Jeremiah 48:10 “Negligent in the Work of the Lord”

In Jeremiah 48, the Lord pronounces judgment on Moab, and verse 10 warns, “Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord deceitfully.” Andy Falleur compares translations (the ESV’s “with slackness,” the NLT’s “refuse to do the Lord’s work”) and explains the setting: Jeremiah 46–51 records a major shift in history as small nation states are swallowed by empires, with Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar, whom the Lord calls “my servant,” bringing judgment on wicked practices like child sacrifice, much as God did in Noah’s day. Andy traces the empires that followed (Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and the Ottoman Empire) and turns to Luke 21, where Jesus foretells Jerusalem being trampled by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled, which Andy connects to 1967 and the Six-Day War. He then asks what God’s work among the nations is now, and answers from Matthew 28: make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to observe all that Jesus commanded. He tells the stories of William Carey in India and Lillian Trasher, “Mama Lily,” in Egypt, and uses C.S. Lewis’s fleet-of-ships picture from Mere Christianity: keep your own ship in order, coordinate with the ships around you, and follow the admiral’s course, unlike Jonah. Andy closes with practical ways not to be slack in God’s work: pray for missionaries, go, give, learn and share, and serve here at home. He finishes with a run of verses on faithful, diligent service.

Scripture References

Primary text

Jeremiah 48:10 (cursed is he who does the work of the Lord deceitfully; translation comparison)

Jeremiah 46–51 (prophecies of judgment on the nations, including Moab; referenced)

Cross-references in the study

Luke 21:20–24 (Jerusalem surrounded by armies; trampled by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled)

Matthew 28:18–20 (the Great Commission: make disciples of all nations)

1 Corinthians 15:58 (be steadfast, always abounding in the work of the Lord)

Hebrews 6:10 (God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love)

Luke 16:10 (faithful in what is least is faithful also in much)

Romans 12:11 (not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord)

Hebrews 6:12 (do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises)

Genesis 6 (God’s judgment in Noah’s day; referenced)

Jonah 1 (Jonah sent to Nineveh goes the opposite way; referenced)

Luke 14:18–20 (excuses: “I bought a field,” “I just got married”; alluded to, not cited)

Daniel (Nebuchadnezzar and the Medo-Persian empire; referenced)

Matthew 1 (the genealogy of the kings; referenced)

Topics and Keywords

Topics: Faithfulness in God’s work · Judgment on the nations · Bible prophecy and the times of the Gentiles · The Great Commission · Missions · Diligence and stewardship · Prayer for missionaries · Giving

Keywords: Jeremiah 48, Jeremiah 48:10, Moab, negligent, slackness, work of the Lord, Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, empires, Noah, Luke 21, times of the Gentiles, Six-Day War, 1967, Jerusalem, Bible prophecy, Matthew 28, Great Commission, make disciples, baptizing, teaching, missions, missionaries, William Carey, Lillian Trasher, Mama Lily, C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, Jonah, prayer, giving, food pantry, 1 Corinthians 15:58, Hebrews 6:10, Luke 16:10, Romans 12:11, Bible study, Calvary Chapel Fort Walton Beach