Tanak Foundations-Concepts in Jeremiah-Chapter 6

Jer 6.1-30 continues on the same theme of the previous chapters. The destruction of Jerusalem because of the wrath of God is discussed, along with the sins of the priests and prophets that were the cause of it.

v 1…”Flee for safety, O sons of Benjamin, from the midst of Jerusalem (and go south, the enemy is coming from the north; this also alludes to Yeshua’s instructions in Matt 24.16 before the second destruction of the city)! Blow a trumpet in Tekoa (twelve miles south of Jerusalem) and raise a signal over Beth-haccerem (also south of Jerusalem, meaning “house of the vineyard”-Isa 5.1-6); for evil looks down from the north (the direction that Babylon will come), a great destruction.

v 2…The comely and dainty one, the daughter of Zion, I will cut off (God sees his bride this way).

v 3…Shepherds (Babylonian kings and rulers) and their flocks (their armies) will come to her. They will pitch their tents around her (a siege wall), they will pasture each in his place (Nebuchadnezzar will tell each soldier where to be).

v 4…Prepare war against her (get ready for a siege); arise, and let us attack at noon (not the best time to do it but they were eager, confident and bold). Woe to us, for the day declines, for the shadows of the evening lengthen (night keeps them from their preparations; they were eager to get to work)!

v 5…Arise and let us attack by night (in spite of the darkness) and destroy her palaces (fortified towers).

v 6…For thus says the Lord of hosts (Yehovah is over all the armies there), “Cut down her trees (for siege works) and cast up a siege (mound or ramp) against Jerusalem; this is the city to be punished, in whose midst there is only oppression (violence).

v 7…As a well keeps its waters fresh (water gushes out continually) so she keeps fresh her wickedness (evil gushes out continually). Violence and destruction are heard in her (she is given over to these and the oppressed raise their voices); sickness and wounds are ever before me (Yehovah witnesses their acts of violence).

v 8…Be warned, O Jerusalem (be corrected), lest I be alienated from you, lest I make you a desolation, a land not inhabited (my word cast you off and the Shekinah departs).”

v 9…Thus says the Lord of hosts (Yehovah Tzavaot), “They will thoroughly glean as the vine the remnant of Israel (Babylon will carry away the tribes of Judah and Benjamin); pass your hand again like a grape gatherer over the branches (go back over and over again to get all the people, no one is to be missed).”

v 10…To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? Behold, their ears are closed (uncircumcised, unfruitful-Jer 4.4; Hos 10.12; Lev 2.7, 19.23) and they cannot listen. Behold the word of the Lord has become a reproach to them; they have no delight in it (they mocked it and said it did not apply to them).

v 11…But I (Jeremiah) am full of the wrath of the Lord; I am weary with holding it in (he tried to keep it in and was unwilling to declare to the people the justice that was coming but he couldn’t do it). “Pour it out on the children in the street, and on the gathering of young men together (for conversation; interrupt them), for both husband and wife shall be taken (captive-Matt 24.40-41), the aged (those getting older) and the very old (full of days).

v 12…”And their houses shall be turned over to others (as spoils of war), and their fields and their wives together (don’t put your affection on things that will eventually be turned over-Deut 28.30); for I will stretch out my hand against the inhabitants of the land,” says the Lord.

v 13…For from the least of them even to the greatest of them (all classes of people), everyone is greedy (covetous) of gain, and from the prophet even to the priest (the leaders and teachers) everyone deals falsely (in false doctrines and lies) .

v 14…And they have healed the wound of my people slightly (in a superficial way). saying, “Peace, peace,'” but there is no peace (Yehovah’s leaders were not watchmen and ignored this trust for personal gain. They did not expose evil, wickedness and idolatry and let those things become lethal).

v 15…Were they ashamed because of the abomination they have done (No)? They were not even ashamed at all; they did not even know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall (have their portion among them); at the time I punish them. They shall be cast down,’ says the Lord (Yehovah).

v 16…Thus says the Lord, “Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths (Torah foundations); where the good way is, and walk in it; and you shall find rest for your souls (Yeshua said the same thing about the Torah-Matt 11.28-29). But they said, ‘We will not walk in it (as seen by their actions; this is what Judaism, Christianity and Messianic Judaism have said).’

v 17…And I set watchmen (the prophets-Ezek 33.1-6) over you saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet (that destruction is coming)!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen.’

v 18…Therefore hear, O nations (as a witness) and know, O congregation (of the righteous) what is among them.

v 19…Hear, O earth (as a witness); behold, I am bringing disaster on this people, the fruit of their plans (their thoughts were evil-Prov 23.7) because they have not listened to my words, and as for my law (Torah), they have rejected it also.

v 20…For what purpose does frankincense come to me from Sheba (the ingredients came from there; it symbolizes hypocritical outward religious ritual and they also bowed to Baal and Asherah), and the sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, and your sacrifices are not pleasing to me (their hearts were wrong and in the wrong place. Going through ceremonies does not matter, its what you put into them that counts-Matt 23.23; Isa 1.13; Amos 5.21).”

v 21…Therefore, thus says the Lord, “Behold I am laying stumbling blocks before this people (devices of the enemy). And they will stumble against them (because they have no light of the word of God-Psa 119.105), fathers and sons together, neighbor and friend will perish (because all the people are guilty).”

v 22…Thus says the Lord, “Behold (see for yourself, take note of), a people is coming from the north land (Babylon, the stumbling block of v 21), and a great nation will be aroused from the remote parts of the earth.

v 23…They seize the bow and spear (offensive weapons); they are cruel and have no mercy (no pity); their voice roars like the sea (there are so many you can hear them coming), and they ride on horses (not common in Judah), arrayed as a man for battle against you, O daughter of Zion!”

v 24…We have heard the report of it (the rumor of it); our hands are limp (with no strength because they are determined to destroy Judah). Anguish has seized us (on hearing the news that Babylon was on the way), pain as a woman in childbirth (fear).

v 25…Do not go out into the field, and do not walk on the road (to go out of the city to the north because the enemy is everywhere and they might be killed), for the enemy has a sword, terror is on every side.

v 26…O daughter of my people (in Jerusalem), put on sackcloth and roll in ashes; mourn as for an only son, a lamentation most bitter (express grief). For suddenly the destroyer (Babylon) will come upon us.

v 27…I have made you an assayer (an evaluator) and tester among my people (Jeremiah is a trier of metals as he evaluates the people), that you may know and assay their way.”

v 28…All of them are stubbornly rebellious (Yehovah knew it, now the nations and the earth will know it), going about as a talebearer (against you and what you have said). They are bronze and iron (not gold and silver, they have degenerated); they, all of them, are corrupt (as a base metal that is used to corrupt gold and silver).

v 29…The bellows blow fiercely (to purify them by the Ruach), the lead is consumed by the fire (severe chastisement); in vain (to no purpose) the refining goes on, but the wicked are not separated (the dross of their iniquity is not purged; all effort was ineffectual).

v 30…They call them rejected silver (silver is the metal of redemption, and they professed to be believers and be redeemed), because the Lord has rejected them (but they were not believers or redeemed-Matt 7.21-23).

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, Prophecy/Eschatology, The Festivals of the Lord, The Tanak, Tying into the New Testament

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