Text: Jeremiah 13:1-11
Proposition: How was Judah like the ruined waistcloth?
Introduction
This is was an object lesson with a lot of work. Jeremiah had to go and buy a waistband. The Lord didn’t tell him why he had to buy a waistband. Jeremiah was probably happy to buy himself a waistband. He picked one out that he liked, but he couldn’t wash it. It became dirty. Then he had to travel 300 – 400 miles to hide the waistband in the waistband by the Euphrates River. Jeremiah went home. After many days the Lord told him to go back to the Euphrates and get the waistband from the rock. He traveled 300 to 400 miles to get the waistband. It was ruined and totally worthless. Jeremiah traveled 1,200 – 1,600 miles for this object lesson. In this lesson Judah is the waistband and Jeremiah is God.
I. Judah was chosen and purchased by God
II. They were not washed
III. They were carried away to Euphrates and hidden for 70 years.
I. Judah was chosen and purchased by God (Why is this important?)
A. Exodus 15:16
B. Judah and Israel should have been grateful that God chose them.
1. He had selected them out of all the nations to be his people. They were a nation of slaves and God brought them out of slavery and formed them into a great nation. When they were serving God they could not be defeated. All the nations were terrified of Israel.
2. They were not grateful. They went after other Gods very soon after they left Egypt. While Moses was on Mt. Sinai they danced around the golden calf.
3. God had given them a great opportunity. They were his chosen people.
C. We have been chosen and purchased by God.
1. I Peter 2:9-10
2. I Peter 1:18-19
D. They were to cling to God
1. God didn’t want to lose the people that he had chosen and purchased. He wanted them to cling to Him like a waistband.
2. They had to be removed. They couldn’t be washed
E. They were to be for God’s glory
1. Jeremiah 13:11
2. They ended up being a ruined and worthless to God.
3. This is what happens to those who become obstinate, rebellious, and proud people who will not hear.
II. They were not washed (Why couldn’t they be washed?)
A. Jeremiah was not to put his linen waistband in water. He couldn’t wash it.
1. Clothes need to be washed. They get soiled and sweaty. Then they need to be washed.
2. Judah and Israel were not washed. They liked being dirty. They were an embarrassment to God.
3. Wearing dirty clothes is embarrassing. When you get a big stain of ketchup or mustard on your shirt you want it washed before you wear it again. If you get mud on your pants you want to change them and wash them before you wear them again. Nobody likes to wear dirty clothes.
4. Jeremiah had to wear his linen waistcloth that he was at one time proud to wear, but now it was dirty and an embarrassment to him.
B. They couldn’t be washed because they didn’t want to repent.
1. Baptism is when our sins are washed away, but it is useless without repentance.
2. God wanted Judah and Israel to repent so they could be cleaned up, but they were so accustomed to evil that they couldn’t
3. Jeremiah 13:23, the Ethiopian couldn’t change his skin nor could the Leopard change his spots. It was a permanent situation for them. The Ethiopian would stay black and the leopard would stay spotted.
4. Judah’s situation was hopeless. They were so accustomed to evil that they couldn’t repent.
a. Jeremiah 13:10, They went after other gods
b. Jeremiah 13:12-14, They were drunks. They knew how to fill jugs of wine. They were like a bunch of jugs full of wine. They were so full of wine they didn’t have room for the spirit of God.
c. Ephesians 5:18
d. Isaiah 56:12, Isaiah prophesied before Jeremiah and the people were drunks then
e. Micah 2:11, Micah is about the same time as Isaiah he says the same.
f. They were going to be drunk with the wrath of God. They would be like drunken men in there judgment. They would be confused and they wouldn’t know what to do.
g. Jeremiah 13:27, They were immoral
5. They were so wicked an Ethiopian was the only one in the king’s court that wanted to serve God and wasn’t afraid to.
6. Jeremiah 38:1-13
7. Ebed-melech was a gentile. He wasn’t a part of the people that God had purchased and chosen out of Egypt. He wasn’t a part of the waistcloth, but he was made in the image of God like all other humans. God took care of Ebed-melech.
8. Jeremiah 39:16-18
III. They were carried away to the Euphrates River and hidden (Why were they carried away to the Euphrates?)
A. Babylon was along the Euphrates River. Babylon was going to conquer Judah and take them captive. (Mark could you find a map with Jerusalem and Babylon on it?) They were idolatrous, rebellious, adulterers.
B. They had forgotten God
1. They were idolatrous, rebellious, and adulterers
2. Jeremiah 13:22-25
3. They would be led to Babylon naked and barefoot.
C. God had not forgotten them, but they would be punished for their iniquities for 70 years. When they returned they would no longer worship idols. When Jesus walked in Israel no one was worshipping idols.
D. Their pride was marred. They were ruined
1. Jeremiah 13:7-9
2. They were a proud people. They refused to submit to Babylon until they were totally ruined. They thought that because the Lord dwelled in Jerusalem it would never be destroyed.
3. Jeremiah 7:4
4. I Kings 9:1-8, they didn’t read the commandments of God.
5. Jerusalem and Judah were destroyed. They were taken captive for 70 years. They were humiliated before all the nations.
Conclusion
We can be like the linen waistband. God to has chosen us for his glory and praise. He wears us with pride giving us His name. He lets us be known as his people. If we won’t repent we become soiled and dirty like a waistband that isn’t washed. We become an embarrassment to God and he will hide us where we are no longer under his protection and his face will be against us. We will be embarrassed and humiliated before everyone. When we have come to our senses and repented then he will return his favor upon us like he did Judah after 70 years.
I Kings 8:47-50, we don’t pray toward Jerusalem anymore, but if we repent of our sin and return to the Lord he will hear our prayer and will forgive us. His favor will return to us
