Key scripture – “Moab has been at ease from his youth and has settled on his dregs; he has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, nor has he gone into exile; so his taste remains in him, and his scent is not changed.” (Jeremiah 48:11).

The verse today in the Key scripture is rich with meaning because it is a judgment spoken against the people of Moab, which was a neighboring pagan nation located to the south and east of Jerusalem. In fact, God had cursed the Moabites, and no Moabite was allowed to be in the house of Israel.

In verse 11, look where it states, “Moab, has been at ease from his youth.” You know what Moab’s problem was? Moab is ungodly. Moab is unregenerate. Moab is dissipated. Do you know why? Because Moab never had any trials and problems in his life and a life without trials and problems produces a very weak character.

Now look at what it says, “And has settled on his dregs.” Dregs is the sediment that settles in the bottom of a wineskin in the process of making wine; settled on his dregs – “and has not been emptied from vessel to vessel. Nor has he gone into exile; so his taste remains in him, and his scent has not changed.” You are probably thinking, “What in the world is this talking about?” This is using a picture of wine making to make a very important point about the trials we all go through.

When they make wine they take the fruit of the vine, grape juice, and they pour it in a wineskin and let it set. After it sets for a while, the dregs or the sediment, falls to the bottom and begins to separate from the wine -the juice. Then, after a period of time the wine is poured out of that wineskin and into another. When that is done, some of the sediment or dregs, remains in the bottom of the wineskin. It is then poured into the next wineskin, and over a period of time, whatever sediment or dregs are left, fall to the bottom of that wineskin. That is done over, and over, and over, and over, and finally the wine is poured into a wineskin, and after they wait awhile, it is poured back out again, and there’ll be no sediment, and that is when it is good and sweet because all the sediment and dregs have been removed.

When the dregs are all gone, the wine has a sweet fragrance and a sweet taste, but it only got that way because it has been poured from vessel to vessel to vessel, and in each case the pouring allowed the bitterness to fall out and settle in the bottom. The sediment that is collected from the bottom of the wineskins is so bitter that it is used to make vinegar.

What God is saying is, if Moab had only been poured from trouble to trouble to trouble, so that the bitterness could have fallen out, Moab would have offered a sweet scent, and it would have been a fragrant offering to The Lord. But Moab has been at ease, it has not been tried, and that turned out to be a bad thing because none of the sediment has been removed.

That is why when we go through trials and trouble we need to consider it joy, and submit to it, because as God pours you and me from trial to trial to trial to trial, all the bitterness is settling in the bottom until finally all that we bring before the Lord is a sweet savor, a sweet smell, a fragrant offering, that has no bitterness at all, that is acceptable and pleasing to The Lord.

With that in mind we can rejoice in our trials because we understand the perfecting work that is being done in our life and our character. We can willingly submit and rejoice and look on each trial as a blessing because it is removing the dregs from our life.

Now, if you will approach your trials like that, you’re going to turn trouble into triumph, and you will know and understand that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28).

Pray this – Our Precious Heavenly Father, thank You for the trials in my life which are being used to remove the bitterness and sin from my life so that I bring only a sweet fragrant offering to You. Each trial brings me closer and closer to being like Jesus. Whatever the trial, whatever the struggle might be, I will leave it to You to guide me, provide for me, and deliver me. I will rejoice because I know that in every trial You will be faithful, because You love me and want the best for me. No matter how thorny the way may be, You will always lead me to a joyful end. Like Paul, I will Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! I will let my gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. I will not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, I will present my requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus.(Philippians 4:4-7). Father, You know the way that I take; and when You have tested me, I will come forth as gold. (Job 23:10). In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.