Will We Return to the Fountain of Living Waters?(Jeremiah 1-4)

 Desolation has been decreed. The Holy One has appointed His destroyer against us. We have become like pagans. Those who seek the Lord are met with hostility. As noted in Commentary on Jeremiah and Lamentations, Vol. 1, by the theologian John Calvin:

"There is no one who does not pretend to desire obedience to God, yet hardly one in a hundred truly receives His word. For as soon as He speaks, almost all raise a clamor; or if they do not openly and angrily oppose it, they find ways to evade or secretly resist it." (p. 39)

Just as the almond tree blossoms before spring, so too does destruction precede the coming of the Messiah's kingdom. Judgment is necessary for the wickedness we have committed. We have fashioned gods of our own minds and offered them our worship.

In the early years of the West, the Lord was revered. But we have since abandoned Him. As the Lord laments through the prophet Jeremiah:

“Thus says the LORD, ‘What injustice did your fathers find in Me, that they went far from Me and walked after emptiness and became empty?’” (Jer. 2:5, NASU)

Our ancestors did not ask, “Where is the Lord?” Instead, we defiled the blessings He gave us.

Mainline denominations have become bastions of WOKE ideology. Their leaders rebel against the Lord and bow to nothingness. The fidelity of Islamic nations often puts us to shame. The West has become a marketplace of false gods but has gained nothing from it. As Jeremiah wrote:

“For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.” (Jer. 2:13, NASU)

Are we not slaves? Yet we have been plundered. Droughts and floods ravage us. These are not accidents but consequences—we have brought this upon ourselves by forsaking the Lord. Still, we continue to rebel. As Jeremiah warns, our own wickedness will discipline us.

We pursue lust under every green tree. The seed was faithful, but the branches have become corrupt. We cannot cleanse ourselves, yet we refuse to admit our guilt. We chase after sensuality and form perverse attachments. We worship the creations of our minds, yet when crisis strikes, these idols cannot help us. In arrogance, we cry “God bless America,” while demanding the blessings of pleasure and science.

Why do we contend with God? He has already disciplined us, but we quickly forget. The West has become a land of spiritual darkness. Even as women remember their jewelry, we have forgotten the Lord. We look for love in all the wrong places.

Yet despite our unfaithfulness, the Lord remains faithful. If we repent and return to Him alone, He will forgive us. As Calvin latter writes in Commentary on Jeremiah and Lamentations, Vol. 1:

“The people were not guilty of a single act of adultery, but were like common prostitutes who give themselves to all without distinction... Yet return to Me, says the Lord—implying that pardon is available if only we repent.” (p. 156)

We lift our eyes and must confess our sin. Where have we not pursued lust and idols? In doing so, even nature itself turns against us. Like a prostitute, we no longer blush. Yet even now, hope remains—if we repent.

The Lost Tribes disappeared from history due to sin and false worship. Judah followed, yet the Lost Tribes were more righteous by comparison. When they acknowledge their sin, God will call them back. When the Messiah reigns, people from North Carolina to Afghanistan will come to Zion. The Ark will be found, but it is the Lord Himself who will be worshiped at the center.

If you would return to God, cast off your abominations. Purify yourself. Let your covenant be of the heart and mind, not mere outward ritual. This is a call to repentance. God has appointed His destroyer against the West. Therefore, repent—for His anger has not yet turned away. As Jeremiah wrote:

“Your ways and your deeds have brought these things to you. This is your evil. How bitter! How it has touched your heart!” (Jer. 4:18, NASU)

Disaster has been proclaimed. The land lies in ruin. Americans sin not only willfully but ignorantly. God is unraveling creation in response to our rebellion. Our beauty will not save us; our idols cannot shield us from His wrath.

 

As Rashi commented on Jeremiah 1:10:

 

“To uproot and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow…”

 

The prophet is charged with delivering harsh rebuke. Only then can he rebuild and plant—calling us to teshuvah, to repentance and restoration.

In these words, we find both a dire warning and a divine invitation. God’s justice demands reckoning, yet His heart yearns for restoration. Though the West teeters on the edge of desolation, the mercy of the Lord still extends to those who turn back to Him. He does not delight in destruction but longs for hearts to return, for minds to be renewed, and for worship to be made pure. The message of Jeremiah is not merely one of condemnation—it is a call to awaken, to repent, and to be reconciled to the God who formed us. And so, the challenge falls to each of us personally: will we remain numb to the voice of the Lord, or will we humble ourselves, examine our lives, and return to Him with undivided hearts? Let us not delay. Let us return to the fountain of living waters before it is too late, for in Him alone is life, hope, and the promise of renewal.   

God’s Justice, Mercy, and the Coming Restoration: A Reflection on Isaiah 25-28

 

“Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited… let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.” — Isaiah 25:9

In a world that feels increasingly chaotic, it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture: God is still great. He still speaks. And yes, sometimes He speaks through judgment.

Judgment Is Not the End of the Story

Though judgment often feels like a harsh word, it’s rarely God’s final one. The wicked refuse to listen, even as God's hand moves clearly in history. But those who fear Him respond to even the slightest signs of His displeasure.

The theologian John Calvin once wrote:

“While wicked men stand amazed at the judgments of God, and are not moved by any terror, godly men tremble at the slightest token of His anger.”
— Commentary on Isaiah, Vol. 2, p.151

This trembling is not fear without hope—it’s awe that draws us nearer. The tyrants of this world may scoff, but one day they too will stand in silence before His majesty.

The Defender of the Oppressed

God’s heart beats for the vulnerable—the widow, the orphan, the poor. He defends the helpless and gives shelter to the distressed. Isaiah captured this so beautifully:

“You have been a defense for the helpless… a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat.”
— Isaiah 25:4 (NASU)

We often think strength lies in power, but Scripture shows us divine strength is found in compassion and justice.

Grace for All—Judgment for the Rebellious

The sun shines on the righteous and the wicked alike. Yet just as the sun can nourish, it can also scorch. Everyone will face judgment, not because God is cruel, but because justice demands it.

As commentator Harry Bultema wrote:

“Thus, Christ will consume those wicked ones by His burning wrath against them.”
— Commentary on Isaiah, p. 242

Still, grace is extended—even to those who reject it. The tragedy is that many close their eyes to God's mercy. Satan blinds the nations, and people boast of “enlightenment” while living in spiritual darkness.

But there is hope: Christ removes the blindness.

A Day Is Coming: Healing for the Nations

The prophet Isaiah paints a stunning picture of what’s ahead. A day is coming when Jerusalem’s gates will be open to the righteous, when tears will be wiped away, and death will be no more. God Himself will host a feast for all nations.

“Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited… let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”
— Isaiah 25:9

The road of the just is not easy, but it leads somewhere glorious.

God Will Make All Things New

We’re not just waiting for a better version of this world. We’re waiting for a new heaven and a new earth. Isaiah saw the day when even the dead will rise:

“Your dead will live; their corpses will rise... and the earth will give birth to the departed spirits.”
— Isaiah 26:19 (NASU)

This isn’t wishful thinking—it’s divine promise.

Israel’s Role in God’s Plan

Even now, God protects Israel. Though ten tribes were lost due to sin, the Messiah has made a way for peace—for Israel and for all people. The idols that led so many astray will be shattered. From North Carolina to Thailand, the scattered will return, and God’s glory will be known.

When We Trust in Ourselves, We Fall

Let’s be honest: much of our current world is under judgment—not because God delights in wrath, but because we’ve trusted in ourselves and our idols. Leaders are corrupt. Truth is twisted. And yet, God speaks still:

“I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the level.”
— Isaiah 28:17 (NASU)

His justice will expose every lie. His righteousness will wash away every secret sin.

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Final Thoughts

In the midst of global unrest, moral confusion, and personal pain, God is calling us back—to Himself, to truth, to hope. Judgment is not the end. Jesus is. He is the Savior who opens blind eyes, heals broken nations, and welcomes us into everlasting peace.

Today is the day to sing, because He has paid for our sins. The time of wrath is fading, and grace is rising. One day soon, we will see Him face to face.

Where should I strike you? (Isaiah 1-5

 Cursed are we who became pagans. We are culpable for our evil.  The West has abandoned The Holy One. Harry latter wrote, “Evil always calls for punishment, and whoever forsakes God, the fountain of all good things, will face grief upon grief.” (PG34 Kregel Publication © 1981, Translated by Cornelius Lambrgtse)

Rebellion is not a mistake. The West was founded on Christian morals. Unlike a child, they chose to rebel against the One who gave us a history. Harry Bultema wrote in his Commentary on Isaiah, “Nothing in human life is more tragic then an unsuccessful upbringing.” (Pg.31, Kregel Publication © 1981, Translated by Cornelius Lambrgtse) We are stupider then donkey because they at least know where there food comes from.

The Lord has stricken us, but we refuse to respond. We are cursed because our heart is rebellious. Our wounds wound have not be bound or medicated.  California burns. Harry latter wrote in his book, “Hence, the sickness is incurable and leaves no room for healing.” (Pg.36 Kregel Publication © 1981, Translated by Cornelius Lambrgtse) We are left like a stale, fruit cake. If it were not for the Lord of Armies, we would be as desolate as Sodom and Gomorrah.

Sodomites, there is a Torah that condemns you. Your sin perverts your good deeds. God hates them ,if your heart is perverted. The prophet Samuel stated in  1 Sam 15:22 'Samuel said, " Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. “'NASU  When you pray , God will not answer.

Purify yourselves. Isaiah saw in Isaaih 1:18 '“Come now, and let us reason together,"  Says the LORD, "Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.”'  NASU  This is only possible though the Messiah. Harry Bultema wrote in his Commentary on Isaiah, “There is only One who now can cause the sun of salvation to rise upon the weary nations. That One is Jesus Christ.” (Pg.37  Kregel Publication © 1981, Translated by Cornelius Lambrgtse)

Christendom,you who brought Scripture to the world, have become a prostitute. The economy is in shambles. The government is corrupt. Politicians drink their ill gotten wealth. God has made us His enemy. The Lord will purify His people, but those who hate His Law will be broken.

There is coming a day in which all people will seek the Lord. There will be no more war for Messiah will rule healing the nations. In this live for all idols will be cast out. Sin will no longer be hidden for Messiah will rule.

Look What the Lord of Celestial Armies has done. He has risen food prices and taken away wise leaders replacing them with blithering idiots. John Calvin wrote in his Commentary on Isaiah Vol. 1 this:

Let us, therefore, know that everything which we find to be profitable for the support of life flows from the undeserved goodness of God. Hence also there follows another instruction, namely, that we ought to beware lest, by our ingratitude, we deprive ourselves of those excellent gifts of God. pg97Christian Classics Ethereal Library

Humanity devours itself. Even those well-versed in Scripture cannot lead, for they are not healers—only wounded voices echoing in broken halls.

 

The West has collapsed, not from without, but from within. It cast off the Glory of God and now exalts its rebellion. What once was Christendom now parades its sins without shame, like Sodom before the fire. There is no longer even the pretense of remorse—only pride in wickedness. Cursed are they, for they have fashioned their own destruction.

 

The prophet Isaiah foresaw this decay:

"Tell the righteous it will go well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds. But woe to the wicked! Disaster is upon them; they will be paid back for what their hands have done." (Isaiah 3:10–11 NASU)

You have trampled the vineyard, desecrated what was meant to flourish. The Lord asks: why should He not now lay waste to what has become desolate by choice? The vanity and arrogance of a fallen people will be their undoing.

 

Yet hope remains. A day will come when the earth turns again to its Creator. From the remnant, the seed of the Holy One will sprout—a righteous branch bearing the fruit of redemption. Zion shall be made holy once more. When the Lord purifies Jerusalem, she will rise in splendor, and the faithful will praise Him unceasingly. The nations will find their healing in Him.

 

God’s love endures. The West was once shielded by His hand, built on the foundation of Christ. But now, the fruit it bears is bitter—spoiled by pride and injustice. Instead of righteousness, it harvests corruption and dares to call evil “good.” Christendom must judge itself, for judgment has already begun at the house of God.

 

This is why you are consumed—why even the earth rises against you. You have rejected the Torah of the Lord of Hosts. And so, here it is: the wrath of God kindled against a rebellious people.