Jeremiah 46-48 Nations rise and fall

God gave Jeremiah a picture of the nations that surrounded His people. They would rise but in later times they would each fall victim of their own sins. First, God showed Jeremiah about Babylon, then the Philistines and lastly Moab. Each of these cultures were wicked and idolatrous. They presented the Israelites with a temptation to give up the Sovereign Lord and worship idols. Unfortunately, the Israelites fell for that temptation and their nation suffered at the hands of these wicked nations. There is a lesson here for us that comes straight out of James where he tells the Israelites who were dispersed throughout the remnant of these nations. The lesson is this: temptations come and offer what sounds and looks good. We are drawn to them and enticed by them. We often blame Satan for the outcomes, but in reality it is our own wicked hearts that draw us away. We have only to look at our hearts and see this and the blame lies directly on us and Jeremiah reminded the Israelites of that fact. Our hearts are desperately wicked and in need of a spiritual change. 

When we read chapters such as these, we should stop and consider if we are convicted or is our heart so wicked it blames others for our sins. God alone can change the heart. The Israelites were unwilling to repent and change, but how about us?