13 August

Bible In 365 Days                                                            

Jeremiah 4-6 

Jeremiah 4

Jehovah immediately promised that if Israel would return, she would be established. Then the prophet declared that judgment was determined on. He appealed to the people to repent, and that not in external manifestation, but actually and in heart. The people are described as panic-stricken because of the imminent peril.

The prophet's anguish is revealed as he sees the judgment falling. Nevertheless he continued his message, and described the swift attack of the foe, again earnestly appealing to Jerusalem to turn from wickedness.

After this description his anguish again is manifest in a lament (Jeremiah 4:19-26). He was pained at his very heart as he saw the destruction coming, and the more so as he recognized that it was the result of their own sin. The picture which spread itself before his vision was of widespread devastation. Notwithstanding his sorrow, he declared that the judgment was inevitable, because the word of the Lord had been uttered, and warned the people of the anguish which must be their portion in the day of visitation.

Jeremiah 5

Having thus declared that judgment was determined on, the prophet now carefully declared the reason for it. This was, first, the utter corruption of conduct. Among the people not a man was to lie found who was truthful and just. Disappointed in his search, he turned to the great men and the rulers, and they also had "broken the yoke and burst the bands." Therefore judgment was indeed inevitable, and pardon impossible.

The second reason was that they did not believe the message. They had declared that punishment would not fall on them. The declaration of judgment is then repeated, and the terror of it is described. When it falls, if they inquire why Jehovah has thus visited them, the reply would be because they had forsaken Him.

Finally, the reason for final judgment is the revolting and rebellious heart of the people. They were not ignorant, but obstinate. They had eyes, but saw not, and ears, but heard not. They had flung off the fear of God deliberately. Greed had been their curse, and had expressed itself in this persistent rebellion. The whole reason is graphically summarized as "a wonderful and horrible thing." Prophets, priests, and people were united in their sin, and there was no alternative other than that of judgment.

Jeremiah 6

This judgment the prophet now described. A fierce and relentless foe, acting under the word of Jehovah, is described as coming up against Jerusalem. The prophet declared that the city would be taken, and described the thoroughness of the judgment under the figure of gleaning. All ages would be affected, and the whole land as well as the city be involved.

Again he declared that the reason for this judgment was the complete corruption of the people, their false sense of security, and their utter lack of shame. He appealed to the past to bear witness, but they would not attend. He appealed directly to the present, and they would not hearken. Therefore the sentence was inevitable. Returning to what he had already said, he again announced the coming of the foe from the north and the suffering of the people which would follow.

This message concluded with an account of the word spoken to the prophet by Jehovah in order to strengthen him. His position among the people was like "a tower" or, as the margin has it, "a trier," that is, one who tested them, or "a fortress." His ministry would be fruitless, for the people were grievous revolters, and the ultimate verdict is declared to be that men would call them refuse silver because Jehovah had rejected them.