Jeremiah 13:1-27
The LORD gives a sign to Jerusalem: this girdle which Jeremiah must first wear around his loins; then, without ever washing it, he has to go and hide it by the river Euphrates, more than 250 miles away; finally he must go and bring it back, only to find that it is good for nothing. The LORD explains to him the spiritual meaning of all this. The girdle is an adornment; its place is to be near the heart; moreover it formed part of the clothing of the priests (Exodus 28:40; and Jeremiah was one of these). Thus God had firmly attached to Himself this people who were to enhance His glory and serve Him. But pride and the worship of idols had resulted in Jerusalem and Judah becoming just as defiled and useless as this rotten girdle. Like the girdle, they will be carried away to the banks of the Euphrates, to Babylon (v. 19), unless they humble themselves. Those in the highest positions, the king and the queen, are invited to set an example. V. 23 reminds us that sin leaves an indelible stain on man. We cannot rid ourselves of it any more than any man has the power to change the colour of his skin, or a leopard to remove its spots. But by virtue of the blood of Christ, God can take away sins and give a new heart. This is exactly what happened to an Ethiopian whose conversion is related in Acts 8:1-40.