Jeremiah

Jeremiah 49: The LORD rules every nation

Begin in prayer

Before we read God’s word against Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar and Elam, let us come before the LORD in prayer. Ask Him to show us that He rules every nation and cares for the weak, to be with our family as we read, and to show us Jesus, the Shepherd who keeps His flock.

A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.

Psalms 68:5

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us that You rule every nation, and that You care for the fatherless and the widows. Show us Jesus, the good Shepherd, and help us to turn from our sin and trust Him. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

The LORD asks why Malcam, the god of Ammon, has taken the land of Gad, and why Ammon’s people live in Gad’s cities (verse 1). He promises an alarm of war against Rabbah, the chief city of Ammon, and says Israel will possess those who took its land (verse 2). The LORD asks whether wisdom is gone from Teman, and says the pride of Edom has deceived it (verses 7 and 16). Edom lived in the clefts of the rock and on high hills, but the LORD says He will bring it down from there (verse 16). Damascus will grow feeble and turn to flee, and the LORD will kindle a fire in its wall (verses 24 and 27). The LORD calls for an attack on Kedar, a people who lived in tents, and on the kingdoms of Hazor (verses 28 to 30). Elam will be scattered to the four winds, but the LORD promises to bring back its captivity in the latter days (verses 36 and 39).

As you read Jeremiah 49, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

The LORD rules every nation, and no one can stand before Him.

Ammon had taken land that belonged to Gad, and the LORD says Malcam, its god, will go into captivity (verses 1 and 3). Rabbah was the chief city of Ammon, and the LORD says it will become a desolate heap (verse 2). Teman was in Edom, and the LORD asks where its wisdom has gone, which shows that human counsel cannot save (verse 7). Edom made its nests high in the rocks, but the LORD says He will bring it down from there (verse 16). Fatherless children and widows had no one to defend them, so the LORD’s promise to keep them alive shows His care (verse 11). Damascus was the capital of Aram, and the palaces of Ben Hadad stood in its city (verse 27). Jesus is the good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep.

How does Jeremiah 49 show us that the LORD rules every nation, and that no one can stand before Him?

The LORD rules over every nation.

He speaks to Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar and Elam, and He judges each one (verses 1, 7, 23, 28 and 34). Nations trust their treasures and their wisdom, but the LORD judges all of them (verses 4 and 7). Jesus is King over every nation.

Pride cannot hide from the LORD.

Edom made its nests high in the rock, but the LORD says He will bring it down (verse 16). The pride of its heart deceived it, and no height can hide a sinner from God. Jesus humbled Himself and came for sinners.

The LORD cares for the fatherless and widows.

The LORD tells Edom to leave its fatherless children, and He says He will preserve them alive (verse 11). He calls the widows to trust Him, saying, “Let your widows trust in me.” Jesus cares for the weak.

The LORD brings captives back in the latter days.

He promises to bring back the captivity of Ammon and Elam in the latter days (verses 6 and 39). Those who are carried away from their land are not forgotten by Him. Jesus is the Shepherd who gathers His flock home.

Memorize

For who is like me? Who will appoint me a time? Who is the shepherd who will stand before me?

Jeremiah 49:19

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, what wisdom of my own am I trusting, and have I asked Jesus for help?

The LORD asked whether wisdom was gone from Teman, and whether counsel had perished from the prudent (verse 7). He still spoke to the weak, and said, “Let your widows trust in me.” (verse 11) The rulers of the earth cannot hold back the purposes of God.

Jesus is the good Shepherd, and He came to gather His flock home. He gave His life for His sheep, and He bore the judgment that proud sinners deserved. On the third day He rose again, and His death is enough for all who come to Him. Jesus welcomes sinners. Please turn from your sin and trust Him, because He will never turn away anyone who comes to Him. The fatherless and the widows are never beyond His care.

The LORD rules every nation, and He keeps His promises to the weak. Come to Jesus today, and rest your whole life on Him. He will receive everyone who comes to Him.

Parent's note

Tell your children that the LORD rules every nation, and that no one can stand before Him. Parents, you may want to explain that Ammon, Edom and the other nations trusted in their own strength and wisdom. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God that He rules every nation and cares for the weak, and bring the heart question to Him. Let each child say a short prayer in their own words, if they are ready.

Yahweh preserves the foreigners. He upholds the fatherless and widow.

Psalms 146:9

Lord, thank You that You rule every nation and care for the fatherless and the widows. Forgive us for the times we trust our own wisdom instead of You. Thank You for Jesus, the good Shepherd, who gave His life for His sheep and rose again. Help us to turn from sin, trust Him, and rest in His care this week. Amen.