In this daily Bible reading the Prophet, Jeremiah, mourns the destruction of Jerusalem. It appears that this was written during the period that Babylon was besieging Jerusalem. Jerusalem was surrounded by the Babylonian army. Therefore, the people of Jerusalem were starving. The siege lasted for over a year, and the food supply was virtually gone. It was so bad that people were resorting to cannibalism and eating their own children. Jeremiah clearly saw that Jerusalem’s plight and suffering were the result of it sin and turning away from God.
God was doing what He said He would do. That was to punish Jerusalem. God was getting their attention and making them aware of God’s sovereignty over the world and mankind. The people had turned from God and worshiped idols. However, their idols were not able to help them. Many did not understand the reasons for their afflictions and did not turn to God in repentance for their sins. I believe that this is true today.
Today, many people are afflicted with pain and suffering from diseases and hardships. I believe that many of these diseases and hardships are the result of sin in a person’s life. The Bible says that God does punish people for their sins, correcting them so that they may turn from their sins.
I believe that AIDS was the result of homosexual sin, but many do not come to that conclusion. They do not see the linkage between the sin and the disease. However, there is a linkage. Living in sin will result in a very miserable existence. Even worse, the Bible says that living in sin will lead to an eternity of misery and pain in Hell.
