I'll be reading from the book
of Jeremiah, chapter 5, this morning. Jeremiah, chapter 5. Now, everyone who hears this
is well aware of the things that are happening these days, the
violence and the disasters and calamities that are upon us,
and I have entitled this message, are all these evils upon us? That's the question that is asked
in the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 32. Moses talks about it. And we need to ask ourselves
this question. Why is all of this happening? Why? Well, Isaiah said in chapter
1 of his people, he said that this is a sinful nation a people
laden with iniquity, a nation of evildoers, corrupt children. He said the whole head is sick,
the whole heart is faint. Now, one can turn to any portion
of Scripture which describes Israel of old in its apostasy
and its unbelief sinfulness with all her abominations and idolatries
and all that, you can turn to any portion of scripture and
apply it to the United States of America in this day. This is indeed, as Isaiah said,
a sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity. You must know
it is so when seven out of ten persons in this land say that
character is not important in our chief officer, our chief
commanding officer and president. Character is not important as
long as we have money and jobs and so forth. Well, know this,
if that is so, know this, that Ahab reigns and the country is
being judged by God. judged by God. In Jeremiah chapter
5 we read the story of old Israel, but it is a clear declaration
of what is going on in our day. Chapter 5 verse 1 of Jeremiah
says this, ìRun ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem.
Look everywhere and see now and know and seek in the broad places
thereof. If you can find a man, if there
be any, that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth." Jeremiah
says, look high and low, far and wide, and see if you can
find any that seeketh after the truth, that executeth judgment,
judgment, truth. Is there anyone who has good
judgment, discernment, who is really wanting to know the truth? No, and it's the same in our
day. Isaiah said, in chapter 59 of
Isaiah, he said, judgment, verse 14, judgment is turned way backward,
that is, man's discernment or understanding or good sense is
backward. Justice standeth afar off, for
truth is fallen in the street. Equity cannot enter. Yea, truth
faileth, and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey."
Why, he's a target to all those others. who don't have good judgment
and don't seek the truth. Now, the truth is this. God's
Word is true. And every man, every opinion
of man, every thought of man is a lie. God's Word alone is
true. And everything and everyone else
is a lie. Is there any seeking after truth? Is there any who look to God's
Word for the truth of the matter? in matters of providence, all
that is going on today. Are there any who have their
eyes wide open, who have good judgment, who are asking, why
are these things happening? Why are these things upon us?
You know, in the book of Jeremiah, he talks a great deal about false
prophets, especially over in chapter 23 of Jeremiah. He speaks of false prophets,
and he says, My heart is broken because of the false prophets.
They're all over. He says, the land is full of
them. And he says, they're all profane. And he says, this is
what these false prophets say. In verse 17 of Jeremiah 23, he
says, they say unto them that despise me. Oh, that is, these
false prophets say unto the people that hate the true God. They say, The Lord hath said,
You shall have peace. And they say, Unto every one
that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, or that is,
in a way that seems right to him, or according to his own
opinion or thoughts, they say this, No evil shall come upon
you. This reminds me of the preaching
that's going on today. All that these fellows can seem
to say to people is that God loves you. God loves you. That's all I hear being said
today. In verse 18 here of Jeremiah
23, he says, Who stood in the counsel of the Lord, and heard
his word, perceived him, and heard him say this? Can we tell
everyone without exception that God loves them? No, we cannot. None of the prophets did that,
and none of the apostles did that. No, sir. And in the face
of all this judgment, the calamities, disasters and horrors and so
forth that are going on today, how can we tell our generation
that this is the love of God? How can you? Clearly, this is
the judgment of God. Don't you see that? Don't you
have good judgment? looking into the truth of the
matter? No, the scripture says none calleth for justice and
truth. Nobody seems to be saying maybe
God is angry with this nation. Maybe he doesn't love everybody
after all. Maybe he's judging some people. Well, I continue reading in Jeremiah
5 verse 2. Well, they say Verse 2, I'm reading,
they say the Lord liveth, but surely they swear falsely. They
say, or that is with their lips, they say the Lord liveth. And most in our day can profess
to believe in God, or they call Him Lord, Lord. But I'm telling
you, very few really believe that He's Lord, That is, he does
with his own what he will, that he can raise up or cast down,
he kills or make alive, he chooses or rejects, he saves or damns,
that he is truly Lord. That's what it means to be Lord.
It means absolute, sovereign ruler and controller, able to
do what he will, with whom he will, why he will. That's what
Lord means. And though many say, the Lord
liveth, or that is, God reigns, Surely, he says, they swear falsely. They don't really mean that.
Verse 3 here says, O Lord, are not thine eyes upon the truth? Is not the eyes of God upon the
truth? Christ is the truth, the true
gospel, the true God, the true Christ. Christ said true worshipers
shall worship Him in spirit and in truth. Are not God's eyes
upon the truth? Does not God reject and not look
upon those who merely worship with lip service and once a week
or so forth? He says in verse 3, "...thou
hast stricken them that they have not grieved." And Isaiah
said that, why should you be stricken anymore? Well, you just
revolt more and more. Verse 4 goes on to say, Surely
these are poor, they are foolish, they know not the way of the
Lord, nor the judgment of God. Surely my generation is poor
in spirit and does not know it, though rich and increased with
goods, though every household has two automobiles and all the
food that we could possibly eat and closets full of clothing,
yet surely people are poor toward God, poor in spiritual knowledge
and foolish. Oh, they know not the way of
the Lord, nor the judgment of their God, he said. Well, verse
5, Jeremiah goes on to say, Well, I'll get to the great men. I'll
speak unto them. They've known the way of the
Lord, the judgment of God, but no, they don't either. The great
men, or supposedly wise men, or spiritual men in Jeremiah's
day, he said, they don't know either. And I read these articles
and these columns by supposedly great men who even entitled them,
My Answer. And men ask them questions, but
they don't have the answer. They don't have the answer to
men's questions. Now, they wouldn't call it my
answer, but they would rather look to the Word of God for answers. And they're clearly found. People,
get you a Bible. Get you a King James Bible. Quit looking to the columns,
the thoughts, the opinions, the answers of men. Get you a King
James Bible. Open it up to Deuteronomy chapter
29, chapter 30, read on, chapter 31, chapter 32, and you'll see
why what is happening in our day is happening. You'll see.
God said it a long time ago. Well, Jeremiah goes on to say
in verse 6, Well, a lion out of the forest shall slay them,
a wolf shall spoil them. And these are names that God
Himself has given to The adversary, or that is the devil, a lion
which devours, seeketh whom he may devour, and a wolf, though
in sheep's clothing. Well, what's the answer? What's the answer to all of this? You know, Jeremiah said this
is the sad thing about it all in verse 31. He says the prophets
prophesy falsely. The priests bear rule by their
means. That is, they're getting rich
at the expense of the people. But he says, strangely, my people
love to have it so. That's the way they love it.
Well, what's the answer to all this? Well, I would have you
turn to Psalm 34 if you want the answer. Psalm 34, to those
true worshipers. to the true worshipers of God.
There's no wrath for them. There's no wrath to them that
fear Him. In Psalm 34, verse 7, it says,
"...the angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him,
and delivereth them." This fear of God, which is the beginning
of wisdom, Scripture says, This fear is worship, reverence, it's
bowing to, it's believing God to be God. And all that he says
is true. The fear of the Lord is the beginning
of wisdom. And he says here, the angel of
the Lord, that is His mercy, His grace, His presence, campeth
round about them that fear Him. Over in the book of Job, many
of you may know that story of Job. God said about Job, He said,
He's a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God. And Satan
said, well, it's because you've made a hedge about Him, about
His house and all that He has. Yes, that's true. And so it is
with all who fear God. And in verse 9 here of Psalm
34, it says, O fear the Lord, ye His saints. There's no want
to them that fear Him. The people, it's a declaration
of our day in Romans 1, verse 18, which says there's no fear
of God before their eyes. And then if you'll read there
in Romans 1, it talks about all of the perversions and iniquities
and the judgment of God upon that society because they don't
fear Him. Well, I'll teach you the fear
of the Lord, the psalmist says in verse 9. I'll teach you, verse
11, It is whatever God says, you say amen to it. It's whatever
God does, you say it's the Lord. When God says, I am God, fear
says, Thou art my God. Why are all these evils upon
us? Because there is no judgment and no fear of God before men's
eyes. Well, I hope God will teach you
His fear. Until next Sunday, may the Lord
bless His Word.