Jeremiah 25:15-38

“For thus says the LORD God of Israel to me: ‘Take this wine cup of fury from My hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send you, to drink it.’” (Jeremiah 25:15, NKJV)

No one likes to deal with the wrath of God. We like the love of God—His mercy and grace. The fact that He is also a God of wrath makes us uncomfortable. But God could not be the sovereign Ruler of the universe if He were not willing and able to punish sin.

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” (Romans 1:18, ESV)

Jeremiah was called by God to be a prophet to the nations. To this point his prophecies had primarily addressed Judah. But now God told him to prophesy to the nations who had rebelled against His sovereign rule. They would drink of the wine cup of God’s fury.

At one point we were also objects of God’s wrath.

“Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.” (Ephesians 2:3, NASB)

However, God had other plans for us.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:4–5, ESV)

How wonderful it is to know that we have passed from wrath to salvation! If we are in Christ, then we are no longer objects of God’s wrath, but we have been accepted in the Beloved and are now His beloved children. We do not drink the cup of wrath, but we drink the cup of communion with Christ.

“Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.’” (Luke 22:20, NKJV)

Jesus drank the cup the Father gave Him—the cup of God’s wrath against sin. But He gives to us the cup of communion, forgiveness and acceptance through the shedding of His blood on the cross!

“Heavenly Father, thank you for your great salvation. Thank you that Jesus drank the cup of wrath for us so that we could drink the cup of communion and forgiveness of sin. Help us drink the cup today and walk in complete fellowship with you. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.”