Jeremiah 13 - Rotten Underwear and Smashed Wineskins

LINK: Jeremiah 13

BACKGROUND

The linen garment/waistband/waistcloth was a thigh-length undergarment worn next to the skin. It was the most intimate piece of clothing and like our modern-day underwear. God told Jeremiah to bury it near the Euphrates River or the village of Parah. The Euphrates was 700 miles away, but the village of Parah was three miles from Anathoth in Benjamin. The confusion lies in that they are both the Hebrew spelling, p^erāṯâh. My guess is it was the village of Parah.  Many days later, he was to dig it up. Now it was ruined and utterly useless. Judah was chosen by God for intimate fellowship with Him (just like your underwear is close to your skin) they had now become useless, and God would cast them away in judgment.

Wineskins can be either animal-skin bottles (1 Samuel 10:3; Luke 5:37) or earthen jars or pitchers (Jeremiah 48:12; Lamentation 4:2). Since they were to be smashed together, they were probably jars. The empty jars represented all the leaders and people who lived in the land. God would fill them with drunkenness (A symbol of judgment: Isaiah 49:26; 63:6; Jeremiah 25:15-25; 51:7, 39) and smash them like jars against one another. OUCH!

The king mentioned in 13:18 was probably Jehoiachin (Jeconiah) and the queen mother was Nehushta, the widow of King Jehoiakim (29:2; 2 Kings 24:8, 12, 15). Jeremiah strongly admonished them to humble themselves or they would be carried away into exile. Of course, they did not. 

This prophecy came true in 597 B.C. after a reign of just three months. Jehoiachin surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar's armies and was sent to Babylon and imprisoned (2 Kings 24:1-12). Sadly, not even the threat of captivity would cause the king and his people to repent. They were too accustomed to evil (13:23), had forgotten God (13:25), and trusted in false gods (13:25).

REFLECTION

I do not want to be so set in my ways that I lose my ability to grow and change. I am praying that God will reveal those areas to me and help me to change. We ALL have areas where we can grow if we are willing to ask God to reveal them to us.

Last night, I had a "put down" from someone I have not been around for quite some time. One of my biggest steps toward growth and change in my life has been to choose to be around people who edify and build up rather than tear down. I used to choose to be in fellowship where there were too many people relying on sarcasm to relate with people (probably out of deep insecurities). I call it "Christian kidding," and it used to devastate me (not only to receive it but to watch it happen to others) because the culture was filled with people like that. I cannot tell you how many times I would walk away from "fellowship" time absolutely devastated by the cutting remarks and "zingers" that came flying out of people's mouths toward each other. I felt like I was constantly dodging bullets that were flying across the room. I question whether it was even biblical fellowship because Hebrews 10:24, 25 says we are to "consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds."

Now, the bulk of my fellowship is with people who encourage and edify (thankfully, most of the people at this party were of that persuasion), but there were a couple of people (from my past fellowship) who continue to do that regularly. It shocked me because I just do not encounter it very much anymore (it still happens, but it is more the exception than the normal mode of relating).

My OLD way of dealing with it would have been to be very hurt and sinfully dwell on the jibes. Introspection can be a real TRAP, and I would often find myself trapped in it! I might have even lost some sleep over it.

Last night, I was able to see the sarcasm for what it really was (insecurity, attention, etc.), and God allowed me to just use it as an opportunity to pray and extend grace to them. I did not sinfully dwell and become introspective. I did not recall past offenses that they had done toward me and make a case for their condemnation. They did not become an "idol" in my life! I did not even cry or have a pity party. My sinful ego was not damaged by the cutting remarks! I was free to LOVE.

Maybe you cannot understand this, but this is real growth for me, and I am so happy that God has allowed me to not continue in my old sinful pattern of relating with challenging people. I could extend grace and even have a great time of love with those people.

APPLICATION

Pray for God to reveal any sinful behavior patterns and ask Him to change them!

Let's have a fun application today! (Can there really be a fun one in a book about so much gloom, doom, and judgment?)

Jeremiah uses several "audio-visual tools" to get his point across. As you read through Jeremiah, identify all ten of them!

1) 13:1-11

2) 13:12-14

3) 14:1-9

4) 16:1-9

5) 18:1-6

6) 19:1-13

7) 24:1-10

8) 27:1-11

9) 32:6-15

10) 43:8-13

An excellent prayer journey to identify sin patterns and ruts is to go through the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius. Here is a video explaining them and visit my website for more details at: https://bodyandsoulcompanion.com/services 

PRAYER

Lord, rescue us from our sinful ruts. Amen.