Jeremiah
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Jeremiah 15
Jeremiah 15
1Then said Jehovah unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind would not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.
1Then said the LORD unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.
Commentary · verse 1
Doctrines on this passage
2And it shall come to pass, when they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith Jehovah: Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity.
3And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith Jehovah: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the birds of the heavens, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and to destroy.
4And I will cause them to be tossed to and fro among all the kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem.
2And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the LORD; Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for the captivity, to the captivity.
3And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the LORD: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and destroy.
4And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem.
Commentary · verses 2-4
The reason for the captivity: the captivity would happen because of Manasseh and the things he did in Jerusalem. This was why God wanted Hezekiah to die in 2 Kings 20 and Isaiah 37. Hezekiah had enough spiritual value to extend his life fifteen years and that led to Manasseh being born and leading God's people into wickedness. God tried to help His people avoid the circumstances they found themselves in during the Book of Jeremiah. If God had predestined Hezekiah to make the wrong decision, it would be unjust of God to punish Judah.
5For who will have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? or who will bemoan thee? or who will turn aside to ask of thy welfare?
6Thou hast rejected me, saith Jehovah, thou art gone backward: therefore have I stretched out my hand against thee, and destroyed thee; I am weary with repenting.
5For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? or who shall bemoan thee? or who shall go aside to ask how thou doest?
6Thou hast forsaken me, saith the LORD, thou art gone backward: therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee; I am weary with repenting.
Commentary · verses 5-6
God was weary. Worse, God was weary with His people repenting. This verse showed there was a limit to how much God was able to bear from people "repenting." Sounds like we need to understand what was meant by "repenting." The people had forsaken God and God was weary with the people repenting. There was not fruit of their repentance, they continued to do the same evil they confessed.
7And I have winnowed them with a fan in the gates of the land; I have bereaved them of children, I have destroyed my people; they returned not from their ways.
7And I will fan them with a fan in the gates of the land; I will bereave them of children, I will destroy my people, since they return not from their ways.
Commentary · verse 7
The people would be destroyed because they returned not from their ways. This meant these people actually did not repent with their heart, only their mouths.
8Their widows are increased to me above the sand of the seas; I have brought upon them against the mother of the young men a destroyer at noonday: I have caused anguish and terrors to fall upon her suddenly.
8Their widows are increased to me above the sand of the seas: I have brought upon them against the mother of the young men a spoiler at noonday: I have caused him to fall upon it suddenly, and terrors upon the city.
Commentary · verse 8
Widows would increase because of the deaths of many of the men who would be killed in the coming war. Mothers of young men would find a destroyer against them because of their sons' forthcoming death.
9She that hath borne seven languisheth; she hath given up the ghost; her sun is gone down while it was yet day; she hath been put to shame and confounded: and the residue of them will I deliver to the sword before their enemies, saith Jehovah.
9She that hath borne seven languisheth: she hath given up the ghost; her sun is gone down while it was yet day: she hath been ashamed and confounded: and the residue of them will I deliver to the sword before their enemies, saith the LORD.
Commentary · verse 9
Even a mother of seven young men would not escape the coming calamity. It seemed as if none of the men would be spared.
10Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have not lent, neither have men lent to me; yet every one of them doth curse me.
10Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; yet every one of them doth curse me.
Commentary · verse 10
Jeremiah complained of being in the center of the strife because of the prophecies given to him.
11Jehovah said, Verily I will strengthen thee for good; verily I will cause the enemy to make supplication unto thee in the time of evil and in the time of affliction.
12Can one break iron, even iron from the north, and brass?
13Thy substance and thy treasures will I give for a spoil without price, and that for all thy sins, even in all thy borders.
14And I will make them to pass with thine enemies into a land which thou knowest not; for a fire is kindled in mine anger, which shall burn upon you.
11The LORD said, Verily it shall be well with thy remnant; verily I will cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil and in the time of affliction.
12Shall iron break the northern iron and the steel?
13Thy substance and thy treasures will I give to the spoil without price, and that for all thy sins, even in all thy borders.
14And I will make thee to pass with thine enemies into a land which thou knowest not: for a fire is kindled in mine anger, which shall burn upon you.
Commentary · verses 11-14
God answered Jeremiah's complaint. Jeremiah would be protected and provided for.
15O Jehovah, thou knowest; remember me, and visit me, and avenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered reproach.
15O LORD, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke.
Commentary · verse 15
Jeremiah began another prayer…
16Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy words were unto me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart: for I am called by thy name, O Jehovah, God of hosts.
17I sat not in the assembly of them that make merry, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand; for thou hast filled me with indignation.
18Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou indeed be unto me as a deceitful brook, as waters that fail?
16Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.
17I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation.
18Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?
Commentary · verses 16-18
Jeremiah wanted God to remember him and his obedient actions. Jeremiah also wanted to know WHY his pain was unceasing.
19Therefore thus saith Jehovah, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, that thou mayest stand before me; and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: they shall return unto thee, but thou shalt not return unto them.
20And I will make thee unto this people a fortified brazen wall; and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith Jehovah.
21And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.
19Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them.
20And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brasen wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the LORD.
21And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.
Commentary · verses 19-21
God answered by assuring Jeremiah that he would be delivered out of the hands of the wicked.
Commentary · verse 21
Jeremiah 13-15 covered God's explanation that even Moses and Samuel would be unable to change His Mind from the coming judgment on Judah.
God told Jeremiah that even if Moses and Samuel stood before God, His Mind would still not be toward the people. Even Moses and Samuel could not have stopped the captivity.
Now, we see a case where someone who was able to change God's Mind would not be able to change God's Mind. We have seen that prayer works according to Justice, according to spiritual value. The only explanation that was consistent with the rest of the Bible was that Moses had enough spiritual value to change God's Mind in Numbers 14, however, Moses (and Samuel) did not have enough spiritual value to change God's Mind in the situation we have been covering in the Book of Jeremiah.
Since the beginning of the Book of Jeremiah, we have seen God has tried every possible way to illustrate to Judah their level of wickedness: a girdle, Marriage analogies, divorce, and now Moses and Samuel being unable to change God's Mind.