(The previous post covered God's explanation to Jeremiah for the judgment that was about to come.)
Jeremiah 13
1 Thus saith Jehovah unto me, Go, and buy thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.
(God told Jeremiah to buy a linen girdle (underwear) and to put it on and not put it in water. Not putting it in water would make the cause of the soon to come "marring" to not be mistaken.)
2 So I bought a girdle according to the word of Jehovah, and put it upon my loins.
3 And the word of Jehovah came unto me the second time, saying,
4 Take the girdle that thou hast bought, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a cleft of the rock.
(God told Jeremiah to go to the Euphrates River and hide the girdle Jeremiah was wearing in a cleft of a rock. The Euphrates was 300-400 miles away. Some scholars believe that Jeremiah stayed away from Jerusalem for seven years when he left on this journey.)
5 So I went, and hid it by the Euphrates, as Jehovah commanded me.
6 And it came to pass after many days, that Jehovah said unto me, Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to hide there.
7 Then I went to the Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it; and, behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing.
(The girdle was marred (ruined, destroyed) and profitable for nothing.)
8 Then the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,
9 Thus saith Jehovah, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.
(Just as the girdle was destroyed, God would mar/destroy the pride of Judah and Jerusalem.)
10 This evil people, that refuse to hear my words, that walk in the stubbornness of their heart, and are gone after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is profitable for nothing.
(The people who were evil were, like the girdle, profitable for nothing.)
11 For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith Jehovah; that they may be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.
(This verse explained the analogy of the girdle: As the girdle cleaved to a man, so God had caused Israel and Judah to cleave to Him. The girdle symbolized the closeness of God and Israel. God was completely for Israel but they would not listen.)
12 Therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word: Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they shall say unto thee, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine?
13 Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David's throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.
14 And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith Jehovah: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have compassion, that I should not destroy them.
(In their drunkenness, the people would turn against themselves.)
15 Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud; for Jehovah hath spoken.
16 Give glory to Jehovah your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.
(A warning to the proud to turn towards God and away from their stubborn ways.)
17 But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because Jehovah's flock is taken captive.
(If the Jews did not hear these words and humble themselves, Jeremiah would weep because God's flock would be carried away captive.)
18 Say thou unto the king and to the queen-mother, Humble yourselves, sit down; for your headtires are come down, even the crown of your glory.
(This king was Jehoiakim.)
19 The cities of the South are shut up, and there is none to open them: Judah is carried away captive, all of it; it is wholly carried away captive.
(Judah would go into captivity. This prophecy was fulfilled about twelve years after this declaration.)
20 Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north: where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?
(The Babylonians would come from the north.)
21 What wilt thou say, when he shall set over thee as head those whom thou hast thyself taught to be friends to thee? shall not sorrows take hold of thee, as of a woman in travail?
22 And if thou say in thy heart, Wherefore are these things come upon me? for the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts uncovered, and thy heels suffer violence.
23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
(The Jews were so accustomed to doing evil that for them to do good was compared to an Ethiopian changing his skin or a leopard his spots.)
24 Therefore will I scatter them, as the stubble that passeth away, by the wind of the wilderness.
25 This is thy lot, the portion measured unto thee from me, saith Jehovah; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.
(The captivity happened in response to Justice.)
26 Therefore will I also uncover thy skirts upon thy face, and thy shame shall appear.
27 I have seen thine abominations, even thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, on the hills in the field. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! thou wilt not be made clean; how long shall it yet be?
(Again, Marriage imagery was referenced when adulteries were mentioned.)
Jeremiah 14
1 The word of Jehovah that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought.
(The Word of God concerned with the drought. God used a drought many times to confront His people. Droughts were promised many centuries before this if Israel went into sin (Leviticus 26:19; Deuteronomy 28:23). This drought was upon Judah.)
2 Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish, they sit in black upon the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.
3 And their nobles send their little ones to the waters: they come to the cisterns, and find no water; they return with their vessels empty; they are put to shame and confounded, and cover their heads.
4 Because of the ground which is cracked, for that no rain hath been in the land, the plowmen are put to shame, they cover their heads.
5 Yea, the hind also in the field calveth, and forsaketh her young, because there is no grass.
6 And the wild asses stand on the bare heights, they pant for air like jackals; their eyes fail, because there is no herbage.
(The effects of a famine in the land.)
7 Though our iniquities testify against us, work thou for thy name's sake, O Jehovah; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee.
(Jeremiah began a confession.)
8 O thou hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in the time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a sojourner in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night?
9 Why shouldest thou be as a man affrighted, as a mighty man that cannot save? yet thou, O Jehovah, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not.
(Jeremiah asked God to remain with them in this trying time. Next, God answered…)
10 Thus saith Jehovah unto this people, Even so have they loved to wander; they have not refrained their feet: therefore Jehovah doth not accept them; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins.
11 And Jehovah said unto me, Pray not for this people for their good.
12 When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt-offering and meal-offering, I will not accept them; but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.
(God told Jeremiah not to pray for the people for their good! When they fasted God would not hear. This verse showed that the purpose of fasting was prayer and not not eating. Every time you had a hunger pain it was supposed to lead you to pray.)
13 Then said I, Ah, Lord Jehovah! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place.
(Jeremiah complained of the words the false prophets proclaimed to the Jews.)
14 Then Jehovah said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name; I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake I unto them: they prophesy unto you a lying vision, and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their own heart.
(Prophets in the land were speaking lying visions and divination. The false prophets were altogether lying, not even giving a right what.)
15 Therefore thus saith Jehovah concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land: By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.
(The prophets who were saying there would not be sword and famine in the land would fall by the sword and famine. The very thing these false prophets said would not happen would happen specifically to them: Justice.)
16 And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them-them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness upon them.
(The people who were prophesied to were also at fault and would be judged as well.)
17 And thou shalt say this word unto them, Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease; for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous wound.
18 If I go forth into the field, then, behold, the slain with the sword! and if I enter into the city, then, behold, they that are sick with famine! for both the prophet and the priest go about in the land, and have no knowledge.
(This chapter ended with another confession from Jeremiah…)
19 Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? hath thy soul loathed Zion? why hast thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of healing, and, behold, dismay!
20 We acknowledge, O Jehovah, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against thee.
(Jeremiah confessed for the people. Were the people humble like Jeremiah was?)
21 Do not abhor us, for thy name's sake; do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us.
22 Are there any among the vanities of the nations that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O Jehovah our God? therefore we will wait for thee; for thou hast made all these things.
(Jeremiah recognized God made the rain and then he made requests of God.)
Jeremiah 15
1 Then said Jehovah unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind would not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.
(God told Jeremiah that even if Moses and Samuel stood before God, His Mind would still not be toward the people. Even Moses and Samuel could not have stopped the captivity.
-Moses did change God's Mind: Numbers 14.
-Hezekiah was able to request something God did not want to do: 2 Kings 20:1-11 and Isaiah 37.
Now, we see a case where someone who was able to change God's Mind would not be able to change God's Mind. We have seen that prayer works according to Justice, according to spiritual value. The only explanation that was consistent with the rest of the Bible was that Moses had enough spiritual value to change God's Mind in Numbers 14, however, Moses (and Samuel) did not have enough spiritual value to change God's Mind in the situation we have been covering in the Book of Jeremiah.
Since the beginning of the Book of Jeremiah, we have seen God has tried every possible way to illustrate to Judah their level of wickedness: a girdle, Marriage analogies, divorce, and now Moses and Samuel being unable to change God's Mind.)
2 And it shall come to pass, when they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith Jehovah: Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity.
3 And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith Jehovah: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the birds of the heavens, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and to destroy.
4 And I will cause them to be tossed to and fro among all the kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem.
(The reason for the captivity: the captivity would happen because of Manasseh and the things he did in Jerusalem. This was why God wanted Hezekiah to die in 2 Kings 20 and Isaiah 37. Hezekiah had enough spiritual value to extend his life fifteen years and that led to Manasseh being born and leading God's people into wickedness. God tried to help His people avoid the circumstances they found themselves in during the Book of Jeremiah. If God had predestined Hezekiah to make the wrong decision, it would be unjust of God to punish Judah.)
5 For who will have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? or who will bemoan thee? or who will turn aside to ask of thy welfare?
6 Thou hast rejected me, saith Jehovah, thou art gone backward: therefore have I stretched out my hand against thee, and destroyed thee; I am weary with repenting.
(God was weary. Worse, God was weary with His people repenting. This verse showed there was a limit to how much God was able to bear from people "repenting." Sounds like we need to understand what was meant by "repenting." The people had forsaken God and God was weary with the people repenting. There was not fruit of their repentance, they continued to do the same evil they confessed.)
7 And I have winnowed them with a fan in the gates of the land; I have bereaved them of children, I have destroyed my people; they returned not from their ways.
(The people would be destroyed because they returned not from their ways. This meant these people actually did not repent with their heart, only their mouths.)
8 Their widows are increased to me above the sand of the seas; I have brought upon them against the mother of the young men a destroyer at noonday: I have caused anguish and terrors to fall upon her suddenly.
(Widows would increase because of the deaths of many of the men who would be killed in the coming war. Mothers of young men would find a destroyer against them because of their sons forthcoming death.)
9 She that hath borne seven languisheth; she hath given up the ghost; her sun is gone down while it was yet day; she hath been put to shame and confounded: and the residue of them will I deliver to the sword before their enemies, saith Jehovah.
(Even a mother of seven young men would not escape the coming calamity. It seemed as if none of the men would be spared.)
10 Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have not lent, neither have men lent to me; yet every one of them doth curse me.
(Jeremiah complained of being in the center of the strife because of the prophecies given to him.)
11 Jehovah said, Verily I will strengthen thee for good; verily I will cause the enemy to make supplication unto thee in the time of evil and in the time of affliction.
12 Can one break iron, even iron from the north, and brass?
13 Thy substance and thy treasures will I give for a spoil without price, and that for all thy sins, even in all thy borders.
14 And I will make them to pass with thine enemies into a land which thou knowest not; for a fire is kindled in mine anger, which shall burn upon you.
(God answered Jeremiah's complaint. Jeremiah would be protected and provided for.)
15 O Jehovah, thou knowest; remember me, and visit me, and avenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered reproach.
(Jeremiah began another prayer…)
16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy words were unto me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart: for I am called by thy name, O Jehovah, God of hosts.
17 I sat not in the assembly of them that make merry, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand; for thou hast filled me with indignation.
18 Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou indeed be unto me as a deceitful brook, as waters that fail?
(Jeremiah wanted God to remember him and his obedient actions. Jeremiah also wanted to know why his pain was unceasing.)
19 Therefore thus saith Jehovah, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, that thou mayest stand before me; and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: they shall return unto thee, but thou shalt not return unto them.
20 And I will make thee unto this people a fortified brazen wall; and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith Jehovah.
21 And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.
(God answered by assuring Jeremiah that he would be delivered out of the hands of the wicked.)
(This post covered God's explanation that even Moses and Samuel would be unable to change His Mind from the coming judgment on Judah.)
Day 228
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