DCLM DAILY MANNA DEVOTIONAL FOR FEBRUARY 19, 2023 (COLLECTIVE TRANSGRESSION)

TOPIC: COLLECTIVE TRANSGRESSION

Text: Jeremiah 7:17-34 (KJV)

17 Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?

18 The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.

19 Do they provoke me to anger? saith the Lord: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces?

20 Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.

21 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh.

22 For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices:

23 But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.

24 But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.

25 Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them:

26 Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.

27 Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee.

28 But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the Lord their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.

29 Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the Lord hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.

30 For the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, saith the Lord: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to pollute it.

31 And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart.

32 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place.

33 And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray them away.

34 Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate.

KEY VERSE: “The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.” – (Jeremiah 7:18)

MESSAGE

In a West African nation, one community conspired to kill a male stranger and buried him in a shallow grave. The murder was hidden from law enforcement and the general public. But the grave consequences soon came upon the community. Several young men started dying and many young women became barren for years. These evil incidents continued until the community realised the cause of their problems. They repented, confessed their sins and cried unto God for deliverance.

Collective or corporate iniquity is dangerous. Men, women and children of Judah contributed to the worship of the queen of heaven and other gods. Parents burnt their sons and daughters in fire and everyone consented to the practice without objection.

Despite God’s repeated warnings through His prophets, the people followed the footsteps of their fathers and walked in the imaginations of their own hearts. Because the people of Judah collectively continued in sin without repentance, God pronounced judgment on them as a nation. When God’s judgment came, everyone suffered the mortal consequences of sin and disobedience.

In today’s world, several families, communities and nations conspire to commit iniquity thinking that no one would see them. Groups conspire to steal public funds, kill innocent people, oppress the poor and the widows.

They forcefully take people’s properties, rape women and children and commit all sorts of atrocities. Unfortunately, there are some so-called Christians who directly or indirectly contribute their money, resources, time and counsel to such causes. When God’s judgment comes, no one will be spared. If you join hands directly or indirectly with the wicked to commit evil, you will be punished with the wicked.

If you think you are smart enough and well-connected to evade the judgment of this world, you cannot escape the grim judgment of God. The only sure way of escape is total repentance. You will also have to do all necessary restitutions and keep your record straight. The truth remains that though hands join with hands, the wicked shall not go unpunished. Repent now before it is too late.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: If you join the multitude to sin, you share from multiple calamities.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Luke 7-8

Daily Manna is the daily devotional of the Deeper Christian Life Bible Ministry (DCLM) written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi. It is an extraction of God’s Word designed to draw the sincere seeker closer to God on a daily basis through an insightful exposition and analysis of God’s Word