Saturday, March 27, 2021

#1109 Jeremiah 49 To Whom It May Concern

 



Concerning the Ammonites.

Thus says the Lord:


“Has Israel no sons?
Has he no heir?
Why then has Milcom dispossessed Gad,
and his people settled in its cities?
2 Therefore, behold, the days are coming,
declares the Lord,
when I will cause the battle cry to be heard
against Rabbah of the Ammonites;
it shall become a desolate mound,
and its villages shall be burned with fire;
then Israel shall dispossess those who dispossessed him,
says the Lord.


3 “Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste!
Cry out, O daughters of Rabbah!
Put on sackcloth,
lament, and run to and fro among the hedges!
For Milcom shall go into exile,
with his priests and his officials.
4 Why do you boast of your valleys,
O faithless daughter,
who trusted in her treasures, saying,
‘Who will come against me?’
5 Behold, I will bring terror upon you,
declares the Lord God of hosts,
from all who are around you,
and you shall be driven out, every man straight before him,
with none to gather the fugitives.

6 “But afterward I will restore the fortunes of the Ammonites, declares the Lord.”
Judgment on Edom

7 Concerning Edom.

Thus says the Lord of hosts:


“Is wisdom no more in Teman?
Has counsel perished from the prudent?
Has their wisdom vanished?
8 Flee, turn back, dwell in the depths,
O inhabitants of Dedan!
For I will bring the calamity of Esau upon him,
the time when I punish him.
9 If grape gatherers came to you,
would they not leave gleanings?
If thieves came by night,
would they not destroy only enough for themselves?
10 But I have stripped Esau bare;
I have uncovered his hiding places,
and he is not able to conceal himself.
His children are destroyed, and his brothers,
and his neighbors; and he is no more.
11 Leave your fatherless children; I will keep them alive;
and let your widows trust in me.”

12 For thus says the Lord: “If those who did not deserve to drink the cup must drink it, will you go unpunished? You shall not go unpunished, but you must drink. 13 For I have sworn by myself, declares the Lord, that Bozrah shall become a horror, a taunt, a waste, and a curse, and all her cities shall be perpetual wastes.”


14 I have heard a message from the Lord,
and an envoy has been sent among the nations:
“Gather yourselves together and come against her,
and rise up for battle!
15 For behold, I will make you small among the nations,
despised among mankind.
16 The horror you inspire has deceived you,
and the pride of your heart,
you who live in the clefts of the rock,
who hold the height of the hill.
Though you make your nest as high as the eagle's,
I will bring you down from there,
declares the Lord.

17 “Edom shall become a horror. Everyone who passes by it will be horrified and will hiss because of all its disasters. 18 As when Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring cities were overthrown, says the Lord, no man shall dwell there, no man shall sojourn in her. 19 Behold, like a lion coming up from the jungle of the Jordan against a perennial pasture, I will suddenly make him run away from her. And I will appoint over her whomever I choose. For who is like me? Who will summon me? What shepherd can stand before me? 20 Therefore hear the plan that the Lord has made against Edom and the purposes that he has formed against the inhabitants of Teman: Even the little ones of the flock shall be dragged away. Surely their fold shall be appalled at their fate. 21 At the sound of their fall the earth shall tremble; the sound of their cry shall be heard at the Red Sea. 22 Behold, one shall mount up and fly swiftly like an eagle and spread his wings against Bozrah, and the heart of the warriors of Edom shall be in that day like the heart of a woman in her birth pains.”
Judgment on Damascus

23 Concerning Damascus:


“Hamath and Arpad are confounded,
for they have heard bad news;
they melt in fear,
they are troubled like the sea that cannot be quiet.
24 Damascus has become feeble, she turned to flee,
and panic seized her;
anguish and sorrows have taken hold of her,
as of a woman in labor.
25 How is the famous city not forsaken,
the city of my joy?
26 Therefore her young men shall fall in her squares,
and all her soldiers shall be destroyed in that day,
declares the Lord of hosts.
27 And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus,
and it shall devour the strongholds of Ben-hadad.”
Judgment on Kedar and Hazor

28 Concerning Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon struck down.


Thus says the Lord:
“Rise up, advance against Kedar!
Destroy the people of the east!
29 Their tents and their flocks shall be taken,
their curtains and all their goods;
their camels shall be led away from them,
and men shall cry to them: ‘Terror on every side!’
30 Flee, wander far away, dwell in the depths,
O inhabitants of Hazor!
declares the Lord.
For Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon
has made a plan against you
and formed a purpose against you.


31 “Rise up, advance against a nation at ease,
that dwells securely,
declares the Lord,
that has no gates or bars,
that dwells alone.
32 Their camels shall become plunder,
their herds of livestock a spoil.
I will scatter to every wind
those who cut the corners of their hair,
and I will bring their calamity
from every side of them,
declares the Lord.
33 Hazor shall become a haunt of jackals,
an everlasting waste;
no man shall dwell there;
no man shall sojourn in her.”
Judgment on Elam

34 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah.

35 Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the mainstay of their might. 36 And I will bring upon Elam the four winds from the four quarters of heaven. And I will scatter them to all those winds, and there shall be no nation to which those driven out of Elam shall not come. 37 I will terrify Elam before their enemies and before those who seek their life. I will bring disaster upon them, my fierce anger, declares the Lord. I will send the sword after them, until I have consumed them, 38 and I will set my throne in Elam and destroy their king and officials, declares the Lord.

39 “But in the latter days I will restore the fortunes of Elam, declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 49 ESV 

Jeremiah 49 Judgment on Ammon

Why then has Milcom dispossessed Gad - Ammon is also considered by some to be a descendant of Lot, and Milcom is another name for Molech. With all the conflicts that were occurring between the super powers, there was room for the jackals to slip in and lay claim. They have raided the lands once inhabited by Gad, Rueben, and half of Manasseh. Assyria pounded them, then Babylon, and  the little warlords too.


It shall become a desolate mound - They are building something there, trying to fortify their claim, but God holds the deed, and their name is not on it.

But afterwards I will restore the fortunes of the Ammonites - His grace is broader than one tribe of people, and He shows His sovereignty in how and where it goes forth.

“The Ammonites are supposed to have returned with the Moabites and Israelites, on permission given by the edict of Cyrus.” (Clarke)

Is wisdom no more in Teman - When you have incompetent, wicked rulers, this is judgment, and their nepotism is sure to inbreed all their traits, so they only get worse with each generation. Unless God intervenes, this is the beginning of the end. 

“The reference to wisdom in Teman may be a satirical literary allusion to the fact that it was the birthplace of Eliphaz, the counselor of Job.” (Morgan)


Fatherless children and widows - A remnant, and since these men would not lead, God will shepherd their children and wives Himself. Esau was Jacob's brother.

Though you make your nest as high as the eagle's - Like Nimrod's tower of Babel, or the wax which held together Icarus's wings, you climbed so high, but where can one escape the God Who made the heights. You are children playing in His great sandbox, and you can't even see the edge of it, or take in all it's vastness in a glance. Their are intricacies so large yet that are too small for your eye to see. Oh, and though you make your home and security in the clefts of the high rocks, you are not really an eagle. 

…17The highway of the upright leads away from evil; he who guards his way protects his life. 18Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. 19It is better to be lowly in spirit among the humble than to divide the spoil with the proud.… Proverbs 16: 17-19

Damascus - 

This is the famous city of Syria, one of Israel’s neighbors to the north. Damascus is one of the oldest continually occupied cities of the world. - E W

Against Kedar - 


…20Dedan was your merchant in saddlecloths for riding. 21Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your customers, trading in lambs, rams, and goats. 22The merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded with you; for your wares they exchanged gold, the finest of all spices, and precious stones.… Ezekiel 27: 20-22

Elam - About 200 miles east of Babylon.

“They were eminent archers; and had acquired their power and eminence by their dexterity in the use of the bow. See Isaiah 22:6. Strabo, Livy, and others speak of their eminence in archery.” (Clarke)



















#1108 Jeremiah 48 Pride's Lot

 


Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel:


“Woe to Nebo, for it is laid waste!
Kiriathaim is put to shame, it is taken;
the fortress is put to shame and broken down;
2 the renown of Moab is no more.
In Heshbon they planned disaster against her:
‘Come, let us cut her off from being a nation!’
You also, O Madmen, shall be brought to silence;
the sword shall pursue you.


3 “A voice! A cry from Horonaim,
‘Desolation and great destruction!’
4 Moab is destroyed;
her little ones have made a cry.
5 For at the ascent of Luhith
they go up weeping;
for at the descent of Horonaim
they have heard the distressed cry of destruction.
6 Flee! Save yourselves!
You will be like a juniper in the desert!
7 For, because you trusted in your works and your treasures,
you also shall be taken;
and Chemosh shall go into exile
with his priests and his officials.
8 The destroyer shall come upon every city,
and no city shall escape;
the valley shall perish,
and the plain shall be destroyed,
as the Lord has spoken.


9 “Give wings to Moab,
for she would fly away;
her cities shall become a desolation,
with no inhabitant in them.

10 “Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord with slackness, and cursed is he who keeps back his sword from bloodshed.


11 “Moab has been at ease from his youth
and has settled on his dregs;
he has not been emptied from vessel to vessel,
nor has he gone into exile;
so his taste remains in him,
and his scent is not changed.

12 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I shall send to him pourers who will pour him, and empty his vessels and break his jars in pieces. 13 Then Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel, their confidence.


14 “How do you say, ‘We are heroes
and mighty men of war’?
15 The destroyer of Moab and his cities has come up,
and the choicest of his young men have gone down to slaughter,
declares the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts.
16 The calamity of Moab is near at hand,
and his affliction hastens swiftly.
17 Grieve for him, all you who are around him,
and all who know his name;
say, ‘How the mighty scepter is broken,
the glorious staff.’


18 “Come down from your glory,
and sit on the parched ground,
O inhabitant of Dibon!
For the destroyer of Moab has come up against you;
he has destroyed your strongholds.
19 Stand by the way and watch,
O inhabitant of Aroer!
Ask him who flees and her who escapes;
say, ‘What has happened?’
20 Moab is put to shame, for it is broken;
wail and cry!
Tell it beside the Arnon,
that Moab is laid waste.

21 “Judgment has come upon the tableland, upon Holon, and Jahzah, and Mephaath, 22 and Dibon, and Nebo, and Beth-diblathaim, 23 and Kiriathaim, and Beth-gamul, and Beth-meon, 24 and Kerioth, and Bozrah, and all the cities of the land of Moab, far and near. 25 The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, declares the Lord.

26 “Make him drunk, because he magnified himself against the Lord, so that Moab shall wallow in his vomit, and he too shall be held in derision. 27 Was not Israel a derision to you? Was he found among thieves, that whenever you spoke of him you wagged your head?


28 “Leave the cities, and dwell in the rock,
O inhabitants of Moab!
Be like the dove that nests
in the sides of the mouth of a gorge.
29 We have heard of the pride of Moab—
he is very proud—
of his loftiness, his pride, and his arrogance,
and the haughtiness of his heart.
30 I know his insolence, declares the Lord;
his boasts are false,
his deeds are false.
31 Therefore I wail for Moab;
I cry out for all Moab;
for the men of Kir-hareseth I mourn.
32 More than for Jazer I weep for you,
O vine of Sibmah!
Your branches passed over the sea,
reached to the Sea of Jazer;
on your summer fruits and your grapes
the destroyer has fallen.
33 Gladness and joy have been taken away
from the fruitful land of Moab;
I have made the wine cease from the winepresses;
no one treads them with shouts of joy;
the shouting is not the shout of joy.

34 “From the outcry at Heshbon even to Elealeh, as far as Jahaz they utter their voice, from Zoar to Horonaim and Eglath-shelishiyah. For the waters of Nimrim also have become desolate. 35 And I will bring to an end in Moab, declares the Lord, him who offers sacrifice in the high place and makes offerings to his god. 36 Therefore my heart moans for Moab like a flute, and my heart moans like a flute for the men of Kir-hareseth. Therefore the riches they gained have perished.

37 “For every head is shaved and every beard cut off. On all the hands are gashes, and around the waist is sackcloth. 38 On all the housetops of Moab and in the squares there is nothing but lamentation, for I have broken Moab like a vessel for which no one cares, declares the Lord. 39 How it is broken! How they wail! How Moab has turned his back in shame! So Moab has become a derision and a horror to all that are around him.”


40 For thus says the Lord:
“Behold, one shall fly swiftly like an eagle
and spread his wings against Moab;
41 the cities shall be taken
and the strongholds seized.
The heart of the warriors of Moab shall be in that day
like the heart of a woman in her birth pains;
42 Moab shall be destroyed and be no longer a people,
because he magnified himself against the Lord.
43 Terror, pit, and snare
are before you, O inhabitant of Moab!
declares the Lord.
44 He who flees from the terror
shall fall into the pit,
and he who climbs out of the pit
shall be caught in the snare.
For I will bring these things upon Moab,
the year of their punishment,
declares the Lord.


45 “In the shadow of Heshbon
fugitives stop without strength,
for fire came out from Heshbon,
flame from the house of Sihon;
it has destroyed the forehead of Moab,
the crown of the sons of tumult.
46 Woe to you, O Moab!
The people of Chemosh are undone,
for your sons have been taken captive,
and your daughters into captivity.
47 Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab
in the latter days, declares the Lord.”
Thus far is the judgment on Moab. Jeremiah 48 ESV

Jeremiah 48 Judgment on Moab

Woe to Nebo -  Moab was a nation known for her pride. She was fathered by Abraham's nephew, Lot, but also produced such a beauty as Ruth, the greatest of daughter in laws.

“Nebo is not the mountain so named, but the Moabite city of Numbers 32:3, 38, built by the Reubenites.” (Harrison)

You will be like a Juniper in the desert - She was wealthy, self sufficient in her mind, she had that thing realtors talk about, "location, location, location." The height of it will all be knocked down though, so don't think that you will stand and defend it. Those that get a way will be no more bedecked than the juniper, but the juniper, though a humble shrub, is still alive.

Because you have trusted in your works and your treasures - Lay not up treasures on earth where rust and moth corrupt. Do not put your trust in things that are fading.


“Chemosh was the principal Moabite deity (Numbers 21:29) and the sacrificing of children was an important part of his cult (2 Kings 3:27).” (Harrison)

ii. “Solomon erected a high place for Chemosh in Jerusalem (1 Kings 11:7), but it was demolished under Josiah (2 Kings 23:13).” (Harrison)

iii. “Despite his thirst for blood, Chemosh had often been a temptation to Israel. In the days of Balaam, Moabite women seduced the Israelites to worship their gods (Numbers 25). King Solomon later married Moabite women and set up an altar to Chemosh (1 Kings 11:1-13).” (Ryken)

Moab has been at ease from his youth - The times of prosperity and plenty somehow lead to the most whining, weak and self absorbed people. Technology has afforded us great amounts of time, as do lush and productive lands, full of cattle, sheep and crops. But oh this time, we cry out that we are bored, ah what a problem that is, and so we need to be entertained. Our feet are quick to evil, and we know little of the things of God, yet we were afforded all this extra time. Our jobs are easier than that of many peoples, even in this day. 

Therefore I wail for Moab - We should tell the truth because otherwise is cruel, and better to warn men that they have the chance of at least being the juniper, rather than the redwood chopped down and taken to build the pride of another. What a wonderful prophet, one learns to take comfort in Jeremiah's tears.

Though the destruction of Moab would prove him a true prophet, yet he could not think of it without trouble. The ruin of sinners is no pleasure to God, and therefore should be a pain to us; even those that give warning of it should lay it to heart. - Matthew Henry

…22None of the transgressions he has committed will be held against him. Because of the righteousness he has practiced, he will live. 23Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord GOD. Wouldn’t I prefer that he turn from his ways and live? 24But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, committing the same abominations as the wicked, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness and sin he has committed, he will die.… Ezekiel 18: 22-24

10Now as for you, son of man, tell the house of Israel that this is what they have said: ‘Our transgressions and our sins are heavy upon us, and we are wasting away because of them! How can we live?’ 11Say to them: ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked should turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’ 12Therefore, son of man, say to your people: ‘The righteousness of the righteous man will not deliver him in the day of his transgression; neither will the wickedness of the wicked man cause him to stumble on the day he turns from his wickedness. Nor will the righteous man be able to survive by his righteousness on the day he sins.’… Ezekiel 33: 10-12

He magnified himself against the Lord - Lot knew Who the true God was, and these things are passed down to a point, but then we choose to turn away to idols. Moab thought itself autonomous, forgetting it's monotheistic reality, it's position as tenants in God's land, on the earth that He made. You have paid homage to deities that do not exist, have broken the law of the only true God.

In the latter days - I would say this looks forward to Christ's return as the Lion of Judah, for through Him alone is only peace with God achieved.

“Perhaps the restoration spoken of here, which was to take place in the latter days, may mean the conversion of these people, in their existing remnants, to the faith of the Gospel. Several judicious interpreters are of this opinion. The Moabites were partially restored; but never, as far as I have been able to learn, to their national consequence. Their conversion to the Christian faith must be the main end designed by this prophecy.” (Clarke)
































#1107 Jeremiah 47 To Gaza

 



The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the Philistines, before Pharaoh struck down Gaza.


2 “Thus says the Lord:
Behold, waters are rising out of the north,
and shall become an overflowing torrent;
they shall overflow the land and all that fills it,
the city and those who dwell in it.
Men shall cry out,
and every inhabitant of the land shall wail.
3 At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his stallions,
at the rushing of his chariots, at the rumbling of their wheels,
the fathers look not back to their children,
so feeble are their hands,
4 because of the day that is coming to destroy
all the Philistines,
to cut off from Tyre and Sidon
every helper that remains.
For the Lord is destroying the Philistines,
the remnant of the coastland of Caphtor.
5 Baldness has come upon Gaza;
Ashkelon has perished.
O remnant of their valley,
how long will you gash yourselves?
6 Ah, sword of the Lord!
How long till you are quiet?
Put yourself into your scabbard;
rest and be still!
7 How can it be quiet
when the Lord has given it a charge?
Against Ashkelon and against the seashore
he has appointed it.” Jeremiah 47 ESV

Jeremiah 47 Concerning the Philistines

Before Pharaoh struck down Gaza - The Philistines were ancient enemies of Israel.


“In verse 1 the reference is to Pharaoh Neco’s campaign of 609 bc, which had a twofold purpose: to prop up a tottering Assyria against a powerful Babylonia, thus maintaining the balance of power; to extend his own empire in a time of international chaos.” (Cundall)

iii. “The Greek historian Herodotus records a tradition that after the battle at Megiddo, Neco overthrew Kadytis, which is usually identified with the Philistine city of Gaza.” (Cundall)

Waters are rising out of the north - The Nile to the south would be representative of Egypt, and the waters from the north, the great Euphrates would represent Babylon. The Babylonian force would be so large as to seem like flood upon the land, one of the greatest symbols of massive destruction.

The fathers look not back to their children - The terror is so great that the protectors will not even think to go back for their children. Wherever they are, from there they will flee, and that paternal instinct will be so dampened as to have no natural affection left. You see such now with the tide of popular thought, social justice, fear of losing one's job for saying what is true. Men shut their mouths and leave their children defenseless. We tremble at the sight of so little and so temporary, but are not moved by the thought of He Who is eternal and Holy.

Baldness has come upon Gaza - A sign of mourning.

“They have cut off their hair in token of deep sorrow and distress.” (Clarke)
 
How can it be quiet - We want the sword to stop, to be put back in it's place of rest, not to see it drawn, but it is under command of the Creator, so it must finish out it's appointed time.

The sword of the Lord did its work in history. “A Babylonian prism, now in Istanbul, mentions the presence – presumably with little choice in the matter – of the kings of Tyre and Sidon, of Gaza, and of Ashdod, at the court of Nebuchadnezzar, while a prison list now in Berlin records the rations for the king of Ashkelon, among other noted prisoners (including Jehoiachin of Judah).” (Kidner)








































Friday, March 26, 2021

#1106 Jeremiah 46 Biting Flies Cause Gliding Serpents

 




The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations.

2 About Egypt. Concerning the army of Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates at Carchemish and which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah:


3 “Prepare buckler and shield,
and advance for battle!
4 Harness the horses;
mount, O horsemen!
Take your stations with your helmets,
polish your spears,
put on your armor!
5 Why have I seen it?
They are dismayed
and have turned backward.
Their warriors are beaten down
and have fled in haste;
they look not back—
terror on every side!
declares the Lord.


6 “The swift cannot flee away,
nor the warrior escape;
in the north by the river Euphrates
they have stumbled and fallen.


7 “Who is this, rising like the Nile,
like rivers whose waters surge?
8 Egypt rises like the Nile,
like rivers whose waters surge.
He said, ‘I will rise, I will cover the earth,
I will destroy cities and their inhabitants.’
9 Advance, O horses,
and rage, O chariots!
Let the warriors go out:
men of Cush and Put who handle the shield,
men of Lud, skilled in handling the bow.
10 That day is the day of the Lord God of hosts,
a day of vengeance,
to avenge himself on his foes.
The sword shall devour and be sated
and drink its fill of their blood.
For the Lord God of hosts holds a sacrifice
in the north country by the river Euphrates.
11 Go up to Gilead, and take balm,
O virgin daughter of Egypt!
In vain you have used many medicines;
there is no healing for you.
12 The nations have heard of your shame,
and the earth is full of your cry;
for warrior has stumbled against warrior;
they have both fallen together.”

13 The word that the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to strike the land of Egypt:


14 “Declare in Egypt, and proclaim in Migdol;
proclaim in Memphis and Tahpanhes;
say, ‘Stand ready and be prepared,
for the sword shall devour around you.’
15 Why are your mighty ones face down?
They do not stand
because the Lord thrust them down.
16 He made many stumble, and they fell,
and they said one to another,
‘Arise, and let us go back to our own people
and to the land of our birth,
because of the sword of the oppressor.’
17 Call the name of Pharaoh, king of Egypt,
‘Noisy one who lets the hour go by.’


18 “As I live, declares the King,
whose name is the Lord of hosts,
like Tabor among the mountains
and like Carmel by the sea, shall one come.
19 Prepare yourselves baggage for exile,
O inhabitants of Egypt!
For Memphis shall become a waste,
a ruin, without inhabitant.


20 “A beautiful heifer is Egypt,
but a biting fly from the north has come upon her.
21 Even her hired soldiers in her midst
are like fattened calves;
yes, they have turned and fled together;
they did not stand,
for the day of their calamity has come upon them,
the time of their punishment.


22 “She makes a sound like a serpent gliding away;
for her enemies march in force
and come against her with axes
like those who fell trees.
23 They shall cut down her forest,
declares the Lord,
though it is impenetrable,
because they are more numerous than locusts;
they are without number.
24 The daughter of Egypt shall be put to shame;
she shall be delivered into the hand of a people from the north.”

25 The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, said: “Behold, I am bringing punishment upon Amon of Thebes, and Pharaoh and Egypt and her gods and her kings, upon Pharaoh and those who trust in him. 26 I will deliver them into the hand of those who seek their life, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his officers. Afterward Egypt shall be inhabited as in the days of old, declares the Lord.


27 “But fear not, O Jacob my servant,
nor be dismayed, O Israel,
for behold, I will save you from far away,
and your offspring from the land of their captivity.
Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease,
and none shall make him afraid.
28 Fear not, O Jacob my servant,
declares the Lord,
for I am with you.
I will make a full end of all the nations
to which I have driven you,
but of you I will not make a full end.
I will discipline you in just measure,
and I will by no means leave you unpunished.” Jeremiah 46 ESV

Jeremiah 46 Judgment on Egypt

1-2. Concerning the nations - God's sovereignty envelopes a much greater jurisdiction then men would care to admit or imagine. "My god is the god of this city, approves this sin, admires my way of life, does what I say, would never judge. It's my body, my mind, my life."

“God knows who he is. He is not a regional supervisor. He is not a tribal deity. He is the God of all nations. His sovereignty is not limited to a single culture, nation, or ethnic group.” (Ryken)

…18Both thorns and thistles it will yield for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground— because out of it were you taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” 20And Adam named his wife Eve, because she would be the mother of all the living.… Genesis 3: 18-20

At Carchemish - Egypt had been a world power for some time, and they held much influence and interest in Judah. Solomon had married into Egyptian circles long ago, but it was in the law unto kings not to go back to Egypt, not to get many horses from there either. The people of Israel had long been plagued by their idolatries. Another world power is coming on to the scene, and that is Babylon, which will bump heads with Pharaoh.

“It was on his way there [Carchemish] that Pharaoh Neco had slain King Josiah of Judah in 609 when Josiah tried to turn him back.” (Kidner) Pharaoh kept his army in Carchemish four years, dominating the area and waiting for the inevitable confrontation with rising Babylon. When it came, the Egyptians were routed.

3-12. Mount, oh horsemen - A vivid depiction of the great army of Egypt, the hope of Israel, preparing for battle.

They are dismayed - They got all dressed up with armor and shiny spears, yet in just moments it is over, the mighty Egyptians are running, and terror is all around. Like a hognose snake, they came out puffed up, pretending to be a something more formidable, but when the enemy didn't flee, their spirits gave way, and all they could do is play dead or run away.

I will rise, I will cover the earth - Many have said this, and their kingdoms have come and gone, ruins that are the marvel of archeologists, studied with spade and brush. They all play at being God, something impossible, and so delusional, the stuff that should land them in a mental institution, yet they find followers.

…12How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, O destroyer of nations. 13You said in your heart: “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God. I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of the north. 14I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”… Isaiah 14: 12-14

Advance, O horses and rage, O chariots - 

…6Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He answers him from His holy heaven with the saving power of His right hand. 7Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. 8They collapse and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.… Psalm 20: 6-8

Men of Cush and Put - Cush is the land of Ethiopia, a much larger territory at times than present. It's warriors were considered fierce.

Like many armies, the ancient Egyptian army that came to Carchemish had many foreign soldiers, both slaves and mercenaries. - E W

13-26. Noisy one who lets the hour go by - He was all talk and show it seemed, and those that were with him as mercenaries are leaving to return to their own lands. He is now seen as one not to be feared, a roaring lion with no teeth or paws.

Are like fattened calves - They were there for the pay, and to share glory and spoil if it came cheap, but like the hirelings they are no shepherds, not vested in it. All were easy and fair game for Babylon.

Like a serpent gliding away - On your belly you shall crawl, no longer the hooded king, that rises above, and eats other serpents. Babylon is the honey badger to this cobra, and he is unimpressed.

“The reference to Egypt gliding away like a snake is a sarcastic comment on the humbling of one of the most vaunted national deities, and one which was prominent in the royal insignia.” (Harrison)

27-28. I will discipline you in just measure - Jacob is assured the place of an heir, the treatment of a son. He will not go unpunished, but God will save a remnant unto His own purpose and glory.























Thursday, March 25, 2021

#1105 Jeremiah 45 Big Plans

 



The word that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch the son of Neriah, when he wrote these words in a book at the dictation of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: 2 “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to you, O Baruch: 3 You said, ‘Woe is me! For the Lord has added sorrow to my pain. I am weary with my groaning, and I find no rest.’ 4 Thus shall you say to him, Thus says the Lord: Behold, what I have built I am breaking down, and what I have planted I am plucking up—that is, the whole land. 5 And do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not, for behold, I am bringing disaster upon all flesh, declares the Lord. But I will give you your life as a prize of war in all places to which you may go.” Jeremiah 45 ESV

Jeremiah 45 Message to Baruch

To Baruch the son of Neriah - This goes back some years to the time of Jehoiakim, before Jeremiah and Baruch were taken to Egypt.

At the dictation of Jeremiah - Baruch was Jeremiah's scribe, his secretary, recorder.

“Baruch happens to be the only man from the Old Testament who has been fingerprinted. In 1975 a group of archaeologists purchased some clay document markers from an Arab antiquities dealer. The archaeologists did not decipher the markers – which were the bookmarks of the ancient world – until 1986. When they did, they discovered that one of them bears the seal of Baruch son of Neriah. Since then, another document marker has been discovered that bears not only Baruch’s seal, but also a thumbprint, very probably the thumbprint of the scribe himself.” (Ryken)

You said, "woe is me" - Scary, that God need not wait for our words, and they can be even in their infancy as thoughts, but not hidden either way. 

…12Is not God as high as the heavens? Look at the highest stars, how lofty they are! 13Yet you say: ‘What does God know? Does He judge through thick darkness? 14Thick clouds veil Him so He does not see us as He traverses the vault of heaven.’… Job 22: 12-14

…7Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? 8If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there. 9If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle by the farthest sea,… Psalm 139: 7-9

For the Lord has added sorrow to my pain - Remember, in the time of Jehoiakim, they were wanted men. He was named with Jeremiah, by a king who had already killed a prophet. He is also the scribe that is writing all these prophecies down as Jeremiah speaks against his people. 

…21Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. 23When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.… Matthew 10: 21-23


I am weary with my groaning - Anxiety is getting the best of him, what he sees is not what he desires.

What I have built, I am breaking down - It all belongs to God, and He was not near finished with His plans. There was more judgment to come, so brace yourself.

…2“Who is this who obscures My counsel by words without knowledge? 3Now brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall inform Me. 4Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.… Job 38: 2-4

And do you seek great things for yourself - It seems painful but it is kind, for the sting of disappointment is so much greater when we expected differently. Many alive at the first advent of Christ wanted Him to take down Rome and establish His kingdom immediately. They could not conceive of the work that was laid out before Him, the cross, where He would atone for their sin. This is a difficult thing for those who go into ministry or witness regularly, the dream in their mind is to see much fruit, many respond in true repentance, but Jeremiah and Baruch have mostly been hated, even hunted.

…21“What do you want?” He inquired. She answered, “Declare that in Your kingdom one of these two sons of mine may sit at Your right hand, and the other at Your left.” 22“ You do not know what you are asking,” Jesus replied. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” the brothers answered. 23“You will indeed drink My cup,” Jesus said. “But to sit at My right or left is not Mine to grant. These seats belong to those for whom My Father has prepared them.”… Matthew 20: 21-23

Seek them not - Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. We would all like to be heralded as heroes, have men bless us for telling the truth, but Christ said if the world hated Him it would hate His servants also, but rejoice, for great is your reward in heaven.

…18Truly, truly, I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and walked where you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. And after He had said this, He told him, “Follow Me.” 20Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. He was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper to ask, “Lord, who is going to betray You?”…
…21When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” 22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you? You follow Me!” 23Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. However, Jesus did not say that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you?”… John 21: 18-23

Life as a prize - God hid them from Jehoiakim's men, and He was with them even in Egypt. Do not forget in these present trials and circumstances that all will die anyway, but death is just a shadow unto life eternal for all those who believe.

5“Lord,” said Thomas, “we do not know where You are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 7If you had known Me, you would know My Father as well. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.”… John 14: 5-7

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, 4 and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

6 So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. 7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

8 You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. 9 The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1: 3-9