Questions for thought:
1. Having heard Jeremiah’s prophecies and having seen them being fulfilled, should not Egypt have been concerned about the prophecy against them? Having heard God’s words against those who oppose Him, should not we today be concerned?
2. What was the result of Moab having grown lazy and full of pride in chapter 48? Can not this same thing happen to our nation?
3. What should be the effect upon us when we know what Jeremiah prophesied would happen did happen just as he said it would?
Jeremiah 46-51 are basically continued prophecies against those who have been opposed to God. Then chapter 52 gives an account of the final capture and destruction of Jerusalem.
In the last blog, God was punishing Israel for not obeying Him. We left most of Israel having been overcome by Babylon with a remnant having gone to Egypt against God’s words. Now in chapter 46 of Jeremiah, we have God’s word against Egypt. Jeremiah prophesied in verse 13 of the coming of Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon, to smite the land of Egypt. Jeremiah warned those of Israel who had fled to Egypt for safety that their time there was coming to an end and Egypt too would soon be delivered into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar (verse 26), but in verse 27 is that ever-appearing promise to God’s people that He would save them and their seed and they would return to their land. God said He would punish them (verse 28), but not destroy them completely.
The date of the prophecy against Philistia in chapter 47 is not given. Historians have set it at different dates, but whatever the date, we can be sure God fulfilled this prophecy just as He did all the others.
Several other prophets had prophesied against Moab. We looked at some of these in Isaiah and Amos and in the book of Jeremiah. The prophecies contained in chapter 48 continue the same theme of condemnation because they had trusted in self rather than God (verse 7). God accused them in verse 11 of settling on their lees which was a reference to how wine was made. In the making of wine, the wine had to be drained from the lees or the dregs or sediment several times. To not do so affected the quality of the wine. Moab had just settled down and not had to do anything hard. They had grown lazy. They were full of pride (verse 29) and arrogant. God has a way of bringing down the prideful whether it is a person or a county. In verse 42 Jeremiah said Moab would cease from being a people. According to current history, the Moabites are no longer a separate people today. Their kingdom disappeared after the Babylonians conquered the area in 582 B.C. In the last verse of chapter 48, God said in the later days, He would bring the captives again. Religious commentaries note this happened on the day of Pentecost when the apostles preached to all nations and the Moabites who had been absorbed into the race of Arabs were there present to become part of the new kingdom.
Chapter 49 includes prophecies against Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar, Hazor, and Elam. Each was told of their defeat that was to come.
The future destruction of the nation who was to defeat Judah is prophesied in chapters 50-51. There are many different prophecies in these two chapters concerning Babylon. The future destruction of these nations was to take place once the children of Israel turned their face to seek God again. God said He would raise up and cause to come against Babylon an assembly of nations (50:9) and Chaldea would be a spoil. Keep in mind, all the prophecies to this point against Judah have indicated she would be spoiled by Babylon and now we find once God’s purpose was satisfied in punishing Judah, the nation by which he punished Judah would also be punished. In 50:18 God said He would punish the king of Babylon and his land just as He punished the king of Assyria and then He would bring Israel back and pardon their sins (50:20).
In chapter 51 God said Israel had not been forsaken by God even though the land was filled with sin (verse 5). God does not forsake His people. We forsake Him just as Israel did by not obeying Him and by adding to His words. Remember they were condemned by both sins and so will we be if we continue in them.
While Jerusalem would cry out over the mistreatment she had suffered at the hand of Babylon (verses 34-35), God would take vengeance for Israel (verse 36). The words of this prophecy were to be read publicly and then have a stone tied to them and be cast into the middle of the Euphrates River (verse 63).
And there we have an end to the words of Jeremiah according to the last sentence of 51:64, “Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.” Now in the final chapter, is an account of the capture and destruction of Jerusalem.
It is not known by whom chapter 52 was written. Some Bible scholars believe it was inserted for the purpose of showing from history that these many prophecies of Jeremiah were fulfilled. Much of the material found in this chapter can also be read in 2 Kings 24:18-25:30, 2 Chronicles 36:11-20; and Jeremiah 39:1-8. As one reads this chapter it is evident God did just what He said He was going to do.
We read that Zedekiah began to reign when he was 21 and reigned for 11 years. He did evil in God’s sight. He rebelled against the Babylonian king. In the 9th year of his reign, King Nebuchadrezzar encamped against Jerusalem and besieged the city until Zedekiah’s 11th year when Babylon overtook Jerusalem completely and carried off the people. Zedekiah fled but was overtaken and carried off to Babylon. As we read earlier in chapter 39, Zedekiah’s eyes were put out and he was bound in chains. We learn in verse 11 he died in Babylon in prison.
The temple in Jerusalem was burned (verse 12) along with all the houses in Jerusalem. In verse 16 we again see some of the poor being left behind to take care of the land. The furnishings of the temple were carried away (verses 17-23). This was just as Jeremiah had prophesied in Jeremiah 27. Those false priests who had persuaded Zedekiah to rebel against Babylon were put to death (24-27).
Finally, the Babylonian king looked favorably on the last king of the House of David, Jehoiachin, and released him from prison. If you remember, Jehoiachin was the king of Judah who the Babylonian king deported before placing Zedekiah upon the throne. Here in Jeremiah 52:31 King Evilmerodach allowed Jehoiachin a throne and food to eat for the rest of his life.
Thus ends the book of Jeremiah. Next time we will look at his other book, Lamentations.
Christian Women's Responsibility in Sharing God's Word 