Defenses Stripped

A nation, an individual, a family that has been greatly blessed by God is truly blessed, strong, safe, protected and having the hand of God upon them. When these have grown to a place where they begin to trust their own strength, and wander from the trust and worship of the One who has given them these things, then, there is need for warning.

A man or woman who has lived by faith, because of the faith given them by God, who begins believing they are great because of their own efforts, pride, and strength will draw away from the Lord. They see only that God’s blessing is on them, and that will always be the same. What happens, however, when the blessing stops? What happens when this individual begins trusting the blessing rather than the Blesser?
The nation of Judah, to whom Jeremiah addresses had been in such a state. Greatly blessed over the years, but they would never hear of the decease of God’s blessing. Any prophet who warned them that God was going to send a sinful nation to avenge Him was considered a false prophet. That was Jeremiah’s case.

The nation of Israel was likened unto a vineyard by Isaiah the prophet (Isaiah 5), and that picture is given to Jeremiah as well;

"Go ye up upon her walls, and destroy; but make not a full end: take away her battlements; for they are not the LORD’S. For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith the LORD. They have belied the LORD, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine: And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them." Jeremiah 5:10-13 (KJV)

Though vineyard is not mentioned in the KJV that is the idea of the "walls". Vineyards did have walls around them, and these "battlements" are speaking of the "branches" of the vineyard that are to be taken away.

The NKJV reads,

"Go up on her walls and destroy, but do not make a complete end. Take away her branches for they are not the LORD’s."

The wall was the means of protection for the vineyard. It kept the livestock from getting into it, the wildlife from doing too much damage. To destroy the wall was to make the vineyard open to ruin.

Notice in these words that God gives hope to His people, "…but make not a full end" . The defense of God’s people is the LORD, not a our nation, not our president, not the military, etc. It is the LORD alone. When we turn our backs on God in favor of wicked leaders, and military defenses, politics or business; including Wall Street, then we will have our defenses stripped.

People no longer listen to the truth. We want to feel good and the truth doesn’t leave us feeling too well. The nation of Judah turned its back on God infavor of the lies of the false prophets. They rejected the word of God, and trusted lies. Judah and Israel said that "If there is a coming judgment, it is not of God". They would not believe that God could do such a thing. After all, they thought, "We have the temple of God". They may have had the temple of God, but God was not in His temple.

There may be destruction from God, but it is to call His people back to Himself. Christian of 2009 wake up and see and hear the truth of God’s word. Trust only in Him, and be at peace. God has our best in His heart. Repent, return and believe. Do this through faith in God’s Son Jesus Christ. He died on the cross for your sins, was buried carrying your guilt, shame and condemnation away, and He bodily arose from the grave, and gives us eternal life. One day soon He is coming again.

-Tim A. Blankenship