Jeremiah 24

Jeremiah 24:1

Judgment on the Wicked

With Isaiah 56:9 begins a new section that continues through Isaiah 57. We are in a quite different atmosphere with a quite different tone. It is no longer about restoration, but about judgment. While the faithful nations and outcasts are being saved, judgment goes to the apostates in Israel, the followers of the antichrist. The beasts, that is the Assyrians under the leadership of the king of the North, are called upon to feast on the unbelieving part of the people of Israel (Isaiah 56:9).

This is due to the attitude of their leaders, who are watchmen of the people and have the task to warn the people of danger. The safety of the people, however, is not at all their concern (cf. Jeremiah 6:17). They are blind to it (Isaiah 56:10). They think only of their own convenience and enjoyment. They dream, lie down, slumber and are blind to spiritual values and reality. It is from this attitude, as it were, that the call goes out to the beasts to come and devour them. The LORD never judges without showing the righteousness of judgment. He does so by revealing the moral condition of the people and their leaders.

These leaders only awaken from their own ease when they can indulge in pleasure-seeking, revels and drinking bouts (Isaiah 56:11). They are dogs that fatten themselves to satisfy their lust for pleasure, but they cannot bark to warn the people. They are worthless shepherds. They go their own way, the way that gives them the most. If there is any thought of tomorrow, then only to revel even more (Isaiah 56:12).

All those who have been given a responsibility by the Lord Jesus to take care of His flock as shepherds must guard against a gradual decrease in their obligations toward the flock. They must also guard against lording over the herd or seeking sordid gain (1 Peter 5:2-3).

The situation outlined above also applies to today. Who still has the courage to take spiritual responsibility and to warn against the secularism of the church, against all kinds of modern idols such as psychology, the prosperity gospel, cultic fashion, for wolves in sheep’s clothing who spread error under the cover of Christendom? Who still warns the young people in the church against the charismatic errors of our time, such as speaking in tongues, visions and so-called prophetic messages? On the other hand, there must be a call to study God’s Word for themselves in order not to fall prey to every wind of doctrine.

Jeremiah 24:3

No One Understands

Contrary to the worthless watchmen, that is, the shepherds and leaders of the previous chapter, who are only interested in satisfying their own bellies, there is “the righteous man” who is distinguished by being taken away before the judgment of God erupts (Isaiah 57:1). An example of this is the God-fearing King Josiah. The wicked mass, however, does not care about the righteous man, he is pushed away. When “devout men” die, their death and disappearance has no effect at all. One does not let oneself be warned by it that the Judge is standing at the door.

The characteristic of righteous and devout people is that they are God-fearing or pious. They go in peace and rest in peace (Isaiah 57:2). While the wicked suffer from everything that happens around them and with them, the pious lose nothing of what God has promised them. They die in faith and enjoy the eternal peace of the righteous made perfect (Hebrews 12:23).

It is one thing to see that righteous people die and then ask questions about whether that is right and involve the power of God. This is a problem that concerns Bible writers and every believer at times. We see this clearly in the book of Job. If the suffering and disappearance of good people does not call for an explanation and does not affect anything in the heart, that is another thing. Then faith in God has in fact been replaced by atheism, although one also adheres to religious institutions. From this atheistic attitude all other evil and abuse of which the prophet speaks stems.

Jeremiah 24:4

No One Understands

Contrary to the worthless watchmen, that is, the shepherds and leaders of the previous chapter, who are only interested in satisfying their own bellies, there is “the righteous man” who is distinguished by being taken away before the judgment of God erupts (Isaiah 57:1). An example of this is the God-fearing King Josiah. The wicked mass, however, does not care about the righteous man, he is pushed away. When “devout men” die, their death and disappearance has no effect at all. One does not let oneself be warned by it that the Judge is standing at the door.

The characteristic of righteous and devout people is that they are God-fearing or pious. They go in peace and rest in peace (Isaiah 57:2). While the wicked suffer from everything that happens around them and with them, the pious lose nothing of what God has promised them. They die in faith and enjoy the eternal peace of the righteous made perfect (Hebrews 12:23).

It is one thing to see that righteous people die and then ask questions about whether that is right and involve the power of God. This is a problem that concerns Bible writers and every believer at times. We see this clearly in the book of Job. If the suffering and disappearance of good people does not call for an explanation and does not affect anything in the heart, that is another thing. Then faith in God has in fact been replaced by atheism, although one also adheres to religious institutions. From this atheistic attitude all other evil and abuse of which the prophet speaks stems.

Jeremiah 24:5

The Sins of the People

There follows a striking change in the expressions of the prophet. In the preceding verses, starting with Isaiah 56:9, he first addressed the leaders. Now he is going to address the people. Not only the leaders are responsible. Although they have a greater responsibility, the people are also responsible for their own actions. The people are addressed about two sins: idolatry and adultery. These two are also mentioned together in the New Testament (Revelation 2:20; 1 Corinthians 6:9).

First there is a warning for the evildoers to come closer and listen to the voice of God (Isaiah 57:3-4). They are addressed as “sons of a sorceress” – occultism, demon worship – and as “offspring of an adulterer and a prostitute”, as children of sin, the brood of lies. From this they derive their character, as is more often in Scripture one’s moral character is drawn by referring to one’s father or mother or both (1 Samuel 20:30; 2 Kings 6:32; Job 30:8).

Everything that follows in Isaiah 57:5-11 is addressed to those who have gone into exile and prophetically to those who have become followers of the antichrist. They practice various forms of tree worship, in which the various trees are seen as special homes of various deities (Isaiah 57:5). In this idolatry horrible rituals take place.

In Isaiah 57:6 there is mention of the worship of stones and the drink offering that is poured out to them. All this is compared with spiritual adultery, the being unfaithful to the LORD (Isaiah 57:7-9). They find peace on high and lofty places that they have climbed to offer sacrifices to their idols (Isaiah 57:7). They undergo all kinds of initiations in the higher world in order to assure themselves of business success. It does not occur to them that thereby they surrender themselves to demonic powers.

Behind the doors and posts of their houses on which they have written God’s Word (Deuteronomy 6:6; 9), they have placed their own “sign” (Isaiah 57:8). There they live their lives of debauchery and adultery. The unbelieving Israel goes in the future with the oil of worship to “the king” – or: Molech – that is the antichrist. Child sacrifices are brought to Molech (Leviticus 18:21; 2 Kings 23:10). Molech is literally Melech, which means king, as it is translated here. Today children are sacrificed to the idols ‘career’ and ‘pleasure’.

To strengthen themselves against the enemy, they send their “envoys a great distance”, to make a covenant with “Sheol” (Isaiah 57:9; Isaiah 28:15). It is a covenant with the devil “who had the power of death” (Hebrews 2:14) and who manifests himself in the form of the ruler of the Roman Empire, the beast of the sea.

Idolatry and adultery are also great dangers for us. Idolatry is everything that displaces the living and true God in our lives from the first place. The apostle John warns us: “Little children, guard yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). The apostle Paul speaks about “greed, which is idolatry” and says that we have to deal with it radically (Colossians 3:5). Idolatry is closely related to adultery, an adherence to something other than God.

Jeremiah 24:6

The Sins of the People

There follows a striking change in the expressions of the prophet. In the preceding verses, starting with Isaiah 56:9, he first addressed the leaders. Now he is going to address the people. Not only the leaders are responsible. Although they have a greater responsibility, the people are also responsible for their own actions. The people are addressed about two sins: idolatry and adultery. These two are also mentioned together in the New Testament (Revelation 2:20; 1 Corinthians 6:9).

First there is a warning for the evildoers to come closer and listen to the voice of God (Isaiah 57:3-4). They are addressed as “sons of a sorceress” – occultism, demon worship – and as “offspring of an adulterer and a prostitute”, as children of sin, the brood of lies. From this they derive their character, as is more often in Scripture one’s moral character is drawn by referring to one’s father or mother or both (1 Samuel 20:30; 2 Kings 6:32; Job 30:8).

Everything that follows in Isaiah 57:5-11 is addressed to those who have gone into exile and prophetically to those who have become followers of the antichrist. They practice various forms of tree worship, in which the various trees are seen as special homes of various deities (Isaiah 57:5). In this idolatry horrible rituals take place.

In Isaiah 57:6 there is mention of the worship of stones and the drink offering that is poured out to them. All this is compared with spiritual adultery, the being unfaithful to the LORD (Isaiah 57:7-9). They find peace on high and lofty places that they have climbed to offer sacrifices to their idols (Isaiah 57:7). They undergo all kinds of initiations in the higher world in order to assure themselves of business success. It does not occur to them that thereby they surrender themselves to demonic powers.

Behind the doors and posts of their houses on which they have written God’s Word (Deuteronomy 6:6; 9), they have placed their own “sign” (Isaiah 57:8). There they live their lives of debauchery and adultery. The unbelieving Israel goes in the future with the oil of worship to “the king” – or: Molech – that is the antichrist. Child sacrifices are brought to Molech (Leviticus 18:21; 2 Kings 23:10). Molech is literally Melech, which means king, as it is translated here. Today children are sacrificed to the idols ‘career’ and ‘pleasure’.

To strengthen themselves against the enemy, they send their “envoys a great distance”, to make a covenant with “Sheol” (Isaiah 57:9; Isaiah 28:15). It is a covenant with the devil “who had the power of death” (Hebrews 2:14) and who manifests himself in the form of the ruler of the Roman Empire, the beast of the sea.

Idolatry and adultery are also great dangers for us. Idolatry is everything that displaces the living and true God in our lives from the first place. The apostle John warns us: “Little children, guard yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). The apostle Paul speaks about “greed, which is idolatry” and says that we have to deal with it radically (Colossians 3:5). Idolatry is closely related to adultery, an adherence to something other than God.

Jeremiah 24:7

The Sins of the People

There follows a striking change in the expressions of the prophet. In the preceding verses, starting with Isaiah 56:9, he first addressed the leaders. Now he is going to address the people. Not only the leaders are responsible. Although they have a greater responsibility, the people are also responsible for their own actions. The people are addressed about two sins: idolatry and adultery. These two are also mentioned together in the New Testament (Revelation 2:20; 1 Corinthians 6:9).

First there is a warning for the evildoers to come closer and listen to the voice of God (Isaiah 57:3-4). They are addressed as “sons of a sorceress” – occultism, demon worship – and as “offspring of an adulterer and a prostitute”, as children of sin, the brood of lies. From this they derive their character, as is more often in Scripture one’s moral character is drawn by referring to one’s father or mother or both (1 Samuel 20:30; 2 Kings 6:32; Job 30:8).

Everything that follows in Isaiah 57:5-11 is addressed to those who have gone into exile and prophetically to those who have become followers of the antichrist. They practice various forms of tree worship, in which the various trees are seen as special homes of various deities (Isaiah 57:5). In this idolatry horrible rituals take place.

In Isaiah 57:6 there is mention of the worship of stones and the drink offering that is poured out to them. All this is compared with spiritual adultery, the being unfaithful to the LORD (Isaiah 57:7-9). They find peace on high and lofty places that they have climbed to offer sacrifices to their idols (Isaiah 57:7). They undergo all kinds of initiations in the higher world in order to assure themselves of business success. It does not occur to them that thereby they surrender themselves to demonic powers.

Behind the doors and posts of their houses on which they have written God’s Word (Deuteronomy 6:6; 9), they have placed their own “sign” (Isaiah 57:8). There they live their lives of debauchery and adultery. The unbelieving Israel goes in the future with the oil of worship to “the king” – or: Molech – that is the antichrist. Child sacrifices are brought to Molech (Leviticus 18:21; 2 Kings 23:10). Molech is literally Melech, which means king, as it is translated here. Today children are sacrificed to the idols ‘career’ and ‘pleasure’.

To strengthen themselves against the enemy, they send their “envoys a great distance”, to make a covenant with “Sheol” (Isaiah 57:9; Isaiah 28:15). It is a covenant with the devil “who had the power of death” (Hebrews 2:14) and who manifests himself in the form of the ruler of the Roman Empire, the beast of the sea.

Idolatry and adultery are also great dangers for us. Idolatry is everything that displaces the living and true God in our lives from the first place. The apostle John warns us: “Little children, guard yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). The apostle Paul speaks about “greed, which is idolatry” and says that we have to deal with it radically (Colossians 3:5). Idolatry is closely related to adultery, an adherence to something other than God.

Jeremiah 24:8

The Sins of the People

There follows a striking change in the expressions of the prophet. In the preceding verses, starting with Isaiah 56:9, he first addressed the leaders. Now he is going to address the people. Not only the leaders are responsible. Although they have a greater responsibility, the people are also responsible for their own actions. The people are addressed about two sins: idolatry and adultery. These two are also mentioned together in the New Testament (Revelation 2:20; 1 Corinthians 6:9).

First there is a warning for the evildoers to come closer and listen to the voice of God (Isaiah 57:3-4). They are addressed as “sons of a sorceress” – occultism, demon worship – and as “offspring of an adulterer and a prostitute”, as children of sin, the brood of lies. From this they derive their character, as is more often in Scripture one’s moral character is drawn by referring to one’s father or mother or both (1 Samuel 20:30; 2 Kings 6:32; Job 30:8).

Everything that follows in Isaiah 57:5-11 is addressed to those who have gone into exile and prophetically to those who have become followers of the antichrist. They practice various forms of tree worship, in which the various trees are seen as special homes of various deities (Isaiah 57:5). In this idolatry horrible rituals take place.

In Isaiah 57:6 there is mention of the worship of stones and the drink offering that is poured out to them. All this is compared with spiritual adultery, the being unfaithful to the LORD (Isaiah 57:7-9). They find peace on high and lofty places that they have climbed to offer sacrifices to their idols (Isaiah 57:7). They undergo all kinds of initiations in the higher world in order to assure themselves of business success. It does not occur to them that thereby they surrender themselves to demonic powers.

Behind the doors and posts of their houses on which they have written God’s Word (Deuteronomy 6:6; 9), they have placed their own “sign” (Isaiah 57:8). There they live their lives of debauchery and adultery. The unbelieving Israel goes in the future with the oil of worship to “the king” – or: Molech – that is the antichrist. Child sacrifices are brought to Molech (Leviticus 18:21; 2 Kings 23:10). Molech is literally Melech, which means king, as it is translated here. Today children are sacrificed to the idols ‘career’ and ‘pleasure’.

To strengthen themselves against the enemy, they send their “envoys a great distance”, to make a covenant with “Sheol” (Isaiah 57:9; Isaiah 28:15). It is a covenant with the devil “who had the power of death” (Hebrews 2:14) and who manifests himself in the form of the ruler of the Roman Empire, the beast of the sea.

Idolatry and adultery are also great dangers for us. Idolatry is everything that displaces the living and true God in our lives from the first place. The apostle John warns us: “Little children, guard yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). The apostle Paul speaks about “greed, which is idolatry” and says that we have to deal with it radically (Colossians 3:5). Idolatry is closely related to adultery, an adherence to something other than God.

Jeremiah 24:9

The Sins of the People

There follows a striking change in the expressions of the prophet. In the preceding verses, starting with Isaiah 56:9, he first addressed the leaders. Now he is going to address the people. Not only the leaders are responsible. Although they have a greater responsibility, the people are also responsible for their own actions. The people are addressed about two sins: idolatry and adultery. These two are also mentioned together in the New Testament (Revelation 2:20; 1 Corinthians 6:9).

First there is a warning for the evildoers to come closer and listen to the voice of God (Isaiah 57:3-4). They are addressed as “sons of a sorceress” – occultism, demon worship – and as “offspring of an adulterer and a prostitute”, as children of sin, the brood of lies. From this they derive their character, as is more often in Scripture one’s moral character is drawn by referring to one’s father or mother or both (1 Samuel 20:30; 2 Kings 6:32; Job 30:8).

Everything that follows in Isaiah 57:5-11 is addressed to those who have gone into exile and prophetically to those who have become followers of the antichrist. They practice various forms of tree worship, in which the various trees are seen as special homes of various deities (Isaiah 57:5). In this idolatry horrible rituals take place.

In Isaiah 57:6 there is mention of the worship of stones and the drink offering that is poured out to them. All this is compared with spiritual adultery, the being unfaithful to the LORD (Isaiah 57:7-9). They find peace on high and lofty places that they have climbed to offer sacrifices to their idols (Isaiah 57:7). They undergo all kinds of initiations in the higher world in order to assure themselves of business success. It does not occur to them that thereby they surrender themselves to demonic powers.

Behind the doors and posts of their houses on which they have written God’s Word (Deuteronomy 6:6; 9), they have placed their own “sign” (Isaiah 57:8). There they live their lives of debauchery and adultery. The unbelieving Israel goes in the future with the oil of worship to “the king” – or: Molech – that is the antichrist. Child sacrifices are brought to Molech (Leviticus 18:21; 2 Kings 23:10). Molech is literally Melech, which means king, as it is translated here. Today children are sacrificed to the idols ‘career’ and ‘pleasure’.

To strengthen themselves against the enemy, they send their “envoys a great distance”, to make a covenant with “Sheol” (Isaiah 57:9; Isaiah 28:15). It is a covenant with the devil “who had the power of death” (Hebrews 2:14) and who manifests himself in the form of the ruler of the Roman Empire, the beast of the sea.

Idolatry and adultery are also great dangers for us. Idolatry is everything that displaces the living and true God in our lives from the first place. The apostle John warns us: “Little children, guard yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). The apostle Paul speaks about “greed, which is idolatry” and says that we have to deal with it radically (Colossians 3:5). Idolatry is closely related to adultery, an adherence to something other than God.

Jeremiah 24:10

The Sins of the People

There follows a striking change in the expressions of the prophet. In the preceding verses, starting with Isaiah 56:9, he first addressed the leaders. Now he is going to address the people. Not only the leaders are responsible. Although they have a greater responsibility, the people are also responsible for their own actions. The people are addressed about two sins: idolatry and adultery. These two are also mentioned together in the New Testament (Revelation 2:20; 1 Corinthians 6:9).

First there is a warning for the evildoers to come closer and listen to the voice of God (Isaiah 57:3-4). They are addressed as “sons of a sorceress” – occultism, demon worship – and as “offspring of an adulterer and a prostitute”, as children of sin, the brood of lies. From this they derive their character, as is more often in Scripture one’s moral character is drawn by referring to one’s father or mother or both (1 Samuel 20:30; 2 Kings 6:32; Job 30:8).

Everything that follows in Isaiah 57:5-11 is addressed to those who have gone into exile and prophetically to those who have become followers of the antichrist. They practice various forms of tree worship, in which the various trees are seen as special homes of various deities (Isaiah 57:5). In this idolatry horrible rituals take place.

In Isaiah 57:6 there is mention of the worship of stones and the drink offering that is poured out to them. All this is compared with spiritual adultery, the being unfaithful to the LORD (Isaiah 57:7-9). They find peace on high and lofty places that they have climbed to offer sacrifices to their idols (Isaiah 57:7). They undergo all kinds of initiations in the higher world in order to assure themselves of business success. It does not occur to them that thereby they surrender themselves to demonic powers.

Behind the doors and posts of their houses on which they have written God’s Word (Deuteronomy 6:6; 9), they have placed their own “sign” (Isaiah 57:8). There they live their lives of debauchery and adultery. The unbelieving Israel goes in the future with the oil of worship to “the king” – or: Molech – that is the antichrist. Child sacrifices are brought to Molech (Leviticus 18:21; 2 Kings 23:10). Molech is literally Melech, which means king, as it is translated here. Today children are sacrificed to the idols ‘career’ and ‘pleasure’.

To strengthen themselves against the enemy, they send their “envoys a great distance”, to make a covenant with “Sheol” (Isaiah 57:9; Isaiah 28:15). It is a covenant with the devil “who had the power of death” (Hebrews 2:14) and who manifests himself in the form of the ruler of the Roman Empire, the beast of the sea.

Idolatry and adultery are also great dangers for us. Idolatry is everything that displaces the living and true God in our lives from the first place. The apostle John warns us: “Little children, guard yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). The apostle Paul speaks about “greed, which is idolatry” and says that we have to deal with it radically (Colossians 3:5). Idolatry is closely related to adultery, an adherence to something other than God.