Observations from Jeremiah 30

God is just. Therefore, He cannot tolerate sin. It must be punished and it will be punished. However, in all His justice, He is also very merciful. He shows His mercy to Judah. He promised that after they were punished for their sin, they would be able to return to Jerusalem and rebuild it.
Jerusalem was an amazing city. It was the capital of an empire that reached from Egypt to the Euphrates River. Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived was the king and his wealth was beyond compare. He built a civilization that was unmatched in its time. His palace and the temple were amazing displays of wealth that people came from all corners of the then-known world to see. He had fleets of ships that traveled the oceans to bring back gold and other treasures. He had copper mines. He had many other nations under tribute as well as a heavy tax to support all this. Yet, several hundred years later, the whole city of Jerusalem was destroyed. Almost no one lived there. The palace was plundered and the beautiful temple destroyed. We also live in a country of unprecedented wealth and technology. Our world is connected and getting smaller every day. We import goods from other poor countries all over the world to consume in our mad frenzy for pleasure. We believe that we have built a civilization that will last forever. The only way to go is up. America has the world's strongest armed forces. They maintain peace and order throughout the world. America will last forever! Or will it? Look at Egypt, or Babylon. What about Greece, one of the greatest civilizations of all time? Where is Rome now? The barbarous Huns and Vandals overran it, leaving only relics of a forgotten era. What will happen to our great "Christian" nation? While USA is one of the most conservative countries in the world, it is far from Christian. There are few sins listed in God's judgment on Judah that cannot be found on the streets of America. What should we do about it? We should be a salt and a light to the world. We can delay God's judgment by doing our part. Let us not be weary in well doing, and let's not think that we have found heaven on earth here in America. Let's remember that we live in an evil world