Passage Read: Jeremiah 49-52
Meditation Verses: 51:5-6
Thought
The Lord is a God of vengeance! He is faithful to His people--even when He determined to punish them for their sin against Him! His punishment of His people is meant to bring them to repentance and restore them to faithful obedience and honor. Or to remove from their midst those who cause the rest to stumble. And when He is done with His discipline, He will turn and avenge His people and the suffering they endured at the hands of those who hated them and were all too happy to be the instrument of God's discipline. Which makes it a frightening thing to be chosen as the instrument of God's wrath! Rulers (including husbands and parents!) are to rule with justice and in accordance with God's standard. They stand in the place of God for those under their authority, so if they don't want to become objects of God's wrath themselves, they need to be careful to rule according to God's will. They need to take pains to know the commands, expectations and ways of the Lord so as to instruct their people to walk in them and discipline for true violations with appropriate discipline. Excessive discipline, inconsistent discipline, discipline for selfish reasons, any punishment that is not in line with God's will for His people, God will remember and will avenge. But discipline consistent with God's Word and character will be rewarded and honored.
Application
It's a sobering thing to be a head of household, a church leader or to be found in any other place of leadership. God is jealous for His people and doesn't forget wrongs committed against them. How much more important it is for me to read the whole counsel of God daily and do it, so as to remember my place and carry out my responsibility in accordance with His will, just as He commanded Israel's kings of old. I may not be responsible for many people, but the number doesn't matter. What matters is representing God and His will accurately. Otherwise, I'll incur His wrath for my treatment of those entrusted to me. The only bit of comfort for me is that if I'm diligent to do my part and those under me fail to honor me correctly, it is they who incur wrath, not me, even if I'm compelled to increase discipline in order to gain their compliance.