B. Jerusalem falls—39 Jeremiah 40—45 1253
J e r e m i a h L a m e n t a t i o n s E z e k i e l D a n i e l H o s e a J o e l A m o s O b a d i a h
G e n e s i s E x o d u s L e v i t i c u s N u m b e r s D e u t e r o n o m y J o s h u a J u d g e s R u t h
1 S a m u e l 2 S a m u e l 1 K i n g s 2 K i n g s 1 C h r o n i c l e s 2 C h r o n i c l e s E z r a N e h e m i a h
J o n a h M i c a h N a h u m H a b a k k u k Z e p h a n i a h H a g g a i Z e c h a r i a h M a l a c h i
E s t h e r J o b P s a l m s P r o v e r b s E c c l e s i a s t e s S o n g o f
OUTLINE Key theme: Repent and return to the Lord or He
CONTENTS
Jeremiah 1 1204 The Reluctant Prophet
will judge. Key verse: Jeremiah 3:22
Jeremiah 2—6 1209 The Prophet Preaches
I. JEREMIAH'S CALL AND COMMISSION (1)
Jeremiah 7—10 1215 The Voice in the Temple
II. JEREMIAH'S MESSAGES TO HIS PEOPLE
JUDAH (2—33)
Jeremiah 11—13 1219 Voting with God
A. During the time of Josiah's rule—2–13
1. The sins of the nation—2—6 2. The temple messages—7—10 3. The broken covenant—11—13 B. The coming Babylonian invasion—14—16 C. The Sabbath message—17 D. The potter's house sermons—18—19 E. Messages to the leaders—20—24 F. Judah's captivity—25—29 G. National restoration—30—33
Jeremiah 14—17 1224 Sermons, Supplications, and Sobs
Jeremiah 18—20 1230 The Prophet, the Potter, and the Policeman
Jeremiah 21—24 1234 Kings on Parade
Jeremiah 25—29 1239 Facing Truth and Fighting Lies
III. JEREMIAH'S MINISTRY AND THE FALL OF
Jeremiah 30—33 1244 The God Who Makes Things New
JERUSALEM (34—39) A. Ministry during the siege—34—38
Jeremiah 34—39; 52 1249 Contemporary Events and Eternal Truths
1. To King Zedekiah—34, 37—38 2. To King Jehoiakim—35—36 B. Jerusalem falls—39
Jeremiah 40—45 1253 Tragedy Follows Tragedy
IV. AFTER THE FALL OF THE CITY (40—45, 52)
Jeremiah 46—49 1257 God Speaks to the Nations
V. JEREMIAH'S MESSAGES TO THE NATIONS
Jeremiah 50—51 1260 Babylon Is Fallen!
(46—51)
A. To Egypt—46 B. To Philistia—47 C. To Moab—48 D. To Ammon, Moab, Edom, Syria, Kedar, and Elam—49 E. To Babylon—50—51
Jeremiah 1
PRELUDE P
CHAPTER ONE Jeremiah 1 THE RELUCTANT PROPHET ower tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely." Lord John Acton wrote that in a letter to his friend Mandell Creighton on April 5, 1887. When he ended the letter, the British historian added this postscript: "History provides neither compensation for suffering nor penalties for wrong."
For a people to boast in the glory of the past, and to deny the secret that made the past, is to perish.
I. Jeremiah's call and commission (1)
As you study the prophecy of Jeremiah, you'll learn that Lord Acton was right in his first statement, for you will meet in this book some of history's most powerful and corrupt rulers. But Lord Acton was terribly wrong in his postscript. God is still on the throne and history is His story. The German writer Friedrich von Logau said it better:
G. Campbell Morgan1 J eremiah was perhaps twenty years old when God's call came to him in the thirteenth year of Josiah's reign (626 BC). Why did he hesitate to accept God's call? Let me suggest some reasons.
The Task Was Demanding (v. 1) Jeremiah's father Hilkiah was a priest2 as was his father before him, and young Jeremiah was also expected to serve at the altar. He may even have been at the age when he would have stepped into his place of ministry when God called him to be a prophet.
Though the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceeding small; Though with patience He stands waiting, with exactness grinds He all.
God judges the nations and eventually pays them the wages earned from their sin. No nation can despise God's law and defy His rule without suffering for it. The prophecy of Jeremiah teaches that very clearly.
Since serving as a prophet was much more demanding than serving as a priest, it's no wonder Jeremiah demurred. If I had my choice, I'd take the priesthood! For one thing, a priest's duties were predictable. Just about everything he had to do was written down in the law. Thus, all the priest had to do was follow instructions.3 Day after day, there were sacrifices to offer, lepers to examine, unclean people to exclude from the camp, cleansed people to reinstate, official ceremonies to observe, a sanctuary to care for, and the law to teach. No wonder some of the priests said, "Oh, what a weariness!" (Mal. 1:13 nkjv).
In his familiar poem "The Present Crisis," American poet James Russell Lowell penned words that summarize Jeremiah's life and ministry:
Once to every man and nation comes the moment to decide, In the strife of Truth with Falsehood, for the good or evil side.
The ministry of a prophet, however, was quite another matter, because you never knew from one day to the next what the Lord would call you to say or do. The priest worked primarily to preserve the past by protecting and maintaining the sanctuary ministry, but the prophet labored to change the present so the nation would have a future. When the prophet saw the people going in the wrong direction, he sought to call them back to the right path.
Though at first Jeremiah hesitated when God called him, he surrendered to the Lord and became one of history's most decisive spiritual leaders. Tragically, however, the people who most needed his leadership rejected him and turned their backs on God's Word.
As never before, our homes, churches, cities, and nations need decisive leaders who will obey the Word of God. "If you ever injected truth into politics," quipped Will Rogers, "you have no politics." The politician asks, "Is it popular?" The diplomat asks, "Is it safe?" But the true leader asks, "Is it God's will? Is it right?" To quote James Russell Lowell's "The Present Crisis" again:
Priests dealt with externals such as determining ritual uncleanness and offering various sacrifices that could never touch the hearts of the people (Heb. 10:1–18), but the prophet tried to reach and change hearts. At least sixty-six times the word heart is found in the book of Jeremiah, for he is preeminently the prophet of the heart.
Truth forever on the scaffold, Wrong forever on
Priests didn't preach to the crowds very much but ministered primarily to individuals with various ritual needs. Prophets, on the other hand, addressed whole nations, and usually the people they addressed didn't want to hear the message. Priests belonged to a special tribe and therefore had authority and respect, but a prophet could come from any tribe and had to prove his divine call. Priests were supported the throne, Yet that scaffold sways the future, and, behind the dim unknown, Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above His own.
That's what the Lord told Jeremiah: "I am watching over My word to perform it" (Jer. 1:12 nasb).
Jeremiah 1
When the king heard the law of God read, he was deeply moved. He tore his robes and sent to Huldah the prophetess for instructions from the Lord (2 Kings 22). Her message was that the people had forsaken God and therefore judgment was coming, but because of Josiah's sincere repentance, judgment would not come during his reign.
from the sacrifices and offerings of the people, but prophets had no guaranteed income.
Jeremiah would have had a much easier time serving as priest. Therefore, it's no wonder his first response was to question God's call. Offering sacrifices was one thing, but preaching the Word to hardhearted people was quite something else. When you read his book, you will see a number of pictures of his ministry that reveal how demanding it was to serve the Lord as a faithful prophet. In his ministry, Jeremiah had to be
Josiah didn't wait for the temple repairs to be completed before calling the whole nation to repentance. He made a covenant with the Lord and led the people in renouncing idolatry and returning to the law of the Lord. Unfortunately, the obedience of many of the people was only a surface thing. Unlike the king, they displayed no true repentance. Jeremiah knew this and boldly announced God's message: "Judah has not turned to Me with her whole heart, but in pretense" (Jer. 3:10 nkjv).
a destroyer and a builder (1:9–10) • a pillar and a wall (1:17–18) • a watchman (6:17) • a tester of metals (6:27–30) • a physician (8:11, 21–22) • a sacrificial lamb (11:19) • a long-distance runner (12:5) • a shepherd (13:17, 20–21; 17:16, 23) • a troublemaker (15:10, 15–17)
Josiah led the nation in a reformation but not in a heart-changing revival. The idols were removed, the temple was repaired, and the worship of Jehovah was restored, but the people had not turned to the Lord with their whole heart and soul.
Does this sound like an easy task?
Politics instead of principle. No sooner did Josiah die on the battlefield6 and his son become king than the nation quickly returned to idolatry under the rule of Jehoahaz. But Pharaoh Necho removed Jehoahaz from the throne, exiled him to Egypt where he died, and placed his brother Eliakim on the throne, giving him the name Jehoiakim. Jehoiakim, however, was no better than his brother and "did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done" (2 Kings 23:37). He taxed the people heavily in order to pay tribute to Egypt, and then he agreed to pay tribute to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. After Jehoiakim reneged on that promise, Nebuchadnezzar took him prisoner to Babylon and took the temple vessels with him (597 BC).
The Times Were Difficult (vv. 2–3; 2 Kings 21—25; 2 Chron. 33—36) I suppose there never is a time when serving God is easy, but some periods in history are especially difficult for spiritual ministry, and Jeremiah lived in such an era. Consider what the history of Judah was like during Jeremiah's lifetime.
Rebellion instead of obedience. To begin with, Jeremiah was born during the reign of King Manasseh, the most evil man who ever reigned over the kingdom of Judah (2 Kings 21:1–18). The son of godly Hezekiah,4 Manasseh came to the throne when only twelve years old, and the officials around him easily influenced him toward idolatry. "Manasseh seduced them [the people of Judah] to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel" (v. 9 nkjv). When Manasseh died, his evil son Amon continued his father's evil practices.
Jehoiakim's son Jehoiachin reigned only three months; then his uncle Mattaniah, Josiah's third son (1 Chron. 3:15), was made king and renamed Zedekiah. Zedekiah was the last king of Judah, a weak, vacillating man who feared his officials more than he feared the Lord7 (Jer. 38:19). "And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the Lord" (2 Chron. 36:12). Zedekiah would ask Jeremiah for help while at the same time courting ambassadors from neighboring nations and plotting rebellion against Babylon. He allowed his princes to persecute and even imprison Jeremiah, though he himself had secret meetings with the prophet as if he were seeking God's will.
Thus, Jeremiah grew up in Anathoth5 at a time when idolatry flourished in Judah, children were offered in sacrifice to idols, the law of Moses was disregarded and disobeyed, and it looked as though there was no hope for the nation. Godly priests were not greatly appreciated.
Reformation instead of repentance. In 639 BC, some of Amon's servants assassinated him. Josiah his son became king, reigning until his untimely death in 609. Josiah was quite young when he began to reign, but he had godly counselors like Hilkiah, and thus he sought the Lord. In the twelfth year of his reign, he began to purge the land of idolatry; six years later, he commanded the priests and workers to repair and cleanse the temple. It was during that time that Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law in the temple and had it read to the king. This document may have been the entire five books of Moses or just the book of Deuteronomy.
It's easy for political leaders to invite religious leaders in for consultation and then do exactly what they'd already planned to do. Today, it's good public relations to give people the impression that "religion" is important, but talking to a popular preacher isn't the same as humbling yourself before God.
Jeremiah preached to the nation for forty years,
Jeremiah 1
1:15). The Lord then ordained Jeremiah to be His prophet to the nations. God's concern from the beginning is that all nations of the earth know His salvation. That's why He called Abraham (Gen. 12:1–3) and set apart the nation of Israel to be His special channel to bring His Word and His Son into the world.
giving them God's promises and warnings; yet he lived to see Jerusalem and his beloved temple destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar's army and his people taken captive to Babylon. Jeremiah ministered in turbulent times and yet remained faithful to the Lord. He exposed the futile foreign policy of the rulers, pleading with them to turn to the Lord with all their hearts and trust God instead of trusting their political allies. Jeremiah is one of Scripture's greatest examples of faithfulness and decisive action in the face of physical danger and national decay.
A prophet was a chosen and authorized spokesman for God who declared God's Word to the people. The Hebrew word probably comes from an Arabic root that means "to announce." For example, Moses spoke to Aaron, and Aaron was his spokesman (prophet) before Pharaoh (Ex. 7:1–2). Prophets did more than reveal the future, for their messages had present application to the life of the nation. They were forthtellers more than foretellers, exposing the sins of the people and calling them back to their covenant responsibilities before God.
The Servant Was Doubtful (vv. 4–10) Jeremiah hesitated as he looked at the work before him and the wickedness around him, and when he looked at the weakness within himself, Jeremiah was certain that he wasn't the man for the job.
As God's children, we are chosen and set apart by Him and for Him (Rom. 8:28–30; Eph. 1:3–14). This truth ought to give us great courage as we confront an evil world and seek to serve the Lord. "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31).
When it comes to serving the Lord, there's a sense in which nobody is adequate. "And who is sufficient for these things?" (2 Cor. 2:16) asked the great apostle Paul as he pondered the responsibilities of ministry. Paul then answered his own question: "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God" (3:5).
God's protecting presence (vv. 6–8). God gave young Jeremiah three instructions: Go where I send you, speak what I command you, and don't be afraid of the people. Then He added the great word of promise: "For I am with you to deliver you" (Jer. 1:8 nkjv). He repeated this promise at the end of His call: "'They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you,' says the Lord, 'to deliver you'" (v. 19 nkjv). Please note that there was a condition attached to this encouraging promise: Jeremiah had to go where God sent him and speak what God told him to speak. He also had to believe God's promise and prove it by not fearing the people. We call Jeremiah "the weeping prophet," and he was (9:1), but he was also a courageous man who faced many dangers and trials and remained true to the Lord. He knew that the Lord was with him, just as we should know that the Lord is with us. "For He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'10 So we may boldly say: 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?'" (Heb. 13:5–6 nkjv). God's effecting Word (vv. 9–10). When the coal from the heavenly altar touched Isaiah's lips, it purified him (Isa. 6:5–7); when God's hand touched Jeremiah's mouth, it gave him power and authority. God put His words into the prophet's mouth and those words were effective to accomplish His will. God not only gave Jeremiah His words, but He also promised to "watch over" those words until they were fulfilled (Jer. 1:12).
When God calls us, however, He isn't making a mistake, and for us to hesitate or refuse to obey is to act on the basis of unbelief and not faith. It's one thing for us to know our own weaknesses, but it's quite something else for us to say that our weaknesses prevent God from getting anything done. Instead of being an evidence of humility, this attitude reeks of pride.8
God gave young Jeremiah three wonderful assurances.
God's electing grace (vv. 4–5). One of my seminary professors used to say, "Try to explain divine election and you may lose your mind, but explain it away, and you will lose your soul." God doesn't save us, call us, or use us in His service because we're deserving, but because in His wisdom and grace He chooses to do so. It's grace from start to finish. "But by the grace of God I am what I am," wrote Paul, "and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me" (1 Cor. 15:10).
Each of the phrases in Jeremiah 1:5 is important. To begin with, God knew Jeremiah,9 which refers to His sovereign election of His servant. God chose Jeremiah even before he was conceived or formed in his mother's womb. Then God formed Jeremiah and gave him the genetic structure He wanted him to possess. This truth is expressed poetically in Psalm 139:13–16. Jeremiah wasn't too happy about what his birth gave him (Jer. 20:14–18), but the Lord knew what He was doing. What we are is God's gift to us; what we do with it is our gift to Him.
The Word of God created the universe: "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. … For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast" (Ps. 33:6, 9 nkjv). The universe is upheld by the Word of God: "And [Christ] upholding all things by the word of His power" (Heb. 1:3 nkjv). But God also carries out His purposes on earth by means of His
God sanctified Jeremiah even before he was born. This means Jeremiah was set apart by the Lord and for the Lord even before he knew the Lord in a personal way. God would later do the same with Paul (Gal.
Jeremiah 1
The almond tree: God's Word will be fulfilled (vv. 11–12). In the Holy Land, the almond tree blossoms in January and gives the first indication that spring is coming. The Hebrew word for almond tree is saqed; while the word for "watch" or "be awake" is soqed. The Lord used this play on words to impress Jeremiah with the fact that He is ever awake to watch over His Word and fulfill it.
Word: "As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it" (Isa. 55:10–11 niv).
In too many churches today, worship has become entertainment, and preaching is merely the happy dispensing of good advice. We need to hear and obey Paul's admonition to Timothy: "Preach the word" (2 Tim. 4:2). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth (John 16:13) and works by means of the Word of truth (Ps. 119:43; 2 Tim. 2:15). Jeremiah didn't accomplish God's will on earth by means of clever speeches, cunning diplomacy, or skillful psychology. He heard God's Word, took it to heart, and then proclaimed it fearlessly to the people. God did the rest.
Like a husband or wife breaking the marriage vows, the sinful nation had turned from the covenant they had made with the Lord, and now they were giving their love and loyalty to pagan idols. But that covenant would stand, for the Lord had not forgotten it. He had promised to bless them if they obeyed and chasten them if they disobeyed, and He was "watching to see that [His] word is fulfilled" (Jer. 1:12 niv; see Lev. 26; Deut. 28). God had spoken to the nation through the earlier prophets, but the rulers and people wouldn't listen.
Jeremiah's ministry was difficult because he had to tear down before he could build, and he had to root up before he could plant. In too many ministries there are organizational "structures" that don't belong there and should be torn down because they're hindering progress. Some "plants" are taking up space but bearing no fruit, and they ought to be pulled up. Jesus said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted" (Matt. 15:13 nkjv).
Yet the Lord testified against Israel and against Judah, by all of His prophets, namely every seer, saying, "Turn from your evil ways, and keep My commandments and My statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by My servants the prophets." Nevertheless they would not hear, but stiffened their necks, like the necks of their fathers, who did not believe in the Lord their God. And they rejected His statutes and His covenant that He had made with their fathers, and His testimonies which He had testified against them; they followed idols, became idolaters, and went after the nations who were all around them, concerning whom the Lord had charged them that they should not do like them. (2 Kings 17:13–15 nkjv)
Any servant of God who feels himself or herself too weak to serve needs to consider these three encouragements. Has God called you? Then He will equip you and enable you. Are you obeying His commands by faith? Then He is with you to protect you. Are you sharing the Word? Then He will accomplish His purposes no matter how the people respond. Jeremiah's name means "Jehovah establishes," and God did establish His servant and his ministry and cared for him to the very end. "But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one" (2 Thess. 3:3 nkjv).
The Message Was Dangerous (vv. 11–19) When you study the Old Testament prophets, you discover that three strands of truth wove their messages together: (1) past sin: the nation has disobeyed God's law; (2) present responsibility: the people must repent or God will send judgment; and (3) future hope: the Lord will come one day and establish His glorious kingdom.
The boiling pot: God's wrath is coming (vv. 13–16). The nations in the East were often in conflict, each trying to gain supremacy. First the Jewish rulers would turn to Egypt for help, then to Assyria (see Isa. 30—31; Jer. 2:18, 36); and all the while, they failed to trust the Lord and seek His help. But this vision reveals that God is in control of the nations of the world and can use them to accomplish His own purposes. The Lord was even then preparing Babylon in the north11 to be His servant to chasten His people. For Judah to turn to Egypt for help was futile because Egypt would also fall to Nebuchadnezzar (Jer. 46).
The Lord didn't give Jeremiah a joyful message of deliverance to announce, but rather a tragic message of judgment. So dangerous was this message that people hearing it called Jeremiah a traitor. He would be misunderstood, persecuted, arrested, and imprisoned—and more than once, his life was in danger. The nation didn't want to hear the truth, but Jeremiah told them plainly that they were defying the Lord, disobeying the law, and destined for judgment.
When Jeremiah began his ministry, Assyria, not Babylon, was the dominant power in the Near East, and no doubt many of the political experts thought Jeremiah foolish to worry about Babylon in the north. But the people of Judah lived to see Assyria defeated and Egypt crippled as Babylon rose to power and Jeremiah's words came true. Indeed, the thrones of the
God gave Jeremiah three promises to prepare him for this dangerous mission. Two of the promises were in visions.
Jeremiah 1
David Thoreau wrote, "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away."12 conquering Babylonian leaders were set in the gate of Jerusalem (39:1–3), and the Holy City was eventually destroyed.
The sin God singled out was idolatry (1:16)—forsaking the true God and worshipping the gods they had made with their own hands. In their hypocrisy, the people of Judah maintained the temple worship, but Jehovah was only one of many gods who claimed their devotion. Some of the foreign idols were even brought into the temple! (See Ezek. 8—9.) The false prophets flourished in a ministry that was shallow and popular because they promised peace and never called for repentance (Jer. 5:12–13; 8:11–12; 14:13–22).
"If anyone desires to come after Me," said Jesus, "let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. … For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?" (Matt. 16:24, 26 nkjv).
In light of that sobering question, what decision will you make? Will you conform to the crowd or carry the cross?
Notes
When a nation turns from worshipping the true God, its people begin to exploit one another, and that's what happened in Judah. The rich oppressed the poor and the courts would not defend the rights of the oppressed (2:34–35; 5:26–31; 7:1–11). Yet these evil rulers and judges went to the temple faithfully and pretended to be devoted to Jehovah! All they did was make the temple "a den of robbers" (7:11). It was this kind of sin that God was about to judge.
1 G. Campbell Morgan, Studies in the Prophecy of Jeremiah (Westwood, NJ: Fleming H. Revell, 1961), 19. 2 It's not likely that Jeremiah's father was the Hilkiah who found the book of the law during the repairing of the temple (2 Kings 22). In the Old Testament, there are several other Hilkiahs mentioned. The name was popular, particularly among the priests and Levites. If Jeremiah's father had been that close to the king, some of the prestige might have rubbed off on his son, but that doesn't seem to have happened. 3 I'm not discounting the fact that a priest's ministry was demanding in that he might disobey God and lose his life. He had to dress properly (Ex. 28:42–43), keep his hands and feet clean while serving (Ex. 30:20–21; Lev. 22:9), do his job carefully (Num. 4:15–20; 18:3), and always seek to glorify God (Lev. 16:13); otherwise, God's judgment could fall on him. 4 The ways of providence are sometimes puzzling. Hezekiah was a godly king, yet his son Manasseh was ungodly. Manasseh's son Amon, who reigned only two years, was as ungodly as his father (2 Kings 21:20–22); but Amon's son Josiah was a godly man. Yet Josiah's son, Jehoahaz, who reigned only three months, was ungodly like his grandfather. I suppose we must take into consideration both the influence of the mothers and of the court officials in charge of educating the princes. 5 The priestly city of Anathoth was located in the tribe of Benjamin (Josh. 21:18) and was about an hour's walk from Jerusalem. The priests would live in their own homes and travel to Jerusalem when their time came to minister in the temple. Contrary to the law, there were also local shrines at which some of the priests served, making it convenient for the people who didn't want to go all the way to Jerusalem. 6 Josiah made the mistake of rashly getting involved at the Battle of Carchemish, where Pharaoh Necho of Egypt was engaging the army of Assyria. Pharaoh Necho had warned Josiah to mind his own business, but the king persisted and was slain at Megiddo (2 Chron. 35:20–25). 7 Since many of the nobles, key leaders in the land, had already been deported to Babylon, the king was left with a weak staff. But it's doubtful that stronger men would have made any difference in his character or actions. 8 Compare God's call of Moses (Ex. 3—4) and Gideon (Judg. 6), and note how the Lord is patient with His servants and does all He can to encourage their faith. God still likes to use the most unlikely instruments to get His work done in this world, and for good reason: "That no flesh should glory in his presence" (1 Cor. 1:29). 9 God said of the Jews, "You only have I known of all the
The city, pillar, and wall: God will protect His servant (vv. 17–19). In order to be able to run or work easily, men in that day had to tie their loose robes together with a belt (1 Kings 18:46; 2 Kings 4:29), so "gird up your loins" (Jer. 1:17) meant "Get ready for action!" It might be paraphrased "Tighten your belt! Roll up your sleeves!" "Gird up the loins of your mind" (1 Peter 1:13) means "Pull your mind together and have the right mental attitude in view of our Lord's return."
God repeated the warning He gave earlier (Jer. 1:8) that Jeremiah must not be afraid of the people who would oppose him, because God would defend him. Surrounded by his enemies, the prophet would become a fortified city they couldn't subdue. Forced to stand alone, Jeremiah would become as strong as an iron pillar. Attacked on all sides by kings, princes, priests, and people, he would be as unyielding as a bronze wall. "I am with you to deliver you" was God's reliable promise (vv. 8, 19 nkjv), and in the battle for truth, one with God is a majority.
In spite of the demands of the task and the difficulties of the times, Jeremiah accepted God's call. He knew his own deficiencies, but he also knew that God was greater and would enable him to do the job. The message God gave him was indeed dangerous, but God was watching over His word to fulfill it and would protect His faithful servant.
Jeremiah made the right decision and as a result became one of the most unpopular prophets in Jewish history. Measured by human standards, his ministry was a failure, but measured by the will of God, he was a great success. It isn't easy to stand alone, to resist the crowd, and to be out of step with the philosophies and values of the times. Jeremiah, however, lived that kind of a life for over forty years.
In the final chapter of his book Walden, Henry
Jeremiah 2 compared to adultery and even prostitution (see Isa. 54:5; Hos. 2:16). At the beginning of this covenant relationship, the Jews were devoted4 to the Lord and loved Him, but once they conquered the Promised Land, their hearts lusted after the gods of the nations around them and they sank into idolatry (Judg. 1—3). Although God had taken them safely through their wilderness journey and given them a wonderful inheritance in Canaan, they abandoned Him for man-made gods. What kind of loyal love is that?
families of the earth" (Amos 3:2). Certainly God is acquainted with all the nations and knows what they do, but Israel is the only nation in history to have a special covenant relationship with the Lord God, and God chose them wholly by His grace (Deut. 4:32–37; 7:7–8). God said of Abraham, "For I know him" (Gen. 18:19), meaning, "I have chosen him." 10 The promise of His presence was given to Isaac (Gen. 26:1–3, 24); Jacob (Gen. 28:15; 31:3; 46:1–4); Moses (Ex. 3:12; 33:14); Joshua (Deut. 31:7–8; Josh. 1:5; 3:7; 6:27); Gideon (Judg. 6:15–16); Jeremiah (Jer. 1:8, 19; 20:11); and to the church (Matt. 28:19–20; Heb. 13:5–6). See also Isaiah 41:10; 43:5. 11 See Jeremiah 4:6; 6:1, 22; 10:22; 13:20; 15:12; 25:9; 47:2; 50:3, 9, 41; 51:48. The invading Babylonian army is compared to a boiling pot (1:13–14), a marauding lion (4:7), and a flooding river (47:2). 12 Henry David Thoreau, Walden (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1971), 326.
Broken cisterns (vv. 9–13). "Go from west to east," said the prophet, "and you will not find a nation that changed its gods." But Israel forsook the true God for false gods, which was like abandoning a spring of fresh flowing water for a cracked, muddy cistern that couldn't hold water. In the Holy Land, water is a valuable possession, and nobody would do a foolish thing like that. No wonder the Lord said, "Be appalled at this, O heavens, and shudder with great horror" (Jer. 2:12 niv). The second phrase literally means "Let your hair stand on end!"
CHAPTER TWO Jeremiah 2—6 THE PROPHET PREACHES
A plundered slave (vv. 14–19). God redeemed the Jews from Egypt and gave them freedom in Canaan, but now their nation had gone back into bondage because of its idolatry. By allying with its pagan neighbors—Egypt and Assyria—instead of trusting the Lord, Judah had become a vassal state and was being plundered and enslaved. Instead of drinking at the pure river that the Lord gave them, the Judahites drank the polluted waters of the Nile and the Euphrates. Memphis and Tahpanhes were Egyptian cities, and Shihor was a branch of the Nile River.5
Nations, like individuals, are subjected
to punishments and chastisements
in this world.
Abraham Lincoln1 I n my library is a notebook containing the outlines of messages that I preached when I began my ministry back in 1950. Whenever I read those outlines, I feel very embarrassed and contrite in heart and I marvel that anybody ever listened to those sermons or came back to hear more. A seasoned preacher once said, "When you're young in the ministry, you can't understand why more people don't come to hear you. But when you get older, you're amazed that anybody comes to hear you." I agree.
A basic principle is enunciated in verse 19: God punishes us by allowing our own sins to bring pain and discipline to our lives. "Your own conduct and actions have brought this upon you. This is your punishment. How bitter it is!" (4:18 niv). "Your wrongdoings have kept these [rains] away; your sins have deprived you of good" (5:25 niv). The greatest judgment God can send to disobedient people is to let them have their own way and reap the sad, painful consequences of their sins.
II. Jeremiah's messages to his people Judah (2—33) A.During the time of Josiah's rule—2–13 1. The sins of the nation—2—6
Young Jeremiah, however, started his ministry with messages that were courageous, compassionate, and convicting.2 Boldly he confronted the people with their sins and pled with them to repent and return to the Lord. Four major themes combine in these messages: rebellion, repentance, righteousness, and retribution.
The word backsliding literally means to "turn away" and describes the nation's repeated apostasy.6 The book of Judges records at least seven occasions when Israel turned from the Lord and had to be chastened, and there were numerous other times during the period of the monarchy when the Israelites deliberately turned from the Lord. The word backslide is not used in the New Testament, but the experience is described in other ways: falling from grace (Gal. 5:4), leaving your first love (Rev. 2:4), loving the world (1 John 2:15–17; 2 Tim. 4:10), and walking in darkness (1 John 1:5–10).
Rebellion: God Sees His People's Sins (vv. 1–37) Jeremiah had a gift for expressing theological truth in pictorial language. In fact, much of his preaching can be read as poetry.3 In this chapter, he paints ten pictures that expose the sins of the people.
An unfaithful wife (vv. 1–8). When the Lord gave the Israelites His covenant at Mount Sinai (Ex. 19— 20), He entered into a loving relationship with them that He compared to marriage. "They broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them" (Jer. 31:32 niv; see 3:14). In the Old Testament, Israel's idolatry is
A stubborn animal (v. 20). Jeremiah often used animals to picture the behavior of people, and here he compared the Jews to an unruly animal that won't wear the yoke.7 One of his recurring phrases is the stubbornness of their evil hearts (3:17; 7:24; 9:14; 11:8; 13:10; 16:12; 18:12; 23:17 niv).8 When people, made in the
Jeremiah 2—3 image of God, refuse to obey God, they become like animals (see Ps. 32:9; Prov. 7:21–23; Hos. 4:16).
complained and brought charges against Him! None of His discipline seemed to do any good. "You struck them, but they felt no pain; you crushed them, but they refused correction" (5:3 niv; see 7:28; 17:23; 32:33; 35:13). God reminded the people how richly He had blessed them. Yet they rebelled against Him (2:29), forgot Him (v. 32), and lied to Him (vv. 33–35), claiming to be innocent. One of the major themes of the book of Deuteronomy is that the nation should remember the Lord and what He had done for them. Yet the people took their blessings for granted and gave their allegiance to dumb idols. They were so skilled at their harlotry, worshipping false gods, that even the most wicked prostitute could learn new things from them! They exploited the poor and were stained by their blood, and yet they pleaded innocence (see Amos 2:6–8; 5:10–12). Because the nation at that time was enjoying a measure of political and economic prosperity, they concluded that God's blessing was proof of their innocence! They didn't realize that God can bless the wicked (Ps. 37; 73; Matt. 5:45) and that the goodness of God should instead lead them to repentance (Luke 15:17–18; Rom. 2:4–5). Prisoners of war (vv. 36–37). In its attempt to keep peace with its neighbors, Judah had flitted between Egypt and Assyria (Jer. 2:14–19), both of whom would ultimately disappoint Judah. The description in verse 37 is that of prisoners of war, their hands tied above their heads, being led away captive. Any decisions we make that are contrary to God's plan will lead to bondage, because only the truth can set us free (John 8:32). The Babylonian army would eventually overrun the land, take Jerusalem and destroy it, and lead the people away into captivity.
A degenerate vine (v. 21). Israel as a vine is a familiar image in the Old Testament (Ps. 80:8–16; Isa. 5:1–7; Ezek. 17:1–10; Hos. 10:1–2). God planted His people in the good land He gave them, but they didn't produce the harvest of righteousness He desired. "So He expected it to bring forth good grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes" (Isa. 5:2 nkjv). Because they worshipped false gods, they became like their degenerate neighbors. How could dead idols ever produce living fruit in their nation?
A defiled body (v. 22). No amount of good works or religious ceremonies could wash away their sins, because the heart of the nation's problem was the problem in their hearts. They had sinful hearts because they had stubborn hearts—hearts that refused to listen to God's servant and obey God's Word. Josiah's reformation was only a cosmetic change in the kingdom of Judah; it never reached the hearts of the people so that they repented and sought forgiveness from the Lord.
Jeremiah is preeminently the prophet of the heart, for he used the word over sixty times. "O Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart and be saved" (Jer. 4:14 niv). "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (17:9). Judah needed to return to the Lord with their whole heart, for only then could He bless them.
An animal in the desert (vv. 23–25). Even if the people denied that they were defiled, their actions proved otherwise, for they were like animals: a lost camel looking for an oasis; or a donkey in heat, running here and there looking for a mate. As the Jews pursued the false gods of the pagan nations, their shoes wore out and their throats became dry. How much better had they drunk the refreshing water from the river of God!
Was there any way Judah could escape the coming wrath? Yes, and that was the theme of the next point in Jeremiah's message.
But they had given themselves so much to sin that they despaired of being saved. "It's no use!" (2:25 niv) was their excuse. "It's hopeless!" They sounded like confirmed alcoholics or compulsive gamblers who can't break the habit, or like the invalid at the Pool of Bethesda who had been sick for so long that he'd given up hope (John 5:1–9). Jesus Christ, however, specializes in hopeless cases. "He breaks the power of canceled sin/He sets the prisoner free."9
Repentance: God Pleads for His People to Return to Him (3:1—4:31) The two key words in this section are return (3:1, 7, 12, 22; 4:1) and backsliding (3:6, 8, 11, 12, 14, 22). In the Hebrew, "backsliding" ("faithless" niv) is actually a form of the word translated "return."
A disgraced thief (vv. 26–28). A thief caught in the act may protest his or her innocence, but the evidence is there for all to see. Any visitor to the kingdom of Judah could see what God saw: people turning their backs on God and talking to deaf idols, but then turning desperately to Jehovah for help when they found themselves in trouble. They were caught red-handed!
Pictures (3:1–10; 3:21–4:4). The prophet again used four vivid images to picture the sad spiritual condition of the kingdom of Judah.
The unfaithful wife (3:1–10). Jeremiah returned to the metaphor of marriage that he had used in 2:1–2 and 20, but this time he introduced the subject of divorce. The Mosaic law permitted a man to divorce his wife, but it did not allow him to marry her again (Deut. 24:1–4). God had every right to reject His people, because they had abandoned Him, not in order to marry another "husband," but in order to play the harlot with many lovers. The people had gone to the hills and built shrines dedicated to foreign gods. They had
Incorrigible children (vv. 29–35). God chastened them many times for their sins, but they refused to change their ways, and then they even blamed God! He brought charges against them (Jer. 2:9), but instead of confessing and repenting, they
Jeremiah 3—4 mons. A certain church member was in the habit of closing his public prayers with "And, Lord, take the cobwebs out of my heart!" One of the other members became weary of this litany, so one evening, after hearing it again, he stood and prayed, "And, Lord, while You're at it … kill the spider!" Jeremiah was out to kill the spider and cure the patient.
acted worse than common prostitutes, who at least waited for lovers to come to them, for Judah had pursued false gods and repeatedly committed spiritual adultery with them.10
Instead of rejecting His people, however, the Lord patiently called for them to return and be restored as His wife. What grace! God had even caused a drought in the land, and the people had called out to Him for help (Jer. 3:4–5), but they had not really repented of their sins. Because of their covenant relationship with God, Judah called Him "Father" and "guide," which were titles Jewish wives sometimes used in addressing their husbands. But how could God give them covenant blessings when they were violating covenant commandments?
The Jews thought their deliverance would come from the idols they worshipped in the high places—the hill shrines—but their only hope was to repent and trust the Lord.11 These idols were unable to save them. In fact, they brought nothing but shame. Yet the Jews had sacrificed their God-given produce, flocks, and herds, and even their children to these shameful idols!
The unplowed field (4:1–3). The problem with the people was their dishonesty; they would use the right language, but they wouldn't mean it from their hearts. They would pray to the true God, but not forsake the false gods. It was easy to say, "As the Lord lives," but they didn't say it in truth, justice, and righteousness. Their hearts were hard and crowded with thorns like a neglected, unplowed field. Hosea used this image (Hos. 10:12) and so did Jesus in His parable of the sower (Matt. 13:1–9, 18–23).
When Assyria conquered the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC, the southern kingdom of Judah witnessed this divine judgment. Nevertheless, the Judahites refused to learn from Israel's destruction and turn from their sins (vv. 6–11). God had "divorced" Israel and put her away; Israel became a part of Assyria, and the northern kingdom was never restored. Having seen this judgment, the Judahites persisted in their sins as though it would never happen to them. Because of this arrogant attitude, Judah was even more guilty than Israel. Judah should have been "put away," yet God graciously invited His adulterous wife to return home to Him.
The uncircumcised heart (4:4). Jewish boys were circumcised when eight days old, given a name, and made a son of the covenant (Gen. 17:9–14; Lev. 12:3; Luke 1:59). Although no amount of surgery on the body could change the heart, the Jews thought that this ritual was their guarantee of salvation (Matt. 3:7–9; Acts 15:1–5). God, however, wanted them to "operate" on their hearts and put away their callousness and disobedience. "Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer" (Deut. 10:16 nkjv; see also 30:6; Rom. 2:28–29; Col. 2:11). They also needed to circumcise their ears (Jer. 6:10) so they could hear the Word of God.
In obedience to the king, the people had cooperated with Josiah's reformation and outwardly put away their idols, but what they did was "only in pretense" (v. 10 niv). God was "near in their mouth but far from their mind" (12:2 nkjv; see Ezek. 33:31). Even today, when political leaders claim to be born again and are willing to promote evangelical causes, going to church and reading the Bible become the "in" things to do, but you wonder how sincere these people really are. True Christian faith has never been popular, and the road that leads to life is still narrow and lonely (Matt. 7:13–23). The unhealthy patient (3:21–25). In Scripture, sickness is one of many metaphors for sin (Ps. 41:4; Isa. 1:5–6; Jer. 8:22; 30:12; Mark 2:17). Like an infection entering the bloodstream, sin secretly gets into the system of the "inner man" and goes to work weakening and destroying. It gradually infects the whole system, producing spiritual lassitude and loss of spiritual appetite; and if not cared for, the "sin sickness" can lead to dire consequences. When we hear about believers suddenly falling into open sin, in most cases a gradual slide preceded the sudden fall.
Many people today depend on baptism, the Lord's Supper (Communion, the Eucharist), confirmation, or some other religious ritual for their salvation, when what God wants from us is sincere faith from a repentant heart. Salvation is a gift that we receive by faith; it's not a reward that we earn by being religious.
Promises (3:11–13). The Lord even called to the dispersed Israelites to return to Him. This invitation reminds us of God's promises in Leviticus 26:40–45, Deuteronomy 30, and 1 Kings 8:46–53, which assured them that God would forgive if they would repent. In Jeremiah 3:14–19,12 Jeremiah seemed to be looking far ahead to the Kingdom Age when Israel and Judah would be united, the nation would be purified and multiplied, and God would give them spiritual leaders to care for them. In the darkest days of their history, the Israelites heard their prophets announce this coming messianic kingdom, and the promise gave them hope.
God offers to heal not just the symptoms of their backsliding, but the backsliding itself. The false prophets dealt only with symptoms and announced a false peace that gave the people a false confidence (Jer. 6:14; 7:8; 8:11). But a true physician of souls will tell the truth and seek to lead sinners to genuine spiritual healing that comes from honest confession and repentance.
The people must have been shocked when they heard Jeremiah say that the day would come when the ark of the covenant would be gone, forgotten, and
This reminds me of a story I've often used in ser-
Jeremiah 4—5 respond to their pleas. Judah trusted political alliances instead of trusting the Lord. But the prostitutes would become like women in travail—an image of painful judgment that's used often in Jeremiah (6:24; 13:21; 22:23; 30:6; 48:41; 49:22, 24; 50:43).15 never missed (v. 16). They trusted in the ark, the temple, the religious rituals, the covenant, and yet these things were but temporary signs that pointed to something spiritual and eternal.
The day would come when circumcised Jews would be treated like uncircumcised Gentiles (9:25–26), when the temple would no longer be needed (7:1–15; see John 4:20–24), and when there would be a new covenant that would change hearts (Jer. 11:1–5; 31:31–40). Like Jesus, Jeremiah saw beyond external religion and taught that God was seeking the devotion of the heart. No wonder both of them were accused of being traitors and persecuted for opposing the "true religion," which God had given to Israel.
Righteousness: God Searches for the Godly (5:1–31) Since the people would not listen to God's word, God told Jeremiah to "act out" his message. This is the first of at least ten "action sermons" found in Jeremiah.16 Meanwhile, this chapter deals with four sins of the people of Jerusalem.
Investigation: they were ungodly (vv. 1–6). God commanded Jeremiah to conduct a search of all the city of Jerusalem. If even one righteous person were discovered, the Lord would forgive the wicked city and call off the invasion. The background for this "action sermon" is God's agreement with Abraham to spare Sodom if ten righteous men were in the city (Gen. 18:22–33). The test in Jerusalem was, "Does the person practice justice and truth?"
Punishment (4:5–18). Jeremiah announced the invasion of the Babylonian army from the north (1:14), like a fierce lion (4:7) and a devastating desert storm (vv. 11–13). Dreadful judgment was coming to Judah, and yet the nation was unprepared, because the people believed the deceptive message of peace proclaimed by the false prophets (v. 10).13 "It can't happen here!" was their slogan. "After all, we have the temple and the ark of the covenant."
Jeremiah found nobody among the poor who qualified, but he concluded that their lack of religious education would excuse them. The prophet then went to the nobles and the leaders, who he discovered knew God's commandments but threw off the yoke and turned away from the law (Jer. 5:5; see 2:20; Ps. 2:1–3). When the survey was concluded, not one person was found who was honest and truthful.
God commanded the watchmen to blow the trumpet and alert the people to run to the walled cities for safety. That would have given them time to repent in sackcloth (v. 8) and to wash their hearts by confessing their sins (v. 14). The Babylonian army, however, would come swiftly (v. 13; see Ezek. 38:16) and do their job thoroughly. "Your own conduct and actions have brought this upon you. This is your punishment. How bitter it is! How it pierces to the heart!" (Jer. 4:18 niv).
One thing was left for God to do: He would allow the invaders to enter the land like marauding animals and destroy the people (see Jer. 2:15; 4:7). The animal had gotten loose from the yoke and run away from the master, only to be met by a lion, a wolf, and a leopard! What kind of freedom was that?
Pain (4:19–31). Known as the weeping prophet, Jeremiah here expressed his personal anguish as he contemplated a national tragedy that could have been averted (4:19–21). No other Old Testament prophet revealed his brokenheartedness and sorrow as did Jeremiah (see 6:24; 9:10; 10:19–20). When ministering publicly, he was bold before men; in private, he was heartbroken before God.
Condemnation: they were ungrateful (vv. 7–9). God asked two questions: "Why should I forgive you?" (v. 7 niv) and "Shall I not punish them for these things?" (v. 9 nkjv). "God fed them to the full" (v. 7; "supplied all their needs" niv), yet they used His gifts in order to commit sin and serve their idols. The goodness of God should have brought them to repentance (Rom. 2:4), but they were ungrateful for His blessings (Hos. 2:4–13). Instead of acting like men and women made in the image of God, they became like animals in heat ("well-fed, lusty stallions," Jer. 5:8 niv; see 2:24).
God explained to His servant why the judgment was coming: The people were foolish, they did not know God, they were stupid, and they lacked understanding (4:22). If they had been as skillful in holy living as they were in sinning, God would have blessed them instead of judging them.
With prophetic vision, Jeremiah saw what the Babylonians would do to the land (vv. 23–29), producing chaos such as that described in Genesis 1:2.14 No matter where he looked, he saw ruin. Even the stable mountains shook! It was only by the mercy of God that everything in Judah wasn't completely devastated (Jer. 4:27; see 5:10, 18; 30:11; 46:28). But an equally great tragedy was the unbelief of the people who refused to repent and ask God for His help (4:30–31). Jeremiah described them as prostitutes who were trying to seduce other nations to come and help them stop the Babylonians, but their "lovers" wouldn't
The idolatrous nations in Canaan conducted a worship that was unbelievably immoral. In their minds, consorting with the temple prostitutes could guarantee a fruitful harvest. Baal was the storm god who provided the needed rain. Thus, when the Lord held back the rain to warn His people, they turned to pagan idols for help. Josiah had gotten rid of the temple prostitutes, but these prostitutes found other ways to carry on their trade and satisfy the desires they had inflamed in the men of Judah. Not unlike society today, the people worshipped sex and saw nothing wrong with what they were doing.
Jeremiah 5—6
The sinners thought they were getting away with their crimes, but God asked them, "What will you do in the end?" (5:31 niv). "There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death" (Prov. 14:12 nkjv).
Devastation: they were unfaithful (vv. 10–19). This is the heart of the matter: Since the people did not believe God's word, they turned their backs on God and went their own way. "They have lied about the Lord; they said, 'He will do nothing! No harm will come to us; we will never see sword or famine'" (Jer. 5:12 niv). They rejected the word God spoke through the prophets and called it "wind." As a result, God called for devastating judgment to come to His vineyard (vv. 10–11; see 2:21).
Retribution: God Sends His Judgment (6:1–30) This closing section of Jeremiah's sermon focuses on the invading Babylonian army and the devastation they will bring to the kingdom of Judah. In that critical hour, the prophet told the nation what God was doing.
God, however, said His word would be a fire that would consume the people like wood (5:14; see 23:29). Note the repetition of the phrase "eat up" ("devour" niv) in 5:17, an announcement that the Babylonian invasion would consume the land and the people. This invasion would fulfill the warning given in Deuteronomy 28:49–52, a warning that the people knew. The Jews had forsaken the Lord and served idols in their own land. Now they would be temporarily forsaken by the Lord and taken to Babylon, where they would serve idols in a foreign land.
God declares war (vv. 1–5). First, the Lord spoke to His people and warned them that judgment was coming (vv. 1–3). The Jews had three main ways to get military information: from the watchmen on the walls (v. 17), from trumpet signals (v. 1; see Num. 10:1–10), and from signal fires lit on high places (Jer. 6:1). Since Jeremiah's hometown of Anathoth was in Benjamin, he started by warning his own neighbors to get out of Jerusalem. Jerusalem is compared to a "beautiful and delicate woman," but she will end up like a "widow" (Lam. 1:1) with all of her beauty gone (v. 6). Foreign "shepherds" (soldiers) would invade the beautiful pastures and set up their tents only to slaughter the flock.
Yet, this warning opened and closed with the promise that God would not destroy the nation completely (Jer. 5:10, 18; see 4:27; 30:11; 46:28).17 Even in wrath, He remembers mercy (Hab. 3:2). The Jewish prophets announced judgment, but they also promised that a "remnant" would be spared. Isaiah repeated this promise (Isa. 1:19; 10:20–22; 11:11, 16; 14:22; 46:3) and even named one of his sons "a remnant returns" (Shearjashub, 7:3); Micah echoed the same promise (Mic. 2:12; 4:7; 5:3, 7–8; 7:18).
God then spoke to the Babylonian army over which He had command (Jer. 6:4–5), and He shared His strategy with them: make a surprise attack at noon, the hottest time of the day, when nobody would expect it, and plan to continue the attack through the night when most armies retire. The word translated "prepare" means "to sanctify or consecrate"; the Babylonians considered this war a holy crusade for their gods (see Joel 3:9; Mic. 3:5). God directs the attack (vv. 6–15). The Lord told the Babylonian army what to do: chop down trees and build ramps against the walls of the city. Then He told them why they were doing it. Jerusalem was like a well that pours out filthy water, and the city must be punished. It was like a dying person with infected wounds that couldn't be healed, and these things must be purged away. Finally, God told them how to do it: with precision and thoroughness, the way gleaners go over a vineyard so as not to miss any fruit (Jer. 6:5, 9).
The remnant that returned to Judah from Babylon after the captivity restored the nation, rebuilt the temple, and maintained the testimony, preparing the way for the coming of the Messiah. God had covenanted with Abraham that through his descendants all the world would be blessed (Gen. 12:1–3), and God kept His promise.
Proclamation: they were unconcerned (vv. 20–31). Jeremiah was a retiring sort of person. Yet God told him to announce and proclaim boldly to the whole house of Jacob just what the people were like. The prophet's description of the people must have angered them, but it didn't shake them out of their complacency. Jeremiah told them that they were foolish, senseless, blind, and deaf, and that they had no fear of God. They were stubborn and rebellious, having turned away from serving the Lord. The mighty seas obeyed God's rule, but His own people rejected Him. God sent the rains and gave the harvests, but His people refused to thank Him.
The prophet lamented the fact that, at this critical time in history, nobody was listening (v. 10)! Not only were their hearts uncircumcised (4:4), but so were their ears (see Acts 7:51); they refused to hear God's Word. Full of the wrath of the Lord, Jeremiah told them that God's anger will be poured out on young and old, men and women, and even the children. Rulers and priests won't escape; in fact, they were the most guilty because they had given the people false confidence and had refused to repent of their own sins (Jer. 6:13–15; see 7:8; 8:11). "For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests" (Lam. 4:13) God would send this judgment.
Instead of encouraging one another to fear God, they exploited one another like hunters snaring birds. Thus the rich grew richer as the poor languished. The courts were corrupt, the prophets were liars, the priests went right along with them—and the people approved what was done and enjoyed it! "My people love to have it so" (Jer. 5:31). When a nation becomes that corrupt, there is no hope.
God delivers the verdict (vv. 16–23). Are the people guilty? Yes! Do they deserve this punishment? Yes! In fact, God called the Gentiles and the earth to bear