A Study in Jeremiah Lesson 3 > Jeremiah

A Study in Jeremiah Lesson 3 > Jeremiah 4:5 – 6:30

I. God Changes His Voice 4:5-18 a. Preceding poem: God portrayed as wounded, betrayed lover/husband yearning for the return of His wife. b. This section: God’s mood changes to one of darkness and harshness. i. He’s reached the limit of yearning and the far edge of compassion. ii. John Calvin: “God now shows that he was not, as it were, at liberty to forgive the people; ‘Even if I would,’ He says, ‘I could not.’” c. Theme: God will not be mocked. Gal 6:7 d. 5-6 The enemy is on the way. i. Coming: Destruction of the land, siege of Jerusalem, devastation of the land and decimation of the population. ii. So certain is the judgment, Jeremiah treats it as if already happened. iii. Trumpet sounds warning for people to take refuge against Babylonian invasion. e. 7-9 Poetic skill and deep feeling is shown in this vivid imagery: i. 7 Lion – Babylon is a fearful military power. ii. The blow of judgment not cease ‘til Judah receives the merited judgment. iii. 8 People are encouraged to lament > No escape from impending doom. iv. 9 The king, princes, priests and prophets should be fearful and weak, void of encouragement. f. 10 Most discussed verse in Jeremiah: i. God is incapable of deception. Jas 1:13 ii. False prophets were deceiving the people with false hopes & God permitted it. iii. Instead of peace, destruction will befall Judah. g. 11-18 A parenthetical insert > continuing portrayal of invading army. i. 11 Scorching wind – Babylon is like the desert wind (sirocco) that withers vegetation and brings discomfort to mankind. ii. This is not a cleansing and sifting wind, but one of judgment. iii. Babylon does not separate good from bad, but takes all away in judgment. iv. 13 Clouds, whirlwind, eagles – metaphors for Babylonian army. v. 14 Even in this late hour, there is still time for Judah to repent. 1. How long will your minds focus upon wickedness? 2. Time grows dangerously short. Babylonian army is near. 15 a. Dan – northern boundary of the land; b. Mount Ephraim – northern boundary of Judah, near Jerusalem. c. Babylon is making rapid progress; resistance has failed. vi. 17 – Jerusalem is surrounded, cutting off escape routes. vii. 18 – Bitter reality: The people’s sins brought this upon themselves.  Internal failure of Judah’s social life has led to Babylon’s external threat of expansion.

A Study in Jeremiah Lesson 3 Al Southerland, D.Min.

II. Jeremiah’s Agony over the Complete Calamity Befalling Judah 4:19-31 a. Jeremiah is intensely troubled, anxious and frightened: stomach churning, bowels twist in agitation. b. A vision is troubling enough, but now this fierce army is as close as his bedroom. c. 22 My people – YHWH is portrayed in the poem as being further ignored by the people. i. The people are stupid – dumber than animals 8:7; Isa 1:3 ii. They know political cunning, military strategy and theological propriety, but they are ignorant of the covenantal awareness that saves. iii. Jeremiah has this knowledge tearing at his heart, as does YHWH. d. 23-28 Cosmic catastrophe and Judah’s complete calamity. e. 29-31 Lament for Zion: i. 29 All dignity is lost as the people scamper to save themselves from the marauding force of evil. ii. 30 Jerusalem paints herself and plays the harlot: 1. A ludicrous scene: Jerusalem is so brazen that she dresses up as a prostitute as the people run for their lives. 2. She misunderstands the danger and misjudges the real threat of invasion, confiscation and seizure. Instead, she stands idly in front of the mirror preoccupied with appearance, not reality of death. iii. 31 Imagery of Jerusalem goes from prostitute to woman in labor: 1. The poet first thinks the cries are from a woman in labor, but labor pains give birth. He listens more intently: 2. The cries are of death, plunder, rape and murder by the enemy. 3. The city is as shameful as a prostitute, as helpless as a woman in labor. 4. She is exposed and endangered because her betrayed husband (YHWH) will tolerate no more of her fickleness; death must come. No one stands with Jerusalem to grieve or to rescue.

III. The Dialogue on the Depth of Judah’s Corruption 5:1-9 a. 1-3 Reminiscent of Abraham’s prayer for Sodom Gen 18:23-33 i. Can’t be taken literal because Baruch, Josiah, Zephaniah and Jeremiah lived in Jerusalem. ii. It is poetical license emphasizing the widespread corruption; therefore, a few exceptions were not significant enough to prepare fend off judgment. iii. There are few, if any, among the common people. Even acts of divine chastisement failed to bring the people back to their spiritual senses. They hardened their faces and stubbornly refused to repent. b. 4-5 The poor had little opportunity of learning the way of the Lord i. Jeremiah is disappointed that the leaders are no better. ii. A higher station in life does not mean greater piety 5 iii. The great threw off all restraint and placed themselves above the law.

A Study in Jeremiah Lesson 3 Al Southerland, D.Min.

c. 6 Three predators symbolizing traits of Babylonian army: Lion = strength; Desert wolf = ravenousness; Leopard = swiftness. d. 7-9 God reasons with His people to convince them of the justice in His judgments: i. 7 They were idolatrous. ii. 8 This idolatry led to immoral behavior > sexual promiscuity. iii. 9 “Do you not deserve this judgment?”

IV. The Theme of Judgment Renewed 5:10-19 a. 10-13 The coming judgment: i. Pruning a vineyard = act of judgment with a constructive purpose. ii. Severe cutting, including gathering and burning the useless branches, but not cut down. iii. 12-13 The people were self-confident, not believing that anything bad would happen. b. 14 The word of the prophet: i. People rejected Jeremiah’s words as wind. ii. They would experience, however, his word as fire. iii. They were a bundle of kindling, easily ignited by fire of the divine word. c. 15-17 Judgment against Israel: i. Consumption of Judah’s supplies and people. ii. Babylon would destroy every basis of false confidence in which the people had come to place their trust. Judgment would be devastating. d. 18-19 The end – but not quite: i. Reiteration that they will not be completely destroyed; not an absolute end. ii. The dialogue appears to be something that would happen after the judgment: 1. The people would ask “Why us?” 2. God’s answer: “You abandoned Me for false gods.” iii. Result: They would serve in a foreign land > 722 BC Israel was example that exile was a form of judgment for Judah.

V. Israel’s Willful Ignorance and Rebellion 5:20-31 a. 20-21 The people have become like the idols they serve i. 21 refer to idols in Ps 115:5-6 > they people are morally blind and deaf. ii. They had become stupid to the truth that God was Creator, Provider and Judge. b. 22 God controls the raging sea, the mightiest force in creation. i. He does so with the shifting particles of the sand that sets the seas boundaries. ii. If he can restrain the sea, He can also calm the turbulent invaders. iii. Israel is stupid to rebel against Him. c. 23-25 Israel, unlike the sea, has overstepped God’s moral limits. i. 24 They’re blind to their dependence on God’s providence. ii. They don’t see His hand in times of harvest or of drought due to His displeasure. iii. He withheld seasonal rain due to their sinfulness.

A Study in Jeremiah Lesson 3 Al Southerland, D.Min.

d. 26-29 Jeremiah specifies the wicked deeds of the people > Social injustices: i. Three classes are arraigned before divine justice: 1. Rich oppressors of the poor 26-28 2. Lying prophets 31a 3. Self-serving priests 31b ii. Wicked rich acquired wealth by deceit and heartless oppression of the poor and the helpless. 1. Traps for birds were probably clapnets where a few tame birds were placed in a cage; when the wild birds lighted on the cage, they would fall into a snare. 2. The wealthy were not happy with what they had, but preyed upon the poor. In their case, prosperity did not bring piety Deut 32:15; Ps 73:7 3. They had no concern on whether or not the cause of the orphan was maintained 28 > how could God overlook such sins against those made in His image? e. 30-31 Jeremiah views the moral wreckage in the land: i. Leaders were proclaiming their own words rather than that of the Lord. ii. Prophesied falsely; offering comfort when destruction was closing in. iii. Mocked their own positions by condoning evil. iv. The ominous ending 31: What will you do at the end of it? When judgment comes and the evil era is terminated, the nation will learn the price of a life of folly.

VI. The Warning Sirens Sound 6:1-21 a. This is known as the chapter of alarms. b. 1-3 The invasion is so near that Jeremiah sees it in progress. i. 4:5-6 Jeremiah advised the people to flee to Jerusalem, now it is no longer safe. ii. Benjamin = Jerusalem belonged to its territory. iii. Jeremiah was a Benjamite. iv. Two means of warning: Trumpet and Fire signal (used in military campaigns) 1 v. Jerusalem is now pictured as a beautiful and delicate woman 2 vi. Invaders are symbolized as shepherds and their armies as flocks 3 c. 4-5 Consultation of the enemies whose speech reveals haste, impatience, thirst for destruction. i. Preparing for battle included sacrifices and religious ceremonies (e.g., Israel Deut 20:2-4). ii. Babylon plans a surprise attack at noon but is delayed. iii. As the day fades, they plan a night attack 5 d. 6-15 The siege and fall of Jerusalem i. YHWH appears to be leading the assault against Jerusalem by using the enemy as His agent of judgment. ii. 6 Military strategy in building ramps and mounds of dirt against the walls.

A Study in Jeremiah Lesson 3 Al Southerland, D.Min.

iii. 7 YHWH reminds them that the cause of this siege lay within themselves. 1. The cry of the oppressed is regularly heard in Jerusalem. 2. All her troubles come from her persistence in sin. 3. YHWH sees the people’s spiritual sickness as unchanged (cf. 14). iv. 8 In His infinite grace, YHWH warns them before it is too late. 1. Of the doom awaiting their continued defiance in their sin. 2. Reluctance from the people causes God to issue another call of repentance. v. 9 Complete devastation awaits as they are again symbolized by a vineyard. 1. YHWH authorizes enemy to seek the remnant to take captive. 2. The enemy will not be satisfied with just one invasion, but will repeat it. 3. Northern tribes (Israel) may be the main gathering of grapes while Judah remained as a remnant that will now be gleaned. 4. Enemy passes over branches repeatedly so as to not overlook grapes. vi. 10 The obtuse people regard the Word with contempt: 1. Ears are closed, refusing to listen to God. 2. Here is the first hint of their lack of response in hearing Jeremiah’s msg. vii. 11 Regardless of the response, Jeremiah is committed to declaring YHWH’s msg. 1. Identifying with YHWH, he is filled with divine wrath and will pour it out on all ages of the people. 2. No one will receive mercy because of their sins of greed 13, deceitful prophecy 13-14, loathsome deeds and shamelessness 15, obduracy 16- 17, rejection of the law 18-19, worthless sacrifices 20. viii. 12-13 With the fall of Jerusalem, houses, land and wives will be distributed to others – Moses warned of this Deut 28:30 > False hope died and reality hit, stripping everything from the people. ix. 14-15 False optimism leading to false claims of peace left the priests and prophets with no value. 1. Their healing of the wound between Judah and God was superficial and their material and spiritual prosperity was soon to end. 2. The people’s hearts were so hardened that they were not open to the Lord’s message. 3. All would share in the fate of the nation’s calamity: Those who misled and those who were misled. 4. Detailed in 16-21 a. 20 = Isa 1:11-13; Jer 7:21-23; Hos 6:6; Amos 5:21-27; Mic 6:6-8 b. 21 = God does not put stumbling blocks, but the Babylonians do

VII. The Terror of the Enemy 6:22-30 a. 22-23 Their cruelty remind of Assyrians: Burn prisoners in a furnace 29:22; Dan 3:11, impale them and flay them alive were common in Babylonian wars. i. Shouts were like the roaring sea.

A Study in Jeremiah Lesson 3 Al Southerland, D.Min.

ii. War horses were new to the nation – Cavalry (Egyptians used them for chariots) b. 24-26 Jeremiah describes the feelings of numbing terror that the people will experience when the enemy actually attacks. c. 27-30 God gives them another chance by having them tested for merit/worth 27 i. 28 They’re of inferior metal: bronze and iron, not gold and silver. ii. 29 Refining process is carried out but the metal is not purified, the ore is so impure that the alloys are not removed. iii. 30 Rejected by the Lord > Judgment is inevitable.

VIII. What does this mean to today’s society? a. Rejecting God will eventually lead to God rejecting the nation = judgment. b. When judgment falls, all suffer equally: men, women, children, animals. c. Too many people today look at God’s judgment as romantic and deserved by the guilty; but the innocent suffer also with the guilty. d. The mercy of God has a statute of limitations: When He sees that the heart has hardened and will not turn back to Him, judgment is inevitable. e. The judgment of God is swift and horrible, something to be feared. f. People bring God’s judgment upon themselves via their sin of rebellion against God. g. Man cannot make up the rules for God but must play by the rules of God. h. God tests societies for value through the refiners fires.

IX. What does this mean to me? a. God takes sin seriously, more seriously than we do. b. God is always ready for mercy if we are willing to repent and turn to Him. c. God will use my enemies to punish my sin and draw me back to His way. d. If I reject God, He will eventually reject me. e. As a leader in God’s work, I must be faithful to the Word, not to seek the favor of people f. I must accept my failures as being mine alone, not blaming others. g. I must be careful not to seek my own comfort, which will eventually lead to problems. h. Things are not always as they seem. Deception will never become a truth. i. Does the message of others match that of God’s Word? This is the key to discernment.