Jeremiah 4:1-2
There are three 'if' statements followed by a 'then'.
- If they would turn from shameful ways by turning to the Lord. We might read this as, "if you will turn, turn to Me."
- If they would put away the detestable idols. This is a call to make a clean break from all the detestable religious practices. No compromise, no dabbling.
- If they took an oath saying, "The Lord lives" in a truthful, just and righteous way…..
- Baal worship cried out, "Baal lives!" If there were integrity in the worship of Yahweh, then that worship declares that Baal doesn't live.
If they were to do these things, then the nations would once again be blessed by Israel. They would see God through Israel.
Jeremiah 4:3-4
Judah was to prepare themselves to receive God's message. There was to be no more empty religious platitudes and meaningless worship; no more hypocrisy. Jeremiah uses a agricultural metaphor first. The word tells us that the land had been previously cultivated but has lay fallow for a few years. It was to now be tilled up. This was to turn it over; all the thorns and weeds and worthless growth turned under. The soil opened to receive new seed and the water of life. This was preparation for new fruit and for a future harvest.
Sowing among thorns was metaphorical to hearing God's word without preparation, without turning from the sinful ways and idol worship. In Mark 4:7, the seed that fell among thorns grew but was choked out by thorns and there was no harvest. Jesus said,
"Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful." (Mark 4:18)
Circumcision was the sign of the covenant given to the Jews. Men were to be circumcised as a physical sign of their covenant, a reminder of being set apart for the Lord. To circumcise themselves to the Lord was to be reminded of their covenant promise and act as though they were set apart to their Lord. A different word for circumcise is used in regard to the heart. The call to 'circumcise their hearts' is to cut away the foreskin of their heart. The change was not just external but a change of heart, of attitude.
The call for repentance was capped by the 'or' of verse 4; there were severe consequences to failure. The fires of wrath, of God's judgment of sin would rest on them. The curse of breaking covenant would affect their lives severely.
Jeremiah 4:5-9
The watchman was to sound the alarm so people could run to safety. They would flee the to the fortified cities in hopes of holding out there. See 2 Chr 11:5-12 for a list of fortified cities. The judgment would come from the north by the hand of the Babylonians.
The lion is on the move. He is a destroyer of nations and he has left his home and is on the way. The towns of Judah would lie in ruins. Did they believe it when Jeremiah said it? Were they concerned enough to repent, to put on sackcloth and lament and wail. They were in the path of the wrath of God. When that day arrived the ruling structure would crumble; the king lose heart, the priests would be horrified and prophets appalled. The failure of leadership becomes apparent. A perfect king, priest and prophet would one day arrive in a manger and ultimately lead us to redemption and salvation.
Jeremiah 4:10
Jeremiah reacts to the revelation of the prophecy he just received. He was disturbed because he felt that the Lord had deceived him (and others). The false prophets in the land had prophesied a message of peace and safety. Jeremiah wrongly believed that message to be from the Lord. Now he found out the sword was at their throat.
Jeremiah 4:11-18
The Babylonian army of God's judgment is likened here to the scorching wind. This wind is not for any purpose but judgment. It isn't a gentle breeze.
Jeremiah pleads with the people when he conveys this vision. He asked them wash the evil from their heart. It could amount to saving themselves. But they went on, they saw no enemy. They ignored Jeremiah, even as he asked how long their wicked thoughts would continue.
The watchman was to warn of the besieging army that was coming. Jeremiah conveys the urgency and intensity. To those that saw nothing it seemed as like a false alarm or the rantings of a lunatic. The imagery of this army surrounding the cities of Judah, surrounding them as if they were guarding the land was very intense and particular to Jeremiah. He ties their personal conduct and actions to the punishment, pain and bitterness. And yet it meant little to them.
Jeremiah 4:19-21
The word translated to 'anguish'(NIV) means entrails, innards; and is emblematic of the inner being. This anguish seems to be a person, possibly Jeremiah, maybe a representative voice for Jerusalem or people of Judah. Either way, the grief is not superficial, the agony penetrates the heart. The word for 'agony' means wall or barrier. The ESV reads "Oh the walls of my heart". This further enhances the thought and understanding of deep sorrow. The heart-pounding anxiety of this experience is overwhelming to this person or group when they hear the ram's horn from the watcher. The warning goes for that the enemy is coming; the call to shelter in the fortress. Destruction announces further destruction in a seemingly endless onslaught putting the entire land in ruins. Instantly, abrupt and without warning, the tents are destroyed. Who are 'my tents'? They may be this personification of the people of Jerusalem or Judah speaking or the speaker changed. How long will this be the sight and sound
Jeremiah 4:22
The Lord speaks; He considers His people fools, lacking wisdom, good sense and sound judgment. This is a sure indication, they no longer know Him. He is a Father, seemingly shaking his head and the senseless children. They need not go through this if they would just listen and understand. The word used for 'skilled' is one usually describing a group of people possessing wisdom. For Judah, their aptitude lies in doing evil.
Jeremiah 4:23-26
It's as if creation were undone in judgment. The earth was formless and empty; the words are the same in Genesis 1, 'tohu' and 'bohu' to describe the uncreated. There was no light. The earth, as it existed, was unstable. There were no inhabitants of the land, nor were there birds in the air. The land that was once fruitful was a barren desert and the towns were a heap. The judgment was a type of un-creation; reversing all that God had done and said was good. What God had done good, man un-did with sin.
Read Genesis 1.
Jeremiah 4:27-31
The land would become an uninhabitable wilderness, untillable farmland. It will be ruined, but not completely. The mourning is evident when the earth is clothed in black sackcloth of mourning – the darkness.
Every one or every town takes flight at the sound of the attack. There is no real escape from the judgment of God, but people will flee to what appears to be a safe place. They go to the rocks, the thickets and wherever they can to escape. No one is left to defend the towns.
Judah is the 'devastated one' and her response is typical of an unfaithful wife. She dressed herself in scarlet and fine jewelry; she makes up her eyes and adorns herself in an attempt to safe herself. But all this is done in vain. Her former lovers despise her and are now the tool of judgment bringing about her peril.
The cry is like that of a woman in labor; of fear and pain. But this is far worse. The gasp of breath is more of a dying gasp as she is surrounded by her enemies all bent on her destruction. She stretches out her hands to grab something solid to steady herself; but the only solid thing she ever had was her God and she had rebelled against Him. Her life was now given over to killers.
©2018 Doug Ford
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