PERSONAL STUDY AND TEACHING IN JEREMIAH – PART 21 – JUDAH IS DEPLORABLE AND THE BABYLONIAN ARMY IS ANXIOUS TO ATTACK
PART 21 - Jeremiah 5:28-6:5
CHAPTERS 5 AND 6
[A]. THE DEPLORABLE STATE OF THE NATION
{{Jeremiah 5:28 They are fat. They are sleek. They also EXCEL IN DEEDS OF WICKEDNESS. They do not plead the cause, the cause of the orphan, that they may prosper, and they DO NOT DEFEND THE RIGHTS OF THE POOR. Jeremiah 5:29 Shall I not punish these people?’ declares the LORD. ‘On a nation such as this, shall I not avenge Myself?’ Jeremiah 5:30 An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: Jeremiah 5:31 THE PROPHETS PROPHESY FALSELY, and the priests rule on their own authority, and MY PEOPLE LOVE IT SO, but what will you do at the end of it?”}}
These are some of the most telling words in scripture. There is no covering up or sugar coating anything. Through Jeremiah God tells it as it is and it is not pretty. “My people love it so,” is damning and we will look at that. What a horrible situation was existing in the land, but let us not condemn those people alone without looking at our own nations.
(a). VERSE 28. The wicked ones from verse 27 are the ones who are fat and sleek but they got that way through dishonesty and bribes and corruption, not through hard work and honesty. These sloths like vermin preyed on the needy but it did not go unnoticed. God keeps records. I often think of how it will be at the great white throne when the books for each person (the unsaved there) are opened and they are judged from the written evidence. It is a huge subject and I have written on it but these sloths will be a lot more accountable than many and they will bear greater judgement. Accountability is a serious word.
It is terrible that justice is denied those who are poor and crying for justice, and have no comeback and can not appeal to anyone. God sees what transpired, but no man stands by them. Jeremiah chose the word “excel” to describe their wicked works. They excelled in wickedness. It is bad enough to be wicked but to excel in it, is despicable. These people were foul members of society. These wicked people were often the ones who should have dispensed justice but like the priests, the judges and the shepherds of the people, they were all corrupt and putrid in God’s sight. The religious hierarchy was wicked and the members used their positions to feather their own nests, their houses, with the ill-gotten gains of the poor and orphans and underprivileged. These were unjust cowards who deserted and exploited the orphans and the poor of the land for their personal gain.
Nearly all the prophets cried out against these injustices in strong language. Ezekiel, in chapter 34, focussed on the false and unjust shepherds of Israel who abused their trust as the ones entrusted to care for the people whom they extorted and walked all over. Ezekiel did not mince words but laid out the case graphically. For any who wonder why God’s judgement is coming, you don’t have to look far.
The Lord certainly noticed the poor and needy on earth in the Gospels, and so did Jehovah here in Judah as well. Jeremiah singles out the orphans and the rights of the poor and those two matters were probably the most glaring. These unjust, wicked people will be judged at the great white throne for all the misery and lack of compassion they gave to the poor. Amos also takes up the theme – {{Amos 5:11-12 “Therefore, BECAUSE YOU IMPOSE HEAVY RENT ON THE POOR, and exact a tribute of grain from them, though you have built houses of well-hewn stone, yet you will not live in them. You have planted pleasant vineyards, yet you will not drink their wine. I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great, you who distress the righteous and accept bribes, and turn aside the poor IN THE GATE,”}} (the place where justice was to be determined for the people by judges, but they were denied). It would seem that verse 28 confirms that an honest and compassionate concern, and action, for the disadvantaged, especially the most vulnerable like orphans, chiefly in the old Jewish society, would lead to prosperity. The opposite attitude will lead to ruin. The latter is what Judah and all Israel had chosen.
There is a difficulty that genuine and honest preachers face. I believe it is correct to expose the ills of society to call for reform and repentance similar to what the prophets did. I think it is okay to call out people (maybe) and organisations, BUT, and it is a great BUT, there is a fine line between preaching the bible and messing around in the political arena. The preacher must steer clear of becoming political, and should not endorse a political candidate unless he/she belongs to his church. For example as I am writing this there are deep seated feelings in the USA in this 2024 election year and some Christians are speaking out. For a discerning Christian, the corruption in the White House and in the American judicial system is absolutely deplorable and it is easy to find that from quite a number of sites and Congressional and Senate hearings. Christians can speak out, but don’t make it the preaching subject. We say no more and it is a controversial subject.
I, myself, am greatly distressed/annoyed at the greed overtaking our nations in the western world, but not all nations (I think it is better in Scandinavia). Tech companies (include ones like Adobe) are fleecing people through greed; insurance companies are after their pound of flesh; in my nation big food retail chains are extortionists. There are many more, especially our Governments. What can I do about it? Nothing. So much of that is symptomatic of the last days of the Church age in 2Timothy 3, and one of the items mentioned is “love of money”.
(b). VERSE 29. All actions have consequences that can be immediate or delayed. Putting a finger on a hot kettle will have an immediate consequence; gluttony will have a longer time consequence. Sin may take years, even decades or centuries to reach its time of reckoning but it will have one. Verse 29 is the natural conclusion of unscrupulous and merciless behaviour, for God would not tolerate the atrocities among those He founded, such as the abuses of verse 28, and further unacceptable actions as detailed in the next two verses. God will punish His evil people and they would know His vengeance on them.
A question was asked in verse 29 [[‘On a nation such as this, shall I not avenge Myself?’]] The word “avenge” means to reward to them what they have earned. It is like payday. The word means “to avenge, take vengeance, revenge, avenge oneself,” but only one can do that who is Himself totally without fault, and in God’s case, sinless. It is His prerogative to remedy the situation because no sin can ever be overlooked by God and wiped away without it having met its deserved justice. The attributes of God are beyond our behaviour. There is a magnificent balance of holiness and justice, grace and penalty, condemnation and forgiveness. We can never get it right. Just look at law courts and the insane injustice that occurs there. God can never get it wrong.
(c). VERSE 30. For centuries the prophetic messages of no repentance leading to judgement had fallen on ears that could not hear and eyes that could not see. The time of the end was at hand and Jeremiah was the end prophet. The contents of verse 31 are introduced by verse 30, like a special herald for the verse. Jeremiah uses yet another double to introduce it – appalling and horrible. Different versions have alternate renderings of those words. In 2024 how can we describe what is happening in our nations? I would use the same two words.
You have a huge homosexual Mardi Gras in Sydney, Australia, the world’s biggest, watched by millions of people around the world, and those attending are cheering with approval. Christians and Christ and Mary are blasphemed and mocked. You have big numbers of Palestinians with supporters from the homosexuality community and the radical left taking over the streets shouting out “Gas the Jews. Gas the Jews. Kill the Jews.” Nothing is ever done about it. The police just look and nothing more. I will not continue with dozens of other wicked aspects. You ought to know them. Let us not forget what God said – “On a nation such as this, shall I not avenge Myself?”
(d). VERSE 31. In the eyes of the Lord, what was happening was dreadful, and was inclusive of both the religious leadership and common people. The three classes mentioned were the prophets, priests and people. The prophets were false, as sound as rotten wood held together by the thin, outer layer of bark, and they uttered great prophecies of lies because none of them was being led by the hand of God. Rather, they were the prophets of Baal, or some of them like chimeras, thought they could also speak in the name of the Lord. They were an affront to the living God.
There are false prophets today in both the secular and religious sphere. Most false prophets in the secular scene are politicians who lie about the good times they will bring. The UN and the WEF are as false as Satan. In the religious scene the false prophets speak of great revivals coming to the church. They are false. The bible is very clear that in the last days a decline will be here, and it is, and conditions go from bad to worse. The false prophets confuse Israel and the Church. Sadly many follow them. There are no prophets today and those misled people who think they are prophets add nothing to the revelation of God because there is nothing to add. It was completed when John wrote Revelation.
The second class were the priests, self-made and self-motivated, ignorant of the true calling of the priesthood which is fully under the authority of God according to the exactness of the Law, and most likely, priests of Baal who also served as priests to Jehovah. The whole situation was reprehensible, an abhorrence to God. The priests of Jesus’ time were just as bad and were among His most vicious opponents. There is always much wickedness in religions, and falsity, because Satan has sown his tares prolifically. God’s true people will always ever be a remnant.
The third class were the people, and we are told of them, “My people love it so”. The nation loved the wicked conditions the way they were, with falsity among the prophets and unruly, corrupt priests. That means the people had no moral conscience; pursued the same evil and oppression that the rulers did; loved the deeds of darkness rather than light; and rejected any claim of Jehovah over their lives. What a terrible state of affairs we have when the people love wickedness and do not want to change.
We see that at work in the political scene. An election comes and there are two main choices – a Party with some moral base, and a Party of anti-Christian policies such as one from the radical socialist left. I have seen this over and over in my nation. The people choose the Party with evil policies and reject a more moderate and balanced approach. What are the people doing? Well with no godliness in society, the people are electing a Party that most reflects what they are themselves. That is how far we have fallen. Like people, like Party. In my nation one Party is making big gains. They are called “The Greens” and are radical environmentalists who want to shut industries down and abolish farming and grazing. They support all the immoral practices like abortion and homosexuality and freedom to drugs; they want Christians banned from office and to be restricted in speech; they hate Israel and the Jews. YET – “my people love it so.”
[B]. CHAPTER CONCLUSION
The chapter concludes with this question, “. . but what will you do at the end of it?”. After all the indulgence of sin has passed, and the façade stripped away, what is left? Nothing, but emptiness and wailing, for the loss can never be regained, for it is too late. Indeed it is even worse than that. They will be destroyed and utterly undone when the land becomes formless and void as Babylon sets it ablaze.
Yes, they loved the pleasures of sin as did the prophets and priests, but the day of God’s wrath came upon them even as the false prophets were saying all would be peace and security. God’s day of reckoning was very shortly to arrive. It is fearful to see our world where some people have false hope and false men in church pulpits tell the people what they want to hear, what they love, but have not declared the full counsels of God, for God is a Judge who will pour out His wrath after the Lord removes His Bride, the Church. While it is still the acceptable time, repent and become a child of God. The wrath of God will most certainly come and very soon now.
CHAPTER 6
[C]. THE BABYLONIAN ARMY IS RELENTLESS IN OBTAINING ITS OBJECTIVE
{{Jeremiah 6:1 O sons of Benjamin, flee for safety from the midst of Jerusalem. Now blow a trumpet in Tekoa, and raise a signal over Beth-haccerem, for EVIL LOOKS DOWN FROM THE NORTH, and a great destruction. Jeremiah 6:2 I will cut off the comely and dainty one, the daughter of Zion. Jeremiah 6:3 Shepherds and their flocks will come to her. They will pitch their tents around her. They will pasture each in his place. Jeremiah 6:4 PREPARE WAR against her. Arise, and let us attack at NOON. Woe to us, for the day declines, for the shadows of the evening lengthen! Jeremiah 6:5 Arise, and let us attack by NIGHT and destroy her palaces.”}}
(a). VERSE 1
The descendants from the tribe of Benjamin are told to flee for their lives and leave Jerusalem. Jeremiah was from Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin and was from that tribe. The valley of Hinnom formed the boundary between Judah and Benjamin and it ran through Jerusalem, so the capital city was shared by both Judah and Benjamin. This is a new address/sermon by Jeremiah, and it starts by his urgent appeal to his own people. It is one thing to minister to the whole nation, but a more personal touch to address your own particular clan/tribe. He did not want to see them destroyed and tells them to leave, but how many took his pleading as idle words.
Tekoa is where Amos came from a few hundred years earlier when he lived among the shepherds, tending also his sycamore trees. It is about 12 miles south of Jerusalem, and the town may have been chosen in this discourse because of a play on words, alliteration, in the Hebrew with “Tekoa” and “blow” - (tik‘û, tekoa‘). Tekoa (Tekû’a). It was Rehoboam who built Tekoa – {{2Chronicles 11:5-7: “Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built cities for defense in Judah. Thus he built Bethlehem, Etam, TEKOA, Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,…”.}} It would be a trumpet of warning. Halfway between Tekoa and Jerusalem was Beth-haccerem, meaning “the house of the vineyard”, and it was there some signal would be raised for the people. There was a “tell” there, (a small hill), and it was prominent in the whole area so it could not be missed. It was there the signal would be raised for a rallying point.
Of course it was one thing for the defences of Judah to assemble at that place, but altogether another to win the war, for we know often from Jeremiah that the war would be a thorough defeat for Judah. Beth-haccerem has been identified with the modern Jebel Fureidis, or “Hill of the Franks.” Verse 1 concludes with the comment that “evil looks down from the north”, and the double again, there will be a “great destruction”. The evil from the north would be the Chaldean forces. “Looking down” is literally “bending over us” which I think is more like, “they have us in their sights”. In Psalm 85:11 which says, “Truth springs from the earth, and righteousness LOOKS DOWN from heaven,” the same word is used. The psalm speaks of the righteousness that will be on earth when the Messiah takes control.
(a). VERSES 2 AND 3
When Babylon came, “the comely and dainty one”, the daughter of Zion, would be cut off and then shepherds would come. Other translations read, “the lovely and delicately bred” (ESV), “beautiful and delicate” (Holman). The word “comely” usually means pasture and the most accepted idea is this – [[“I have likened the daughter of Zion to a pleasant pasture, to which the shepherds, with their flocks, come to feed. They have pitched their tents near it, and they feed round it, every one in his place.” ]] (Houbigant and several others). “According to this reading, in which Zion is likened to a rich pasture, the shepherds and their flocks that come together to take possession of it, and eat it up, mean the Chaldean generals and their armies, who should possess themselves of Judea and Jerusalem, with as much ease as shepherds lead their flocks into a fresh and open pasture, and should enrich themselves with the spoil thereof. This is certainly a very easy and probable sense of the passage.” (Benson writing on Jeremiah).
These two verses are quite difficult but the suggested meaning above is generally the most accepted. Of certainty, Zion will be cut off, that expression also meaning “destroyed” and “brought to silence”.
(c). VERSES 4 AND 5
Here now are the requests to arise and attack, both at noon and by night. Now what does this mean? The “prepare for war” is to sanctify for war”, meaning that the proper sacrifices were made to the pagan deities for the success in the war. It is the Chaldean army speaking, the soldiers who were so eager for the battle that they were prepared to attack at noon which is the time of day they normally rest when not fighting. They wanted the pagan preparations to be over and then they were chaffing at the bit. The soldiers were probably the shepherds mentioned in the previous verse.
It is very likely that the battle began at noon, a most unlikely time normally, but Judah would have been surprised, and as afternoon progressed and the late afternoon shadows lengthened, then the soldiers were becoming upset because the day was running out. They did not want to stop. Then they called out that they wanted to attack at night as well. It gives THE PICTURE OF RELENTLESSNESS as they pushed their way towards the palaces to gather the spoil. The Babylonian army was on a mission.
The passage is silent as to the Temple but its glory was well known in the ancient world and its gold, silver and bronze were treasures indeed, and it all became the loot taken in battle and transported to Babylon. What I find interesting is that not all the gold and silver in all the Temple objects was melted down but retained in the original items, and we know that some of them were returned with Ezra and Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem.
