Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen!

(Charles Simeon)  LISTEN to Audio!  Download Audio

Jeremiah 2:27-28,
"They have turned their backs to Me and not their faces. Yet when they are in trouble, they say, 'Come and save us!'
Where then are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them come if they can save you when you are in trouble!"

God warns His people of old, that if they persisted in looking to their false gods in the time of prosperity—that they would have none but their idols to assist them in the season of adversity.

In the same way, in times of prosperity, the unsaved not only neglect God but despise Him as well! They cast off all fear of God and serve their idols, to the utter neglect of God.

When reminded of their duty to God, they think:

  "Who is the Lord, that I should obey Him?"

  "I will have nothing to do with Him!"

  "Leave us alone! We have no desire to know Your ways!"

  "Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him?"

  "Stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel!"
(Jeremiah 2:31-2, Exodus 5:2, Psalm 12:4, Psalm 81:11, Job 21:14-15, Isaiah 30:11)

Yet few are so hardened in iniquity, that they will not reflect on their ways when they come into troublous times. Even atheists and heathen, when reduced to great extremities—may force up a prayer to God for help:

  "They sought You in distress, when Your chastening was upon them!"

  "Whenever God slew them, they would seek Him!"

  "In their misery, they will earnestly seek Me!"
(Psalm 78:34-37, Isaiah 26:16, Jonah 1:5, Hosea 5:15)

But as soon as their troubles are over, they return to their sinful ways without a second thought—just like a dog returns to its vomit, or like a swine that is washed goes back to wallowing in the mire!

So it is with the unsaved—they are bent upon the gratification of their sensual desires. They pursue their sins without restraint, mock God, and laugh at all our efforts to turn them to Him.

Still, they never think of the folly and danger of their conduct, which God has repeatedly forewarned them of in His blessed Word: "Do not let him who is deceived trust in vanity; for vanity shall be his recompense!" Job 15:31. Now they obstinately withstand all the overtures of God's love and mercy—but it will not always be so!

In the hour of death, will their pleasures, or their riches, or their honors, which they once sought with such avidity—then comfort them? Alas! These lying vanities can do nothing to assuage the pains of a diseased body—and much less are they able to pacify a guilty conscience, and to compose the bewildered mind, in the prospect of death and judgment! Truly, "miserable comforters are they all!"

God will mock them in that solemn time: "Where then are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them come if they can save you when you are in trouble!"

"Those who cling to worthless idols, forsake their own mercies!" Jonah 2:8. These scoffers of God, will then curse themselves for their folly in seeking such delusions. They will then feel those truths, which they obstinately refused to believe on earth!

How will the ungodly man reproach himself when in Hell:
"While on earth, I only loved worldly vanities. Like Esau, I sold Heaven itself for poor worthless momentary enjoyments. Now, like Esau, God has rejected me! I now beg God to send me only a drop of water to cool my agonized tongue; but He bids me to go for relief to the gods which I served when on earth!
"Now I find that God's Word was true: 'Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction!' I now reap nothing but damnation, because I once sowed only to the flesh!"

Judges 10:13-14,
"You have forsaken Me and served other gods—so I will no longer save you. Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you when you are in trouble!"

Proverbs 1:24-31,
"Since you rejected Me when I called, and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand; since you ignored all My advice, and would not accept My rebuke:
  I in turn will laugh at your disaster;
  I will mock when calamity overtakes you;
  when calamity overtakes you like a storm;
  when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind;
  when distress and trouble overwhelm you!
Then they will call to Me, but I will not answer; they will look for Me, but will not find Me.
Since they hated knowledge, and did not choose to fear the Lord, since they would not accept My advice, and spurned My rebuke—they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes!"