Jeremiah 45

Jeremiah 45:1

Punishment of the Wicked

In Jeremiah 12:7, the LORD Himself begins to complain. He speaks of “My house” and “My inheritance” and “the beloved of My soul”. These names show that He always sees His apostate people in what they are originally for His heart and why He is so concerned with them. He has had to forsake His house because of the persistence of their sins (Ezekiel 10:18; Ezekiel 11:22-23). He has had to abandon His inheritance, His land and His people because they have become estranged from Him. He has given her, whom He loves with the love of His soul, into the hand of her enemies precisely because the people are so precious to Him and He loves them so much and they have become so apostate from Him. The enemy thinks he is doing it, but here it says the LORD is doing it.

The reason is that His people have rebelled against Him (Jeremiah 12:8). He compares His people, whom He again calls “My inheritance”, to a lion that roars. A roaring lion terrifies. Of course, God is not frightened by it, but it shows how much His people have turned against Him. Therefore He hates that people, He is disgusted with them, just as He hates and abhors sin.

His people, called “My inheritance” by Him for the third time, have become like a speckled bird of prey that is besieged by the nations around it that are birds of prey (Jeremiah 12:9). A speckled bird in a nest of black or white birds is pecked to death by the other birds. A speckled bird is neither white nor black. This is how God’s people are when they connect with the world. The LORD calls the predators to feast on His people.

The shepherds are the people who led God’s people – who the LORD now calls “My vineyard” (Jeremiah 5:10; Jeremiah 6:9; Jeremiah 8:13) and “My field” – but who have ruined it and trampled it down (Jeremiah 12:10). By the shepherds can be meant the leaders of Israel, but also the rulers of the nations who destroyed the land that was to the LORD “My pleasant field”. We sense here how great the sorrow of God’s heart is that this has happened to His land. The land that He had looked upon with joy and expected to bring Him joy has become “a desolate wilderness.”

That the land is desolate is not because of Him (Jeremiah 12:11). People who have apostatized from Him, have made it desolate. The desolation is great. The LORD hears the land mourning. However, He is the only One Who hears it. It lies so devastated because no man lays it to heart, that is, there is no one who wonders how it came to be. His beloved is not moved by it to return. This language of God’s love passes her by. It is tragic that what means so much to God’s heart is considered so worthless by His people.

The destroyers were announced and also came (Jeremiah 12:12). They are identified with “the sword of the LORD” that devours from one end of the land even to the other, that is, the entire land. No one escapes, no one has peace, despite the prophecies of all those false prophets who proclaimed peace (Jeremiah 6:14).

As a result of the enemy’s work as the sword of the LORD, whatever is edible becomes a torment (Jeremiah 12:13). All their work has been in vain. The wheat they have sown produces thorns (cf. Genesis 3:17-18). How could they have the benefit of a good harvest, when they are only after their own benefit? They reaped the opposite of what they expected. The paltry yield should bring them to their senses. They should be ashamed of the cause of it: their disobedience to the LORD, which caused Him to bring His fierce anger upon them.

Jeremiah 45:2

Punishment of the Wicked

In Jeremiah 12:7, the LORD Himself begins to complain. He speaks of “My house” and “My inheritance” and “the beloved of My soul”. These names show that He always sees His apostate people in what they are originally for His heart and why He is so concerned with them. He has had to forsake His house because of the persistence of their sins (Ezekiel 10:18; Ezekiel 11:22-23). He has had to abandon His inheritance, His land and His people because they have become estranged from Him. He has given her, whom He loves with the love of His soul, into the hand of her enemies precisely because the people are so precious to Him and He loves them so much and they have become so apostate from Him. The enemy thinks he is doing it, but here it says the LORD is doing it.

The reason is that His people have rebelled against Him (Jeremiah 12:8). He compares His people, whom He again calls “My inheritance”, to a lion that roars. A roaring lion terrifies. Of course, God is not frightened by it, but it shows how much His people have turned against Him. Therefore He hates that people, He is disgusted with them, just as He hates and abhors sin.

His people, called “My inheritance” by Him for the third time, have become like a speckled bird of prey that is besieged by the nations around it that are birds of prey (Jeremiah 12:9). A speckled bird in a nest of black or white birds is pecked to death by the other birds. A speckled bird is neither white nor black. This is how God’s people are when they connect with the world. The LORD calls the predators to feast on His people.

The shepherds are the people who led God’s people – who the LORD now calls “My vineyard” (Jeremiah 5:10; Jeremiah 6:9; Jeremiah 8:13) and “My field” – but who have ruined it and trampled it down (Jeremiah 12:10). By the shepherds can be meant the leaders of Israel, but also the rulers of the nations who destroyed the land that was to the LORD “My pleasant field”. We sense here how great the sorrow of God’s heart is that this has happened to His land. The land that He had looked upon with joy and expected to bring Him joy has become “a desolate wilderness.”

That the land is desolate is not because of Him (Jeremiah 12:11). People who have apostatized from Him, have made it desolate. The desolation is great. The LORD hears the land mourning. However, He is the only One Who hears it. It lies so devastated because no man lays it to heart, that is, there is no one who wonders how it came to be. His beloved is not moved by it to return. This language of God’s love passes her by. It is tragic that what means so much to God’s heart is considered so worthless by His people.

The destroyers were announced and also came (Jeremiah 12:12). They are identified with “the sword of the LORD” that devours from one end of the land even to the other, that is, the entire land. No one escapes, no one has peace, despite the prophecies of all those false prophets who proclaimed peace (Jeremiah 6:14).

As a result of the enemy’s work as the sword of the LORD, whatever is edible becomes a torment (Jeremiah 12:13). All their work has been in vain. The wheat they have sown produces thorns (cf. Genesis 3:17-18). How could they have the benefit of a good harvest, when they are only after their own benefit? They reaped the opposite of what they expected. The paltry yield should bring them to their senses. They should be ashamed of the cause of it: their disobedience to the LORD, which caused Him to bring His fierce anger upon them.

Jeremiah 45:3

Punishment of the Wicked

In Jeremiah 12:7, the LORD Himself begins to complain. He speaks of “My house” and “My inheritance” and “the beloved of My soul”. These names show that He always sees His apostate people in what they are originally for His heart and why He is so concerned with them. He has had to forsake His house because of the persistence of their sins (Ezekiel 10:18; Ezekiel 11:22-23). He has had to abandon His inheritance, His land and His people because they have become estranged from Him. He has given her, whom He loves with the love of His soul, into the hand of her enemies precisely because the people are so precious to Him and He loves them so much and they have become so apostate from Him. The enemy thinks he is doing it, but here it says the LORD is doing it.

The reason is that His people have rebelled against Him (Jeremiah 12:8). He compares His people, whom He again calls “My inheritance”, to a lion that roars. A roaring lion terrifies. Of course, God is not frightened by it, but it shows how much His people have turned against Him. Therefore He hates that people, He is disgusted with them, just as He hates and abhors sin.

His people, called “My inheritance” by Him for the third time, have become like a speckled bird of prey that is besieged by the nations around it that are birds of prey (Jeremiah 12:9). A speckled bird in a nest of black or white birds is pecked to death by the other birds. A speckled bird is neither white nor black. This is how God’s people are when they connect with the world. The LORD calls the predators to feast on His people.

The shepherds are the people who led God’s people – who the LORD now calls “My vineyard” (Jeremiah 5:10; Jeremiah 6:9; Jeremiah 8:13) and “My field” – but who have ruined it and trampled it down (Jeremiah 12:10). By the shepherds can be meant the leaders of Israel, but also the rulers of the nations who destroyed the land that was to the LORD “My pleasant field”. We sense here how great the sorrow of God’s heart is that this has happened to His land. The land that He had looked upon with joy and expected to bring Him joy has become “a desolate wilderness.”

That the land is desolate is not because of Him (Jeremiah 12:11). People who have apostatized from Him, have made it desolate. The desolation is great. The LORD hears the land mourning. However, He is the only One Who hears it. It lies so devastated because no man lays it to heart, that is, there is no one who wonders how it came to be. His beloved is not moved by it to return. This language of God’s love passes her by. It is tragic that what means so much to God’s heart is considered so worthless by His people.

The destroyers were announced and also came (Jeremiah 12:12). They are identified with “the sword of the LORD” that devours from one end of the land even to the other, that is, the entire land. No one escapes, no one has peace, despite the prophecies of all those false prophets who proclaimed peace (Jeremiah 6:14).

As a result of the enemy’s work as the sword of the LORD, whatever is edible becomes a torment (Jeremiah 12:13). All their work has been in vain. The wheat they have sown produces thorns (cf. Genesis 3:17-18). How could they have the benefit of a good harvest, when they are only after their own benefit? They reaped the opposite of what they expected. The paltry yield should bring them to their senses. They should be ashamed of the cause of it: their disobedience to the LORD, which caused Him to bring His fierce anger upon them.

Jeremiah 45:4

Punishment of the Wicked

In Jeremiah 12:7, the LORD Himself begins to complain. He speaks of “My house” and “My inheritance” and “the beloved of My soul”. These names show that He always sees His apostate people in what they are originally for His heart and why He is so concerned with them. He has had to forsake His house because of the persistence of their sins (Ezekiel 10:18; Ezekiel 11:22-23). He has had to abandon His inheritance, His land and His people because they have become estranged from Him. He has given her, whom He loves with the love of His soul, into the hand of her enemies precisely because the people are so precious to Him and He loves them so much and they have become so apostate from Him. The enemy thinks he is doing it, but here it says the LORD is doing it.

The reason is that His people have rebelled against Him (Jeremiah 12:8). He compares His people, whom He again calls “My inheritance”, to a lion that roars. A roaring lion terrifies. Of course, God is not frightened by it, but it shows how much His people have turned against Him. Therefore He hates that people, He is disgusted with them, just as He hates and abhors sin.

His people, called “My inheritance” by Him for the third time, have become like a speckled bird of prey that is besieged by the nations around it that are birds of prey (Jeremiah 12:9). A speckled bird in a nest of black or white birds is pecked to death by the other birds. A speckled bird is neither white nor black. This is how God’s people are when they connect with the world. The LORD calls the predators to feast on His people.

The shepherds are the people who led God’s people – who the LORD now calls “My vineyard” (Jeremiah 5:10; Jeremiah 6:9; Jeremiah 8:13) and “My field” – but who have ruined it and trampled it down (Jeremiah 12:10). By the shepherds can be meant the leaders of Israel, but also the rulers of the nations who destroyed the land that was to the LORD “My pleasant field”. We sense here how great the sorrow of God’s heart is that this has happened to His land. The land that He had looked upon with joy and expected to bring Him joy has become “a desolate wilderness.”

That the land is desolate is not because of Him (Jeremiah 12:11). People who have apostatized from Him, have made it desolate. The desolation is great. The LORD hears the land mourning. However, He is the only One Who hears it. It lies so devastated because no man lays it to heart, that is, there is no one who wonders how it came to be. His beloved is not moved by it to return. This language of God’s love passes her by. It is tragic that what means so much to God’s heart is considered so worthless by His people.

The destroyers were announced and also came (Jeremiah 12:12). They are identified with “the sword of the LORD” that devours from one end of the land even to the other, that is, the entire land. No one escapes, no one has peace, despite the prophecies of all those false prophets who proclaimed peace (Jeremiah 6:14).

As a result of the enemy’s work as the sword of the LORD, whatever is edible becomes a torment (Jeremiah 12:13). All their work has been in vain. The wheat they have sown produces thorns (cf. Genesis 3:17-18). How could they have the benefit of a good harvest, when they are only after their own benefit? They reaped the opposite of what they expected. The paltry yield should bring them to their senses. They should be ashamed of the cause of it: their disobedience to the LORD, which caused Him to bring His fierce anger upon them.

Jeremiah 45:5

Punishment of the Wicked

In Jeremiah 12:7, the LORD Himself begins to complain. He speaks of “My house” and “My inheritance” and “the beloved of My soul”. These names show that He always sees His apostate people in what they are originally for His heart and why He is so concerned with them. He has had to forsake His house because of the persistence of their sins (Ezekiel 10:18; Ezekiel 11:22-23). He has had to abandon His inheritance, His land and His people because they have become estranged from Him. He has given her, whom He loves with the love of His soul, into the hand of her enemies precisely because the people are so precious to Him and He loves them so much and they have become so apostate from Him. The enemy thinks he is doing it, but here it says the LORD is doing it.

The reason is that His people have rebelled against Him (Jeremiah 12:8). He compares His people, whom He again calls “My inheritance”, to a lion that roars. A roaring lion terrifies. Of course, God is not frightened by it, but it shows how much His people have turned against Him. Therefore He hates that people, He is disgusted with them, just as He hates and abhors sin.

His people, called “My inheritance” by Him for the third time, have become like a speckled bird of prey that is besieged by the nations around it that are birds of prey (Jeremiah 12:9). A speckled bird in a nest of black or white birds is pecked to death by the other birds. A speckled bird is neither white nor black. This is how God’s people are when they connect with the world. The LORD calls the predators to feast on His people.

The shepherds are the people who led God’s people – who the LORD now calls “My vineyard” (Jeremiah 5:10; Jeremiah 6:9; Jeremiah 8:13) and “My field” – but who have ruined it and trampled it down (Jeremiah 12:10). By the shepherds can be meant the leaders of Israel, but also the rulers of the nations who destroyed the land that was to the LORD “My pleasant field”. We sense here how great the sorrow of God’s heart is that this has happened to His land. The land that He had looked upon with joy and expected to bring Him joy has become “a desolate wilderness.”

That the land is desolate is not because of Him (Jeremiah 12:11). People who have apostatized from Him, have made it desolate. The desolation is great. The LORD hears the land mourning. However, He is the only One Who hears it. It lies so devastated because no man lays it to heart, that is, there is no one who wonders how it came to be. His beloved is not moved by it to return. This language of God’s love passes her by. It is tragic that what means so much to God’s heart is considered so worthless by His people.

The destroyers were announced and also came (Jeremiah 12:12). They are identified with “the sword of the LORD” that devours from one end of the land even to the other, that is, the entire land. No one escapes, no one has peace, despite the prophecies of all those false prophets who proclaimed peace (Jeremiah 6:14).

As a result of the enemy’s work as the sword of the LORD, whatever is edible becomes a torment (Jeremiah 12:13). All their work has been in vain. The wheat they have sown produces thorns (cf. Genesis 3:17-18). How could they have the benefit of a good harvest, when they are only after their own benefit? They reaped the opposite of what they expected. The paltry yield should bring them to their senses. They should be ashamed of the cause of it: their disobedience to the LORD, which caused Him to bring His fierce anger upon them.