It’s good to pay attention to the teachings of the Bible. After all, there is no other source of information as reliable as the Word of God (John 17.17). The Lord created man perfectly to be the head of the household. However, man rebelled against God's plan by eating the forbidden fruit. Thus, he “sold” himself and his descendants to the devil (Genesis 3). However, human beings can be redeemed if they accept Christ as Savior and Lord (John 1.12).

The nation of Judah became as errant as Israel. Samaria, the capital of the Northern Kingdom, had been destroyed by the Assyrians, and its population had been scattered throughout the world. Therefore, the prophet Jeremiah exhorted the Jews to return to walking with God; otherwise, their future would be dire. There would be no other way for them to be saved, only if they returned to the Lord's fold. It was a matter of life and death!

Yes, the choice of the inhabitants of Judah would determine whether they would live or die in their sins; there would be no excuse for wrong behavior. If they converted to God, they would be saved; otherwise, they would go into captivity in Babylon. They already had the example of their brothers in the Northern Kingdom, who were destroyed by Shalmaneser, king of Assyria. In the end, those who refuse to return to the Most High will be thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone (Revelation 20.15).

Jeremiah's message was for God's people to reflect on their attitudes. How long would the rebellious daughter wander on the path of her evil ways? Judah was acting in the same way that Israel had acted a century earlier, but it could still choose: return to the Lord, or go into captivity in Babylon, which would last 70 years. The inhabitants of Judah chose poorly, and the evil foretold by the prophet came upon them. It was 70 years of pain in Babylon.

The Almighty spoke of a time when something new would be created: a woman would surround a man. Nature, in its origin, placed man as the head of the household, but the day would come when women would take charge, rejecting male leadership. The change would make men obey women, something that, at that time, was completely impossible to imagine. Today, we have seen the rise of radical feminism in all areas.

When nations walk in error, disobeying the order that the Creator gave to man to rule over the birds, the fish, and the animals that crawl on the earth (Genesis 2.28), the reversal of values prevails. The world will still undergo great and terrible transformations. Despair will be seen everywhere.

Is there healing for the world? No! Men no longer want the love of women, and there is no way to reverse this, because the curse comes upon those who refuse to recognize God as the Lord of all creation. Furthermore, the one who is to come is no longer Nebuchadnezzar, but the antichrist (2 John 1.7).

           In Christ, with love,

         R. R. Soares