Jeremiah

Jeremiah 19:1-6

Jeremiah is given another assignment to act out a message, a sign-act to deliver the word of the Lord.  He was to buy a clay jar and gather some elders, presumably as witnesses and an audience.  They went out to the valley of Ben Hinnom, also known as Gehenna.  This was the garbage heap and the place of child sacrifice.  It went from the Jaffa gate southeast along the Kidron.  The Potsherd gate is unknown, but probably a gate used for refuse.  At this garbage heap, Jeremiah was to deliver God's message of coming disaster.  This disaster was due to their rebellion, rejection of God and idolatry.  They filled this place with the 'blood of innocent'; which is likely a reference to child sacrifice.  They burned their children in the fire to Baal.  The name of this valley would change when the judgment came.  In the near future it would be called the Valley of Slaughter. 

Jeremiah 19:7-9

The word for 'ruin' is very close to the word 'jar'.  It creates a word play with the clay water jar; some believe Jeremiah may have poured out the contents of jar to symbolize their plans being poured out.  The people would be given over to their enemies.  Again (Jer 16:20), we see the bodies would be as food for the birds and animals; a great sacrifice feast as called for in Deut 28:26.  No one will be able to look at this city and not be appalled at what happened to it.  As if this weren't enough, the Lord adds to it the thought that they would become so desperate they would eat their children. 

©2018 Doug Ford