Jeremiah

Jeremiah 6:1-3

The attack is so sure that Jeremiah now sees it as if it were on the verge of beginning.  He issues the warning to flee.  At this point the only safety can be found in flight.  Zion is portrayed as a delicate and beautiful daughter that will be destroyed.  The destruction looms over her.  Two signals are given; the trumpet from Tekoa, 12 miles south of Jerusalem and the fire signals from Beth Hakkerem, thought to be west of Jerusalem.  

Jeremiah 6:4-8

The remaining part of the chapter comes under five divisions all preceded by "This is what the Lord Almighty says" or "This is what the Lord says". 

Counsel is given to the Babylon, it is the call for siege works because the city must be punished.  The evidence was overwhelming in the all the wickedness brought forth by her. 

A warning is issued then, for Jerusalem to hear the warning and respond accordingly. 

Jeremiah 6:9-15

The gleaning of the remnant was like moving of the leaves to get any that were missed.  This was to show that the judgment was for all, no one would escape.  Who will listen to the warning Jeremiah would bring?  It seems as though no one, they found God's words offensive so they were ignored, as if that made the message irrelevant to them.  It's strange how things haven't changed all that much in several thousand years.  Jeremiah was full of this message from the Lord, a message of wrath that he had to deliver.  No one would escape the wrath of His judgment.  The message was relevant whether it was listened to or not. 

As the entire society was involved in the moral and ethical collapse, they would all experience the judgment.  The leaders who were responsible to guard against this were guilty of applying bandaids to a gaping wound.  They didn't see the seriousness of their problems.  Everything was downplayed for the cry of 'peace and safety' the all-important, calming drug that puts a culture to sleep.

There will be no peace where they cried, "peace, peace."  There was no shame for their actions, for their sin.  Therefore, they would be brought face down, brought low as a punishment. 

Jeremiah 6:16-20

The ancient paths is a metaphor for proper worship.  They were at a crossroad, where a decision must be made.  They were to choose the old, established ways.  They didn't not get accidentally lost, wander off or make a wrong turn, but they openly and knowinly rejected this way.  All the nations and all the earth were called as witnesses against Israel; how ironic that Israel was to be witness to the whole earth of Yahweh's goodness and provisions.  Their phony worship meant nothing to the Lord when they've rejected the Lord in their heart.  They were attempting to appease the Lord while remaining in rebellion. 

Jeremiah 6:21

The obstacles will get their attention; they will be incapable of ignoring the warnings or playing dumb when judgment changes their life (or ends it). 

Jeremiah 6:22-30

This cruel army is coming.  The rumor of it, the thought of it, breaks their courage.  There is anguish and mourning at the terror of facing the Babylonians.  The Lord had made them the tester of metals and Israel was the ore to be tested.  Yet, through the testing they were not purified but found to be the worthless dross left from refining silver.  The bronze and iron was strong, here shown as stubbornness. 

©2018 Doug Ford