Psalm 150 (continued, part 16)
CHAPTER SEVEN Jeremiah 21—24 KINGS ON PARADE
It seems strange that the Lord would use words like "anger," "fury," and "great wrath" (Jer. 21:5) to describe His disposition toward His own people. Yet these words were a part of His covenant with the people, and the nation knew the terms of the covenant (see Deut. 29:23, 28; 32:16–17, 21, 29; Lev. 26:27–28). God had warned the Jews repeatedly that their disobedience would arouse His anger and force Him to bring judgment to the land, but the leaders wouldn't listen. They preferred dead idols to the living God, and power politics to simple faith in His word.
The tumult and the shouting dies The captains and the kings depart— Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice An humble and a contrite heart. Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, Lest we forget—lest we forget!
—Rudyard Kipling, "Recessional" K
Jeremiah announced that the people in Jerusalem would die of famine, pestilence, or the sword; many of the survivors would even be taken captive to Babylon. King Zedekiah and his officers would be handed over to Nebuchadnezzar and judged. That's exactly what happened. The siege began January 15, 588, and ended July 18, 586, a period of just over thirty months.2 After Zedekiah, his sons, and his nobles were captured, his sons were slain before the eyes of the king, who was then blinded and taken to Babylon, where he died (Jer. 39:1–10; 52:8–11, 24–27; 2 Kings 25). A pronouncement to the people (vv. 8–10). There was no hope for the king, but the Lord did offer hope to the people if they would surrender to Nebuchadnezzar (see Jer. 38:17–23). God set before them two ways—the way of life and the way of death—a choice that must have reminded them of the words of the covenant (Deut. 11:26–32; 30:15–20; see Jer. 27:12–13; 38:2–3, 17–18). With God, we must decide one way or the other (Ps. 1); it's not possible to be neutral (Matt. 7:13–29; 12:22–30).
ipling's "Recessional" was published in 1897 when Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee was celebrated in Great Britain. The poem was a quiet warning to the British people to beware of overconfidence in their hour of imperial glory. Perhaps Kipling had the words of Daniel in mind: "The Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses" (Dan. 4:25 nkjv), or he may have been thinking of Proverbs 16:18: "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (nkjv).
Jeremiah wrote a more pointed "Recessional" for the kingdom of Judah as he described one king after another leaving the scene and marching off to shameful judgment. In the great days of David, Hezekiah, and Josiah, the nation had honored the Lord, but now Judah was rapidly moving toward defeat and disgrace. In these pivotal chapters, Jeremiah delivered four important messages to the leaders and to the people.
God opposes the leaders of Judah (21:1–14) These events probably took place in the year 588, when the invincible Babylonian army was camped around the walls of Jerusalem. Hoping to secure help from Egypt, weak King Zedekiah had rebelled against
Of course, to surrender to the enemy was an act of treason, and Jeremiah eventually got into trouble for advocating this plan (Jer. 37:11–21; 38:1–6). The
Jeremiah 21—22
Jehoiakim, also called Eliakim, reigned for eleven years (Jer. 22:13–23; 2 Kings 23:34—24:6) and died in Jerusalem. He was followed by his son Jehoiachin, also called Jeconiah and Coniah, whose reign lasted only three months (Jer. 22:24–30; 2 Kings 24:6–12). Nebuchadnezzar took him to Babylon, where eventually he died.
phrase "his life shall be unto him for a prey" (21:9) is literally "his life shall be to him as plunder" (see 38:2; 39:18; 45:5). The Babylonians would treat the deserters like spoils of war, and the Jews, after losing everything in the siege, would be happy to escape with their lives.
Since Nebuchadnezzar was doing the work of God in punishing the kingdom of Judah (50:9, 23; 51:20), and since God was allied with Babylon in fighting Judah, to surrender to Babylon really meant to surrender to the will of God. It meant to confess guilt and submit to the hand of the Lord. Rebellion against the Babylonians was rebellion against the Lord, and that was the way of death.
The last king of Judah was Zedekiah, who reigned eleven years and saw the kingdom and the Holy City destroyed by Babylon (Jer. 22:1–9; 2 Kings 24:17— 25:21). He was blinded and taken to Babylon to die. As Kipling wrote, "The captains and the kings depart."
Jeremiah disclosed the truth about those four kings, but then he made a promise about Messiah—the Righteous Branch (King) who would one day reign and execute justice in the land.
As God's people today, we need to realize that the only safe and sane response to God's chastening hand is submission. "Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?" (Heb. 12:9 nkjv) The implication of the question is that we might not live if we don't submit to the will of God! "There is a sin not unto death" (1 John 5:17).
Zedekiah—callousness (22:1–9). The king had sent messengers to Jeremiah, but the prophet went personally to the palace to deliver God's message. Zedekiah was sitting on David's throne, in David's house of cedar (2 Sam. 5:11; 7:2,7), benefiting from the covenant God had made with David (2 Sam. 7), and yet the king wasn't serving the Lord as David had served Him. Jeremiah repeated what he had preached before (Jer. 21:12), that it was time for the king and his nobles to obey God's law and execute justice in the land. They were exploiting the poor and needy, shedding innocent blood, and refusing to repent and turn to God.
A pronouncement to the house of David (vv. 11–14). Here the Lord spoke to David's dynasty—the kings who sat on the throne because of God's covenant with David (2 Sam. 7). If they obeyed God's law and executed justice in the land, God would keep His promise and maintain David's royal dynasty. If they disobeyed, however, the kings would lose their throne rights. Once again, God was simply reminding them of the terms of the covenant and urging them to obey His word.3 The people of Jerusalem were certain that their city was impregnable and that there was no need to be afraid. Surrounded on three sides by valleys—Hinnom on the south and west, and Kidron on the east—the city had to defend itself only on the north. Jerusalem's inhabitants saw themselves enthroned on the rocky plateau, but God would soon dethrone them and cause them to lose their crown. Since the Babylonian army did set fire to the city, God did "kindle a fire in the forest" (Jer. 21:14). The phrase "the forest" probably refers to the structures in the city, especially to the king's palace, the house of the forest of Lebanon (1 Kings 7:2; 10:17, 21). The cedars of Lebanon were used to construct various buildings in the city.
In 2 Samuel 7, there is a dual meaning to the word house: a literal building (the temple David wanted to construct for God) and the royal house (dynasty) God established through David by His gracious covenant. These same two meanings are woven into Jeremiah's message: God will destroy both the royal palace and the Davidic dynasty because of the sins of the kings. The royal house of cedar would be cut down and burned as the Chaldean soldiers went through the city like men chopping down a forest in Lebanon.
Meanwhile, Jeremiah appeared to be giving the leaders a small window of opportunity: If they would repent and do justice, God would deliver the city and establish David's throne (Jer. 22:4). Their hearts, however, were hard, and they would not listen. The ruins of Jerusalem would be a monument to their wickedness.
Jehoahaz (Shallum)—hopelessness (22:10–12). The death of godly King Josiah a decade before had brought great sorrow to the people. Even Jeremiah had written a lamentation honoring the dead monarch (2 Chron. 35:25). But there was no hope for the nation in looking back and weeping over a dead past. Nor was there hope in trusting that King Jehoahaz (Shallum) would be released from Egypt, where he was prisoner of Pharaoh Necho (2 Chron. 36:1–4). Apparently there was a pro-Jehoahaz party in Judah that pinned their hopes on his return, and perhaps some of the false prophets encouraged this expectation. Jeremiah, however, announced that Jehoahaz would never return to Judah but would die in Egypt.
This chapter begins with a king's cry for help and ends with a prophet's pronouncement of doom. What a tragedy!
God Discloses the Fate of the Kings (22:1—23:8) Godly King Josiah reigned for thirty-one years and sought to lead the people back to God. But the last four kings of Judah were wicked men, even though three of them were Josiah's sons and one was his grandson (Jehoiachin).
Jehoahaz, or Shallum, succeeded Josiah and reigned only three months (Jer. 22:10–12; 2 Kings 23:30–33). Pharaoh Necho deported him to Egypt, where he died.
Jeremiah 22—23
Instead of looking to a dead past or trusting in a deposed leader, the people should have been dealing with the issues of that hour and looking to the Lord for His help. Josiah was dead; Jehoahaz was exiled; it was time for Zedekiah to follow the example of his godly father, Josiah, and lead the people back to the worship of the true God.
Jehoiachin was a wicked man, and Jeremiah 22:26 suggests that his mother was as much to blame as his ungodly father. Jeremiah had warned both the king and the queen mother, but they wouldn't listen (13:18–19).
If the king were the very signet ring on God's right hand God would casually take it off and hand it to the Babylonians (22:24–27). The signet ring was valuable because it was used to prove authority, identify possessions, and "sign" official documents, but Jehoiachin was useless to the Lord, fit only to be thrown away in Babylon.6
Jehoiakim (Eliakim)—covetousness (22:13–23).4 During a time of international crisis, Jehoiakim was more concerned about building his own spacious palace than he was about building a righteous kingdom, and he even used unpaid Jewish slave labor to do it! It was against the law to hold back wages or to enslave fellow Jews (Ex. 21:1–11; Lev. 19:13; Deut. 24:14–15; James 5:1–6). The nation was decaying and dying while the king was admiring his palace, the spacious rooms, the large windows, and the decorated cedar paneled walls. Jehoiakim wasn't much different from some modern politicians who profit from dishonest gain while they ignore the cries of the poor and needy.
The question in verse 28 is constructed in such a way that "no" is the answer expected. The people of Judah didn't consider Jehoiachin a broken pot to be tossed away on the trash heap. In fact, one of the false prophets predicted that Jehoiachin would return to Judah, deliver the nation, and reign once again in power (28:1–4). God, however, had another plan for this evil man and his family; the king, his mother, and his sons were all deported to Babylon, where they died.
"Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?" (Jer. 22:15 niv) asked the prophet. Then he reminded him that his father, King Josiah, lived comfortably and still did what was just and right. Josiah defended the cause of the poor, and God blessed him, but Jehoiakim thought only of himself. It didn't worry him that God watched as he robbed the poor, killed the innocent, and oppressed the just in order to satisfy his craving for luxury.
Jehoiachin had at least seven children (1 Chron. 3:17–18) by several wives (2 Kings 24:15), but none of them would sit on the throne of David. God declared that He would treat Jehoiachin as if the man were childless. Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, saw the Babylonians slay his sons, and it's likely that he himself died before Jehoiachin was freed from prison (Jer. 52:10–11, 31–34). This means that Jehoiachin was the last surviving king in David's line.
Of course, Jesus Christ is the "son of David" (Matt. 1:1; Rom. 1:3) and one day will restore the fortunes of Israel and reign from David's throne (Luke 1:30–33, 67–79). The genealogy in Matthew 1 traces Christ's ancestry through His legal father, Joseph. Since Jehoiachin is in that family tree (Matt. 1:11), however, none of his descendants can claim the throne because of the curse pronounced in Jeremiah 22:24–30. Our Lord gets His Davidic throne rights through His mother, Mary, whose genealogy is given in Luke 3:21–38. From Abraham to David, the lists are similar, but from David on, they differ. Luke traced the line through David's son Nathan and thus avoided Jehoiachin, a descendant of Solomon. Jesus Christ has every right to David's throne, and His future reign is what Jeremiah dealt with in the next section.
Jeremiah moved from "him" (third person) in verse 13 to "you" (second person) in verse 15, and then he named the king in verse 18. He announced that the king's burial would be quite unlike that given to his beloved father. The nation mourned Josiah's untimely death, but the Jews wouldn't weep when Jehoiakim died, nor would they bury him like a king. Who would pay for an expensive funeral just to bury a donkey? The carcass would be thrown on the garbage dump, where the scavengers and vermin would devour it (Jer. 36:30). Even Jehoiakim's end would be in fulfillment of the covenant curses (Deut. 28:26).5
Before going on to discuss the next king, Jeremiah paused to address the people of Jerusalem and describe their terrible plight (Jer. 22:20–23). The advance of the Chaldean army had crushed their allies ("lovers"), who also would be sent into exile. Like the desert wind, the Babylonian soldiers would "round up" Judah's evil leaders and sweep them away. The king and his nobles, living carelessly in the cedar palace ("Lebanon"), would soon suffer terrible pain like a woman in travail. The Lord had warned them, but they felt so secure that they wouldn't listen. The peace promised by the false prophets would never materialize. For the city of Jerusalem, it was the end.
Messiah the King—righteousness (23:1–8). Jeremiah denounced all the leaders ("shepherds") of Judah for the ruthless way they treated the helpless people (vv. 1–4). Instead of leading the flock in love, they drove it mercilessly and exploited it. The shepherds didn't visit ("care for") the sheep, but God would visit the leaders with punishment. Because the leaders disobeyed the law and refused to trust God, they destroyed the nation and scattered the flock among the Gentiles. God, however, promised to regather His people and transform the remnant into a nation. (The word remnant is used nineteen times in Jeremiah.) A remnant did return to Judah after the captivity, rebuild the temple, and restore national life.
Jehoiachin (Coniah, Jeconiah)—childlessness (22:24–30). The son of Jehoiakim, he reigned only three months and ten days before he was deported with the queen mother to Babylon and replaced by his uncle, Zedekiah (2 Chron. 36:9–10; 2 Kings 24:8–17).
Jeremiah 23
Jehovah (23:11), turning God's house into a den of thieves (7:9–11). But the word adultery also includes their worship of idols, turning from the true God (to whom Israel was "married") and being unfaithful to their covenant promises.
Jeremiah, however, promised a much greater regathering of the Jews—a greater miracle than their deliverance from Egypt (vv. 7–8; see 16:14–15). God will call His people from the nations of the world, gather them in their land, purge them, and then send them their promised Messiah (Jer. 30; Isa. 2:1–5; 4:1–6; 9:1–7; 11:1–12:6; Zech. 12—14). David's "family tree" might have been cut down, but a "branch" (shoot) would grow from the stump and become Ruler of the nation (Isa. 11:1; 53:2).
The false prophets had led the northern kingdom of Israel astray (23:13), and now they were leading the southern kingdom of Judah astray (v. 14). Baal was the Canaanite rain god to whom the Jews were prone to turn for help in times of drought (1 Kings 17—18), and his worship included "sacred prostitution." Jerusalem was becoming like Sodom and Gomorrah— cities so wicked God had to destroy them (Jer. 20:16; Gen. 18—19).
In contrast to the unrighteous kings Jeremiah had been describing, this King will be righteous and rule justly. The kingdoms of Israel (northern) and Judah (southern) will be united into one nation; they will experience salvation and they will live in peace and safety. The name of this King is "Jehovah Tsidkenu— The Lord our Righteousness" (see Jer. 33:15–16). According to 1 Corinthians 1:30 and 2 Corinthians 5:21, this exalted name applies only to Jesus Christ. When you put your faith in Jesus Christ, His righteousness is put into your account and you are declared righteous before God. This is called "being justified by faith" (Rom. 3:21—5:11).
The land was suffering a severe drought (Jer. 23:10; see chap. 14) because the false prophets led the people to violate the terms of their covenant with God. The Lord promised to send the early and latter rains if they obeyed Him (Deut. 11:10–15; 28:12), but He also warned them that He would make the heavens brass and the earth iron if they disobeyed Him (11:16–17; 28:23–24). "Because of the curse the land lies parched" (Jer. 23:10 niv). But the sinners refused to escape, even though God had promised to judge them in due time (vv. 12, 15).
No matter how dark the day may be, God sends the light of hope through His promises. The godly remnant in Judah must have been encouraged when they heard Jeremiah's words, and the promises must have sustained them during the difficult days of the captivity. The return of the Jews to their land after the captivity was but a foreshadowing of the great worldwide regathering that will occur in the last days when "He shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other" (Matt. 24:31).
Whenever a nation needs healing, it's usually because God's people aren't obeying and serving Him as they should. We like to blame dishonest politicians and various purveyors of pleasure for a nation's decline in morality, but God blames His own people. "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land" (2 Chron. 7:14).
Their dishonest message (vv. 16–32). To begin with, the false prophets offered the people a false hope (Jer. 23:16–20). "The Lord says: You will have peace. … No harm will come to you" (v. 17 niv; see 6:13–15; 8:10–12). Of course, this was a popular message, and the frightened people grabbed it and held on to it. But the false prophets hadn't heard that message in God's council; they made it up out of their own hearts. Instead of peace, a storm was brewing from the Lord (23:19). God was about to vent His holy anger on His sinful people, and when they finally understood His purposes, it would be too late to stop the whirlwind.
God Exposes the Sins of the False Prophets (23:9–40) What God said, as recorded in Jeremiah 14:14, summarizes this entire section: "The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart" (nkjv). Jeremiah focused on three areas in their lives that were especially abhorrent.
Their disgraceful conduct (vv. 9–15). True prophets know how serious it is to be called by God to declare His word, and they accept the responsibility with fear and trembling. When they see self-styled prophets living like sinners, it grieves them. No wonder Jeremiah had a broken heart and trembled like a drunken man! He realized what the false prophets were doing to the people and the land, and it made him sick. "Horror [indignation]7 hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law" (Ps. 119:53). The false prophets were committing adultery and thronging the houses of prostitution (Jer. 5:7). Then they would go to the temple and pretend to worship
Not only did the false prophets give the people a false hope, but they also ministered under a false authority (23:21–24). God hadn't spoken to them, yet they prophesied. God hadn't called them, yet they ran with their message. If they were truly prophets from God, they would have lived godly lives and encouraged the people to turn from their wickedness. Instead, they taught a popular "theology" that made it convenient for people to be religious and still live in sin.
Jehovah wasn't a local deity like the pagan idols, but a transcendent God who reigns above all things and fills heaven and earth (vv. 23–24). Nor was He blind
Jeremiah 23—24
When one of the people or one of their "prophets" or priests asks you, "Well, Jeremiah, what is the sad news from the Lord today?" you shall reply, "What sad news? You are the sad news, for the Lord has cast you away!" (Jer. 23:33)
like the idols (Ps. 115:5), unable to see the sins of the people. "Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him?" (Jer. 23:24). Because they listened to the false prophets, the people believed lies about God, and what we believe about God determines how we live.
Finally, the false prophets were speaking under a false inspiration (vv. 25–32). They depended on dreams and delusions of the mind, and they even plagiarized messages from one another! Compared to the nourishing wheat of the Word, their messages were only straw; you couldn't eat it, build with it, or even be warmed by it.
A worldly church puts an emphasis on fun and entertainment and forgets about tears. We now have Christian comedians who generate laughter for thirty minutes and then tack on the gospel and give an invitation. While there's a proper place for humor in the Christian life, the church today needs to hear the words of James: "Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up" (James 4:9–10 nkjv). The church isn't taking God's Word seriously at an hour when the world is in serious trouble.
The message of the true prophet is like a hammer that can tear down and build up (see 1:10) and even break the hardest rocks (23:29). The Word is like fire that consumes waste and purifies whatever it touches. Jeremiah had the Word burning in his heart (20:9; see Luke 24:32) and on his lips (Jer. 5:14). He was God's assayer, using the fire of the Word to test the lives of the people (6:27).
God Disposes of His Rebellious People (24:1–10) In 597 BC, the Babylonians deported King Jehoiachin (also called Jeconiah or Coniah) along with many of the nobles and key citizens, leaving only the poorer people to work the land (2 Kings 24:14–16). It was the beginning of the end for Judah, and no doubt Jeremiah was greatly distressed.
There are false prophets and teachers in our world today (2 Peter 2:1; 1 John 4:1–6), people who claim to know God's will because of their dreams, their study of astrology, or their special "spiritual" gifts. Some of them have invaded the church (Jude 3–4). Whatever anyone says who claims to be speaking for the Lord must be tested by the Word of God. "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them" (Isa. 8:20).
Knowing that His servant needed encouragement, the Lord gave him a vision of two baskets of figs sitting before the temple of the Lord. One basket held very good figs, the kind that ripened early in the season, and the other basket contained rotten figs, which nobody could eat. Then the Lord explained that the good figs represented the exiles who had just been taken to Babylon, while the bad figs represented King Zedekiah and his officials as well as the survivors who remained in the land or who had fled to Egypt.
Their disrespectful attitude (vv. 33–40). The key Hebrew word in this section is massa, which means "a burden." Jeremiah used it to refer to bearing burdens on the Sabbath (Jer. 17:21–27), but in this context it means the burden of the message that the Lord places on His prophets (Nah. 1:1; Hab. 1:1; Mal. 1:1). For this reason, some scholars translate it "oracle," but "burden" is perfectly acceptable (see the niv and nasb, both of which put "burden" in the margin).
What do you do with rotten figs? You reject them and throw them away! What do you do with tasty, good figs? You preserve them and enjoy them! God promised to care for the exiles, work in their hearts, and one day bring them back to their land. Jeremiah even wrote a letter to the exiles, telling them to live peaceably in the land and seek the Lord with all their hearts (Jer. 29:1–14). There was no future for King Zedekiah, who had succeeded Jehoiachin, or for the nobles that gave him such foolish counsel, but there was a future for a godly remnant that would seek the Lord with all their hearts.
God cautioned Jeremiah not to encourage the careless attitude of the priests, people, and false prophets when they asked him, "What is the burden of the Lord?" The phrase "burden of the Lord" was almost a cliché; it was used to poke fun at God's true prophet. (The phrase "born again" often gets the same kind of treatment.)
Why should the false prophets ask for an oracle from the Lord when Jeremiah had already told them what God wanted them to hear? If they hadn't obeyed what God already commanded, why should He tell them more? Their attitude toward God's message was careless and disrespectful; they weren't taking seriously God's message or God's messenger. The false prophets had distorted the truth to make it mean what they wanted it to mean, and yet they called their messages the "oracles of the Lord."
In times of national catastrophe, no matter how discouraging the circumstances may be, God doesn't desert His faithful remnant. Rebels are scattered and destroyed, but true believers find God faithful to meet their needs and accomplish His great plans. The people who returned to the land after the captivity were by no means perfect, but they had learned to trust the true and living God and not to worship idols. If the captivity did nothing else, it purged the Jewish people of idolatry.
Jeremiah was to reply, "You are the burden" (v. 33 niv margin). The Living Bible catches the spirit of the passage:
Jeremiah 24—25
The destruction of Jerusalem and the fall of Judah were not accidents; they were appointments, for God was in control. Now the land would enjoy its Sabbaths (2 Chron. 36:21; Lev. 25:1–4), and the people exiled in Babylon would have time to repent and seek the Lord. In far-off Babylon, God the Potter would remake His people (Jer. 18), and they would return to the land chastened and cleansed.
CHAPTER EIGHT Jeremiah 25—29 FACING TRUTH AND FIGHTING LIES
An idealist believes the short run doesn't
count. A cynic believes the long run doesn't matter. A realist believes that what
"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it" (Heb. 12:11 niv).
is done or left undone in the short run
determines the long run.
F.Judah's captivity—25—29
Sidney J. Harris1 I
n these chapters, we see the prophet involved in four different ministry experiences as he served the Lord and sought to bring the kingdom of Judah back to God.
1 This is not the Pashur who persecuted Jeremiah (Jer. 20), although this Pashur later assisted in imprisoning Jeremiah and urging the king to kill him (Jer. 38). There's no evidence that Zephaniah the priest was opposed to the prophet. Zephaniah was eventually taken to Babylon and executed (2 Kings 25:18–21). 2 See Charles H. Dyer in The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Old Testament (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1185. 3 The phrase "execute judgment in the morning" (Jer. 21:12) reminds us that court was held in the mornings at the city gates when it was still cool outside. But the phrase also suggests that the king needed to make justice the first priority of his day. 4 Obviously this message was delivered to King Jehoiakim before he died in 598 BC. It's included in this section of Jeremiah's prophecy because it fits with the special messages to the four other kings. We've noted before that the book of Jeremiah isn't assembled in chronological order. Chapters 21—24 focus especially on the royal house of David. 5 The fact that Jehoiakim "slept [rested] with his fathers" (2 Kings 24:6) is no proof that he had a decent burial. The phrase simply means that he joined his ancestors in death. Second Chronicles 36:6 indicates that Nebuchadnezzar bound Jehoiakim to take him to Babylon, which seems to contradict Jeremiah's prophecy. The easiest explanation is that the Babylonians intended to take Jehoiakim to Babylon, but he died. Therefore, they took Jehoiachin, his son and successor, instead (2 Kings 24:10–12). King Jehoiakim was not given a lavish state funeral and buried with the kings of Judah. His body was disposed of ignominiously somewhere outside the walls of Jerusalem, a shameful way for any man to be buried, especially a Jewish king. 6 Zerubbabel, a grandson of King Jehoiachin, was one of the Jewish leaders who helped the exiles return to the land after the captivity and reestablish their government and worship. He was a representative of the Davidic line though he didn't reign as a king. The Lord "reversed" the curse and said that Zerubbabel was to Him like a signet ring (Hag. 2:20–23), which meant he was chosen and precious to God. 7 The Hebrew word refers to the hot desert wind that smothers you, leaving you lifeless and ready to give up. In the KJV, the word is translated "terrible" in Lamentations 5:10 ("Our skin was black [hot] like an oven because of the terrible famine") and "horrible" in Psalm 11:6 ("Upon the wicked he shall rain … an horrible tempest").
Jeremiah Shares a Secret (25:1–38) Jeremiah had been serving for twenty-three years when he delivered the messages recorded in chapters 25 and 26 (25:3; 26:1). He was called into prophetic service in the year 626 BC (1:2) and continued to minister after the fall of Jerusalem in 587 BC, a period of over forty years. He was now at the midpoint of his career. When you consider the unsympathetic response of the people both to him and to his messages, you marvel that Jeremiah wasn't discouraged and ready to quit, but he continued to be faithful to his calling.
He delivered two messages—one to the Jews (vv. 1–14) and one to the Gentile nations (vv. 15–38). Chastening for the people of Judah (vv. 1–14). Four times in this message, Jeremiah pronounced the solemn indictment, "You have not listened" (vv. 3–4, 7–8 nkjv). The earlier prophets, many of whom are unknown to us, had warned of great judgment if the nation didn't repent and turn to Jehovah, but their ministry went unheeded. Jeremiah had preached to the leaders and common people of Judah for twenty-three years and had received the same response. As they disobeyed the law, worshipped idols, and rejected God's servants, the people deliberately provoked God to anger, and the day of His wrath was fast approaching.
Once again, Jeremiah announced that Nebuchadnezzar2 and the armies of Babylon would be God's tool for punishing Judah (21:7, 10), and he dared to call the Babylonian king "my servant" (25:9; 27:6; 43:10). Nebuchadnezzar wasn't a believer in the true God of Israel, but in his conquests he was accomplishing God's will (51:20–23). God's own people wouldn't obey the Lord when they had everything to gain, but pagan rulers like Pharaoh (Rom. 9:17), Cyrus (Isa. 44:28; 45:1), and Nebuchadnezzar were servants of God to fulfill His purposes. The church today needs to remember that the Lord is sovereign and can use whatever tools He deigns to use to accomplish His purposes on earth, even unconverted leaders.
For the first time, Jeremiah shared the "secret" that the captivity in Babylon would last seventy years (Jer.
Jeremiah 25
visitors returned to their own nations, they would have reported what the strange prophet in Jerusalem had said and done.
25:11–14; 29:10; see Dan. 9:1–2). One reason God determined a period of seventy years was that the land might enjoy the rest that the Jews had denied it (2 Chron. 36:20–21; Lev. 25:3–5). The law of the sabbatical year had been ignored for nearly five hundred years!3
To drink a cup is a symbol of submission to the will of God. "The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?" (John 18:11). Jeremiah called the nations to submit to God's will, surrender to Nebuchadnezzar, and be spared destruction. Jeremiah would later illustrate this message by wearing a yoke (Jer. 27). If the nations didn't drink the cup of submission, they would end up drinking the cup of judgment and "get drunk and vomit, and fall, to rise no more" (25:27 niv).
Judah, however, wouldn't be the only nation to suffer at the hands of the Babylonians, for "all these nations round about" (Jer. 25:9) would also be punished; among them the nations listed in 25:18–25 and 27:3. In one way or another, these nations were confederate with Judah against Babylon, but God's command was that the nations submit to Nebuchadnezzar. In fact, God would make even the animals obey the king of Babylon!
The roaring lion (vv. 30a, 38). Lions roar to paralyze their prey with fear, and God will roar in judgment when He visits the nations (see Hos. 11:10; Joel 3:16; Amos 1:2; 3:8). God had spoken in love to His people, but they refused to obey. Now He must speak in wrath. In the last days, the Lamb of God will become like the lion and pour out His wrath on a wicked world (Rev. 5:5–7). The winepress (v. 30b). This is another familiar metaphor for judgment (Isa. 63:3; Joel 3:13; Rev. 14:19–20). As they shared in the joy of the harvest, those treading the grapes shouted and sang to one another (Isa. 16:10), but God would do the shouting as He judged the nations that had resisted His will.
The end of the seventy years would mean not only freedom for the Jewish remnant but also judgment for the Babylonian Empire because of the ruthless way they treated both Jews and Gentiles (25:12–14). It was one thing for Nebuchadnezzar to do God's work, but when his attitude became proud and hateful, he overstepped his bounds. Babylon fell to the armies of the Medes and Persians in 539 BC (see Dan. 5).
Judgment for the Gentile nations (vv. 15–38). Jeremiah was called of God to minister not only to Judah but also to the other nations (Jer. 1:5). God had set him over the nations (v. 10) and given him authority to tell the Word of God. Though the Lord had not given His law to the Gentile nations or entered into a covenant relationship with them, He still held them accountable for their sins (Rom. 1:18ff.; Amos 1—2).
The lawsuit (v. 31). "The Lord will bring charges against the nations" (niv; see Hos. 4:1; Mic. 6:2). The Lord first brought charges against His own people for abandoning Him and turning to idols (Jer. 2:9–13). In this "trial" there would be a Judge but no jury, an indictment but no defense, and a sentence but no appeal. God had given His people plenty of opportunity to admit their guilt and repent, but they refused. Now it was too late.
In this message, Jeremiah used eight vivid images to describe the judgment God was sending to the Gentiles.4
The cup of wrath (vv. 15–29). The psalmists used this familiar image of suffering and judgment (Ps. 60:3; 75:8), as well as the prophets (Isa. 29:9; 51:17, 22; 63:6; Jer. 25:15–16; 49:12; Ezek. 23:32–34; Hab. 2:16). You find the image repeated in the New Testament (Rev. 14:8–10; 16:19; 18:6). "Babylon was a golden cup in the Lord's hand that made all the earth drunk" (Jer. 51:7 nkjv).
The storm (vv. 32–33). Like a tornado, Nebuchadnezzar's army would move from nation to nation and city to city and leave only devastation behind. "Behold a whirlwind of the Lord has gone forth in fury—a violent whirlwind! It will fall violently on the head of the wicked" (23:19 nkjv; see 30:23; Isa. 30:30).
Though this message centered mainly on the Gentiles, note that Jeremiah began his list with Jerusalem and the cities of Judah (25:18); judgment begins with God's people (Ezek. 9:6; 1 Peter 4:17). "See, I am beginning to bring disaster on the city that bears my Name, and will you indeed go unpunished?" (Jer. 25:29 niv).
The refuse (v. 33). Not to have a proper burial was a disgrace, for then the body was being treated like common rubbish (8:2; 9:22; 16:4; 22:19). The Hebrew word means "dung," which is even worse (see Isa. 25:10–11 niv). The broken pottery (v. 34). "You will fall and be shattered like fine pottery" (niv). This reminds us of Jeremiah's "action sermon" when he publicly broke the clay vessel (Jer. 19:1–13; see also 13:14; 48:38). One day, Jesus Christ shall break the nations like so many clay pots (Ps. 2:9). The Hebrew word translated "pleasant vessel" (Jer. 25:34) refers to fine pottery and not just common pots. God wants His vessels to be clean and yielded. If they aren't, He has the right to smash them.
How did Jeremiah make the various nations drink the cup of God's wrath? Certainly he didn't travel from nation to nation and meet with their leaders. There wasn't time for such an itinerary, and they wouldn't have welcomed him to their courts anyway. Perhaps he invited representatives of the various nations present in Jerusalem (see 27:3) to have a meal with him, preached his message to them, and then passed the cup around. It could have been another "action sermon" that would have gotten attention in the city, and when the foreign
The slaughtered flock (vv. 34–38). The shepherds
Jeremiah 25—27
heard the evidence, the officials decided that the accusations were false and that Jeremiah should not die (v. 16). Second, some of the wise elders of the city argued the case further by citing a precedent: the ministry of the prophet Micah in the days of King Hezekiah (vv. 18–19; Mic. 1:1; 3:12). At that time, the Assyrians were threatening Jerusalem (Isa. 36—37), but Hezekiah obeyed the Lord and led the people in confession and repentance. Third, Ahikam, one of the officials, proved a friend to Jeremiah and effected his release (Jer. 26:24). Ahikam had served King Josiah (2 Kings 22:11–14) and was the father of Gedaliah, the future governor of Judah (Jer. 25:22).5
were the leaders of the nation—kings and nobles, priests and false prophets—who had exploited God's flock and not compassionately cared for God's people. Now it was time for them to be slaughtered, and there would be no place for them to hide! Instead of hearing the cries of the sheep, the shepherds would hear their own wailing as they saw their pasture (Judah) destroyed. Like a fierce lion (v. 38; see v. 30), God would leap out on the shepherds and the sheep, and there would be no escape.
"For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?" (1 Peter 4:17).
On first reading, the illustration of Uriah (Jer. 26:20–23) seems out of place as a defense of Jeremiah, for the king had executed Uriah the prophet after he had fled to Egypt and been brought back to King Jehoiakim. On the other hand, Jeremiah stayed in the land of Judah and even ministered in the precincts of the temple! Jeremiah gave every evidence of being a loyal citizen, even though he disagreed with the politics of the leaders of the government. Although we can't fault him for trying to save his own life, Uriah had broken the law while trying to prophesy God's truth, and this led to his own death.
Jeremiah Risks His Life (26:1–24) This chapter should be studied in connection with chapter 7, because they both deal with Jeremiah's courageous sermon given in the temple. The sermon is summarized in verses 3–7, and you will note the emphasis on hearing the word of God (see 25:3–8). Jeremiah preached exactly what God commanded him to preach and didn't alter the message in order to please the people. The false prophets preached what the people wanted to hear, but Jeremiah preached what the people needed to hear. "Whatever I command thee thou shalt speak" (1:7).
Jeremiah Wears a Yoke (27:1—28:17)6 Once again, Jeremiah had to use an "action sermon" to get the attention of the people, and he did it at a time when Zedekiah was conferring with representatives from five neighboring nations. These nations were allies of Judah, and together they were planning a strategy for dealing with Nebuchadnezzar.
The people in the temple, however, encouraged by the priests and false prophets, rejected Jeremiah's message and treated him like a false prophet who deserved to die. To them, it was blasphemous for Jeremiah to declare that Jehovah would allow the Holy City and His holy temple to fall into the defiling and destructive hands of the heathen the way the ark at Shiloh fell into the hands of the Philistines (1 Sam. 4). Since God's covenant with David protected the city and the temple, Jeremiah was actually denying the covenant! He was leading the people astray and deserved to die (Deut. 18:20). Receiving a report about a tumult in the temple, the officials left the palace and came to the temple to see what was occurring. (This reminds us of Paul's experience recorded in Acts 21:27–40.) After hearing the people, priests, and prophets charge Jeremiah with blasphemy, they gave the prophet opportunity to speak. Jeremiah then presented three arguments in his defense.
The message of the yoke (27:1–22). A yoke speaks of submission, and that's the message Jeremiah was trying to get across. First, Jeremiah sent the message to the envoys of the nations (vv. 1–11). What these politicians needed was not clever strategy but submission to Babylon. When Jeremiah was asked why he was wearing a yoke,7 he gave them the message from God: Judah and the other nations must submit to Nebuchadnezzar or else be destroyed. God had given the nations to the king of Babylon, and those nations who rebelled against him were rebelling against God (vv. 7–8, 11–12). He sent this message to the envoys gathered in Jerusalem, who certainly had heard about this peculiar Jewish man who was walking around wearing a yoke (see 28:10).
First, what he had spoken was commanded by the Lord because the Lord had sent him (Jer. 26:12, 15). If they killed him, they were killing one of God's prophets, and he would rather be faithful to God and die than unfaithful and live. Second, they were the ones in danger; he was the one seeking to rescue them (v. 13)! If they repented and obeyed God's Word, the Lord would relent of His plans to judge the nation and would deliver them. Third, if they killed him, they would shed innocent blood, and that would only make their impending judgment worse.
"And all nations shall serve him [Nebuchadnezzar], and his son, and his son's son" is a proverbial expression that simply means they shall serve him for a long time. Nebuchadnezzar's son Evil-Merodach did succeed him (52:31–34; 2 Kings 25:27), but he was followed by his brother-in-law Nergal-Sharezer (Jer. 39:3), not by Nebuchadnezzar's grandson.
Judah had its false prophets, and the Gentile nations had their diviners (people who read omens), dreamers (those who interpret dreams), and enchanters and sorcerers (those who collaborate with demons in
Three factors led to Jeremiah's release. First, having
Jeremiah 27—29
sels wouldn't be restored to the land until He visited the exiles at the end of their seventy-year captivity (Jer. 27:16–22). Furthermore, King Jeconiah would never return to Judah but would die in Babylon (22:24–27; 52:31–34). Jeremiah's response to Hananiah's message was "Amen, so be it! May the Lord fulfill what you have promised!" How are we to interpret this reply? Certainly not as agreement with what the false prophet had said, because Jeremiah knew better. Perhaps we might paraphrase Jeremiah's words, "Oh, that the Lord would do what you have said! This would make me very happy!" But Jeremiah knew that Hananiah's prophecy of peace wouldn't be fulfilled. If it were fulfilled, this would contradict all that the prophets had predicted who had preceded them, for they prophesied judgment.
order to discover or control the future), but neither Judah nor the Gentile nations dared to listen to these purveyors of lies. Since dabbling in the occult was forbidden to the Jews (Lev. 19:26; Deut. 18:10–11), why would Zedekiah want to listen to political counsel from the pit of hell? (See 2 Cor. 6:14–18.)
Jeremiah then gave the same message to King Zedekiah (Jer. 27:12–15). Since the king had rebelled against Babylon and refused to pay tribute, he was now in serious trouble. When the king saw Jeremiah wearing the yoke, he surely must have gotten the message: "Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live" (v. 12). Jeremiah warned the king not to listen to the deceptive messages of the false prophets, because they were speaking only lies in the name of the Lord.
Jeremiah then delivered the "yoke" message to the priests and the people (vv. 16–22). The false prophets were claiming that the valuable articles of gold and bronze that the Babylonians had taken from the temple would soon be returned to Jerusalem, but Jeremiah knew this was a lie.8 Actually, these treasures weren't brought back until God visited the Jews and the remnant returned to Judah after the decree of Cyrus (Ezra 1—2). The important thing wasn't to rescue the temple furnishings but to save the people from death and the city from destruction. This could be done only if the nation submitted to the king of Babylon.
Hananiah became angry, removed Jeremiah's yoke, and broke it before the people. If Jeremiah could preach "action sermons," so could Hananiah! "Thus saith the Lord," he announced. "Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all nations within the space of two full years" (28:11). Not only would Judah be set free, but also all nations would remove the yoke of Babylon. Again, this contradicted the message Jeremiah had preached to the nations.
Jeremiah didn't resist Hananiah when he removed the yoke, nor did he reply to the false prophet's message. "And the prophet Jeremiah went his way" (v. 11). The priests and people witnessing this dramatic scene may have interpreted Jeremiah's silence as agreement, but Jeremiah was only waiting for the right message from the Lord and the right time to deliver it.
Jeremiah taunted the false prophets by encouraging them to pray about the matter. After all, if they were true prophets of God, the Lord would surely answer their prayers. He told them to pray, not for the return of the treasures now in Babylon, but for the preservation of the treasures still in the temple. When the Babylonians organized a second deportation in 597 at the beginning of Zedekiah's reign (Jer. 27:1; 28:1), it proved that the false prophets were indeed liars and that their prayers weren't answered.
The message to Hananiah was both national and personal. As far as the nation was concerned, because they would follow his deceptive counsel, an iron yoke would replace the wooden yoke (see Deut. 28:48). The nations would not escape; Nebuchadnezzar would enslave them. It's always the case that when we reject the light yoke of God's will, we end up wearing a heavier yoke of our own making. The personal message was that the false prophet would die before the year was up, and two months later, he did (Jer. 28:1, 17). But even this striking event didn't awaken the hearts of the people, for they were bent on doing evil.
Jeremiah ended his message to the priests and people with a promise of hope: At the end of the seventy years of captivity, God would visit His people in Babylon and bring them back to their land. Even in wrath, God remembers mercy (Hab. 3:2).
The breaking of the yoke (28:1–17). While Jeremiah was wearing the yoke and calling the nation to submit to Babylon, Hananiah, one of the false prophets, confronted him in the temple. About this same time, according to historians, Nebuchadnezzar was putting down a revolt in his own land. Hananiah wrongly interpreted the uprising as the end of Nebuchadnezzar's rule. Hananiah announced that God had broken the yoke of the king of Babylon and that the temple treasures would be returned to Jerusalem within two years. More than that, King Jeconiah and all the exiles would be returned with them.
God doesn't usually strike people dead in such a dramatic fashion, but it did happen to the followers of Korah (Num. 16), to Uzzah (2 Sam. 6), to the Assyrian army (2 Kings 19:35), and to Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5). "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Heb. 10:31).
Jeremiah Writes Some Letters (29:1–32) Several different letters are involved in this chapter: a letter from Jeremiah to the exiles (vv. 1–14); a letter concerning Jewish false prophets in Babylon to which Jeremiah replied (vv. 15–23); a letter from Shemaiah to
These messages contradicted what Jeremiah had spoken in the name of the Lord. The Lord had told Jeremiah that the deported people and the temple ves-
Jeremiah 29
Remember, if we reject the wooden yoke of submission, we end up wearing only an iron yoke of subjugation (Jer. 28:12–14). Thus, the best course is to yield ourselves to the Lord and to those who are over us, no matter how badly they may treat us. (See Peter's counsel to Christian slaves in 1 Peter 2:18–25.) To indulge in false hopes is to miss what God has planned for us.
the temple priests concerning Jeremiah, which he read (vv. 24–29); and a letter from Jeremiah to the exiles concerning Shemaiah (vv. 30–32). Correspondence like this wasn't difficult to maintain in those days, for there were regular diplomatic missions between Jerusalem and Babylon (v. 3), and Jeremiah had friends in high places in the government.
Jeremiah's word of encouragement (vv. 1–14).9 Sometime after the deportation in 597, Jeremiah sent a letter to the exiles in Babylon to tell them how to behave in their new land. A man with the heart of a true shepherd, Jeremiah wanted to enlighten them and encourage them in their life in Babylon. Governed by special laws concerning clean and unclean things, the Jewish people would have a difficult time adjusting to a pagan society. Jeremiah wanted them to be good witnesses to the idolatrous Babylonians, and he also wanted them to be good Jews even though separated from their temple and its services. He addressed himself to the needs of three kinds of people.
Those who have true hope (vv. 10–14). True hope is based on the revealed Word of God, not on the "dream messages" of self-appointed prophets (v. 10 niv). God gave His people a "gracious promise" (v. 10 niv) to deliver them, and He would keep His promise. God makes His plans for His people, and they are good plans that ultimately bring hope and peace. Therefore, there is no need to be afraid or discouraged.
In every situation, however, God's people have the responsibility to seek the Lord, pray, and ask Him to fulfill His promises, for the Word and prayer go together (Acts 6:4). The purpose of chastening is that we might seek the Lord, confess our sins, and draw near to Him (Heb. 12:3–13). According to Jeremiah 29:14, these promises reach beyond the Jews captive in Babylon and include all of Israel throughout the world. Jeremiah was looking ahead to the end of the age when Israel will be regathered to meet their Messiah and enter their kingdom (Isa. 10:20—12:6).
Those with no hope (vv. 4–6). The exiles had lost everything but their lives and what few possessions they could carry with them to Babylon. They'd lost their freedom and were now captives. They'd been taken from their homes and had lost their means of making a living. They were separated from relatives and friends, some of whom may have perished in the long march from Jerusalem to Babylon. No matter how they looked at it, the situation seemed hopeless.
Jeremiah's word of explanation (vv. 15–23). The false prophets in Babylon were giving false hopes to the people concerning Jerusalem and Judah, and this word got back to Jeremiah. Yes, King Zedekiah was still on the throne and there were Jews still living in Jerusalem, but this was no guarantee that the city and the nation would be delivered. The people still in the land were the "bad figs" that would be thrown out (Jer. 29:17; see chap. 24). The important thing wasn't what happened to the people in the land but what the exiles would do with the word of God. If they obeyed God, He would work out His purposes and bless them.
How should we handle such a depressing situation? Accept it from the hand of God (v. 4) and let God have His way. It does no good to hang our harps on the willow trees and sit around and weep, although this may be a temporary normal reaction to tragedy (Ps. 137:1–4). One of the first steps in turning tragedy into triumph is to accept the situation courageously and put ourselves into the hands of a loving God, who makes no mistakes.
Those with false hopes (vv. 6–9). The false prophets had convinced the people that the stay in Babylon would be a brief one, perhaps two years (vv. 8–9). Thus, there was no need to settle down and try to resume a normal life, but Jeremiah told them just the opposite. Since they would be there as long as seventy years (v. 10), there was plenty of time to build houses and set up homes. It was important that the exiles have families so there would be people available to return to Judea when the captivity ended. This small Jewish remnant was holding in its hands the future of God's great plan of salvation, and they must obey Him, be fruitful, and multiply (v. 6).
Jeremiah named two of the false prophets, Ahab and Zedekiah, who not only preached lies to the people but also lived godless lives. Consequently, he announced their doom in Babylon. Their names would become proverbs in Israel, warning not to rebel against the word of God.
Jeremiah's word of warning (vv. 24–32). This warning was in response to Shemaiah, another false prophet in Babylon, who had written letters to people in Jerusalem "in the name of the Lord," urging them to imprison Jeremiah because he was a madman. The chief temple officer Zephaniah let Jeremiah read the letter (see 21:1). Because Shemaiah had a following in Babylon, Jeremiah warned the exiles that the man was a rebel against God and that the Lord had neither sent him nor given him a message. Shemaiah would be judged for his sins by dying childless in Babylon, never to see his native land again.
It would be easy for the Jews to wage constant warfare against their idolatrous Gentile captors, but Jeremiah instructed them to strive to get along with the Babylonians. The exiles were to be peacemakers, not troublemakers, and they were to pray sincerely for their enemies (Matt. 5:43–48; 1 Tim. 2:1–3; Titus 3:1–2). It was possible to be good Jews even in a pagan land.
What life does to us depends largely on what life
Jeremiah 29—30
finds in us. If we seek the Lord and want His best, then circumstances will build us and prepare us for what He has planned. If we rebel or if we look for quick and easy shortcuts, then circumstances will destroy us and rob us of the future God wants us to enjoy. The same sun that melts the ice also hardens the clay.
crossbars" (niv) is a good translation of verse 2. He sent word to the five kings that they were to submit to the authority of Nebuchadnezzar, and the yoke that he wore symbolized the prophet's message. 8 There were three deportations—in 605, 597, and 586—during which both people and treasures were taken to Babylon. Since Zedekiah ruled from 597 to 586, the false prophets were referring to the deportation in 605, when Daniel and his friends were taken to Babylon along with some of the temple treasures (Dan. 1:1–2). 9 It's profitable to compare Jeremiah's counsel to the exiles in Babylon with Peter's counsel to the "pilgrims and strangers" in the Roman Empire (1 Peter 2:11–17). Both men told the people to be good citizens and good witnesses and to do good works. Paul agreed with their approach when he wrote, "If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men" (Rom. 12:18 nkjv).
God's thoughts and plans concerning us come from His heart and lead to His peace. Why look for substitutes?
1 Quoted by Ann Landers in the column "Thoughts at Large" by Sidney J. Harris in The Washington Post 12, Nov. 1979, B-7. 2 The name is also spelled Nebuchadrezzar. Famous leaders often had variant spellings to their names. Cf. Tiglath-Pileser (2 Kings 15:29), and Tiglath-Pilneser (1 Chron. 5:26). 3 Bible students don't agree on the dating of the seventy years of captivity or even on whether the phrase "seventy years" should be considered a round number or be taken literally. From the beginning of the Babylonian invasion (606 BC to the return of the Jewish remnant under Zerubbabel (536) is seventy years, but so is the period from the destruction of Jerusalem (587–586) to the completion of the second temple by the returned exiles (516). Daniel 9:1–2 seems to indicate that Daniel took the prophecy to mean seventy actual years. 4 While the main emphasis is on the world of Jeremiah's day, there may be a wider application of these words to the nations at the end of the age, for Jeremiah included "all the kingdoms of the world" (Jer. 25:26). In their messages, the prophets often began with a local situation and then used it as a springboard to describe something God would do in the end times. 5 Shaphan, Ahikam's father, is the scribe who delivered the book of the law to Josiah after Hilkiah found it in the temple (2 Kings 22). Shaphan had four sons, three of whom were friendly to Jeremiah: Ahikam, who saved his life (Jer. 26:24); Gemariah, who pleaded with King Jehoiakim not to burn Jeremiah's book (36:12, 25); and Elasah, who delivered Jeremiah's letter to the captive Jews in Babylon (29:1–3). The fourth son, Jaazaniah, was unfaithful to the Lord and worshipped idols in the temple (Ezek. 8:11). Ahikam's son Gedaliah became governor of Judah after the destruction of Jerusalem. 6 Don't be puzzled when you read the name "Jehoiakim" in verse 1 and the name "Zedekiah" in verses 3 and 12 (and see 28:1), because this event took place during the reign of Zedekiah. "Jehoiakim" in verse 1 appears to be the error of a copyist whose eyes may have read 26:1, which is almost identical to 27:1. The fact that the rest of the chapter names Zedekiah as king is ample evidence that "Jehoiakim" is a scribal error. 7. Some translations give the impression that the prophet wore more than one yoke and that he sent a yoke to each of the envoys of the five nations (Jer. 27:2–3). The word yoke is plural in the Hebrew because the yoke he wore was made of two pieces of wood, one in front of the neck and one at the back, held together by leather straps. "Make a yoke out of straps and
G.National restoration—30—33
CHAPTER NINE Jeremiah 30—33 THE GOD WHO MAKES THINGS NEW
A small man can see when it is growing
dark … but he cannot see beyond the darkness. He does not know how to put a
sunbeam into his picture. A great man pierces the darkness and sees the glory of
a hidden dawn.
Charles E. Jefferson1 B
ible scholars often call these four chapters the "Book of Consolation." In them, the Lord amplified the wonderful promise He gave to His people in the letter Jeremiah sent the Babylonian exiles:
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (29:11 niv)
Jeremiah 30—33 describes the glory of the dawning of a new day for the people of Israel, not only for the exiles in Babylon but also for the Jewish people in the latter days before the Lord returns. As you study, you'll discover that Jeremiah had two horizons in view: the nearer horizon of the return of the exiles to Judah and the farther horizon of the regathering of Israel in the end times from the nations of the earth.
Redemption: A New Beginning (30:1–24) Jeremiah received the words recorded in 30:1—31:25 while he was asleep (31:26), for God sometimes spoke to His servants through dreams (Dan. 10:9; Zech. 4:1). God instructed Jeremiah to write His words in a book (scroll) so the nation would have a permanent record of the promises God was giving to His people (see Jer. 36:1–4).
Jeremiah 30—31
In His instructions to Jeremiah, God stated the theme of His message: Israel (the northern kingdom, taken by Assyria in 722 BC) and Judah (the southern kingdom) will eventually return to their land as a united people (30:3). While this promise refers ultimately to the regathering of the Jews at the end of the age, it certainly was an encouragement to the exiles in Babylon, for if God can gather His people from all the nations of the world, surely He can deliver Judah from the captivity of one nation. (Note His promise in v. 10.)
days" (30:24). God promised that Jerusalem and the cities of Judah will be rebuilt4 and that the fortunes of the people will be restored. Their mourning will turn to joy, and their children will again enjoy a normal life.
Instead of being under despotic Gentile rulers, the Jews will have the Messiah as their ruler—"one of their own" (v. 21 niv), that is, a Jew. But here's a surprising revelation: Not only will the Messiah be their King, but He will also be their Priest! "Then I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach Me" (v. 21 nkjv). This is language that applies especially to the Jewish high priest, who alone entered the Holy of Holies on the annual day of Atonement (Lev. 16). Only Jesus Christ, who is both King and Priest (Heb. 7—8), can qualify to fulfill this prophecy.
This "redemption" of His people from bondage is pictured in several ways.
The broken yoke (vv. 4–11). "For it shall come to pass in that day, … that I will break his yoke from your neck, and will burst your bonds; foreigners shall no more enslave them" (v. 8 nkjv). When the prophets used the phrase "in that day," they were usually referring to the future time when God will judge the nations of the world and restore the Jews to their land.2
To summarize: The people of Judah and Jerusalem will experience terrible trials at the hands of the Babylonians. They will end up wearing the Gentile yoke, bearing the wounds caused by their sins, and having endured the storm of God's wrath. But God would eventually deliver them, breaking the yoke, healing the wounds, and bringing peace after the storm. All of this will be a foreshadowing of what will happen to the Jews in the end times as they go through the tribulation, meet their Messiah-King, and enter into their kingdom.
Before Israel is delivered, however, all the nations of the earth will experience "the time of Jacob's trouble" (v. 7), a phrase that describes the time of tribulation that will come upon the earth (Matt. 24:21–31; Mark 13:19–27; Rev. 6—19). A frequent biblical symbol of suffering is a woman in travail (Jer. 30:6), and this image is used to describe the tribulation in the end times (see Isa. 13:8 and context; Mic. 4:9–13; 1 Thess. 5:1–3).3 The promise in Jeremiah 30:9 applies to the future Kingdom Age, following the tribulation, when the Messiah shall reign over His people. You find corresponding promises in 23:5 and 33:14–26. When Jesus was here on earth, His people said, "We will not have this man to reign over us" (Luke 19:14), but in that day, they will recognize their Messiah-King and welcome Him (Zech. 12:8—14:21).
Reconciliation: A New People (31:1–30) A nation is more than its land and cities; it's people living together, working together, and worshipping together. In this chapter, Jeremiah described the people of God and the new things the Lord would do for them. He first spoke to a united nation (vv. 1, 27–30), then to Israel (vv. 2–20), and finally to Judah (vv. 21–26). A united people (vv. 1, 27–30). Because of the sins of Solomon and the foolishness of his son Rehoboam, the Jewish nation divided and became Israel and Judah, the northern kingdom and the southern kingdom (1 Kings 11—12). But in the last days, the Lord will gather His people, unite them, and be the God of all the families of Israel (Jer. 31:1). In fact, God compared Israel and Judah to seed that will be sown in the land and produce one harvest, not two (v. 27).
The healed wound (vv. 12–17). In Isaiah's day, Judah was a "sick" nation (Isa. 1:5–6), and thanks to the superficial ministry of the false prophets (Jer. 6:14; 8:11), the sickness became worse in Jeremiah's day (10:19; 14:17; 15:18). The wounds on the "body politic" were so bad that there was no medicine that could cure the nation, and the allies ("lovers") that the Jewish leaders trusted abandoned Judah to her fate. The Lord reminded the Jews that it was He who used other nations to wound them because of their disobedience to Him (30:14). He used Assyria to chasten Israel and Babylon to punish Judah, and in the latter days, He will use the Gentile nations to correct Israel and prepare the Jews for the return of their Messiah. However, God will punish the Gentile nations for the way they treat Israel in the last days (v. 16; see Joel 3) just as He punished Assyria and Babylon. "But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds" was God's encouraging promise (Jer. 30:17 niv).
Jeremiah's ministry included breaking down and plucking up as well as building and planting (1:10); up to this point, it had been primarily the former. In the future, however, God will build and plant so the people and the land could be restored. There would be no more "blaming the fathers" for what happened (Ezek. 18:1–4, 19–23; Deut. 24:16), for each person will take responsibility for his or her own sins. This principle certainly had application to the remnant that returned to the land after the captivity, for it was the failure of individuals to obey God that caused the ruin of the nation. If the kings and priests had been like Josiah and Jeremiah, the nation could have been saved.
The calm after the storm (vv. 18–24). Jeremiah then picked up the image of the storm (v. 23) that he had used earlier (23:19–20) to describe the Babylonian assault, but now he related it to the trials of the "latter
A restored Israel (vv. 2–20). The names "Ephraim" and "Samaria" are references to the northern kingdom
Jeremiah 31
the "new thing" God does is make the women so strong that they protect the men! (Keep in mind that this was a strongly masculine society.) In other words, the return of the exiles won't be a parade of weak stragglers; it will be the march of warriors, including the women, who were considered too weak to fight in that day.8
of Israel, whose capital was at Samaria (Jer. 31:4–6, 9, 18, 20). The people of the northern kingdom were captured in 722 BC by the Assyrians, who brought other peoples into the land so as to produce a mixed race (2 Kings 17). When the people of Judah returned to their land from the captivity, they would have nothing to do with the Samaritans (Ezra 4:1–4; Neh. 2:19–20; 13:28), a practice that persisted into New Testament times (John 4:9).5 Subsequently, the Samaritans established their own religion, temple, and priesthood, and this alienated the Jews even more.
This is a picture of that future regathering of the people of Israel in the end times. They will enjoy a renewed land, where the citizens will bless their neighbors in the name of the Lord. Farmers and city dwellers will live together in harmony because of the blessing of the Lord.
The promises recorded in Jeremiah 31:2–22 don't apply to Ephraim/Israel after the captivity, because the Samaritans weren't a part of the rebuilding of the land. These promises apply to the scattered Ten Tribes6 in the end times when God will call the Jews together and restore them to their land. Then there will be one nation, and the Samaritans will worship, not on Mount Gerizim, but on Mount Zion (v. 6; John 4:20–24). Jeremiah pictured God summoning His family and gathering His flock, leading them out of the desert into the fruitful garden. Since none of this happened after the captivity, we can assume it will occur in the end times when Ephraim repents and turns to the Lord (Jer. 31:18–20). As you read these promises, notice the emphasis on singing, praise, and joy.
Regeneration: A New Covenant (31:31–40) Any plan for the betterment of human society that ignores the sin problem is destined to failure. It isn't enough to change the environment, for the heart of every problem is the problem of the heart. God must change the hearts of people so that they want to love Him and do His will. That's why He announced a new covenant to replace the Old covenant under which the Jews had lived since the days of Moses, a covenant that could direct their conduct but not change their character.