Read Jeremiah 13:12-17.
When Herbert Hoover ran for President in 1928, his campaign promised, “A chicken in every pot and a car in every garage.” At the time, it was a slogan indicating that the economy would boom and people would prosper under a Hoover administration. Instead, eight months into his presidency, the stock market crashed and the United States entered the Great Depression.
God makes a similar promise to Judah. It was a familiar expression for prosperity at the time: “Every bottle shall be filled with wine.” It was spoken with sarcasm, but the Jews missed the meaning, and in their pride said, “Do we not certainly know that...?” So smug were they, that even though Jeremiah had been warning them of judgment, they were singing, “Happy days are here again!”
Our economy seems to be booming at the time—and we should be grateful to God. But, let us refrain from the folly that thinks we may sin with impunity—drunk with pride, power, and prosperity—lest unhappy days of God’s wrath descend. The wine bottles would be full in Jerusalem, but the people would empty the contents and become filled with wine in celebration. They would stagger into one another and fall down to their hurt. In the midst of the celebration, God would essentially say, “The party’s over!”
Will we listen? Will we learn? Will Americans repent of their pride and give glory to God alone? If we do not them we can expect the same end to “our shining city on a hill” as befell Jerusalem. The lights will be turned out and darkness will cover the land. If you look from space as night blankets the United States, you can see an America where lights shine like beacons across the continent. Do you know what would happen, if a low yield nuclear weapon emitting an electro-magnetic pulse was exploded above us? The electrical grid would fail. All electronics and computers would be wiped out. Deep darkness would descend.
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