I Will Bring Distress on Them so That They May Realize

The idol worshipping of the Israelites deeply hurt God’s heart

In each time period, God appoints someone to speak His Word on His behalf. At one time, the spokesman for God’s Word was prophet Jeremiah. Centering on today’s scriptures, the book of Jeremiah in the Old Testament conveys a message that God gave to the Israelites, who had been chosen by God, as well as the Gentile nations living in that generation. Although Israel was God’s chosen nation in that time period, the Israelites constructed images, served them, made wishes upon them, and lived fearing those idols, following the practices of the Gentile nations that did not believe in God. 

As a result of this, God spoke endlessly to the Israelites through prophet Jeremiah. God said, “While you serve idols and make wishes before them, do you still ask for the rain to come and the wind to blow? Their idols cannot speak or walk; instead, they must be carried by people.  They can do no harm nor bless you; do not fear them.”

Prophet Jeremiah cried out to God’s chosen people and taught them, saying that Jehovah is the only true God, the living God, and the eternal King. 

God spoke to them with such an anxious heart, saying, “Come back to Me. I, Jehovah, am your Husband.” However, like a wife who has deceived her husband and left home, the Israelites did not listen to God. They continued to worship the idols and images that they had made, making wishes upon them and fearing them. God was so upset and hurt; His heart was in traumatic shock. Although He resolved the grief in His heart, since people did not change their ways, He had no choice but to say, “Behold, at this time I will hurl out those who live in this land; I will bring distress on them so that they may realize.”  Ultimately, the Israelites suffered at the hands of the neighbouring countries; they were dragged to Gentile nations and were tormented. 

God had told the Israelites countless times to live according to His Word and not to serve idols. But because they would not revert from their sinful ways, they received God’s judgement. Even though they were people who should have received salvation, because they were obstinate and would not listen to His Word, God made them feel the distress He was going through because of them. From this, they realized that the torment they received was because they had not treated God well. When they realized this, God’s suffering finally ceased. 

This Word of God still applies in this time period

God, the Holy Spirit, and the Lord want desperately for people to live perfectly. However, if people continue to not listen to God’s Word but live like someone who has deceived and abandoned their spouse, then God becomes devastated in His heart. As a result, He makes people go through suffering so that they realize about their wrong deeds on their own. God repeatedly enlightens those who live without listening to God’s Word that they should not live in that way. Especially nations that do not believe in God and instead suppress the believers, God enlightens them endlessly and works strongly upon them to make them realize. However, just as with the Israelites, if the leaders of a nation fail to think of God, according to their national disposition, and act with arrogance and stubbornness, the citizens will also think and live in the same way.

In the end, God hurls out those nations, putting them through suffering by disease and death. Through this, He makes them realize on their own! 

When God and the Holy Spirit make people realize about their deeds, they cannot help but realize about God! If people still fail to realize even though they are tormented due to disease and suffering, then they may receive even greater affliction and even eternal suffering.  Therefore, everyone must come to their senses, repent of all their sins, and live realizing and obeying God’s Will.  

God sees people who serve and love other people or other things more than the Almighty Holy Trinity and the Lord as those who have gone against the greatest law of Heaven, so He rebukes and judges them. 

God is fair

God judges people who act in ways that deserve judgement and blesses people who act in ways that deserve blessings so that they can realize about God’s Will on their own. We should give thanks before The Holy Trinity while reflecting on the sufferings of the past and realize. 

During times of suffering, we should pray that the people who did wrong will realize their sins and repent while we continue to do our own responsibilities.