The Swelling Of Jordan

Jeremiah 12: 1 - 6 The Swelling Of Jordan

1. Jeremiah's Problem 1 Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?

(a) Jeremiah had a Problem with the Lord 1 Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments:

(b) Jeremiah had a Problem with the Wicked Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper?

(c) Jeremiah had a Problem with the Righteous 3 But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.

Why does the Lord not Judge the ungodly, & deliver the godly?

2. Jeremiah's Prayer 4 How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end.

3. Jeremiah's Proposal 5 If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?

(a) There Is Rebuke Here - If the footmen, have wearied thee,

Psalm 37:35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. 36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.

38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.

39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble.

40 And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him. Truth is on the side of the Godly 37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright Time is on the side of the Godly 37 for the end of that man is peace Triumph is on the side of the Godly 40 And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.

(b) There Is Recognition Here - thou hast run with the footmen,

Jesus knows all about our struggles.

The Purpose Of Trials - The Footmen come before the horses.

The Profit Of Trials - 1 Cor 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

The Praise In Trials Nehemiah 8:10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

(c) There Is Revelation Here - 5 If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?

4. Jeremiah's Plea 5 If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan? How wilt thou do? Note its a:- (a) Practical Question Death is universal, unpredictable, individual, unavoidable (b) Personal Question - "how wilt Thou do?" (c) Pre-eminent Question a matter of life and death "What shall it profit a man?"

(d) Profitable Question - Deuteronomy 32 v. 29 "O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!"

Poor Christian, look up to the joys set before thee, And haste on thy way to the regions of glory.

A crown and a kingdom thy faith may discover, Thy troubles are great, but they soon will be over,

For Jesus hath suffered, thy soul to deliver, And light up thy passage through Jordan's dark river.

The world, flesh, and Satan, their forces are sending.

With footmen and horses thy soul is contending;

But dost thou grow weary and faint with thy burden,