Thursday, February 23: Jeremiah 50- .

As I read about the total destruction of Babylon, pictures of modern day Bagdad kept flashing in my thoughts. Babylon of old was somewhere in that vicinity and that area is nothing but barren dessert. God fulfilled His Word…

Maybe a third of the way through the reading, a lone verse, verse 20, surprised me. I made a mental note… this would be my meditation point for the morning.

Amid the ravages of destruction, this verse was an oasis of life. In those days, at that time," declares the LORD, "search will be made for Israel's guilt, but there will be none, and for the sins of Judah, but none will be found, for I will forgive the remnant I spare.

God never looses sight of His objective. Babylon was to be a hand of discipline against His people. But when their penalty was served -70 years- His people would be restored. They would be called back home, reestablished in the land. Verse 20 adds one additional detail to the picture, their sins will be forgiven.

I love the imagery of verse 20… a search will be made for Israel's guilt … and for the sins of Judah, but none will be found, for I will forgive the remnant I spare. Psalm 103 reminds us that as far as the East is from the West, so far has God removed our sins from us!

Holocaust survivor and devoted Christian, Corrie Ten Boom, used to say, “God takes our sins and throws them into the deepest part of the sea and then puts up a sign, ‘NO Fishin’ Allowed’”

What an amazing picture of forgiveness. Kings would call for a search of the archives to find a decree or a piece of history. You and I can go to a library or Google something but in the case of Israel and Judah’s sin, nothing could be found! That’s God’s forgiveness. Once forgiven, the sin is gone, erased...

The same gift is offered to you, me, and everyone if we will confess our sins and believe in and receive Jesus as Lord. …

Think about it…

Lord Jesus, I confess that I have sinned (spend some time here)…

I am sorry and I repent. Please pour out Your forgiveness that I might be washed clean, so that if a search be made, no sin can be found in me, thanks to You.

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, I pray. Amen.