An Example Ignored

  It is good to pay attention to what has happened to others when they follow a certain path. Southern Judah did not learn from the mistakes of Northern Israel, however. Northern Israel was taken into captivity by Assyria because they rebelled against God. Southern Judah was pursuing the same manners and Jeremiah was pleading with them to learn from what happened to their cousins and turn from their evil.

  "But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I sat my name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel" (Jer. 7: 12). Shiloh was in Northern Israel and the location of the tabernacle after Joshua conquered Palestine. The prophet urged Judah to consider what happened to Shiloh. God had warned them but they gave the Lord no heed. Now Judah was doing the same thing.

  Unfortunately for Judah, they refused to hear. Therefore God would do unto the place they trusted, Jerusalem, as He had done to Shiloh (Jer. 7: 14). Why would they not see the example before them? Do we pay attention to what rebellion against God will do to us (1 Cor. 10: 1- 12)?