Jeremiah 13:1-11

Many times God would use Jeremiah to speak to the people using picture language. We sometimes call it typical language. The object HE used was a girdle. Girdles were belts around the waist, used to tuck in a long robe when the man would work, run or go out to fight in a battle.

First Jeremiah was to put it on. It fit well and could be used as I explained above. Next Jeremiah was to go to the river bank, dig a hole, and bury the girdle. Later when he went to dig it up, it was completely ruined and good for nothing. Now what is the lesson we learn from this little picture story?

The first lesson is that there is a certain kind of usefulness in every Christian. It is to keep things in control just like a belt around a person's waist is to hold in the flowing robe. Collectively the Church is to be that in a sinful world.

Now as this girdle, if found in the wrong place could be marred and useless, so also a Christian found in the wrong place could be worthless in regards to holding in (restraining) the evil of the world. The same application could be to the whole Church in the evil world. We must not lose sight of the fact that we are a different and sanctified people in this sinful world. If we are to do anything, we must remain that way. If we give way and mingle with the ways of the world we can do nothing to keep in check the evil of the world. Israel was to do the same and as a nation they failed miserably. I am afraid that much of the same could be said of Christianity today.