling God’s purposes for us. Today let us examine our hearts
to check if any self-pride is preventing us from fulfilling God’s purposes upon
this earth!
"Talk no more so very proudly; let no arrogance come from your mouth, for the Lord is the God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed." (1 Sam. 2:3) "For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith." (Romans 12:3)
