Jeremiah 39
KingCommentsJeremiah 39:1
The Message of Jeremiah rejected
The LORD instructs Jeremiah to speak everything He says to him to the people, with the staggering announcement that the people will not listen (Jeremiah 7:27; cf. Isaiah 6:9-10). What perseverance and comfort Jeremiah needed to not throw in the towel! Imagine a service with the principal telling you that it is useless. What use is it then? Only love and appreciation for the Principal Himself and a clear view of His interests can then provide the necessary motivation.
Jeremiah must not only speak, but he must also call to them. However, there will be no answer. This apathy is terrible for someone who brings God’s Word to a people he loves and wants so badly to bring back to God’s heart.
Jeremiah, therefore, must present to the people the conclusion that they do not listen to the LORD and do not accept correction (Jeremiah 7:28). The book of Proverbs frequently points out the folly of rejecting correction (Proverbs 1:7; Proverbs 5:12; Proverbs 13:18; Proverbs 15:5; 10; 32). Discipline has had no effect. It is a terrible observation: the “truth has perished” and no longer comes from their mouth. There is with them only hypocrisy and insincerity. They are caught in the lie, without the desire to be freed from it.
Jeremiah 39:2
The Message of Jeremiah rejected
The LORD instructs Jeremiah to speak everything He says to him to the people, with the staggering announcement that the people will not listen (Jeremiah 7:27; cf. Isaiah 6:9-10). What perseverance and comfort Jeremiah needed to not throw in the towel! Imagine a service with the principal telling you that it is useless. What use is it then? Only love and appreciation for the Principal Himself and a clear view of His interests can then provide the necessary motivation.
Jeremiah must not only speak, but he must also call to them. However, there will be no answer. This apathy is terrible for someone who brings God’s Word to a people he loves and wants so badly to bring back to God’s heart.
Jeremiah, therefore, must present to the people the conclusion that they do not listen to the LORD and do not accept correction (Jeremiah 7:28). The book of Proverbs frequently points out the folly of rejecting correction (Proverbs 1:7; Proverbs 5:12; Proverbs 13:18; Proverbs 15:5; 10; 32). Discipline has had no effect. It is a terrible observation: the “truth has perished” and no longer comes from their mouth. There is with them only hypocrisy and insincerity. They are caught in the lie, without the desire to be freed from it.
Jeremiah 39:3
Lamentation About the Desolation of Judah
The people are called to shave themselves bare (Jeremiah 7:29). The woman’s long hair – this is about “the daughter of Zion” – is her honor, her ornament, and indicates her dedication to the man, here to the LORD (1 Corinthians 11:15). If she cuts it off, it is a disgrace to her (1 Corinthians 11:6b). That disgrace must be borne by the people. The people must cut off the hair and thereby remove and reject the outward sign of dedication to the LORD. Outward dedication has value only if it is the representation of the mind of the heart. It has become clear that the people are no longer dedicated to the LORD in anything, but on the contrary have totally removed themselves from the LORD.
In Israel, a person can consecrate himself to the LORD as a Nazirite for a certain period of time. As an outward sign, he must then let his hair grow (Numbers 6:5). The LORD wants His whole people to consecrate themselves to Him. But Jerusalem must be shaved bald because she has defiled herself. She must not pretend to be dedicated to the LORD. The city is not dedicated to God and is no longer an ornament to Him.
Jeremiah is instructed to complain that the LORD has rejected and forsaken Jerusalem because the city has aroused His wrath because of her behavior. There are several reasons for this wrath. First, there is the evil of the abominable idols that the Judeans have set up in the temple, “in the house which is called by My name” (Jeremiah 7:30). God has been tarnished in His honor. The people have defied Him by placing abominations in His house and defiling His house in the grossest way (2 Kings 21:5; 2 Kings 23:4-7). It is truly rude and deeply offensive to cast Him aside in this way, to dishonor Him in this way. They do with His house what they want.
Even beyond that they commit the grossest sins (Jeremiah 7:31). It is truly awful to note that they did not dedicate their sons and daughters to God, but to idols. This happened during the reigns of Ahaz and Manasseh (2 Kings 16:3; 2 Kings 21:6). None of this has any connection whatsoever with the LORD and what is in His heart. It is totally foreign to Him and to what He asks of His people.
The judgment on the abominable practices is poignantly told by the LORD to Jeremiah. The sacrificial valley will be called “the valley of the Slaughter”, where all will be buried who have been affected by God’s judgment (Jeremiah 7:32). The place where they sacrifice their children will become an open mass grave where their own dead bodies will be thrown away. There they will be food for predators (Jeremiah 7:33). This is an unprecedented defamation for a Jew. There will be no one left to frighten those beasts away when they feast on the bodies (Deuteronomy 28:26).
Then no sound of joy will be heard from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 7:34), which are now full of expressions of joy for “the queen of heaven” (Jeremiah 7:17-18). The LORD also causes to cease the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride. The joy of a wedding includes the happy prospect of the birth of children. But a people who sacrifice their children to idols have lost any right to such a joyful prospect.
There is no hope that Judah and Jerusalem will be repopulated. Any joy has vanished; there is a deadly, terrifying silence, with no prospect of change. By repeating the words “the voice of” over and over again, the prophet makes the message especially poignant.
Jeremiah 39:4
Lamentation About the Desolation of Judah
The people are called to shave themselves bare (Jeremiah 7:29). The woman’s long hair – this is about “the daughter of Zion” – is her honor, her ornament, and indicates her dedication to the man, here to the LORD (1 Corinthians 11:15). If she cuts it off, it is a disgrace to her (1 Corinthians 11:6b). That disgrace must be borne by the people. The people must cut off the hair and thereby remove and reject the outward sign of dedication to the LORD. Outward dedication has value only if it is the representation of the mind of the heart. It has become clear that the people are no longer dedicated to the LORD in anything, but on the contrary have totally removed themselves from the LORD.
In Israel, a person can consecrate himself to the LORD as a Nazirite for a certain period of time. As an outward sign, he must then let his hair grow (Numbers 6:5). The LORD wants His whole people to consecrate themselves to Him. But Jerusalem must be shaved bald because she has defiled herself. She must not pretend to be dedicated to the LORD. The city is not dedicated to God and is no longer an ornament to Him.
Jeremiah is instructed to complain that the LORD has rejected and forsaken Jerusalem because the city has aroused His wrath because of her behavior. There are several reasons for this wrath. First, there is the evil of the abominable idols that the Judeans have set up in the temple, “in the house which is called by My name” (Jeremiah 7:30). God has been tarnished in His honor. The people have defied Him by placing abominations in His house and defiling His house in the grossest way (2 Kings 21:5; 2 Kings 23:4-7). It is truly rude and deeply offensive to cast Him aside in this way, to dishonor Him in this way. They do with His house what they want.
Even beyond that they commit the grossest sins (Jeremiah 7:31). It is truly awful to note that they did not dedicate their sons and daughters to God, but to idols. This happened during the reigns of Ahaz and Manasseh (2 Kings 16:3; 2 Kings 21:6). None of this has any connection whatsoever with the LORD and what is in His heart. It is totally foreign to Him and to what He asks of His people.
The judgment on the abominable practices is poignantly told by the LORD to Jeremiah. The sacrificial valley will be called “the valley of the Slaughter”, where all will be buried who have been affected by God’s judgment (Jeremiah 7:32). The place where they sacrifice their children will become an open mass grave where their own dead bodies will be thrown away. There they will be food for predators (Jeremiah 7:33). This is an unprecedented defamation for a Jew. There will be no one left to frighten those beasts away when they feast on the bodies (Deuteronomy 28:26).
Then no sound of joy will be heard from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 7:34), which are now full of expressions of joy for “the queen of heaven” (Jeremiah 7:17-18). The LORD also causes to cease the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride. The joy of a wedding includes the happy prospect of the birth of children. But a people who sacrifice their children to idols have lost any right to such a joyful prospect.
There is no hope that Judah and Jerusalem will be repopulated. Any joy has vanished; there is a deadly, terrifying silence, with no prospect of change. By repeating the words “the voice of” over and over again, the prophet makes the message especially poignant.
Jeremiah 39:5
Lamentation About the Desolation of Judah
The people are called to shave themselves bare (Jeremiah 7:29). The woman’s long hair – this is about “the daughter of Zion” – is her honor, her ornament, and indicates her dedication to the man, here to the LORD (1 Corinthians 11:15). If she cuts it off, it is a disgrace to her (1 Corinthians 11:6b). That disgrace must be borne by the people. The people must cut off the hair and thereby remove and reject the outward sign of dedication to the LORD. Outward dedication has value only if it is the representation of the mind of the heart. It has become clear that the people are no longer dedicated to the LORD in anything, but on the contrary have totally removed themselves from the LORD.
In Israel, a person can consecrate himself to the LORD as a Nazirite for a certain period of time. As an outward sign, he must then let his hair grow (Numbers 6:5). The LORD wants His whole people to consecrate themselves to Him. But Jerusalem must be shaved bald because she has defiled herself. She must not pretend to be dedicated to the LORD. The city is not dedicated to God and is no longer an ornament to Him.
Jeremiah is instructed to complain that the LORD has rejected and forsaken Jerusalem because the city has aroused His wrath because of her behavior. There are several reasons for this wrath. First, there is the evil of the abominable idols that the Judeans have set up in the temple, “in the house which is called by My name” (Jeremiah 7:30). God has been tarnished in His honor. The people have defied Him by placing abominations in His house and defiling His house in the grossest way (2 Kings 21:5; 2 Kings 23:4-7). It is truly rude and deeply offensive to cast Him aside in this way, to dishonor Him in this way. They do with His house what they want.
Even beyond that they commit the grossest sins (Jeremiah 7:31). It is truly awful to note that they did not dedicate their sons and daughters to God, but to idols. This happened during the reigns of Ahaz and Manasseh (2 Kings 16:3; 2 Kings 21:6). None of this has any connection whatsoever with the LORD and what is in His heart. It is totally foreign to Him and to what He asks of His people.
The judgment on the abominable practices is poignantly told by the LORD to Jeremiah. The sacrificial valley will be called “the valley of the Slaughter”, where all will be buried who have been affected by God’s judgment (Jeremiah 7:32). The place where they sacrifice their children will become an open mass grave where their own dead bodies will be thrown away. There they will be food for predators (Jeremiah 7:33). This is an unprecedented defamation for a Jew. There will be no one left to frighten those beasts away when they feast on the bodies (Deuteronomy 28:26).
Then no sound of joy will be heard from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 7:34), which are now full of expressions of joy for “the queen of heaven” (Jeremiah 7:17-18). The LORD also causes to cease the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride. The joy of a wedding includes the happy prospect of the birth of children. But a people who sacrifice their children to idols have lost any right to such a joyful prospect.
There is no hope that Judah and Jerusalem will be repopulated. Any joy has vanished; there is a deadly, terrifying silence, with no prospect of change. By repeating the words “the voice of” over and over again, the prophet makes the message especially poignant.
Jeremiah 39:6
Lamentation About the Desolation of Judah
The people are called to shave themselves bare (Jeremiah 7:29). The woman’s long hair – this is about “the daughter of Zion” – is her honor, her ornament, and indicates her dedication to the man, here to the LORD (1 Corinthians 11:15). If she cuts it off, it is a disgrace to her (1 Corinthians 11:6b). That disgrace must be borne by the people. The people must cut off the hair and thereby remove and reject the outward sign of dedication to the LORD. Outward dedication has value only if it is the representation of the mind of the heart. It has become clear that the people are no longer dedicated to the LORD in anything, but on the contrary have totally removed themselves from the LORD.
In Israel, a person can consecrate himself to the LORD as a Nazirite for a certain period of time. As an outward sign, he must then let his hair grow (Numbers 6:5). The LORD wants His whole people to consecrate themselves to Him. But Jerusalem must be shaved bald because she has defiled herself. She must not pretend to be dedicated to the LORD. The city is not dedicated to God and is no longer an ornament to Him.
Jeremiah is instructed to complain that the LORD has rejected and forsaken Jerusalem because the city has aroused His wrath because of her behavior. There are several reasons for this wrath. First, there is the evil of the abominable idols that the Judeans have set up in the temple, “in the house which is called by My name” (Jeremiah 7:30). God has been tarnished in His honor. The people have defied Him by placing abominations in His house and defiling His house in the grossest way (2 Kings 21:5; 2 Kings 23:4-7). It is truly rude and deeply offensive to cast Him aside in this way, to dishonor Him in this way. They do with His house what they want.
Even beyond that they commit the grossest sins (Jeremiah 7:31). It is truly awful to note that they did not dedicate their sons and daughters to God, but to idols. This happened during the reigns of Ahaz and Manasseh (2 Kings 16:3; 2 Kings 21:6). None of this has any connection whatsoever with the LORD and what is in His heart. It is totally foreign to Him and to what He asks of His people.
The judgment on the abominable practices is poignantly told by the LORD to Jeremiah. The sacrificial valley will be called “the valley of the Slaughter”, where all will be buried who have been affected by God’s judgment (Jeremiah 7:32). The place where they sacrifice their children will become an open mass grave where their own dead bodies will be thrown away. There they will be food for predators (Jeremiah 7:33). This is an unprecedented defamation for a Jew. There will be no one left to frighten those beasts away when they feast on the bodies (Deuteronomy 28:26).
Then no sound of joy will be heard from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 7:34), which are now full of expressions of joy for “the queen of heaven” (Jeremiah 7:17-18). The LORD also causes to cease the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride. The joy of a wedding includes the happy prospect of the birth of children. But a people who sacrifice their children to idols have lost any right to such a joyful prospect.
There is no hope that Judah and Jerusalem will be repopulated. Any joy has vanished; there is a deadly, terrifying silence, with no prospect of change. By repeating the words “the voice of” over and over again, the prophet makes the message especially poignant.
Jeremiah 39:7
Lamentation About the Desolation of Judah
The people are called to shave themselves bare (Jeremiah 7:29). The woman’s long hair – this is about “the daughter of Zion” – is her honor, her ornament, and indicates her dedication to the man, here to the LORD (1 Corinthians 11:15). If she cuts it off, it is a disgrace to her (1 Corinthians 11:6b). That disgrace must be borne by the people. The people must cut off the hair and thereby remove and reject the outward sign of dedication to the LORD. Outward dedication has value only if it is the representation of the mind of the heart. It has become clear that the people are no longer dedicated to the LORD in anything, but on the contrary have totally removed themselves from the LORD.
In Israel, a person can consecrate himself to the LORD as a Nazirite for a certain period of time. As an outward sign, he must then let his hair grow (Numbers 6:5). The LORD wants His whole people to consecrate themselves to Him. But Jerusalem must be shaved bald because she has defiled herself. She must not pretend to be dedicated to the LORD. The city is not dedicated to God and is no longer an ornament to Him.
Jeremiah is instructed to complain that the LORD has rejected and forsaken Jerusalem because the city has aroused His wrath because of her behavior. There are several reasons for this wrath. First, there is the evil of the abominable idols that the Judeans have set up in the temple, “in the house which is called by My name” (Jeremiah 7:30). God has been tarnished in His honor. The people have defied Him by placing abominations in His house and defiling His house in the grossest way (2 Kings 21:5; 2 Kings 23:4-7). It is truly rude and deeply offensive to cast Him aside in this way, to dishonor Him in this way. They do with His house what they want.
Even beyond that they commit the grossest sins (Jeremiah 7:31). It is truly awful to note that they did not dedicate their sons and daughters to God, but to idols. This happened during the reigns of Ahaz and Manasseh (2 Kings 16:3; 2 Kings 21:6). None of this has any connection whatsoever with the LORD and what is in His heart. It is totally foreign to Him and to what He asks of His people.
The judgment on the abominable practices is poignantly told by the LORD to Jeremiah. The sacrificial valley will be called “the valley of the Slaughter”, where all will be buried who have been affected by God’s judgment (Jeremiah 7:32). The place where they sacrifice their children will become an open mass grave where their own dead bodies will be thrown away. There they will be food for predators (Jeremiah 7:33). This is an unprecedented defamation for a Jew. There will be no one left to frighten those beasts away when they feast on the bodies (Deuteronomy 28:26).
Then no sound of joy will be heard from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 7:34), which are now full of expressions of joy for “the queen of heaven” (Jeremiah 7:17-18). The LORD also causes to cease the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride. The joy of a wedding includes the happy prospect of the birth of children. But a people who sacrifice their children to idols have lost any right to such a joyful prospect.
There is no hope that Judah and Jerusalem will be repopulated. Any joy has vanished; there is a deadly, terrifying silence, with no prospect of change. By repeating the words “the voice of” over and over again, the prophet makes the message especially poignant.
Jeremiah 39:8
Lamentation About the Desolation of Judah
The people are called to shave themselves bare (Jeremiah 7:29). The woman’s long hair – this is about “the daughter of Zion” – is her honor, her ornament, and indicates her dedication to the man, here to the LORD (1 Corinthians 11:15). If she cuts it off, it is a disgrace to her (1 Corinthians 11:6b). That disgrace must be borne by the people. The people must cut off the hair and thereby remove and reject the outward sign of dedication to the LORD. Outward dedication has value only if it is the representation of the mind of the heart. It has become clear that the people are no longer dedicated to the LORD in anything, but on the contrary have totally removed themselves from the LORD.
In Israel, a person can consecrate himself to the LORD as a Nazirite for a certain period of time. As an outward sign, he must then let his hair grow (Numbers 6:5). The LORD wants His whole people to consecrate themselves to Him. But Jerusalem must be shaved bald because she has defiled herself. She must not pretend to be dedicated to the LORD. The city is not dedicated to God and is no longer an ornament to Him.
Jeremiah is instructed to complain that the LORD has rejected and forsaken Jerusalem because the city has aroused His wrath because of her behavior. There are several reasons for this wrath. First, there is the evil of the abominable idols that the Judeans have set up in the temple, “in the house which is called by My name” (Jeremiah 7:30). God has been tarnished in His honor. The people have defied Him by placing abominations in His house and defiling His house in the grossest way (2 Kings 21:5; 2 Kings 23:4-7). It is truly rude and deeply offensive to cast Him aside in this way, to dishonor Him in this way. They do with His house what they want.
Even beyond that they commit the grossest sins (Jeremiah 7:31). It is truly awful to note that they did not dedicate their sons and daughters to God, but to idols. This happened during the reigns of Ahaz and Manasseh (2 Kings 16:3; 2 Kings 21:6). None of this has any connection whatsoever with the LORD and what is in His heart. It is totally foreign to Him and to what He asks of His people.
The judgment on the abominable practices is poignantly told by the LORD to Jeremiah. The sacrificial valley will be called “the valley of the Slaughter”, where all will be buried who have been affected by God’s judgment (Jeremiah 7:32). The place where they sacrifice their children will become an open mass grave where their own dead bodies will be thrown away. There they will be food for predators (Jeremiah 7:33). This is an unprecedented defamation for a Jew. There will be no one left to frighten those beasts away when they feast on the bodies (Deuteronomy 28:26).
Then no sound of joy will be heard from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 7:34), which are now full of expressions of joy for “the queen of heaven” (Jeremiah 7:17-18). The LORD also causes to cease the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride. The joy of a wedding includes the happy prospect of the birth of children. But a people who sacrifice their children to idols have lost any right to such a joyful prospect.
There is no hope that Judah and Jerusalem will be repopulated. Any joy has vanished; there is a deadly, terrifying silence, with no prospect of change. By repeating the words “the voice of” over and over again, the prophet makes the message especially poignant.
Jeremiah 39:10
Desecration of the Graves
These three verses still belong to the previous chapter. That chapter ends with a picture of dead bodies not being buried. Thereby the nadir of humiliation is not yet reached. Something even more terrifying follows, if possible, and that is the digging up of already buried bodies, that is, their bones, in order to desecrate them (Jeremiah 8:1). Again, the constant repetition of words, in this case “the bones of”, makes the message all the more poignant (cf. Jeremiah 7:34).
“At that time” means the time of the national disasters that will come upon them because of their unfaithfulness and unrighteousness described above. The enemy, the army of the Babylonians, will come and commit desecration of the graves. The reason they may have for this is to see if, especially in the graves of the kings and princes, there are any valuables to be found. But the LORD is allowing this to happen in order to add to the deep reproach that the whole people, from the highest to the lowest among them, including the religious class, have brought upon themselves.
The enemy will spread the bones “out to the sun, the moon and to all the host of heaven” (Jeremiah 8:2). These heavenly bodies have been objects of worship to all of those to whom these bones belong when they lived (2 Kings 21:3; 5; 2 Kings 23:4; 11). Their worship of them is detailed. They have 1. loved, 2. served, 3. gone after, 4. sought and 5. worshiped these idols.
It shows their great zeal and commitment to their idols. The worthlessness of the idols and the uselessness of their worship are also evident from this, that the idols do not prevent the great disgrace that now comes upon their bones. The disgrace finds its nadir when the exhumed bones are not reburied, but will be as dung on the face of the ground (cf. Jeremiah 25:33). An expression of even deeper contempt for these idolaters is not possible.
The LORD will know how to find those who belong to this wicked generation and who are still alive after the invasion of the enemy, wherever they are driven out by Him (Jeremiah 8:3). In the places where they are, they will be so unhappy that they will wish they had perished like the others (Leviticus 26:36-39; Deuteronomy 28:65-67). The bitter fate will deprive the exiles of all vitality.
Jeremiah 39:11
Desecration of the Graves
These three verses still belong to the previous chapter. That chapter ends with a picture of dead bodies not being buried. Thereby the nadir of humiliation is not yet reached. Something even more terrifying follows, if possible, and that is the digging up of already buried bodies, that is, their bones, in order to desecrate them (Jeremiah 8:1). Again, the constant repetition of words, in this case “the bones of”, makes the message all the more poignant (cf. Jeremiah 7:34).
“At that time” means the time of the national disasters that will come upon them because of their unfaithfulness and unrighteousness described above. The enemy, the army of the Babylonians, will come and commit desecration of the graves. The reason they may have for this is to see if, especially in the graves of the kings and princes, there are any valuables to be found. But the LORD is allowing this to happen in order to add to the deep reproach that the whole people, from the highest to the lowest among them, including the religious class, have brought upon themselves.
The enemy will spread the bones “out to the sun, the moon and to all the host of heaven” (Jeremiah 8:2). These heavenly bodies have been objects of worship to all of those to whom these bones belong when they lived (2 Kings 21:3; 5; 2 Kings 23:4; 11). Their worship of them is detailed. They have 1. loved, 2. served, 3. gone after, 4. sought and 5. worshiped these idols.
It shows their great zeal and commitment to their idols. The worthlessness of the idols and the uselessness of their worship are also evident from this, that the idols do not prevent the great disgrace that now comes upon their bones. The disgrace finds its nadir when the exhumed bones are not reburied, but will be as dung on the face of the ground (cf. Jeremiah 25:33). An expression of even deeper contempt for these idolaters is not possible.
The LORD will know how to find those who belong to this wicked generation and who are still alive after the invasion of the enemy, wherever they are driven out by Him (Jeremiah 8:3). In the places where they are, they will be so unhappy that they will wish they had perished like the others (Leviticus 26:36-39; Deuteronomy 28:65-67). The bitter fate will deprive the exiles of all vitality.
Jeremiah 39:12
Desecration of the Graves
These three verses still belong to the previous chapter. That chapter ends with a picture of dead bodies not being buried. Thereby the nadir of humiliation is not yet reached. Something even more terrifying follows, if possible, and that is the digging up of already buried bodies, that is, their bones, in order to desecrate them (Jeremiah 8:1). Again, the constant repetition of words, in this case “the bones of”, makes the message all the more poignant (cf. Jeremiah 7:34).
“At that time” means the time of the national disasters that will come upon them because of their unfaithfulness and unrighteousness described above. The enemy, the army of the Babylonians, will come and commit desecration of the graves. The reason they may have for this is to see if, especially in the graves of the kings and princes, there are any valuables to be found. But the LORD is allowing this to happen in order to add to the deep reproach that the whole people, from the highest to the lowest among them, including the religious class, have brought upon themselves.
The enemy will spread the bones “out to the sun, the moon and to all the host of heaven” (Jeremiah 8:2). These heavenly bodies have been objects of worship to all of those to whom these bones belong when they lived (2 Kings 21:3; 5; 2 Kings 23:4; 11). Their worship of them is detailed. They have 1. loved, 2. served, 3. gone after, 4. sought and 5. worshiped these idols.
It shows their great zeal and commitment to their idols. The worthlessness of the idols and the uselessness of their worship are also evident from this, that the idols do not prevent the great disgrace that now comes upon their bones. The disgrace finds its nadir when the exhumed bones are not reburied, but will be as dung on the face of the ground (cf. Jeremiah 25:33). An expression of even deeper contempt for these idolaters is not possible.
The LORD will know how to find those who belong to this wicked generation and who are still alive after the invasion of the enemy, wherever they are driven out by Him (Jeremiah 8:3). In the places where they are, they will be so unhappy that they will wish they had perished like the others (Leviticus 26:36-39; Deuteronomy 28:65-67). The bitter fate will deprive the exiles of all vitality.
Jeremiah 39:13
Hardening of Israel in Idolatry
Jeremiah is to present to the people two examples from everyday life (Jeremiah 8:4). These are two situations that the people must recognize, because that is how it works. These examples are presented to the people as questions. The answer is also given directly, because it is too obvious to make anyone think about it. The first example is that of someone who falls. What does he do? Of course he does not stay down, but gets up again. The second example is about someone who has turned away, who has lost his way. Will he continue on that road when he becomes aware of his mistake? Of course not, he will want to return to the right path.
Why then – and now a question follows that should make the people think – has Jerusalem turned away from the LORD, but does not return to Him (Jeremiah 8:5)? This is an unnatural behavior. They have apostatized from the LORD and fallen into idolatry, but will not get up and return to Him; they persist in turning away from the LORD and will not return. They persist in deception because they believe in themselves, trust in themselves and not in God. They refuse to return because they believe that the way they are going is the right way and that the way the LORD is presenting to them is not the right way.
The LORD has seen it and listened to them (Jeremiah 8:6). He has heard that their speaking is not virtuous. There is no repentance to be noticed in them, nothing indicating a return. There is no one questioning what they have done, an attitude characteristic of an unrepentant person. God asks that question of people to make them reflect on their actions, so that they may repent (Genesis 4:10; 1 Samuel 13:11). Every one of His people turns away from Him and runs in the wrong direction, heading for destruction. Like runaway horses, they run on (Job 39:19-25), with total disregard for the danger they are in, because they are blind to it.
When the connection with God is given up, man loses all sense of what is right. The animals are an example to him, but he himself does not realize it (Jeremiah 8:7; cf. Isaiah 1:3). The migratory birds, of which Jeremiah mentions a few, know where they are headed. When they have arrived there, they also know when to depart from there again. They respond to the natural laws established by God, they know the way they must go to survive and they go that way. Man proves that he is dumber than the animals by not taking God’s laws into account for him. Similarly, the Lord Jesus reproaches the Pharisees and Sadducees for not knowing the signs of the times (Matthew 16:1-3).
Jeremiah has many parables from nature. Nature is full of the laws of God. Not only is man subject to the law of God, but so are the animals. Man has, what animals do not have, reason and a will and the ability to consciously resist. The animals instinctively obey God’s natural laws. Man has been set by God as the head of creation. All other creatures are lower than him, but he sinks to a behavior below that of the animals when disobeying God.
Jeremiah 39:14
Hardening of Israel in Idolatry
Jeremiah is to present to the people two examples from everyday life (Jeremiah 8:4). These are two situations that the people must recognize, because that is how it works. These examples are presented to the people as questions. The answer is also given directly, because it is too obvious to make anyone think about it. The first example is that of someone who falls. What does he do? Of course he does not stay down, but gets up again. The second example is about someone who has turned away, who has lost his way. Will he continue on that road when he becomes aware of his mistake? Of course not, he will want to return to the right path.
Why then – and now a question follows that should make the people think – has Jerusalem turned away from the LORD, but does not return to Him (Jeremiah 8:5)? This is an unnatural behavior. They have apostatized from the LORD and fallen into idolatry, but will not get up and return to Him; they persist in turning away from the LORD and will not return. They persist in deception because they believe in themselves, trust in themselves and not in God. They refuse to return because they believe that the way they are going is the right way and that the way the LORD is presenting to them is not the right way.
The LORD has seen it and listened to them (Jeremiah 8:6). He has heard that their speaking is not virtuous. There is no repentance to be noticed in them, nothing indicating a return. There is no one questioning what they have done, an attitude characteristic of an unrepentant person. God asks that question of people to make them reflect on their actions, so that they may repent (Genesis 4:10; 1 Samuel 13:11). Every one of His people turns away from Him and runs in the wrong direction, heading for destruction. Like runaway horses, they run on (Job 39:19-25), with total disregard for the danger they are in, because they are blind to it.
When the connection with God is given up, man loses all sense of what is right. The animals are an example to him, but he himself does not realize it (Jeremiah 8:7; cf. Isaiah 1:3). The migratory birds, of which Jeremiah mentions a few, know where they are headed. When they have arrived there, they also know when to depart from there again. They respond to the natural laws established by God, they know the way they must go to survive and they go that way. Man proves that he is dumber than the animals by not taking God’s laws into account for him. Similarly, the Lord Jesus reproaches the Pharisees and Sadducees for not knowing the signs of the times (Matthew 16:1-3).
Jeremiah has many parables from nature. Nature is full of the laws of God. Not only is man subject to the law of God, but so are the animals. Man has, what animals do not have, reason and a will and the ability to consciously resist. The animals instinctively obey God’s natural laws. Man has been set by God as the head of creation. All other creatures are lower than him, but he sinks to a behavior below that of the animals when disobeying God.
Jeremiah 39:15
Hardening of Israel in Idolatry
Jeremiah is to present to the people two examples from everyday life (Jeremiah 8:4). These are two situations that the people must recognize, because that is how it works. These examples are presented to the people as questions. The answer is also given directly, because it is too obvious to make anyone think about it. The first example is that of someone who falls. What does he do? Of course he does not stay down, but gets up again. The second example is about someone who has turned away, who has lost his way. Will he continue on that road when he becomes aware of his mistake? Of course not, he will want to return to the right path.
Why then – and now a question follows that should make the people think – has Jerusalem turned away from the LORD, but does not return to Him (Jeremiah 8:5)? This is an unnatural behavior. They have apostatized from the LORD and fallen into idolatry, but will not get up and return to Him; they persist in turning away from the LORD and will not return. They persist in deception because they believe in themselves, trust in themselves and not in God. They refuse to return because they believe that the way they are going is the right way and that the way the LORD is presenting to them is not the right way.
The LORD has seen it and listened to them (Jeremiah 8:6). He has heard that their speaking is not virtuous. There is no repentance to be noticed in them, nothing indicating a return. There is no one questioning what they have done, an attitude characteristic of an unrepentant person. God asks that question of people to make them reflect on their actions, so that they may repent (Genesis 4:10; 1 Samuel 13:11). Every one of His people turns away from Him and runs in the wrong direction, heading for destruction. Like runaway horses, they run on (Job 39:19-25), with total disregard for the danger they are in, because they are blind to it.
When the connection with God is given up, man loses all sense of what is right. The animals are an example to him, but he himself does not realize it (Jeremiah 8:7; cf. Isaiah 1:3). The migratory birds, of which Jeremiah mentions a few, know where they are headed. When they have arrived there, they also know when to depart from there again. They respond to the natural laws established by God, they know the way they must go to survive and they go that way. Man proves that he is dumber than the animals by not taking God’s laws into account for him. Similarly, the Lord Jesus reproaches the Pharisees and Sadducees for not knowing the signs of the times (Matthew 16:1-3).
Jeremiah has many parables from nature. Nature is full of the laws of God. Not only is man subject to the law of God, but so are the animals. Man has, what animals do not have, reason and a will and the ability to consciously resist. The animals instinctively obey God’s natural laws. Man has been set by God as the head of creation. All other creatures are lower than him, but he sinks to a behavior below that of the animals when disobeying God.
Jeremiah 39:16
Hardening of Israel in Idolatry
Jeremiah is to present to the people two examples from everyday life (Jeremiah 8:4). These are two situations that the people must recognize, because that is how it works. These examples are presented to the people as questions. The answer is also given directly, because it is too obvious to make anyone think about it. The first example is that of someone who falls. What does he do? Of course he does not stay down, but gets up again. The second example is about someone who has turned away, who has lost his way. Will he continue on that road when he becomes aware of his mistake? Of course not, he will want to return to the right path.
Why then – and now a question follows that should make the people think – has Jerusalem turned away from the LORD, but does not return to Him (Jeremiah 8:5)? This is an unnatural behavior. They have apostatized from the LORD and fallen into idolatry, but will not get up and return to Him; they persist in turning away from the LORD and will not return. They persist in deception because they believe in themselves, trust in themselves and not in God. They refuse to return because they believe that the way they are going is the right way and that the way the LORD is presenting to them is not the right way.
The LORD has seen it and listened to them (Jeremiah 8:6). He has heard that their speaking is not virtuous. There is no repentance to be noticed in them, nothing indicating a return. There is no one questioning what they have done, an attitude characteristic of an unrepentant person. God asks that question of people to make them reflect on their actions, so that they may repent (Genesis 4:10; 1 Samuel 13:11). Every one of His people turns away from Him and runs in the wrong direction, heading for destruction. Like runaway horses, they run on (Job 39:19-25), with total disregard for the danger they are in, because they are blind to it.
When the connection with God is given up, man loses all sense of what is right. The animals are an example to him, but he himself does not realize it (Jeremiah 8:7; cf. Isaiah 1:3). The migratory birds, of which Jeremiah mentions a few, know where they are headed. When they have arrived there, they also know when to depart from there again. They respond to the natural laws established by God, they know the way they must go to survive and they go that way. Man proves that he is dumber than the animals by not taking God’s laws into account for him. Similarly, the Lord Jesus reproaches the Pharisees and Sadducees for not knowing the signs of the times (Matthew 16:1-3).
Jeremiah has many parables from nature. Nature is full of the laws of God. Not only is man subject to the law of God, but so are the animals. Man has, what animals do not have, reason and a will and the ability to consciously resist. The animals instinctively obey God’s natural laws. Man has been set by God as the head of creation. All other creatures are lower than him, but he sinks to a behavior below that of the animals when disobeying God.
Jeremiah 39:17
Punishment for Judah’s Deceit
After all the sins mentioned, which make it clear how much they have departed from the LORD, the question sounds in amazement, how they get the idea to boast of their wisdom (Jeremiah 8:8). They boast of their wisdom because they have the law of the LORD with them (cf. Romans 2:17-20). It is with it as with the boasting in the temple at the beginning of the previous chapter (Jeremiah 7:4). But what presumption that is. They indeed have His law, but they do not listen to it.
This is because of the scribes’ false presentation of the law. They have written about the law with a lying pen. They have given their own interpretation of it, as best suits them. By doing so, they have “invalidated the word of God” (Matthew 15:6).
The scribes are often encountered in the Gospels, where they are the opponents of the Lord Jesus. There are certainly good scribes, for example Ezra (Ezra 7:6), but that is an exception. As a category, they distorted and falsified God’s Word “to their own destruction” and that of their hearers (2 Peter 3:16; 2 Corinthians 2:17).
In our day we recognize the boasting of being the temple of the LORD and having His law in those groups that claim to be the only ones to possess the truth. Statements like “we have” and “with us” prove a boasting in pride (cf. 2 Chronicles 13:10-12). This is what we hear – or perhaps very secretly think ourselves in our hearts – when it is said: ‘We have knowledge and understanding, for we alone have commentaries in which the truth is explained.‘
Such boasting is great folly. To claim to possess wisdom and to do so while despising the law, the word of the LORD (Jeremiah 8:9), is supreme folly. How can anyone have wisdom if they reject or bend to their will the source of wisdom, the Word of God? These are the theologians of Jeremiah’s day. However, these have their kindred spirits in our day. Modern theologians also use a liar’s pen, and the hair-splitters, the sectarians, also use it. It shows the total lack of wisdom. True wisdom is “the wisdom that is from above” (James 3:17).
They will experience the consequences of their foolishness when they are robbed of their wives and when their fields are taken possession of by others (Jeremiah 8:10; Deuteronomy 28:30). Then they will be shamed with all their wisdom. That is the result of their greed for gain, which the whole people, from the least even to the greatest, are after (cf. Micah 3:11). The religious leaders, the priest and the prophet, are no better. They practices deceit by telling the people lies about peace coming (Jeremiah 8:11; cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:3). “Peace, peace” means perfect peace. Instead of pointing out the rupture of the relationship with the LORD and preaching the way of repentance and conversion, they speak what the people like to hear. The LORD adds succinctly: “But there is no peace.”
The people are hardened (Jeremiah 8:12). There is no sense of guilt whatsoever. Without blushing, they commit the most heinous crimes. Their consciences have been cauterized. They have lost all sense of dignity and honor. If they were confronted with their grossest sins, they would still justify themselves and laugh at those who condemn their actions. This makes them ripe for destruction.
The words of Jer 8:10-12 are a repetition of what has been said before in Jeremiah 6 (Jeremiah 6:12-15). Jeremiah must repeat the truth in order to imprint it indelibly in the minds of the people. But the people, refusing to listen to God’s Word, have been deceived by the false prophets and deceitful priests. Therefore, there is no salvation for them. The punishment is coming. Then they will fall and not be able to stand. They will stumble, for their strength is gone.
The extermination will be complete (Jeremiah 8:13). The LORD Himself will bring that destruction upon them. He will wipe them out. The harvest He has been expecting is not there. His people have borne no fruit for Him. The vine and the fig tree are empty. The leaves have also withered. They have passed by all the blessing the LORD has given them. Instead of thanking Him for His blessing, they have misused it and even served idols with it. Therefore, the former blessings are taken away from them and nothing remains but the total dreariness and desolation mentioned here. Nothing more can be expected from this people (cf. Matthew 21:19).
Jeremiah 39:18
Punishment for Judah’s Deceit
After all the sins mentioned, which make it clear how much they have departed from the LORD, the question sounds in amazement, how they get the idea to boast of their wisdom (Jeremiah 8:8). They boast of their wisdom because they have the law of the LORD with them (cf. Romans 2:17-20). It is with it as with the boasting in the temple at the beginning of the previous chapter (Jeremiah 7:4). But what presumption that is. They indeed have His law, but they do not listen to it.
This is because of the scribes’ false presentation of the law. They have written about the law with a lying pen. They have given their own interpretation of it, as best suits them. By doing so, they have “invalidated the word of God” (Matthew 15:6).
The scribes are often encountered in the Gospels, where they are the opponents of the Lord Jesus. There are certainly good scribes, for example Ezra (Ezra 7:6), but that is an exception. As a category, they distorted and falsified God’s Word “to their own destruction” and that of their hearers (2 Peter 3:16; 2 Corinthians 2:17).
In our day we recognize the boasting of being the temple of the LORD and having His law in those groups that claim to be the only ones to possess the truth. Statements like “we have” and “with us” prove a boasting in pride (cf. 2 Chronicles 13:10-12). This is what we hear – or perhaps very secretly think ourselves in our hearts – when it is said: ‘We have knowledge and understanding, for we alone have commentaries in which the truth is explained.‘
Such boasting is great folly. To claim to possess wisdom and to do so while despising the law, the word of the LORD (Jeremiah 8:9), is supreme folly. How can anyone have wisdom if they reject or bend to their will the source of wisdom, the Word of God? These are the theologians of Jeremiah’s day. However, these have their kindred spirits in our day. Modern theologians also use a liar’s pen, and the hair-splitters, the sectarians, also use it. It shows the total lack of wisdom. True wisdom is “the wisdom that is from above” (James 3:17).
They will experience the consequences of their foolishness when they are robbed of their wives and when their fields are taken possession of by others (Jeremiah 8:10; Deuteronomy 28:30). Then they will be shamed with all their wisdom. That is the result of their greed for gain, which the whole people, from the least even to the greatest, are after (cf. Micah 3:11). The religious leaders, the priest and the prophet, are no better. They practices deceit by telling the people lies about peace coming (Jeremiah 8:11; cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:3). “Peace, peace” means perfect peace. Instead of pointing out the rupture of the relationship with the LORD and preaching the way of repentance and conversion, they speak what the people like to hear. The LORD adds succinctly: “But there is no peace.”
The people are hardened (Jeremiah 8:12). There is no sense of guilt whatsoever. Without blushing, they commit the most heinous crimes. Their consciences have been cauterized. They have lost all sense of dignity and honor. If they were confronted with their grossest sins, they would still justify themselves and laugh at those who condemn their actions. This makes them ripe for destruction.
The words of Jer 8:10-12 are a repetition of what has been said before in Jeremiah 6 (Jeremiah 6:12-15). Jeremiah must repeat the truth in order to imprint it indelibly in the minds of the people. But the people, refusing to listen to God’s Word, have been deceived by the false prophets and deceitful priests. Therefore, there is no salvation for them. The punishment is coming. Then they will fall and not be able to stand. They will stumble, for their strength is gone.
The extermination will be complete (Jeremiah 8:13). The LORD Himself will bring that destruction upon them. He will wipe them out. The harvest He has been expecting is not there. His people have borne no fruit for Him. The vine and the fig tree are empty. The leaves have also withered. They have passed by all the blessing the LORD has given them. Instead of thanking Him for His blessing, they have misused it and even served idols with it. Therefore, the former blessings are taken away from them and nothing remains but the total dreariness and desolation mentioned here. Nothing more can be expected from this people (cf. Matthew 21:19).