Jeremiah 1-52 | Old Testament

THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH,
Chapter 1-52

CHAPTER ONE

1:1: “The words of Jeremiah” = Interesting that Jeremiah opens with this instead of, “The Words of the Lord.” Thus, Jeremiah is not quoting our Lord verbatim, but paraphrasing Him. This is cleared up in verses two and four, when he tells us such.

“Jeremiah” = The Hebrew name Jeremiah means, according to Jerome, “exalted of Jehovah,” or according to Gesenius, “appointed of Jehovah,” or according to Hengstenberg, “Jehovah throws.” The Hebrew is, “Yirm-yahu,” or the shorter form, “Yirm-yah,” and is closer to meaning, “whom Jehovah has established,” or “whom Jehovah has appointed.” Both are differently explained as “Yah establishes, whom Yahweh casts,” i.e., possibly, “appoints.” Only the shorter form is used of the Prophet Jeremiah in Jeremiah 27:1; 28:5 & 6 & 10 & 11 & 12 & 15; 29:1; Ezra 1:1; Daniel 9:2.

According to my “INTRODUCTION,” “According to Exodus 15:1, Jeremiah’s name is a derivative of “hath He thrown,” Hebrew, “H7411; ramah,” meaning, “to cast about; to throw.” Thus, his name means, “The Lord hurls; or exalts; or lifts up; or holds high.”

“Hilkiah” = This was not Hilkiah the “high priest,” who in the days of Josiah (see Jer. 1:2) found the Book of the Law (see 2Ki. 22:8), since he is not said to be a/the “high priest,” or of the high priests, but rather “of the priests that were in Anathoth.” Compare with First Samuel 22:20, where we learn that Hilkiah is a descendent of Abiathar and had property in Anathoth (1Ki. 2:26). This would be where Jeremiah grew up.

“Benjamin” = This tribe was South of Judah and North of Ephraim. In other words, a buffer state between Israel and Judah; the two separate states at this time in history.

1:2: “in the days of Josiah” = See my Jeremiah Introduction Notes.

1:2 & 3: “[2] in the thirteenth year of his [Josiah’s] reign. . . [3] unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month” = Thus we can calculate that Jeremiah prophesied in the land of Judea upwards of forty years: eighteen under Josiah (2Ki. 22:11), three months under Jehoahaz (2Ki. 23:31), eleven years under Jehoiakim (2Ki. 23:36), three months under Jeconiah (2Ki. 24:8), and eleven years under Zedekiah at which time the city was besieged and taken (2Ki. 25:2), equaling 40 years and 6 months.

“Josiah king of Judah” = We can also learn that King Josiah was 21 years of age at this time (see 2Ki. 22:1 = 8 + 13 = 21).

1:5: “Before I formed thee” = Just because God “sanctified” and “ordained” and made Jeremaih a “prophet” does not mean that God forced Jeremaih to be and do those things. God knows the future and knew who Jeremiah would turn out to be.

Mormons use this verse to teach that they (all people) pre-existed in some sort of spirit form in Heaven before becoming subject to this mortal (non-immortal) life form. A proper understanding of Genesis 2:7 should quite any conception of existence. However, what this verse is really saying (teaching if you must), is that our God knows everything (Omniscient; past, present, future), and as such, knows about Jeremiah even before mankind knows him on earth. This can be proven by seeing Psalm 139:16: “Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.” Neither in Heaven, or on earth, or anywhere else your Mormon friend my want to put them.

However, Mormons counter with their book of Moses (3:5), which teaches that “all things, of which I have spoken, spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth.” By contrast, according to First Corinthians 15:46, Paul (the Bible) teaches that the natural man comes first, then the spiritual (explained again and covered completely by see further on in verses 47-49). In other words, humans are not alive until they are born upon this earth. They (Mormons) were NEVER spirit beings.

Plus, Jesus Himself tells us in John 1:18 that “No man hath seen God at any time.” You must call Jesus a liar if you believe the Mormon doctrine that you were a spirit being. The Mormon response to this verse is that John was referring to people here on earth and not when they were spirit beings in Heaven. The phrase “at any time,” should have covered that response. Therefore, you could resort to John 6:46: “Not that any man hath seen the Father,” adding, “at any time.” But alas!

Maybe in a last attempt you could sight Job 38:4, which plainly states that Job (nor any human) was around (alive in any form) when the foundations of this earth was laid. And according to Zechariah 12:1, God “forms the spirit of man within him.” This would be at the conception of man. God would not be then, according to this verse, forming “the spirit of man” into the Mormons Heavenly spirit (spirit man into Heavenly spirit).

“A member of the Levitical priesthood, Jeremiah had been trained from childhood for holy service. In those happy years of preparation he little realized that he had been ordained from birth to be ‘a prophet unto the nations;’ and when the Divine call came, he was overwhelmed with a sense of his unworthiness.” PK:407.

“before thou camest forth out of the womb” = This should silence the pro-abortion group who say the baby is a blob.

“sanctified thee, and ordained thee a prophet” = This makes his calling and election secure.

“unto the nations” = Not just Israel/Judah. To put that into perspective, Jeremiah’s message is for us today also.

1:6: “I am a child” = Compare with Exodus 4:10. The Hebrew word for “child” here is “H5288; na’’ar,” as used in Genesis 14:21 and Second Samuel 18:5. Jeremiah is not saying a “child” as we would conjure up; but just someone under the age of 30. But his point is that he is saying he feels immature.

“In the youthful Jeremiah, God saw one who would be true to His trust and who would stand for the right against great opposition. In childhood he had proved faithful; and now he was to endure hardness, as a good soldier of the cross.” PK:407; CC:237; OFC:187.

1:7: “whatsoever I Command thee thou shalt speak” = This could be considered to be a reprimand. But our Lord states, if it is a reprimand:

1:8: “I Am with thee” = If and when God asks you to do something for Him, He promises to be with us in the delegation of the task.

1:9: “touched my mouth” = As opposed to Isaiah, where God hade his “mouth” anointed with “a live coal. . . from off the altar.” Isaiah 6:6-7.

“I have put My Words in thy mouth” = Contrary to verse one.

1:10: “See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms” = Here is my First Kings 18:10 Note: What is the difference between a “nation or” a “kingdom?” I believe our Lord is attempting to point out something very important here and everywhere else He mentions a “nation or kingdom” in the same sentence or phrase. When God mentions “nation” in this phrase He is meaning those composed of mankind. By contrast, when He mentions “kingdom” in the same phrase, He means the spiritual realm which is composed of those who Satan drew away from God and those who are loyal to God. In fact, when speaking of “nations,” God’s Word is not, nor ever referring to the spiritual realm of God. By contrast, when speaking of “kingdoms” the Word of God often refers to the spiritual realm of Deity. Examples would be, “Kingdom of God,” Matthew 6:33; 12:28; 19:24; 21:31 & 43; Mark 1:14 & 15; 4:11; etcetera, etcetera. Which side will you choose?

In Jeremiah 1:10, we have our Lord instructing Jeremiah what his ministry will accomplish, and the purpose for our Lord selecting him to be a prophet of God (even though he himself felt unworthy; see Jeremiah 1:6).

1:11: “a rod of an almond tree” = Notice, “a rod,” as opposed to “a branch,” meaning a dry stick without fruit upon it. The “Targum” states it this way: “and I said, a king hastening to do evil I see,’’ meaning Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, hastening to bring destruction upon the Jewish Nation.

The “almond tree” blooms in January. In other words, in the middle of winter. It is an indicator that spring is near and coming. Thus, it is a harbinger of something coming. In this case the Babylonians.

1:13: “seething pot” = As the pot slowly heats up on the stove, so the approaching armies of Babylon are on the move.

“toward the North” = Critics have attacked this because Babylon came from the North, meaning facing South; and they would be correct. However, the translators got this wrong. The Hebrew structure is that Jeremiah’s “face” was looking “toward the North,” because the “seething pot” was facing South. Thus, “come from the North” instead of “toward the North” is a correct translation.

1:16: “who have forsaken Me” = Here is the reason God allowed Israel to be taken over by heath nations.

“their own hands” = This is a personal choice. They chose whatever instead of God. This didn’t just happen to them; they chose this route. They set this apostasy in motion.

1:17: “least I confound thee” = A prophet better not detour from the direct Words of the Lord given to him; or else God’s wrath will speedily come upon him/her.

1:19: “they shall not prevail” = But Babylon did “prevail.” Why? All prophecies are conditional based upon obedience to God’s Word. By contrast, if this is speaking specifically about Jeremiah’s preservation, then God will/did protect him against all these that would destroy him.

CHAPTER TWO

2:3: “all that devour him shall offend” = All that go against Isreal (the “him”) God will “offend,” Hebrew, “H816; ashem/asham,” meaning, “be held guilty; to be incriminated; suffer punishment or injury.”

2:5: “What iniquity have your fathers found in Me” = What a question; Who can answer? As Jesus asked, “Which of you convinceth Me of sin,” John 8:46, so the question is put forth here. However, the insinuation is different, for this statement is followed with: “that they are gone far from Me.” In other words, they acknowledge that this is God, but what mistreatment drove them away our Lord knows they cannot answer.

2:6: “Neither said they” = They didn’t even enquire after God. Can you imagine not praying to God at all?

2:8: “pastors” = Better, “herdsman,” or “Shepards,” for the Hebrew is “ra’ah.” However, “ra’ah” can also be associated with one who “rules,” but mostly as one who is a “friend.” God’s “friends,” i.e., Isreal, betrayed Him.

2:11: “Hath a nation changed their gods” = Interesting point to follow along with the other great point in verse 5. Once established, no Nation has changed from one god to another (they may add some). By contrast, when it comes to Christianity, like Isreal, Christians drop God as if He were never there at all; or switch religions like candy.

2:13: “fountain of Living waters” = See Isaiah 12:3; 55:1; John 4:10; 7:37. Thus, this “fountain” equals Jesus Christ.

“hold no water” = They forsook what was wonderful and exchanged that for things that are worthless.

2:14: “slave” = Israel, through disobedience, was allowed by God to become slaves when they were no slaves.

“I was shown that we have men placed over us for rulers, and laws to govern the people. Were it not for these laws, the world would be in a worse condition than it is now. Some of these laws are good, and some bad. The bad have been increasing, and we are yet to be brought into straight places. But God will sustain His people in being firm, and living up to the principles of His Word. Where the laws of men conflict with God’s Word and Law, we are to obey the Word and Law of God, whatever the consequences may be. The laws of our land requiring us to deliver a slave to his master, we are not to obey, and we must abide the consequences of the violation of this law.” 4bSG:42.

2:16: “Noph and Tahapanes” = These were cities in Egypt. Noph is the same as Moph in Hosea 9:6, which is rightly rendered Memphis there; as Noph is here by the Targum, Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions. Pliny states that these were the palace of the kings of Egypt (Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 9). Tahapanes is the same as Hanes in Isaiah 30:4, as it is here in the Arabic version, called Daphnes. It is thought by some to be the same as Daphnae Pelusiae, a city in Egypt. This Tahapanes was the metropolis of Egypt, and the seat of their kings. It is also mentioned as having Pharaoh’s house in it, in Jeremiah 43:9. Thus, Noph, or better, Memphis, is the ancient capital of Lower Egypt; while Tahpanhes was located at the Northeastern border of Egypt.

The mention of these cities indicates that God will allow the Egyptians to conquer Israel because of their disregard for Him. In Second Kings 23:29 we see that Josiah the king was killed by Pharaoh Necho of Egypt, which turned out to be a tremendous tragedy to the nation of Isreal.

2:18: “Sihor” = Which equates to the river Nile. The Septuagint and Arabic versions render it, “the waters of Geon,” or “Gihon.”

Josephus affirms this as being the Nile, by stating, “Geon, which runs through Egypt, is the same which the Greeks call Nile.’’ “Antiquities” l. 1. c. 1. section 3. And Jerome from Eusebius states the same: “Geon is a river, which with the Egyptians is called Nile.’’ “De locis Hebraicis,” folder 91. H.

God asks Isreal, “Why turn to these when you have Me?”

2:19: “My fear is not in thee” = Herein lies the real problem.

2:20: “high hill” = A typical Canaanite worship was preoccupied with sex and fertility rites, which were practiced upon the hills and groves. These groups of trees were carved into graphic pagan god-like symbols. According to the “Targum,” God never wanted His altars built near any groves.

2:22: “nitre” = A type of mineral polish. In a spiritual sense, you cannot wash off sin with soap. You have to use blood. See Revelation 7:14.

2:23: “dromedary” = The implication here is a female camel in heat. And when they are they get untamable, going berserk, running around looking for a male.

2:24: “in her month they shall find her” = That is, in the last month of her pregnancy, when she is about ready to give birth, it is easy to find her, as opposed to when she can run free at her own will.

2:25: “Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst” = The sense is, that one should not take long journeys into foreign countries for help, such as into Assyria or Egypt, where they go barefoot; or better, where you would have to wear out your shoes by taking such a long journey.

Or, Israel is pictured as a prostitute being uncovered; but worshiping her idols.

2:26: “ashamed” = Because they were caught worshiping their idols in what they thought was behind God’s back; just like a thief is ashamed when caught. But neither is repentant which is the desire of God by exposing them through His prophet.

2:27: “in the time of their trouble” = This implies that there is trouble coming.

“save us” = Notice, they only call upon the Lord when in trouble.

2:31: “We are lords” = We can take care of ourselves without You.

2:32: “ornaments. . . attire” = God wanted to be, expected to be, Israels ornament and He would have adorned Israel as His bride.

2:33: “Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love” = They make preparations for seeking after the help they need from other Nations, but forget The True One Who can truly help them.

2:36: “Egypt. . . Assyria” = Just like Assyria imprisoned Isreal, so their hopes in Egypt will do the same.

2:37: “hands upon thine head” = In the near east this was a sign of great sorrow.

CHAPTER THREE

3:1: “put away his wife” = Deuteronomy 24:1-4 forbids the remarrying of a wife that has been remarried. But with God, you can have Him back. To point out that point, because of God’s grace certain Laws can have exceptions. An example would be Deuteronomy 23:3, which says no marriage to Moabites. But the Book of Ruth gives an exception. Bottom line, who you worship determines your destiny, not your heritage.

3:3: “Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain” = The same reasoning given here for our Lord not supplying the needed rain for Israel, is the very same reason our Lord has not come His Second Time. His people are not ready to receive Him. See also Jeremiah 5:24.

Here is my Revelation 14:14-20 Note: “sickle” = in Revelation, Chapter 14, Verses 14-17, are referring to the Second Coming; while verses 18-20, are referring to the Third Coming of our Lord.

This Command, also used in verse 18, “Thrust in Thy sharp sickle,” is a direct allusion to Joel 3:13, and has the eschatological meaning of the last of the harvests to be gathered at the end of the harvest season. It is used by our Lord in Mark 4:29. However, in Matthew 13:39-43, we are told that the “reapers” are God’s “angels.” And in the parable of the fish caught in the net, angels are the ones who separate the wicked from the righteous. Thus, the role of God’s angels as “reapers,” sent by Jesus, to gather the righteous for the habitation of the kingdom of Heaven, is further affirmed in our Lord’s discourse upon the Mount of Olives (see Mat. 24:31; Mark 13:27).

However, whether or not the additional mention of “for the harvest of the earth is ripe” is present or not, the Biblical reference to the thrusting in of the “sickle” is a well-known Biblical metaphor for the eschatological judgment on the enemies of ancient Israel (see Jer. 51:33; Hos. 6:11; Joel 3:13) and the “harvest” of God’s people into His kingdom (Mat. 9:37-38; Luke 10:2; John 4:35-38). Therefore, this action can both refer to the positive sense for the gathering of God’s people, and the negative aspect of the final abode and judgment of the wicked.

According to EV:701; FLB:246 & 333, this is none other than the “latter rain,” which equals “the baptism of the Holy Spirit.”

“The outpouring of the Spirit in the days of the apostles was the ‘former rain,’ and glorious was the result. But the ‘latter rain’ will be more abundant.” AUCR, June 1, 1904; ChS:251; Ev:701; 8T:21; ML:60; ST, February 17, 1914; YRP:287 & 307. [SDA’s: Last sentence left out of AA:54-55 and LDE:184, but it is in LDE:185].

See if you agree with my breakdown of Zechariah 10:1: “Ask ye of the LORD rain [for the Holy Spirit] in the time of the latter rain [the outpouring of the Holy Spirit]; so the LORD shall make bright clouds [a people worthy of the white robes of Heaven], and give them showers of rain [the outpouring of the Holy Spirit], to every one grass in the field [the indwelling of the Holy Spirit].”

“In the East the former rain falls at the sowing-time. It is necessary in order that the seed may germinate [The Christian life begins]. Under the influence of the fertilizing showers [the Holy Spirit], the tender shoot springs up. The latter rain, falling near the close of the season [close of probation], ripens the grain, and prepares it for the sickle [the Second Coming of our Lord]. The Lord employs these operations of nature to represent the work of the Holy Spirit [meaning, the rain represents the Holy Spirit]. As the dew and the rain are given first to cause the seed to germinate, and then to ripen the harvest, so the Holy Spirit is given to carry forward, from one stage to another, the process of spiritual growth. The ripening of the grain represents the completion of the work of God’s grace in the soul [the latter rain]. By the power of the Holy Spirit the moral image of God is to be perfected [ready for transformation to Heaven] in the character. We are to be wholly transformed into the likeness of Christ [ready for His Second Coming].

“The latter rain, ripening earth’s harvest [close of probation], represents the spiritual grace that prepares the Church for the Coming of the Son of Man. But unless the former rain has fallen, there will be no life; the green blade will not spring up. Unless the early showers have done their work, the latter rain can bring no seed to perfection [ready for transformation to Heaven].

“There is to be ‘first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.’ There must be a constant development of Christian virtue, a constant advancement in Christian experience. This we should seek with intensity of desire, that we may adorn the doctrine of Christ our Saviour.

“Many have in a great measure failed to receive the former rain [the Holy Spirit]. They have not obtained all the benefits that God has thus provided for them. They expect that the lack will be supplied by the latter rain [outpouring of the Holy Spirit]. When the richest abundance of grace shall be bestowed, they intend to open their hearts to receive it. They are making a terrible mistake. The work that God has begun in the human heart in giving His light and knowledge, must be continually going forward. Every individual must realize his own necessity. The heart must be emptied of every defilement [perfection of character], and cleansed for the indwelling of the Spirit. It was by the confession and forsaking of sin, by earnest prayer and consecration of themselves to God, that the early disciples prepared for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit [there you have it; “the outpouring of the Holy Spirit”] on the day of Pentecost. The same work, only in greater degree, must be done now. Then the human agent had only to ask for the blessing [“Ask ye of the Lord rain”], and wait for the Lord to perfect [“perfect”] the work concerning him. It is God Who began the work, and He will finish His work, making man complete [perfect] in Jesus Christ. But there must be no neglect of the grace represented by the former rain [the Holy Spirit]. Only those who are living up to the light they have, will receive greater light. Unless we are daily advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian virtues, we shall not recognize the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain [outpouring of the Holy Spirit]. It may be falling on hearts all around us, but we shall not discern or receive it.” RH, March 2, 1897, paragraph 4; FLB:333.

In addition, FLB:333; AG:220 ; Mar:256; add: “But near the close of earth’s harvest, a special bestowal of spiritual grace is promised to prepare the Church for the Coming of the Son of man. This outpouring of the Spirit is likened to the falling of the latter rain.”

“Under the figure of the early and the latter rain, that falls in Eastern lands at seedtime and harvest, the Hebrew prophets foretold the bestowal of spiritual grace in extraordinary measure upon God’s Church. The outpouring of the Spirit in the days of the apostles was the beginning of the early, or [55] former, rain, and glorious was the result. To the end of time the presence of the Spirit is to abide with the true Church. But near the close of earth’s harvest, a special bestowal of spiritual grace is promised to prepare the Church for the Coming of the Son of man. This outpouring of the Spirit is likened to the falling of the latter rain; and it is for this added power that Christians are to send their petitions to the Lord of the harvest. . .” AA:54-55; AG:220; ChS:250-251; FLB:333; Mar. 256; OFC:212; YRP:316.

“The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost was the former rain, but the latter rain will be more abundant. The Spirit awaits our demand and reception. Christ is again to be revealed in His fullness by the Holy Spirit’s power.” COL:121; DA 827; Ev:701; ST, Feb. 17, 1914.

“I saw that many were neglecting the preparation so needful, and were looking to the time of ‘refreshing’ and the ‘latter rain’ to fit them to stand in the day of the Lord, and to live in His sight. Oh, how many I saw in the time of trouble without a shelter! They had neglected the needful preparation, therefore they could not receive the refreshing that all must have to fit them to live in the sight of a Holy God.” CET:112; EW:71.

“Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul-temple of every defilement. Then the latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost.” CET:189; CCh:334.

“At that time the ‘latter rain,’ or refreshing from the presence of the Lord, will come, to give power to the loud voice of the third angel, and prepare the saints to stand in the period when the seven last plagues shall be poured out.” EW:85.

“I was pointed down to the time when the third angel’s message was closing. The power of God had rested upon His people; they had accomplished their work and were prepared for the trying hour before them. They had received the latter rain, or refreshing from the presence of the Lord, and the living testimony had been revived. The last great warning had sounded everywhere, and it had stirred up and enraged the inhabitants of the earth who would not receive the message.” EW:279.

“Today you are to have your vessel purified, that it may be ready for the Heavenly dew, ready for the showers of the latter rain; for the latter rain will come, and the blessing of God will fill every soul that is purified from every defilement. It is our work today to yield our souls to Christ, that we may be fitted for the time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord -- fitted for the baptism of the Holy Spirit.” Ev:701.

“The great work of the gospel is not to close with less manifestation of the power of God than marked its opening. The prophecies which were fulfilled in the outpouring of the former rain at the opening of the gospel, are again to be fulfilled in the latter rain at its close.” FLB:332.

3:8: “given her a bill of divorce. . . Judah feared not” = The Southern kingdom of Judah saw what happened to the Northern kingdom, taken over by the Assyrians because of her idolatry; yet Judah fell into the same false worship system. Because of this, God will be angrier with Judah because they saw what would happen, making them more responsible for their actions, but ignored their opportunity to repent. In these last days, with all the opportunity to investigate, searching for the truth, will not this generation be help more accountable? Compare with Revelation 3:15-16.

3:9: “committed adultery with stones and with stocks” = In other words, with images made of stone and wood.

3:11: “justified herself” = To claim you are “justified” because you found someone more unrighteous than yourself will not clear you of your sins.

3:14: “one of a city, and two of a family” = Though there only be one in a city, or two out of an entire family, God will “take” those few to “Zion,” i.e., Heaven. God always has a remnant.

3:15: “pastors” = Better, “Shepards” who will teach/guide correctly.

3:16: “they shall say no more, The Ark of the Covenant of the LORD” = Bible commentators say that the Ark of the Covenant will be “no more” because the Shechinah, the Antitype has already come. That is not what is happening here. What is going on is that the people say this. That does not make it true. For, according to Revelation 11:19, It still has Its function, and will always have Its existence. People are still today attempting to get rid of the Law of God.

3:17: “all the nation shall be gathered unto it” = Ater the Third Coming of Christ when the New Jerusalem comes down from God out of Heaven.

CHAPTER FOUR

4:1: “return” = God still tells them, despite all their abominations, that if they will repent Babylon will not overtake them.

4:3: “fallow ground” = Untilled ground. Jeremiah is not talking about real dirt, but the unconsecrated heart. No reputable farmer sows on untilled ground. Nor will our Lord work with a people who have no regard for Him. Like Pharoah, their hearts are hardened.

4:4: “Circumcise. . . your heart” = Jeremiah is quoting Deuteronomy 10:16. Compare with Romans 2:28-29. See also Philippians 3:3.

4:5: “Assemble. . . into the defenced cities” = In those days you fled to the cities for protection. Going into God’s protection through obedience will work better, even if captured or taken over.

4:6: “retire” = Better, “retreat.” But it is too late to stop the coming “destruction” that you brought upon yourselves.

“from the North” = Some Bible commentators say this cannot refer to Babylon, but rather to the Scythians, since they were East of Jerusalem. They base this upon Ezekiel 38:6, where “the house of Togarmah of the north quarters” is mentioned; the Scythians being a part of the Togarmah’s. But history tells us plainly that Babylon destroyed Southern Isreal/Judah. History also tells us that Nebuchadnezzar had his troops follow the Fertile Crescent, which went around the Arabian desert to the East, thus bringing them down upon Isreal “from the North.” Also, there is no recorded history of the Scythians ever invading Judah.

4:7: “The lion” = Daniel 7:4 identifies this “lion” as Babylon. We may not be able to use that here but I don’t believe in coincidences.

4:10: “deceived this people” = Bible commentators wrestle with this verse, for God does not “deceive.” First of all, Jeremiah never prophesied that Israel would have peace. Therefore, the “Septuagint” translates these Hebrew verbs as applying to what these false prophets said. If we stay with Jeremiah saying this, he would be saying that God permitted others to deceive them. Compare with First Kings 22:21-23 & Second Thessalonians 2:11.

4:11 & 12: “wind” = The Hebrew for “wind” is “H7307; ruach,” which is also translated as “spirit.” Thus, the next verses say what this “wind / spirit” will do.

4:15: “Dan. . . Ephraim” = This is just saying that what will take place will happen in Dan and Ephraim, which would cover all of Israel. Because the tribe of Dan was in the Northern most part of the land, while Ephraim was in the southernmost part of the land.

4:19: “My bowels” = Jeremaih now speaking.

4:22 “My people” = Either this reverts back to God speaking, or Jeremaih is still speaking, or both.

“sottish” = Stupid.

4:23: “without form, and void” = Here is my Genesis 1:2 Note: The Hebrew word for “without form” is, “tohuw.” Examples: Job 6:18 & Job 26:7. The Hebrew word for “void” is, “bohuw” (see Jeremiah 4:23). Here, as in Jeremiah 4:23 are the only occurrences of these two Hebrew words together. These two Hebrew words have various meanings apart. However, when they are together, the meaning is that God created without any available materials. See also Psalm 33:6 & 9; Jeremiah 51:15 & 16; Romans 4:17; Hebrews 11:3, which clearly teach us that God did not use previously existing material in order to create this earth. God spoke, and it was. This is what makes Him God, something nothing, no one, no entity, no created being can do. If you cannot understand this concept, please read Job 38:4-6. Note also that the angelic host were witnesses of this event (see Job 38:7).

Consider also Ecclesiastes 3:11: “He hath made every thing beautiful in His time: also He hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.”

“In the formation of our world, God was not beholden to pre-existent substance or matter.” 3MR:208.

“The theory that God did not create matter when He brought the world into existence is without foundation. In the formation of our world, God was not indebted to pre-existing matter. On the contrary, all things, material or spiritual, stood up before the Lord Jehovah at His voice and were created for His Own purpose. The heavens and all the host of them, the earth and all things therein, are not only the work of His hand; they came into existence by the breath of His mouth.” 8T:258.4.

By contrast, this is speaking of the distruction after Christ’s Second Coming. For verse 27 states:

4:27: “will I not make a full end” = That will not take place until after Christ’s Third Coming.

4:28: “heavens above be black” = Here is my Matthew 24:29 Note: These signs (see below) may have been fulfilled historically; meaning, this could be a dual prophecy in that they also are the signs just before our Lord Comes a Second time.

SDA’s: However, only the changed book GC, records this as historical; whereas the original 4SP, does not. See my Study: “4SP VERSES GC [Under SDA].”

Here is the true prophetic meaning:

“It is at midnight that God manifests His power for the deliverance of His people. The sun appears shining in its strength. Startling signs and wonders follow in quick succession. The wicked look with terror and amazement upon the scene, while the righteous behold with solemn joy the tokens of their deliverance [“the tokens of their deliverance” = “signs in the sun, moon, and stars”]. Everything in nature seems turned out of its course. The streams cease to flow. Dark, heavy clouds come up, and clash against each other.” 4SP:453.

“The rabbis, Christ said, would declare that the signs that appeared were tokens of the Advent of the Messiah. But. . . The signs that they argue are tokens of their release from bondage, are signs of their approaching destruction.” ST, February 20, 1901.

Now the historic dual prophecy (if there be one):

“shall the sun be darkened” = “At the close of the great papal persecution, Christ declared, the sun should be darkened, and the moon should not give her light. Next, the stars should fall from heaven.” DA:632.

Stars = November 13, 1833: From “The Journal Of Commerce,” November 14, 1833, by Henry Dana Ward: “No philosopher of scholar has told or recorded an event, I suppose, like that of yesterday morning. A prophet 1800 years ago foretold it exactly, if we will be at the trouble of understanding stars falling to mean falling stars; or ‘hoi asters tou ouranou epesan eis teen geen,’ is the only sense in which it is possible to be literally true.”

From “Wikipedia,” under, “Leonids:” “Because of the storm of 1833 and the recent developments in scientific thought of the time (see for example the identification of Halley’s Comet) the Leonids have had a major effect on the development of the scientific study of meteors which had previously been thought to be atmospheric phenomena. Though it has been suggested the meteor shower-storm has been noted in ancient times it was the meteor storm of 1833 that broke into people’s modern day awareness -- it was of truly superlative strength. One estimate is over one hundred thousand meteors an hour, but another, done as the storm abated, estimated in excess of 240,000 meteors during the nine hours of the storm over the entire region of North America east of the Rocky Mountains.”

“This prophecy received a striking and impressive fulfillment in the great meteoric shower of November 13, 1833.” GC:333.

“The signs in the sun, moon, and stars have been fulfilled.” RH, November 22, 1906; AURA:35 & 248; SW, December 1, 1909.

Sun & Moon = First fulfilled on May 19, 1780: From “Noah Webster’s Dictionary, 1869 Edition:” “The dark day, May 19, 1780 -- so called on account of a remarkable darkness on that day extending over all New England. In some places persons could not see to read common print in the open air for several hours together. Birds sang their evening songs, disappeared, and silent; fowls went to roost; cattle sought the barn-yard; and candles were lighted in the houses. The obscuration began about ten o’clock in the morning, and continued till the middle of the next night, but with differences of degree and duration in different places. For several days previous, the wind had been variable, but chiefly from the south-west and the north-east. The true cause of this remarkable phenomenon is not known.”

From The “Journal Of The Connecticut House Of Representatives,” Friday, May 19, 1780: “A solemn gloom of unusual darkness before ten o’clock, -- a still darker cloud rolling under the sable curtain from the north and west before eleven o’clock, -- excluded the light so that none could see to read or write in the House, even at either window, or distinguish persons at a small distance, or perceive any distinction of dress in the circle of attendants; wherefore, at eleven o’clock adjourned the House till two in the afternoon.”

From The “Massachusetts Spy, Correspondence,” 1780: “During the whole time a sickly, melancholy gloom overcast the face of nature. Nor was the darkness of the night less uncommon and terrifying than that of the day, for notwithstanding there was almost a full moon, no object was discernible but by the help of some artificial light, which seen from the neighboring houses and other places at a distance appeared through a kind of Egyptian darkness which seemed almost impervious to its rays. This unusual phenomenon excited the fears and apprehensions of many people.”

“On the 19th of May, 1780, this prophecy was fulfilled.” GC:306.

“May 19, 1780, stands in history as ‘The Dark Day.’ Since the time of Moses, no period of darkness of equal density, extent, and duration has ever been recorded.” GC88:308; GC:308.

“On May 19, 1780, the sun was darkened. That day is known in history as ‘the dark day.’ In the eastern part of North America, so great was the darkness that in many places the people had to light candles at noonday. And until after midnight the moon, though at its full, gave no light.” SJ:176.

“These signs were witnessed before the opening of the nineteenth century. In fulfillment of this prophecy there occurred, in the year 1755, the most terrible earthquake that has ever been recorded. Though commonly known as the earthquake of Lisbon, it extended to the greater part of Europe, Africa, and America. . . [305]

“Twenty-five years later appeared the next sign mentioned in the prophecy, -- the darkening of the sun and moon. What rendered this more striking was the fact that the [306]

“time of its fulfillment had been definitely pointed out. In the Saviour’s conversation with His disciples upon Olivet, after describing the long period of trial for the Church, -- the 1260 years of papal persecution, concerning which He had promised that the tribulation should be shortened, -- He then mentioned certain events to precede His Coming, and fixed the time when the first of these should be witnessed: ‘In those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light.’ {Mark 13:24} The 1260 days, or years, terminated in 1798. A quarter of a century earlier, persecution had almost wholly ceased. Following this persecution, according to the Words of Christ, the sun was to be darkened. On the 19th of May, 1780, this prophecy was fulfilled.” GC88:304 -306.

This is a dual prophecy in that it will again take place just before Christ’s Second Coming as described in Revelation 16:10 & 16:18.

“the powers of the heavens shall be shaken” = “I saw that when the Lord said ‘heaven’ (in giving the signs recorded by Matthew, Mark and Luke), He meant heaven, and when He said ‘earth’ He meant earth. The powers of heaven, are the Sun, Moon and Stars; they rule in the heavens. The powers of earth are those who bear rule on the earth. The powers of heaven will be shaken at the voice of God. Then the Sun, Moon, and Stars will be moved out of their places. They will not pass away, but be shaken by the voice of God.” PT:24; Broadside2, January 31, 1849; CET:111; EW:41; ExV:23; RH, August 1, 1849.

4:29: “and climb up upon the rocks” = See Hosea 10:8; Luke 23:30; Revelation 6:16. This is Second Coming events.

4:30: “clothest thyself” = Can you cover your own sins?

CHAPTER FIVE

5:1: “a man” = Couldn’t even find one man. Forget that Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 18:23-33) couldn’t produce 5 men.

5:10: “make not a full end” = God always has and finds a remnant.

5:17: “they shall eat up” = Compare with Isaiah 65:22.

5:24: “rain, both the former and the latter” = The “former” being the First Coming of our Lord; while the “latter” will be the Second Coming of our Lord.

Here is my Revelation 14:14-20 Note: Revelation 14, Verses 14-17, are referring to the Second Coming; while verses 18-20 are referring to the Third Coming of our Lord.

This Command, also used in verse 18, is a direct allusion to Joel 3:13, and has the eschatological meaning of the last of the harvests to be gathered at the end of the harvest season. It is used by our Lord in Mark 4:29. However, in Matthew 13:39-43, we are told that the “reapers” are God’s “angels.” And in the parable of the fish caught in the net, angels are the ones who separate the wicked from the righteous. And the role of God’s angels as “reapers,” sent by Jesus, to gather the righteous for the habitation of the kingdom of Heaven, is further affirmed in our Lord’s discourse upon the Mount of Olives (see Mat. 24:31; Mark 13:27).

Thus, this is none other than the “latter rain,” which equals “the baptism of the Holy Spirit.” EV:701; FLB:246, 333.

“The outpouring of the Spirit in the days of the apostles was the ‘former rain,’ and glorious was the result. But the ‘latter rain’ will be more abundant.” AUCR, June 1, 1904; ChS:251; ST, Feb. 17, 1914; Ev:701; 8T:21; ML:60; YRP:287, 307. [SDA’s: Last sentence left out of AA:54-55 and LDE:184, but it is in LDE:185].

“In the East the former rain falls at the sowing-time. It is necessary in order that the seed may germinate [The Christian life begins]. Under the influence of the fertilizing showers [the Holy Spirit], the tender shoot springs up. The latter rain, falling near the close of the season {CLOSE OF PROBATION}, ripens the grain, and prepares it for the sickle {the SECOND COMING of our Lord}. The Lord employs these operations of nature to represent the work of the Holy Spirit [meaning, the rain represents the Holy Spirit]. As the dew and the rain are given first to cause the seed to germinate, and then to ripen the harvest, so the Holy Spirit is given to carry forward, from one stage to another, the process of spiritual growth. The ripening of the grain represents the completion of the work of God’s grace in the soul [the latter rain]. By the power of the Holy Spirit the moral image of God is to be perfected [ready for transformation to Heaven] in the character. We are to be wholly transformed into the likeness of Christ {ready for His SECOND COMING}.

“Many have in a great measure failed to receive the former rain [the Holy Spirit]. They have not obtained all the benefits that God has thus provided for them. They expect that the lack will be supplied by the latter rain {OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT}. When the richest abundance of grace shall be bestowed, they intend to open their hearts to receive it. They are making a terrible mistake. The work that God has begun in the human heart in giving His light and knowledge, must be continually going forward. Every individual must realize his own necessity. The heart must be emptied of every defilement [perfection of character], and cleansed for the indwelling of the Spirit. It was by the confession and forsaking of sin, by earnest prayer and consecration of themselves to God, that the early disciples prepared for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit {THERE YOU HAVE IT; “the outpouring of the Holy Spirit”} on the day of Pentecost. The same work, only in greater degree, must be done now. Then the human agent had only to ask for the blessing {“Ask ye of the Lord rain”}, and wait for the Lord to perfect {“PERFECT”} the work concerning him. It is God Who began the work, and He will finish His work, making man complete {PERFECT} in Jesus Christ. But there must be no neglect of the grace represented by the former rain {the Holy Spirit}. Only those who are living up to the light they have, will receive greater light. Unless we are daily advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian virtues, we shall not recognize the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain {OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT}. It may be falling on hearts all around us, but we shall not discern or receive it.” RH, March 2, 1897, par. 1-4.

In addition, FLB:333; Mar:256; AG:220 add: “But near the close of earth’s harvest, a special bestowal of spiritual grace is promised to prepare the Church for the Coming of the Son of man. This outpouring of the Spirit is likened to the falling of the latter rain.”

“Under the figure of the early and the latter rain, that falls in Eastern lands at seedtime and harvest, the Hebrew prophets foretold the bestowal of spiritual grace in extraordinary measure upon God’s Church. The outpouring of the Spirit in the days of the apostles was the beginning of the early, or [55] former, rain, and glorious was the result. To the end of time the presence of the Spirit is to abide with the true Church. But near the close of earth’s harvest, a special bestowal of spiritual grace is promised to prepare the Church for the coming of the Son of man. This outpouring of the Spirit is likened to the falling of the latter rain; and it is for this added power that Christians are to send their petitions to the Lord of the harvest. . .” AA:54-55; ChS:250-251; FLB:333; AG:220; Mar. 256; OFC:212; YRP:316.

“I saw that many were neglecting the preparation so needful and were looking to the time of ‘refreshing’ and the ‘latter rain’ to fit them to stand in the day of the Lord and to live in His sight. Oh, how many I saw in the time of trouble without a shelter! They had neglected the needful preparation; therefore they could not receive the refreshing that all must have to fit them to live in the sight of a holy God.” EW:71.

“We should improve every opportunity of placing ourselves in the channel of blessing. . . The convocations of the Church, as in camp meetings, the assemblies of the home Church, and all occasions where there is personal labor for souls, are God’s appointed opportunities for giving the early and the latter rain.” FLB:246.

“The latter rain, ripening earth’s harvest, represents the spiritual grace that prepares the Church for the Coming of the Son of man. But unless the former rain has fallen, there will be no life; the green blade will not spring up. Unless the early showers have done their work, the latter rain can bring no seed to perfection. . .

“There must be a constant development of Christian virtue, a constant advancement in Christian experience. . .

“Every individual must realize his own necessity. The heart must be emptied of every defilement, and cleansed for the indwelling of the Spirit. It was by the confession and forsaking of sin, by earnest prayer and consecration of themselves to God, that the early disciples prepared for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The same work, only in greater degree, must be done now. . .

“There must be no neglect of the grace represented by the former rain. Only those who are living up to the light they have, will receive greater light. Unless we are daily advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian virtues, we shall not recognize the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain. It may be falling on hearts all around us, but we shall not discern or receive it.” FLB:333.

“While we cherish the blessing of the early rain, we must not, on the other hand, lose sight of the fact that without the latter rain, to fill out the ears and ripen the grain, the harvest will not be ready for the sickle, and the labor of the sower will have been in vain. Divine grace is needed at the beginning, Divine grace at every step of advance, and Divine grace alone can complete the work.” FLB:334.

5:25: “your sins have withholden good things from you” = Consider your own sins. Consider also that God loves us too much to allow us to prosper in disobedience. You may say, “Well what about the rich unrighteous people who proper despite their obvious disobedience.” Keep in mind that our God is ALWAYS gracious. He looks at them and knows that this is their only Heaven on earth.

5:31: “priests bear rule by their means” = To put that in modern English. “They have the finest judges money can buy.”

CHAPTER SIX

6:1: “Tekoa” = Tekoa is about 12 miles south of Jerusalem. It was also the hometown of the prophet Amos (Amos 1:1). The meaning of Tekoa is “sound (like that of a trumpet blast).

“Bethhaccerem” = Means, “House of the Vineyard.”

“appeareth out of the North” = Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar defeats Egypt at the Battle of Carchemish and therefore is ready to take Jerusalem. The next few verses describe what his army is saying within the ranks.

6:7: “she casteth out her wickedness” = Jerusalem’s “wickedness” is so bad it is openly “violent.” No shame and no remorse leading to no repentance which is why God allow her to be overtaken.

6:8: “Be thou instructed” = Another way of phrasing God’s real desire, i.e., “repent.”

6:9: “turn back thine hand as a grapegatherer into the baskets” = As a grape gatherer continues to gather the grapes from off the vine, so our Lord will “thoroughly glean” what remains, i.e., the “remnant” of Israel.

6:10: “their ears are not circumcised” = Meaning, they are not spiritually committed to their God.

Jeremiah 6:14; Jeremiah 8:11; Ezekiel 15:10: “Peace, peace; when there is no peace” = Who is saying “Peace and safety?” From 8T:250-251 we read: “[250] God has not changed toward His faithful servants who are keeping their garments spotless. But many are crying, ‘Peace and safety,’ while sudden destruction is coming upon them. Unless there is thorough repentance, unless men humble their hearts by confession and receive the truth as it is in Jesus, they will never enter Heaven. When purification shall take place in our ranks, we shall no longer rest at ease, boasting of being rich and increased with goods, in need of nothing.

“Who can truthfully say: ‘Our gold is tried in the fire; our garments are unspotted by the world?’ I saw our Instructor pointing to the garments of so-called righteousness. Stripping them off, He laid bare the defilement beneath. Then He said to me: ‘Can you not see how they have pretentiously covered up their defilement and rottenness of character? ‘How is the faithful city become an harlot!’ My Father’s house is made a house of merchandise, a place whence the Divine presence and glory have departed! For this cause there is weakness, and strength is lacking.’

“Unless the Church, which is now being leavened with her own backsliding, shall repent and be converted, she will eat of the fruit of her own doing, until she shall abhor herself. When she resists the evil and chooses the good, when she seeks God with all humility and reaches her high calling in Christ, standing on the platform of eternal truth and by faith laying hold upon the attainments prepared for her, she will be healed. She will appear in her God-given simplicity and [251]

“purity, separate from earthly entanglements, showing that the truth has made her free indeed. Then her members will indeed be the chosen of God, His representatives.

“The time has come for a thorough reformation to take place. When this reformation begins, the spirit of prayer will actuate every believer and will banish from the Church the spirit of discord and strife. Those who have not been living in Christian fellowship [not going to Church at all] will draw close to one another. One member working in right lines will lead other members to unite with him in making intercession for the revelation of the Holy Spirit. There will be no confusion, because all will be in harmony with the mind of the Spirit. The barriers separating believer from believer will be broken down, and God’s servants will speak the same things.”

6:19: “unto My Words, nor to My Law” = God could give Israel more time to repent of “covetousness” as an example. But our God will not tolerate the breaking and unrepentance of His Moral Law. In Chapter Nine is brought out better the concept of “obedience” to God’s Holy Law of being of the utmost importance.

6:21: “stumblingblocks” = Which are the prophets of God sent to them; with the ultimate “Stumblingblock” being the Lord Jesus Christ.

6:22 & 23: “[22] from the north. . . [23] they ride upon horses” = Again, this would be Babylon. What is interesting about the “horses” statement, is that the Egyptians invented the chariots; whereas the Babylonians invented the use of “horses” as cavalry.

6:29: “melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away” = “In vain” our Lord attempted to reason with Israel, but they held onto their wickedness like dross in the blacksmiths fire no matter how hot.

6:30: “Reprobate silver” = The only thing our Lord could get out of the refiner’s fire was silver that was useless and tossed away. Something to take note of is that you burn silver to get rid of its impurities, not to destroy it. Our Lord was and is still looking for a remnant that will be obedient to Him. The concept is that the process is not supposed to be destructive, but purifying.

CHAPTER SEVEN

7:ALL: Most likely this Chapter was presented during the reign of Jehoiakim; after the killing in the battle against Egypt in which Josiah died and should not have joined in. Kind Jehoahaz followed Josiah, but only reigned for 3 months. Then came Jehoiakim.

It is believed by scholars that this is Jeremiahs first public discourse. For background see Second Kings 18:13-19:37. That discourse ends with the delivery of Jerusalem in about B.C. 701 under the reign of Hezekiah. What is interesting about B.C. 701, when Hezekiah is told he would have 15 more years added to his life (2Ki. 20:6), all the calendars of the Earth where changed. Confirmed by seeing Hebrew, Chinese, Chaldean, Mayan, Romans, and others histories. They all used the 360 day years and 30-day months. As an example, the Romans added 4 and a quarter days to their year. The Hebrews added an entire month every 3 to 4 years.

Jeremiah will now proceed to attack the Temple of God. Why? Because the Jewish people were beginning to worship the Temple as God instead of God Himself. If you worship your church without understanding or investigating its doctrine, you essentially are in the same boat.

7:4: “The Temple of the LORD” = Notice that they believe the Temple will protect them. Jeremiah will tell them that this is silly. Only obedience to the God of the Temple can save them. See Micah 6:8.

7:10: “stand before me in this house” = Notice that these idols and the “abominations” that they did with them was done in the Temple of the Lord.

7:11: “which is called by My Name” = Jesus combines this verse with Isaiah 56:7. See Matthew 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46. Both Jeremiah and Jesus prophecy of Jerusalem’s destruction.

7:12: “Shiloh” = Shiloh was about 18 miles North of Jerusalem. It housed the Ark of the Covenant after the conquest of Canaan. See Joshua 18:1; 22:12; Judges 21:19; First Samuel 1:9 & 24. Why is Jeremiah bringing Shiloh up. It is because this is where the Northern kingdom first fell into idolatry; in the Temple of the Lord at that time. And he stresses that what happened to the Northern kingdom (taken over by the Assyrians), will also take place to the Southern kingdom if they do not repent. Prior to that, in about B.C. 1050, the Philistines destroyed Shiloh, capturing the Ark of the Covenant at the battle of Ebenezer. See First Samuel, Chapter Four. Also see Psalm 78:56-64.

Thus, Jeremiah’s analogy is that Shiloh is to the period of the Judges, allowing the Philistines to overtake Isreal, as Jerusalem is to the period of the Kings, allowing the Babylonians to overtake Jerusalem.

7:15: “Ephraim” = Here Ephraim is used idiomatically to infer the entire Northern tribes of Israel, not just the tribe of Ephraim.

7:16: “pray not” = This is Close of Probation language. But always remember that God has a remnant somewhere.

7:18: “queen of heaven” = The Assyrian and Babylonian goddess “Ishtar.” Ishtar was worshipped in connection with the planet Venus. Consider songs today hailing Venus. Venus is the Roman name for Ishtar. And the original Canaanite name was Ishtartae (see Jer. 44:17); which is a variation of Ishtar.

She was known as the goddess of love and fertility and made prominent during the reign of Manasseh (2Ki. 21:1-9) of the Northern kingdom. Sometime prior to this, he it was that is credited for having Isaiah sawn in half. Ishtar was introduced to Judah and the Southern kingdom by Jehoiakim. You may also link this “queen of heaven” term to Jezebel (1Ki. Chps. 16-21), the champion of idolatry and the worship of Ba-al. Her name comes up in the Book of Revelation (2:20).

7:21: “Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh” = That is, add offering to offering. They were told to join them together in order to have enough to eat; for that is the entire blessing they would receive. Had they obeyed, God would have honored their sacrifices. Now that they have refused to obey, He will no longer bless them.

7:22: “For I spake not unto your fathers, nor Commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices” = This is a STARTLING VERSE, in that, had Israel obeyed our Lord’s Voice, the sacrificial system (set up in order to remember the Words of our Lord) might not have been so extensive with all its specific ceremonies.

God did Command them, but it was secondary to obedience to Him. The more we sin the more God has to help us deal with it, adding more tests, to rid it from us. The bottom line is, God’s Moral Law is paramount over His ritual Laws. This concept of obedience before worship is found throughout the Old Testament. An examples would be Psalm 51:16-19.

Here is the “Scofield Reference Notes:” “the threefold giving of the law. The command concerning burnt-offerings and sacrifices was not given to the people till they had broken the Decalogue, the law of obedience.”

From the “Geneva Bible Translation Notes:” “Showing that it was not his chief purpose and intent, that they should offer sacrifices, but that they should regard, why they were ordained: that is, to be joined to the word as seals and confirmations of remissions of sins in Christ: for without the word they were vain and unprofitable.”

From “Albert Barns Notes On The Bible:” “Sacrifice is never the final cause of the covenant, but always obedience.”

7:27: “they will not answer thee” = Compare with Isaiah 6:9-11.

7:29: “Cut off thine hair” = This comes from the concept of a Nazarite vow. See Numbers 6:5. One was not to take a razor to one’s head. Consider the account of Samson and Delilah (Jud. Chps. 13-16). But these disobedient people should “cut off their hair” because they are obviously disobedient to any vow they have and may have made with the Lord.

What is interesting to note, is that “Jerusalem” is a supplied word. The Hebrew word for “hair” used here, “H5145; nezer,” is used in the feminine format, i.e., “woman’s hair,” which is applying it specifically to the city of Jerusalem. Thus, the supplied word is very accurate.

“take up a lamentation on high places” = Since you don’t want My (the Lord’s) help, see if you can get your false gods in the “high places” to help you.

7:30: “in the house which is called by My Name” = Once again the Lord points out that they were bringing their idols into the Temple. See Second Kings 21:5 & 23:4-7.

7:31: “Tophet. . . to burn their sons and their daughters” = From “John Gills Exposition of the Bible,” we read what Jarchi states about this: “by putting them into the arms of the brazen image Moloch, heated hot. The account he gives of Tophet is this, ‘Tophet is Moloch, which was made of brass; and they heated him from his lower parts; and his hands being stretched out, and made hot, they put the child between his hands, and it was burnt; when it vehemently cried out; but the priests beat a drum, that the father might not hear the voice of his son, and his heart might not be moved.’ ”

Tophet is also a nickname for Ba-al. Molech is known as the fire god. See Leviticus 18:21 & 20:2-5. The cult of infant sacrifice was originally from the Carthaginians and was subsequently introduced to the Phewnicians and finally was introduced to the Israelites here.

7:33: “frey” = An old English word meaning, to “frighten.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

8:ALL: It is believed that verses 1-3 actually should belong to Chapter 7. Also note that the ancients dreaded the thought of not being buried after death. See Deuteronomy 28:26 & Isaiah 18:6. And, if you didn’t notice how upset God was in the previous Chapter, woe to those who the next few verses apply to.

8:2 & 3: “[2] kings of Judah. . . princes. . . priests. . . prophets. . . inhabitants of Jerusalem. . . [3] loved. . . served. . . walked [after]. . . sought [after]. . . worshipped.” = Notice the grouping of five groups of worshipers and the five things they did by worshiping these false things when they were alive.

In God’s final anger, spelled out in the plagues of the Book of Revelation, God pours out His anger into the “air,” Revelation 16:17. Why the “air?” Because that is where the “prince of the power of the air” dwells (Eph. 2:2).

8:3: “death” = Compare with Leviticus 26:32-39, where the land was abused for 490 years, meaning that Israel would be in captivity for 70 years. See Jeremiah 25:11-12 & 29:10 for the captivity in Babylon. But after they refuse their own Messiah, see Deuteronomy 28:64-67.

8:4: “not arise” = Although this group are lost, God always has a remnant somewhere.

8:7: “turtle” = Meaning, the “turtle dove.” These all mentioned are migratory birds who know when to move and when to stay. But Israel doesn’t know enough about how to serve their own God. In other words, look to the birds for help in understanding how you should conduct yourself with God. Or better, these birds are smarter than God’s people.

8:8: “certainly in vain made He it” = The “he” in this verse, along with “it,” is actually a supplied word. I have taken the liberty of making the supplied word as meaning God, agreeing with most translations. I compared this verse to Hosea 8:12, and concluded that God’s “Law” has been “rejected,” verse 9. Why? Because for certain “scribes” It has no benefit or instruction for them.

This verse does NOT mean that the “scribes” altered the writing down of God’s Law. But that for them God’s Law was written “in vain;” stated twice in this verse, because they do not give service to It.

8:11: “Peace, peace” = See my Jeremiah 6:14 Note.

8:13: “grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree” = This would put us in the month of Av, our August.

8:16: “horses was heard” = Since “horses” were banned from Israel (Deu. 17:16), what was “heard” were the Babylonian horses coming to attack Israel.

8:20: “harvest is past” = Barley and Wheat were harvested in April through June. Figs, Grapes, and Pomegranates were harvested in August and September. Olives were harvested in October. The point is, you know when to harvest your produce, but not when to worship your God; the Only One Who can “save” you. The time of your salvation period “is past.” This is Close of Probation language.

8:22: “balm in Gilead” = Now famous in many of today’s songs. Why? Gilead is East of Jordan and North of Moab. Gilead is known for its “storax tree,” with its resin and gum that have healing agents. See Genesis 37:25; Jeremiah 46:11; 51:8; Ezekiel 27:17. Obviously our Lord is the only One Who can heal them. God is just using a metaphor here.

“daughter” = The “daughter” in this passage that is meant is the daughter of Zion, the city of Jerusalem, or the nation of Judah.

CHAPTER NINE

9:1: “weep” = As mentioned in my introduction, Jeremiah is the author of the Book of Lamentations and as such is known as “the weeping prophet.” See Lamentations 2:11 & 3:48 & Jeremiah 9:1.

“daughter” = Again, see my Jeremiah 8:22 Note.

9:3: “bow for lies” = Since the “tongues” are “bows,” the “lies” must equal the arrows shot.

9:14: “Baalim” = Baalim is just the plural of Ba-al. By using the Plural form, Jeremiah may be pointing out that they keep returning to the worship of this false god just like their fathers kept doing.

9:15: “wormwood” = Meaning, “bitter food.” The Hebrew being, “H3939; la’anah.” In Proverbs 5:4, it describes “wormwood” as a bitter adulteress. With that explanation, Isreal is not only classed as being a prostitute. But one who is also bitter against her God. Being mad at God for the calamities you yourself caused sounds normal for Israel.

In Revelation 8:11, “Wormwood” is a symbol of God’s bitterness towards disobedience and Divine punishment for apostasy. Jesus warned of false prophets who would seduce the people of God with their deceptive teachings (see Mat. 24:4-5 & 11 & 23-24); and Paul did the same in his farewell address to the Ephesians in Acts 20:26-31 (similar predictions are found in other portions of Scripture in 1Ti. 4:1-2; 2Ti. 4:3-4; 2Pe. 2:1-3; 1Jo. 1:18-19; 4:1; Jude 1:3-4). This reminds me of the text in First Peter 4:17: “that judgment must begin at the house of God.”

9:19: “spoiled” = The meaning is not like a spoiled child. But rather, “spoiled” as if taken over by an enemy.

CHAPTER TEN

10:2: “signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them” = Any change in the sun, moon, or stars was a cause of alarm in ancient times; for lack of understanding why.

10:3 & 4: “[3] tree. . . [4] deck it with silver and with gold” = Associate this to the modern-day Christmas tree if you will. But the point here is, and in your home if you do, they were worshiping the tree. Noticing that they made this thing with “[3] the work of the hands.” And only the true God deserves worship.

10:5: “palm tree” = The Hebrew is “H8560; tomer,” which is a masculine noun meaning a palm tree. It is referred to as the place where Deborah sat to render judgment in Israel (Jud. 4:5). These false gods were thought to give judgement to the people. But only the True God can do that.

Palm tree groves were trimmed and made into pagan fertility offering places and where the Canaanites had sex orgies in order to worship these false gods made with their own hands. This is why God Commanded to never have any of His altars built on the hilltops by the trees or groves. See Deuteronomy 12:2-5.

“they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good” = Although Jeremiah is stating that these made with hands cannot hurt you, he is using poetic language, and in reality, if you are worshipping these things, you are in danger of God’s wrath. Consider also that behind every idol is a demon or demons. Consider the Ouija Board and seances, which are just “portals” to the demonic realm.

10:9: “founder” = Better, “gold smith.”

10:11: “them” = What is interesting about verse 11, is that it is written in Aramaic/Chaldean. Apparently, Jeremiah wanted the heathen nations to read this verse in their own language. God wanted “them” to know what they were truly worshipping.

10:14: “brutish” = Better, “stupid.”

“founder” = Better, “gold smith.”

10:21: “pastors” = Better, the “leaders” of the nation.

“brutish” = Better, “stupid.”

10:23: “not in man that walketh to direct his steps” = Most men try. But when you step outside of God’s Will your only Heaven will be what you achieve upon this earth. Enjoy this short time period you have chosen. See Psalm 37:25; Proverbs 16:9; 20:24.

“correct me, but with judgment” = Do not ask for God’s judgment. For we are deserving of punishment. Always ask for His mercy. The Hebrew is “H4941; mishpat,” meaning “justice; judgment; the act of deciding a case.”

10:25: “Pour out” = This verse is recited during the annual Passover Sadar.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

11:2: “this covenant” = Which “covenant?” The one which is to follow. But it is nothing new. Verse 4 tells us that God wants them to “Obey” that which was given before unto their “fathers.”

11:4: “iron furnace” = God’s purpose has always been to refine and purify His people. Our work is to obey; God’s can then do His work of cleansing us of unrighteousness.

11:5: “That I may perform the oath” = As with all “covenants,” and “oaths,” and promises,” and “prophecies,” lack of “obedience” to the conditions negates the “oath.” Jeremiah is given the same curse as was in Deuteronomy 11:28; 27:26; 28;15-19; 29:20-21.

“milk and honey” = This promise is found in Exodus 3:8.

“So be it” = This is just another way of saying, “Amen.”

11:14: “pray not” = Stated here and two other times (7:16; 14:11).

11:16: = “green olive tree. . . branches” = Paul, in Romans, Chapter Eleven, takes these idioms and runs with it, using the grafting in of the gentiles because of the disobedience of the Israelites.

11:17: “the house of Israel and of the house of Judah” = Israel was judged and taken captive 100 years before for their iniquities by the Assyrians. But Judah, knowing their history and failing to repent, will be held more accountable and be punished even worse than they. How much more us, who know and have in our possession all of this history, refuse to study and learn what it is our Lord wants from us. Start with obedience, then you may learn what He has in design for your life.

“against themselves” = And God of course. But notice, disobedience to God becomes to their own detriment.

11:18-19: “[18] then Thou shewedst me their doings [19] But I was like a Lamb” = Jeremiah is equating himself with Jesus by quoting Isaiah 53:7-8, making himself to be a martyr, as will be the Messiah; since all the leaders hate him and want to kill him; considering him to be a traitor.

11:19: “devices against me” = According to verse 18, “the LORD hath given me knowledge of it.” That is, the secret plot to have him killed as a “traitor,” which is understood by the phrase, “tree with the fruit.” Meaning, one who is planted in that particular country and should supply good fruit for one’s own country. But Jeremiahs prophecies were damming instead of praising.

11:21 “Anathoth, that seek thy life” = Notice that the people that have dreamed up this plot to kill Jeremiah were form his very home town. See Jeremiah 1:1. In other words, his own family, his friends, and any others who knew his true character, still turned against him. So shall it be in the last days. See Psalm 27:10; 55:12-14; Micah 7:6; Matthew 10:21 & 34-36; Luke 12:51-53; John 15:20.

11:23: “no remnant” = Since God normally always has a “remnant” people, this is strange. But it also points out the absolute wickedness of the town of Anathoth. He just could not find any in Anathoth. The fact that there is a remnant is seen in Jeremaih 12:15. It is estimated that 30,000 returned to Israel under the decree of Cyrus the Great. In comparison, it is estimated, from Esther 9:16, that 75,000 Iranians, who wanted to kill the Jews despite the decree not to, were killed. Considering that only male Jews defended themselves and that there are a wife and two children per family, that would total about 300,000 Jews who lived under the Persian rule. Therefore, the “remnant” would equal 10%.

CHAPTER TWELVE

12:ALL: This Chapter deals with the prosperity of the wicked. David discusses this in Psalms 37 & 73, to name a few. The Old Testament prophets harped upon this a lot. Further down in history to our time, we have a better understanding of it and don’t mind it as much as they did.

12:2: “reins” = Better, “heart.” It is one thing to have a stranger derail you. But it is another to have one who is “hear in their mouth,” i.e., a close family or friend, who hates you.

12:5: “thou hast run with the footmen” = Our Lord’s answer is, “You have run so far with these people and you think these are trials? Greater trials of faith are yet in store for you. You kept up with the footmen. Just wait until you must run against the horses.”

12:9: “speckled bird” = The “Septuagint” translates this a an “hyena.” Regardless. The point is, birds always attack a strange bird that gets into their territory; that doesn’t fit in with the rest of the flock. Jeremiah is no longer considered to be an Israelite. Or at least, on the side of Israel, This draws back to the traitor aspect he has on his head.

12:10: “pastors” = Meaning, the leaders of Judah. They dismissd the Word of God from Jeremiah.

12:11: “because no man layeth it to heart” = This might be more to the point of why our Lord ultimately will forsake Israel and us; not because of the worship of meaningless idols, or even disobeying His Commandments, but that they (we) did not take to heart, or took any notice of the judgment threatened, which was foretold by the prophets.

12:13: “put themselves to pain” = Caused their own pain. This may also have reference to cutting themselves in their ceremonies with their false gods.

“and they shall be ashamed of your revenues” = Form “Jason, Fausset, and Brown’s Bible Commentary” we read: “The change of persons, in passing from indirect to direct address, is frequent in the prophets. Equivalent to, ‘Ye shall be put to the shame of disappointment at the smallness of your produce.’ ”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

13:1: “get” = The word “get” has connotations of “stealing, or taking what doesn’t belong to you and being sneaky about it.” The Hebrew is “H7069; qanah,” and is better translated as “purchase; or buy; acquire by money.”

“put it not in water” = This was to signify the moral filth of the people, like the literal filth of a garment which is constantly worn next the skin, without being changed or washed. Whether or not this “girdle” was clean to start with, the text does not teach us. It may better signify that the Israelites were originally selected by our Lord by virtue of His own mercy, i.e., without any merits of their own, rough, not clean, unwashed as they were. However, instead of becoming better, as verse 7 indicates, they only became worse.

13:4: “Euphrates” = Many Bible commentators have a problem with this because of critics who say this could not be done. Why? The Euphrates is over 100 miles away from Anathoth. This becomes even more challenging if you consider that Jeremaih made the trip twice (verse 7). That it can be done seems to be overlooked the way most critics handle the Scriptures.

By contrast, the Hebrew for “Euphrates” is “H6578; perath,” and if we consider just the first part, which we shouldn’t do, that being “Para,” as some manuscripts have it, that would translate to the “Wadi al-Fara,” which is a river only three miles Northeast of Anathoth.

However, if we consider the context, yes, context context context, the Euphrates River is on the boarder of Babylon, which is the force that will be destroying unrepentant Israel. And for Jeremiah to go there is to build even more on the impending doom.

13:7: “the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing” = See my Jeremiah 13:1 Note. Just as the belt had been ruined, the pride of the nation would be also. As a belt clings to a man’s waist, Israel had once clung to the Lord, and they were His source of praise and glory. But they had become tarnished and spoiled by contact with the surrounding cultures.

Some scholars believe this refers rather to the intimate undergarment. And as such, the thought is that being that familiar with God, they should have known better than to disobey Him. See Exodus 19:6 & Luke 12:35. These garments were known to be a symbol of service by the priests.

13:12: “wine” = The Hebrew is “H3196; yayin,” meaning, of the fermented type. In other words, so full of themselves and their business that they have no need of God in their lives.

13:15: “proud” = What is the real problem? PRIDE. Too proud to admit they need repentance. Consider John 3:91 & Ephesians 4:17-18.

13:16: “darkness” = Amos describes this a a “famine for God’s Word,” 8:11.

13:17: “pride” = It was the “pride” of Satan that caused his fall (Isa, 14:12-14).

13:18: “Say unto the king and the queen” = The king would b Jehoiachin. Why the “queen?” Possibly because Jehoiachin would be only about eighteen at this time. See First Kings 2:19; 15:13; Second Kings 10:13.

13:23: “then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil” = This statement should end in a question mark. What our Lord is alluding to, is that Israel is so corrupt that their chance of doing anything good is equivalent to a leopard that will never be able to change its spots.

13:26: “discover thy skirts upon thy face” = In Jeremiahs day, lifting a prostitutes dress up into their face and exposing them was very shameful. Just so will God shame Israel for their rejection of Him.

13:27: “neighings” = As in the sound of a horse.d. The Hebrew is “H4684; matshalah,” meaning, used as a feminine plural noun identifying the neighing of a horse; it indicates the neighing of horses getting ready for battle in Jeremiah 8:16. But here and else ware, it is used figuratively of Israel’s rebellious neighing for her lewd suitors.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

14:7: “for Thy Name’s sake” = Taking a backwards way of getting God to recant. Jeremiah is not the first to use this line of appeal. See First Kings 8:41; Psalm 25:11; 31:3; 79:9; 109:21; 143:11; 14:7; 14:21.

14:8: “the Hope of Isreal” = Jeremiah uses this identification phrase of God here and in Jeremiah 17:7 & 13; 50:7. Paul picks up on this in Acts 28:20; Colossians 1:27; First Timothy 1:1.

14:12: “sword. . . famine. . . pestilence” = Twelve times are two of these three things linked together in the Book of Jeremiah as God’s judgment for Israels sins. Sword and famine in Jeremiah 11:22; 14:12; 14:13; 14:16; 14:18; 15:2; 16:4; 18:21; 42:16; 44:12; 44:18; 44:27.

Sword, famine, and pestilence are linked together 15 times in Jeremiah 14:12; 21:7; 21:9; 24:10; 27:8; 27:13; 29:17; 29:18; 32:24; 32:36; 34:17; 38:2; 42:17; 42:22; 44:13.

14:14: “deceit of their heart” = Self-deceived. Compare with Second Timothy 4:3-4.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

15:1: “Moses and Samuel” = The point is, neither Moses or Samuel through their interceding for the people could get the people to repent.

15:4: “because of Manasseh” = All because of one man? Doubtful. By contrast, as the leader of God’s people, he is held as being the most responsible. The “Targum” and “Talmud” state it this way, “because they turned not (or were not converted) as Manasseh,” T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 102. 2. However, it was Manasseh that promoted gross forms of idolatry (see 2Ki. 21:6 & 9 & 11, and especially verse 16; Chapters 23:26; 24:3-4).

15:6: “I am weary with repenting” = When our Lord reaches this experience with the way we behave towards Him, this is the sin against the Holy Spirit; which brings ones Close of Probation.

15:7: “I will fan them with a fan” = The second Hebrew word for “fan” is, “H4214; mizreh.” It means, “a winnowing shovel,” as used in scattering the chaff. Or better, to separate the chaff from the wheat (see Matthew 3:12). Now the meaning of our Lord’s statement is clear. He will separate out for himself the righteous. Again, a remnant.

15:9: “hath borne seven” = In the Jewish mindset, for a woman to have born a son is happiness. For a woman to have born seven sons is to have complete happiness and a full family. By contrast, to lose all seven sons in one day is the worst of tragedies. It is a Jewish proverb of saying “Complete happiness is short lived.”

15:10: “neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury” = Jeremiah is saying that there is no reason for anyone to be upset with him for business reasons. His point is, borrowing normally brings up strife. He has not borrowed from anyone. Therefore, why are you mad at him without a cause?

15:12: “Shall iron break the northern iron and the steel” = In other words, can the Hebrews, though they be like common iron, break the steel of the Chaldees of the north (see Jer. 1:14)?

15:16: “I did eat them” = Of course compare this to Revelation 10:9-10. But compare also with Ezekiel 2:8-3:3. The Holy Spirit is saying don’t just read My Words, internalize Them.

15:19: “if thou return” = If you repent. What is interesting, after this point Jeremiah never complains again.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

16:ALL: Most likely around the 4th year of Jehoiakim. See Second Kings 24:1-2.

16:2: “not take thee a wife” = This was to be a sign to the Israelites that God is serious about what is coming and God’s judgement is imminent.

16:6: “nor cut themselves, nor make themselves bald” = This, although a normal practice (here; Jer. 41:5; 47:5; Eze. 7:18; Amos 8:10; Mic. 1:16), was learned from the Canaanites of the land and was forbidden in the “Torah” Leviticus 19:28; 21:5; Deuteronomy 14:1.

16:15: “bring them again into their land” = Told how long in Jeremiah 25:11-12 & 29:10. And, according to verse 14, it will not be like the rescue from Egypt was. We do not read any ware in Scripture that God is the God that brought the children of Israel out of the land of Babylon. But we do read that of Egypt many times. The only connotation is, “from the land of the North.” Compare with Isaiah 11:11.

What is interesting, God lets Babylon overtake Isreal; Babylon being one of the most idol worship people on the earth at that time. In essence, God is saying, “You want to worship idols? I’ll send you to a nation that worships idols and you will be forced to do so.”

16:16: “many fishers” = Jeremiah shifts back telling us that none shall escape the coming on slot.

From “Albert Barnes Notes on the Bible” we read: “The scattering of the people is to be like that of hunted animals, of which but few escape, the ancient method of hunting being to enclose a large space with beaters and nets, and so drive everything within it to some place where it was destroyed. The destruction of the whole male population was one of the horrible customs of ancient warfare, and the process is called in Herodotus ‘sweeping the country with a drag-net.’ The same authority tells us that this method could only be effectually carried out on an island. Literally, understood, the fishers are the main armies who, in the towns and fortresses, capture the people in crowds as in a net, while the hunters are the light-armed troops, who pursue the fugitives over the whole country, and drive them out of their hiding places as hunters track out their game.”

16:18 & 17:18: “double” = Because they had the example of their fathers and not only ignored that but became worse than them. The Hebrew is “H4932; mishneh,” meaning, “proportionate” to the sins that they have commited.

16:19: “the Gentiles shall come unto thee” = This is a Messianic prophecy of Jesus. Verses 19-21 tells us that the Gentiles will learn about the true God when Jesus Comes.

16:21: “know” = Used three times in this verse. God wants the Israelites to “know” that they should have been the light of the world. But since they weren’t and are not God will have to inform the rest of the world another way. The great nation that should/could have been is now lost forever; even when they are returned. For although we know of our God that He “changes not,” Malachi 3:6, so the stubbornness of the Israelites “change not.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

17:1: “graven upon the table of their heart” = God Law was to be there. See Jeremiah 31:31-33. Instead, they engravened their sins upon their hearts. They would rather sin than obey. And according to Job 19:24, sins cannot be erased. There is nowhere is Scripture where we find that a sinful heart, one who leans towards and loves evil, can be cured. It is too molded into the heart. Demonstrated in the “diamond,” of which there is nothing harder. Compare with Jeremiah 17:9.

17:6: “heath” = Its leaves are small and continue green all the year, as expressed in verse 8 of all plants.

17:8: “For he” = In this verse Jeremiah is quoting Psalm 1:3.

17:9: “desperately wicked” = The Hebrew is “H605; anash,” meaning, “sick; incurable.” David, in Psalm 51:10, asks God not to cure his heart, but to give him a new one, since a wicked heart cannot be cured.

17:11: “partridge” = Critics attack the Scriptures here, saying, “Partridges do not sit on eggs.” Exactly God’s point. They are sitting where they don’t belong; acquiring riches falsely, i.e., “not by right.”

17:13: “written in the earth” = Compare with Psalm 22:15 & 29; and many other places. The curse of the serpent in Genesis, Chapter three, i.e., Satan, is that he will eat and end up being dust.

This is in contrast to being written in the Book of Life (Exo. 32:32; Luke 10:20; Rev. 20:12; 21:27). In reality, the only Book their names will be written in is the Book of Records that will be studied during the millennium.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

18:2: “potter’s” = Potters were valuable in those days and would be employed by kings (1Ch. 4:22-23). Other places where we can learn about potters, i.e., God and his children, are Job 10:9; 33:6; Psalm 2:9; Isaiah 29:16; 30:14; 45:9; 64:8; Matthew 27:7-8; Romans 9:20-21; Revelation 2:27.

The potter/God is Sovereignty and can do as He pleases.

The potter/God has a plan/intended purpose for our lives that believe it or not we would be happy doing.

The potter/God is a Personage that you can learn to trust in if you will let Him mold you into the vessel you should be.

18:5: “cannot I do with you as this potter” = God is saying He, and He only, can put “Humpty Dumpty” back together again. God is the Potter and you are the clay.

18:7: “nation, and concerning a kingdom” = Here is my First Kings 18:10 Note: What is the difference between a “nation or” a “kingdom?” I believe our Lord is attempting to point out something very important here and everywhere else He mentions a “nation or kingdom” in the same sentence or phrase. When God mentions “nation” in this phrase He is meaning those composed of mankind. By contrast, when He mentions “kingdom” in the same phrase, He means the spiritual realm which is composed of those who Satan drew away from God and those who are loyal to God. In fact, when speaking of “nations,” God’s Word is not nor ever referring to the spiritual realm of God. By contrast, when speaking of “kingdoms” the Word of God often refers to the spiritual realm of Deity. Examples would be, “Kingdom of God,” Matthew 6:33; 12:28; 19:24; 21:31 & 43; Mark 1:14 & 15; 4:11; etcetera, etcetera. Which side will you choose?

18:8 & 10: “I will repent” = Obviously, this is a conditional prophecy. So it is with our Salvation. God doesn’t change His mind. He changes the circumstances based upon the actions of the person, or in this case, the nation.

18:9: “nation, and concerning a kingdom” = See my Jeremiah 18:7 Note.

18:14: “rock” = The Hebrew for “rock” here is “H6697; Sirion,” and correlates to Mount Hermon, which stands at about 9,100 feet high; which obviously at that height has snow upon it most, if not all of the year. See Deuteronomy 3:9 & Psalm 29:6.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

19:1: “bottle” = The Hebrew is “H1228; baqbuq,” which is better translated as a “clay jar.” The word “baqbuq” is what this jar sounds like when pouring water from it, a gurgling sound, because it had a narrow neck. The lower portion of the jar was either 4 or ten inches in diameter. I bring all this up and Jeremiah is told to grab this particular jar because it is not repairable. Now you know why this particular jar. As opposed to the “bottle” of Chapter 18, where had the people been willing, i.e., repent, they could have been repaired.

19:2: “Hinnom, which is by the entry of the east gate” = Our Lord is being very specific here and at the same time messing with them as they have messed with God, for this gate is called the “Potsherd Gate.” It probably received its name from the fact that this was the pottery industrial area, i.e., where the clay for the pots where gathered from by the valley of Hinnom. If you remember, the Valley of Hinnom is also associated with the Canaanites, and later the now Israelites, child sacrifice performances.

As we will learn latter, this was so outrageous an act that God didn’t even come up with a Commandment not to do it, for it “neither came it into My mind,” Jeremiah 19:5 & 32:35. Ing Josiah will latter make this area a garbage dump (2Ki. 23:10) in an effort to clean up his idol worshipping people. In the New Testament this place is known as the Valley of Gehenna. Gehenna, as an idiom in language, refers to “outer darkness,” or a place of the dead and ultimate punishment.

In a side note, in the “Targim,” this gate is called the “Dung Gate.” See Nehemiah 2:13; 3:13-14; 12:31. Jeromementions in the “Vulgate,” as the place being where cast offs of broken pottery were, thus being a garbage dump.

19:3: “kings of Judah” = Note that “kings” is plural. Thus, Jeremiah gathered and is peaking to all the rulers of Isreal and all the people. This is to be a general announcement to the nation.

19:4: “nor their fathers have known” = These people are so bad they found even more false gods that the previous generations couldn’t even dream of.

“the blood of innocents” = The child sacrifice.

Jeremiah 19:5 & 32:35: “neither came it into my mind” = In other words, God did not create sin.

19:6: “Hinnom” = From the “International Standard Bible Encyclopedia” we read: “It was near the walls of Jerusalem, ‘by the entry of the gate Harsith’ (Jer. 19:2); the Valley Gate opened into it (Neh. 2:13; Neh. 3:13). The boundary between Judah and Benjamin ran along it (Jos. 15:8; Jos. 18:16). It was the scene of idolatrous practices in the days of Ahaz (2Ch. 28:3) and of Manasseh, who ‘made his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom’ (2Ch. 33:6), but Josiah in the course of his reforms ‘defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children (margin ‘son’) of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech’ (2Ki. 23:10). It was on account of these evil practices that Jeremiah (Jer. 7:32; Jer. 19:6) announced the change of name. Into this valley dead bodies were probably cast to be consumed by the dogs, as is done in the Wady er-Raba-bi today, and fires were here kept burning to consume the rubbish of the city. Such associations led to the Ge-Hinnom (New Testament ‘Gehenna’) becoming the ‘type of Hell.’ ”

The meaning of “Hinnom” is unknown; but the fact that our Lord altered it to the “valley of slaughter,” suggests that the original name must have had a more pleasant meaning.

19:6: “valley of slaughter” = Isaiah mentions this in Isaiah 30:33.

19:9: “eat the flesh” = This siege around Jerusalem will cause this situation. Of course cannibalism was forbidden in Leviticus 26:29; Deuteronomy 28:53-57 (where God predicted they would do this); Second Kings 6:28-29; Lamentations 2:20; 4:10. Since it was easy enough for them to sacrifice their children to the false god Molech; now they can have no remorse eating their own children. This will take place in B.C. 586.

19:10: “break” = Clay can be reshaped; but a broken jar is unfixable and discarded as trash.

19:13: “as Tophet” = Meaning, a smoldering burning place.

“roofs” = In those days, you had your gardens and or patio furniture or both on peoples roofs. To burn the house is to lose everything. See Judges 16:27; First Samuel 9:26; Nehemiah 8:16; Acts 10:9. Compare with Matthew 24:17-18.

The people would also make their roofs a place of idolatry (Jer. 32:29; 2Ki. 23:12; Zep. 1:5). Therefore, because the people made their houses to be defiled by idol worship, God is going to defile their houses. These practices are recorded in the “Ras Shamra Tablets.”

19:15: “hardened their necks” = Meaning, a “stiff-necked people” as Stephen calls them in Acts 7:51. The term originally applied to oxen that are unruly and will not follow the yoke in order to till the ground; which will eventually feed not only their masters, but themselves.

CHAPTER TWENTY

20:1: “Pashur” = This Pashur is most likely the great, great and more greats grandson of the Priest Immer. For according to Jeremiah 21:1; 38:1, Pashur is really the actual “son of Melchiah.” This would make him the governor of the house of the Lord; one step below the high priest; but in charge of the priestly guards and Sanctuary articles. He is later taken captive to Babylon a year before (B.C. 597) the actual fall of Jerusalm. See Second Kings 24:15 & Jeremaih 29:25-26.

20:2: “stocks” = The Hebrew is “H4115; mahpeketh,” literally meaning, “causing distortion.” The ankles, wrists, and neck were place in such a way as to be very uncomfortable; if not also in much pain.

“high gate of Benjamin” = Which would be the Northern Gate at the upper part of the Temple Court.

20:3: “Magormissabib” = Meaning, “fear round about,” implying that terrors would be all around him. The Septuagint version renders it as, “one removing,” meaning, changing from place to place. Whereas the “Syriac” version renders it as, “going into captivity; a stranger and wanderer.” The “Targum” states the passage as, “but there shall be gathered together against thee those that kill with the sword round about.’’

This term begins to become prominent. See 6:25; 20:3 & 10; 46:5; 49:29; Lamentations 2:22.

20:4: “Nebuchadnezzar” = Just to keep up with the history. This is around the time Nebuchadnezzar defeats Pharoah Neco of Egypt at the Battle of Carchemish; which makes Babylon the world leader. It is at the Battle of Carchemish that Nebuchadnezzar’s father, Nabopolassar, dies, and when Nebuchanezzar returns from this battle he is inaugurated as king of Babylon.

After that Nebuchadnezzar concurs Jerusalem and Daniel and his friends are taken to Babylon. In the second siege of Jerusalem, Ezekiel and Mordecai are taken to Babylon. When Nebuchadnezzar has to go back the third time, he levels Jerusalem to the ground. There is 19 years between these three sieges.

20:7: “Thou hast deceived me” = The Hebrew word here for “deceived” is “H6601; pathah,” which in a mental or moral sense means, “to be (over) persuaded [as it is used in Pro. 25:15]; to enlarge [in a positive way, as it is used in Gen. 9:27],” while in a sinister way, means, “to allure [as it is used in Hosea 2:14]; to deceive [see Deu. 11:16]; to entice [as it is used in Exo. 22:16]; to flatter [see Psa. 78:36; and flatter in a way that entices, see Jud. 14:15]. If we consider that our “God is Love,” than the Proverbs 25:15 is the better translation of “persuaded.”

20:8: “made a reproach” = Privately Jeremiah is crying; but publicly Jeremiah is faithful to give God’s message to the people without wavering. Should you be called, be prepared to not be accepted. Oh Wait! How well does your relatives accept your religion?

20:13: “the poor” = What a shift from what he was saying. But when one realizes that our God always has a heart for the poor, pity for them can pop up in the Scriptures at any time.

20:14: “Cursed be the day wherein I was born” = Compare with First Kings 19:1-3.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

21:ALL: This takes place about fifteen to seventeen years later from Chapter 20 with the reign of Zedekiah.

21:1: “Zedekiah” = Zedekiah’s original name was “Mattaniah,” Second Kings 24:17, meaning “Gift of Yahweh, but Nebuchadnezzar changes it to Zedekiah, meaning, “Justice of Yahweh.” He reigns for eleven years (2Ki. 24:18; 2Ch. 36:10).

He is put on the throne by Nebuchanezzar after the second siege of Jerusalem and as such, the Jews never really accepted him. The Jews always expected Jehoiachin to come back (spelled out in Chapter 28). Zedekiah turns out to be favorable towards Jeremiah; but his officials hated Jeremiah; making Zedekiah weak and vacillating, which turns out to be damaging to Jeremiah. Consider your own country when weak men are put in charge.

From Flavius Josephus, in “Antiquities of the Jews,” Book 10, Chapter 7.2-8.2: “Now Zedekiah was twenty-and-one years old when he took the government; and had the same mother with his brother Jehoiachin, but was a despiser of justice and of his duty, for truly those of the same age with him were wicked about him, and the whole multitude did what unjust and insolent things they pleased; for which reason the prophet Jeremiah came often to him, and protested to him, and insisted, that he must leave off his impieties and transgressions, and take care of what was right, and neither give ear to the rulers (among whom were wicked men) nor give credit to their false prophets who deluded them, as if the king of Babylon would make no more was against him, and as if the Egyptians would make war against him, and conquer him, since what they said was not true; and the events would not prove such.

“Now as to Zedekiah himself, while he heard the prophet speak, he believed him, and agreed to everything as true, and supposed it was for his advantage; but then his friends perverted him, and dissuaded him from what the prophet advised, and obliged him to do what they pleased.

“Ezekiel also foretold in Babylon what calamities were coming upon the people, which when he heard, he sent accounts of them unto Jerusalem; but Zedekiah did not believe their prophecies, for the reason following: -- it happened that the two prophets agreed with one another in what they said as in all other things, that the city should be taken, and Zedekiah himself should be taken captive; but Ezekiel disagreed with him, and said, that Zedekiah should not see Babylon; while Jeremiah said to him, that the king of Babylon should carry him away thither in bonds; and because they did not both say the same thing as to this circumstance, he disbelieved what they both appeared to agree in, and condemned them as not speaking truth therein, although all the things foretold him did come to pass according to their prophecies, as we shall show upon a fitter opportunity,”

“Now the city was taken on the ninth day of the fourth month, in the eleventh year of the reign of Zedekiah.

“They were indeed only generals of the king of Babylon, to whom Nebuchadnezzar committed te care of the siege, for he abode himself in the city of Riblah.

“The names of these generals who ravaged and subdued Jerusalem, if anyone desire to know them, were these: Nergal Sharezer, Sangar Nebo, Rabsaris, Sarsechim, and Rabmag [Note, the leader of the Magi], and when the city was taken about midnight, and the enemy’s generals were entered into the Temple, and when Zedekiah was sensible of it, he took his wives and his children, and his captains and friends, and with them fled out of the city, through the fortified ditch, ad through the desert; and when certain of the deserters had informed the Babylonians of this, at break of day, they made haste to pursue after Zedekiah, and overtook him not far from Jericho, and encompassed him about. But for those friends and captains of Zedekiah who had fled out of the city with him, and dispersed themselves, some one way and some another, and every one resolved to save himself; so the enemy took Zedekiah alive, when he was deserted by all but a few, with his children and his wives, and brought him to the king. When he was come, Nebuchadnezzar began to call him a wicked wretch, and covenant-breaker, and one that had forgotten his former words, when he promised to keep the country for him.”

“He also reproached him for his ingratitude, that when he had received the kingdom from him, who had taken it from Jehoiachin, and given it him, he had made use of the power he gave him against him that gave it: ‘but,’ said he, ‘God is great, Who hateth that conduct of thine, and hath brought thee under us.”

“And when he had used these words to Zedekiah, he commanded his sons and his friends to be slain, while Zedekiah and the rest of the captains looked on; after which he put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him, and carried him to Babylon.

“And these things happened to him, as Jeremiah and Ezekiel had foretold to him, that he should be caught, and brought before the king of Babylon, and should speak to him face to face, and should see his eyes with his own eyes; and thus far did Jeremiah prophecy.

“But he was also made blind, and brought to Babylon but did not see it, according to the prediction of Ezekiel.”

“Pashur” = This is a title as opposed to the same Pashur of Chapter 19.

21:2: “Nebuchadrezzar” = This is the same Nebuchadnezzar. But this spelling means, “Nebu protect thy crown.” Whereas Nebuchadnezzar means, “Nebu protect the offspring.”

21:9: “prey” = The Hebrew is “H7998; shalal,” meaning, “for a prize; booty; spoil; plunder.” Jeremiah is telling them to just give up and you shall live; even though as slaves. This would be the third siege of Jerusalem. Zedekiah was hoping to get the same response Hezekiah got from Isaiah. The difference between the two kings and the Lord’s response was, Hezekiah repented, Zedekiah and the people did not.

In a side note, while Jeremiah is writing and prophesying in Jerusalem, Ezekial (taken in the second siege of Jerusalem) is writing as a slave in Babylon. According to Second Kings 25:6-7, Zedekiah saw his sons slaughtered at the town of Riblah. And then his eyes were put out. Then he is taken to Babylon. And just as Ezekiel prophesied (12:13), Zedekiah never saw Babylon, even though taken there. This shows how exact God’s Word is when in prophetic language. This is why God gets so angry with Isreal when He tells them the exact timing of the Coming of Messiah (Daniel 9:25-27), and they still, to this day, deny that Christ has Come.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

22:2: “Throne of David” = Notice the emphasis upon the “Throne of David.” According to Isaiah 9:6-7, this lineage of David was never supposed to end. Yet in 22:30, the line of David supposedly ends with Coniah/Jeconiah, same personage. Yet, in Luke 1:31-33, we are told that the Messiah will sit on the Throne of David.

22:5: “I swear by Myself” = Why does He swear “by Himself?” Because there is no one higher then Himself available to swear by.

22:11: “Shallum the son of Josiah king of Judah, which reigned instead of Josiah his father” = Shallum was actually the fourth son of Josiah (1Ch. 3:15) and is never mentioned anywhere else in Scripture as having “reigned instead of Josiah his father.” Therefore, the statement, “which went forth out of this place” may also apply to a brief stint (not mentioned anywhere else) where Shallum attempted to be king. For the fourth son to be king would, of course, be very unusual. By contrast, we are told in verse 18, “concerning Jehoiakim,” that Jehoiakim is the real “son of Josiah king of Judah.” Therefore, most likely, Shallum is just another name applied to Jehoahaz.

22:13: “buildeth his house by unrighteousness” = In other words, Jehoiakim was using forced labor to build his house. This was forbidden in Leviticus 19:13 & Deuteronomy 24:14-15.

22:19: “ass” = As seen in Second Chronicles 35:24-25.

22:24 & 28: “Coniah” = Jeconiah/Jehoiachin. See First Chronicles 3:16. Jeconiah means, “The Lord will establish.” Thus, by dropping the “Je,” the “Lord” is taking out of his name, leaving “establish.” Establish what or by who is un-definitive now. Names are vary import to our God. Consider Isaiah 62:2 & Revelation 2:17.

In a side note, Coniah is mentioned in history in the “Weidmer Tablets,” which were unearthed at the goodess Ishtar gate in Babylon.

“the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee” = WOE! To part with that is to part with ones royal authority. This would be equivalent to saying, though you are Jesus Christ, I would disown you.

22:29: “earth, earth, earth” = This is not the only place where Jeremiah uses triple repetitiveness. See Jeremiah 7:4. For the Lord to repeat Himself in the same sentence is to bring to mind the importance of the subject over every other consideration.

22:30: “Write this man childless” = Here is my Luke 3:23 note: According to Jeremiah 22:30, God stated, “Write this man childless.” This “man Coniah/Jeconiah,” verse 28, was the last king of David’s line. What is significant here is that if this prophecy is to come true, the line of the Messiah would be cut off and Christ could not have Come to redeem us. Therefore, how is this fixed?

The meaning is not that Jeconiah was “childless,” for he had seven sons (1Ch. 3:17-18). And Salathiel is one of the sons these (Assir). If we follow the lineage of David, as seen and recognized by Matthew’s account (1:12), we find Salathiel. His son is Zerubbabel, who becomes governor of the land of Israel after the return from Babylon. But neither of these are kings; nor do they sit upon the throne of David which was promised and prophesied in Genesis 49:10; Second Samuel 7:16; First Chronicles 17:14; Psalm 89:36; Isaiah 9:7.

In a side note, in the “Babylonian Cuneiform Inscriptions,” there is a list of Jeconiah and his seven sons. They are listed as the telling that the Babylonians provided oil to Jeconiah and his seven sons.

From Genesis 3:15, Satan knows there is a promised redeemer. And it becomes his focus to thwart God’s plan for this. He spends his entire effort on finding out from where this promised Messiah will come. He corrupts the entire antediluvian world in an attempt to kill this coming Messiah. When Noah escapes, he attempts to find out which son of Noah’s is this promised Messiah coming through and focuses upon the line of Ham. That turns out to be incorrect. But then comes Abraham. So he encourages Sarah to have Abraham ruin the line. But God blesses Isacc, then Jacob. So Satan’s focus is there, pitting brother against brother. When that doesn’t work out for him, he learns Messiah will come from one of the twelve tribes. So there is a constant attack upon them, until he learns Messiah will come from the line of Judah. But he gets side-tracked by Moses, and therefore has all the male children killed. When that doesn’t work, he has Judah committing adultery to ruin the line. When we get to the king of Judah, again and again they are slaughtered. But more than once we find that one of the heirs is tucked away and hidden in order to keep the line going. Throughout history, Satan has attempted to kill this coming Messiah. That is what, under king Herod, leads to the slaughter of the babies under two years old in the little town of Bethlehem. Thus, when we read in Jeremaih 22:30, that the line will be broken, Satan and his angels must have thrown an elaborate party. God’s prophecy and David’s line is finished.

Just a note here to help us better understand spiritual things. When God pronounces that Messiah would come through the “seed of the woman,” Genesis 3:15, He is telling us that no man would be involved. In other words, a virgin birth.

Continuing on, Luke’s genealogy focuses upon the line through Nathan; the priestly line. Whereas Matthew stays with the kingly line, of which we are most interested in here. But we must have both lines in order to clear up this problem. Matthew is interested in Joshep; while Luke is interested in Mary. Backing up, this is why we don’t here of Satan attacking any lines of people, since Satan thinks the line is ruined until he sees the angels heralding to the shepherds something special is about to take place.

In Matthew 1:20, Joshep is called, “thou son of David.” How can that be? In Matthew 1:16, we find, “Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary.” Note that Matthew lists Joseph as “the husband,” and not as “the father,” except in a legal sense. Thus, the royal lineage (Joseph’s) meets the true blood lineage (Mary’s) reuniting royalty to the blood lineage. Now Jesus can be the King that He really is, but also in His humanity, the (our High) Priest that He really is. The true Priestly/King.

To explain this Biblically a little better we have to go back to the account in Numbers 26:3 and find Zelophehad, who had five daughters and “no sons.” What we learn here is that in the Torah, there is an exception to the rules of lineage. And when we get to Joshua 17:4, we see these daughters taking advantage of this. When they married, their father Zelophehad adopted their husbands as if they were his own sons. What this does is anticipates the lineage of our Lord. How? According to Matthew’s lineage, Joseph was the son-in-law of Eli. Whereas, in Luke’s account (3:23), the Greek word used to describe Jesus’ lineage, is “nomizo,” for what is translated as, “was supposed,” meaning, “reckoned as by law.” So, the real meaning comes out as being properly translated as Joseph being the “son-in-law of Eli.” Thus, the only way out of this problem is to have Joseph to be inherited by Eli as his son, making Jesus a rightful inheritor, or heir of the lineage.

In a side note, God has not placed in Scripture a specific Chapter upon doctrinal subjects such as the Sabbath; Baptism; The State Of The Dead; et cetera. Except one, The Millenium (Rev. Chp. 20). This way Satan cannot take a few verse and have a false doctrine make sense.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

23:3: “remnant” = Throughout history, God has always found a few whom will be obedient to Him. Compare with Isaiah 11:11-12.

23:6: “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” = See First Corinthians 1:30; Philippians 3:9. This is contrary to who was king at the time Jeremiah was writing this, that being Zedekiah, which means, the “Lord is my righteousness.” Unfortunately, Zedekiah did not live up to his name. God here is most likely contrasting the two.

23:8: “Israel out of” All the lands from which they were scattered to. The greatest of miracles and what Israels God is mostly known for, the exodus from Egypt, God now wants to be known, or will be known, as the God that brought them back from all countries without marvelous miracles; which is a miracle in-and-of itself.

23:15: “wormwood” = See my Jeremiah 9:15 Note.

23:20 & 30:24: “latter days” = The phrase refers to the time of the fall of Jerusalem in B.C. 586.

23:23: “not a God afar off” = A Jewish phrase meaning, “He is inescapable.” Compare with Psalm 139:7-10.

23:33: “What is the burden of the LORD” = This must have been either a popular prophecy at that time, or a specific prophecy to counteract the prophesy of Jeremiah. This is kind of like saying, as our Lord pointed out when speaking of false prophets, “Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, He is there; believe him not,” Mark 13:21.

23:39: “I, will utterly forget you” = Indeed; none of their names are recorded in the Scriptures.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

24:1: “two baskets of figs” = Those that didn’t fight the Babylonians are “good figs,” verse 5; while the “very naughty figs. . . were so bad,” verse 3, that they will be destroyed attempting to fight the Babylonians. See Deuteronomy 28:25 & 37.

In a side note, figs ripen in June (Isa. 28:4; Hos. 9:10). Thus, they could have known the month the Nebuchadnezzar would be coming. And by submitting to the Babylonians, although slaves, they prospered (2Ki. 25:27-30; Jer. 29:4-7). And instead of being wiped out, about 50,000 end up returning under the decree of Cyrus; lead by Nehemiah (Neh. 7:66-67) and Ezra (Ezra 2:2-65). Such a small figure returning. This tells you that they prospered so well that they didn’t want to leave. These will pay for it but be saved in the Book of Esther.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

25:1: “fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah” = At this point Jeremiah has already served 19 years under Josiah and 4 years under Jehoiakim.

“the first year of Nebuchadrezzar” = Roughly about B.C. 605 (Jer. 25:1; 36:1; 45:1; 46:2). If you have a problem with my date because of Daniel, Chapter One, that would be because the timing of Daniel is Babylonian time, a non-succession year way of dating, as opposed to Jewish timing here, succession year dating. In other words, the Babylonians date the commencement of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign two years later, because that is when his father Nabopollasar dies. This would also be the first invasion of Jerusalem (2Ki. 24:1-2). Daniel and Ezekiel are taken to Babylon.

25:9: “My servant” = Three times our Lord lists Nebuchadrezzar as His servant. See Jeremaih 25:9; 27:6; 43:10. Only in the respect that Nebuchadrezzar is the instrument used to inflict judgement upon God’s non-repentant people. Compare with Isaiah 44:28 & 45:1, where Cyrus the Persian is referred to as the “Lord’s anointed.” In retrospect, Daniel, Chapter Four, was written by Nebuchadnezzar and was written as a memo that was put on posts -- billboards if you will -- and spread throughout the then known world.

25:10: “Moreover” = This verse is quoted in Revelation 18:23. This is why things need to be spiritually understood with the help of the Holy Spirit. Because that Babylon is not this Babylon. That they (Satan) want to rule the world is prominent.

25:11-12: “seventy years” = See Second Chronicles 36:21; Ezra 1:1; Isaiah 23:15, 17; Jeremiah 29:10; Daniel 9:2; Zechariah 1:12; 7:5. According to my calculations on my (see) “ISRAEL'S PROPHETS AND KINGS WHO ASSOCIATED WITH EACH CHART,” this would be from B.C. 608 to B.C. 538. Plus, according to the beginning of the Chapter (25:1), Jeremiah began to point towards this prophecy “in the first year of Nebuchadnezzar,” which would be in B.C. 605.

According to Second Kings, Chapter 25, Jeremiah, Chapter 52, and Ezekiel, Chapter 24, after the third siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, where Jerusalem is destroyed and all of the Jews are dispersed (most to Babylon), that takes place in the 9th year of Nebuchadnezzar on the 10th day of the moth of Tevet. In the 2nd year of Darius the Mede, in the 9th month (24th of Kislev; the months get new names at this point), exactly 25,200 days, or 70 years, using the Biblical 360-day year. Thus, exactly, to the day from when the entirety of the Jews were taken, they return to their land. Prophetic or coincidence(?) you decide.

One should also understand Leviticus 25:2-6 & 20-22, in regards to the 70-year prophecy. Every seventh year the land was to rest from produce. If they didn’t take care of the land the way they were told to, consider Leviticus 25:32-35. Thus, understanding the 70 years better, discover Second Chronicles 36:20-21. Or in other words, for 490 years Isreal ignored the land Sabbaths. What is even more interesting, is the Daniel, Chapter Nine, verses 24-27, the 70 weeks, or 490-year prophecy to the First Coming of our Lord. Are numbers important to our Lord? Seven; Ten; Twelve; Forty; Seventy (divisible by 7); One Hundred and Forty-Four (divisible by 12).

25:12: “perpetual desolations” = This is also mentioned in Jeremiah 50:11-13 & Isaiah 13:19-22.

25:14 & 27:7: “shall serve themselves of them also” = In other words, other nations would profit from Babylon, putting Babylon to servitude, as Babylon put Israel under servitude.

25:15: “wine cup of this fury” = Mentioned also as “wrath” instead of “fury” in Job 21:20; Psalm 60:3; Isaiah 51:17 & 22; Jeremiah 25:15; Ezekiel 23:31; Mark 10:39; 14:36; John 18:11; Revelation 14:8 &10; 16:19; 18:6. His “cup” can also be a blessing, mentioned in Psalm 16:5; 23:5; Luke 22:17 & 20; First Corinthians 10:16; 11:24-25. If you count the blessings our number is equal to seven. Coincidence? The anger times is thirteen.

(divisible by no other number).

We might notice that the judgment begins at the house of (God) Judah. See First Peter 4:17. Then if you take the following list it goes from the worst and on down. From the south, Egypt, to the North, Persia. Verse 20, “Uz,” is Northeast of Edom (Job 1:1); then the Philistine cities, except Gath (2Ch. 26:6; Amos 6:2); remnant of Ashdod, remnant because it was destroyed after a 29-year siege and rebuilt in Nehemiah’s day; Verse 21-22, Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, Zidon, which were blood relations of Israel; Verse 23 and onward are the Arabian tribes, Verse 23, Dedan, who was the grandson of Abraham by his second wife Keturah (Gen. 25:3; see also Ezekiel, Chapter 38)); Tema, a son of Ishmael, this is about 250 miles Southeast of Edom in Arabia (Gen. 25:15; Job 6:19); Buz is descended from Nahor, Abraham’s brother, this would be the Northern Arabian tribes (Gen. 22:21); Verse 24 would be the Bedouins and Kushites of Arabia; Verse 25, Zimri (see Num. 25:14; 1Ki. 16:9-20; 2Ki. 9:31; 1Ch. 7:6; 8:36; 9:42), if this is the Zimran who was a son of Abraham by Keturah (Gen. 25:2), then this would be between the Arabian peninsula and Persia; Elam and Media would be east of the Tigris River, Elam being about 200 miles East of Babylon and East of the Persian Gulf and Media is Northwest of Persia, forming what students of the Bible know as the Medo-Persian empire.

25:26 & 51:41: “Sheshach” = According to “Adam Clark’s Bible Commentary:” “Sheshach was an ancient king of Babylon, who was deified after his death. Here it means either Babylon, or Nebuchadnezzar the king of it. After it has been the occasion of ruin to so many other nations, Babylon itself shall be destroyed by the Medo-Persians.”

If we read Jeremiah 51:41, we can learn that Sheshach does equate to the encrypted form of the name Babylon. It is thought by most Bible Commentators that Jeremiah took the Hebrew word for Babylon and switched some letters (namely, the first for the last) in order to hide from Nebuchadnezzar Jeremiah’s speaking of him.

In a side note, there are three kinds of encryptions in the Hebrew text. One is titled “Atbash.” It comes from the contraction of the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. By the way. The Hebrew for alphabet is Aleph-Tibet. This “Atbash” takes a simple transposition of the letters. Taking the alphabet, fold it end to end (22 letters in the Hebrew), meaning, put the last 11 letters first and the first 11 letters last, you then have a paradigm or cipher. Doing this gives you Sheshach.

Another form of encryption is “Albam,” in which you take the last 11 and move them into the place of the first, meaning that the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet is now the 12th, and so on and so forth. We are learning here that the Holy Spirit has given us signposts that there are more encryptions that can still be discovered in the Hebrew and Greek texts. Consider my dissertation of the “Torah” in which the number seven is the code needed to decipher the text.

25:29: “all the inhabitants of the earth” = This switches from Jeremiah’s time period to the end times, i.e., the Second Coming of Christ when God’s vengeance will Second Thessalonians 2:8. Compare with Zechariah 12:2-3 & Revelation 20:8-9.

25:23: “slain of the LORD” = See Isaiah 34:2-4 & Revelation 14:19; 19:17-18.

25:34: “Howl, ye shepherds” = The pastors who lead their churches and flocks with error are now going to pay the price for doing so; especially since they learned and knew so but because -- for the love of money -- they held their false ground.

“pleasant vessel” = Calvin makes this observation according to “Jamieson, Fausset, and Browns Bible Commentary:” “Your past excellency shall not render you safe now.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

26:1: “In the beginning” = The Hebrew is, “H7225; re’shyth,” meaning, “first beginning.” A better translation would be, “In the first half” or the reign of Jehoiakim. Exact timing of these events all the way through Chapter 45 will become more difficult to be exact.

26:6: “house like Shiloh” = “Those who stood in the Temple court listening to Jeremiah’s discourse, understood clearly this reference to Shiloh, and to the time in the days of Eli when the Philistines had overcome Israel and carried away the Ark of the Testament.” PK:415.3.

Bible commentators call this the “Jewish Fetish.” Meaning, because they thought that since the Ark of the Testament was with them at Jerusalem, nothing bad could happen to them. Thus, Jeremaih is considered to be a heretic (verses 8-9).

It is surmised by Bible commentators that it is at this time that Ezekiel is having his vision of the Temple of God and he sees God leaving the Temple (Eze. 10:18). Meaning a bad thing. I don’t see Ezekiel’s vision -- although it very well could be at the same timing -- as a bad thing.

26:10: “sat down in the entry of the new gate of the LORD’S house” = This is basically a trial. All the princes came to hear and to judge, while Jeremiah’s accusers, the “priests and the [false] prophets,” verse 11, came to justify their reasoning for putting Jeremiah to death. This gate of the Temple is thought to be the higher gate which Jotham built (see 2Ki. 15:35), from which it later became the place of judicature, or court. The “Targum” calls this gate, the Eastern Gate.

26:11: “against this city” = Notice that they are mad at him for prophesying against the “city,” but not the Temple. This gives us insight into their lack of care for religious, i.e., Godly things.

26:12: “The LORD sent me to prophesy” = Jeremiah is invoking Deuteronomy 18:20. In other words, he is telling them that if these Words are not from the LORD you should kill him.

26:16: “The said the princes and all the people” = Remember, in verse 11 it was the “priests and prophets” that brought Jeremiah to this heresy trial. Therefore, I believe the Holy Spirit used the agency of the civil authorities to save Jeremiah. And or, the people are beginning to realize that the religious leaders have been lying to them. When this happens in the Book of Revelation, the people will turn upon the ministers that taught them lies (Rev. 17:16).

“The people see that they have been deluded. They accuse one another of having led them to destruction; but all unite in heaping their bitterest condemnation upon the ministers. Unfaithful pastors have prophesied smooth things; they have told their hearers to make void the Law of God and to persecute those who would keep it holy. Now, in their despair, these teachers confess before the world their work of deception.” GC:655.

26:20: “Kirjathjearim” = Which is about 7 miles Northwest of Jerusalem on the road to Japheh (Jos. 9:17; 1Sa. 7:2). Jehoiakim was a vassal of Egypt which made it easy to bring back Urijah in order to slaughter him -- take note -- without a heresy trial such as Jeremiah had here.

26:22: “Elnathan” = He is the grandfather of Jehiachin, father-in-law of Jehoiakim (2Ki. 24:8; see also Jer. 36:12 & 25).

26:24: “Ahikam” = An official under Jehoiachin (2Ki. 22:12 & 14). He is the father of Gedaliah, whom we will encounter later in this Book. He it is that becomes the governor of Judah under Nebuchadnezzar after the fall of Jerusalem in B.C. 586 (2Ki. 25:22; Jer. 39:14; 40:11-41:3). This would be the third siege of Jerusalem when Nebuchadnezzar has had enough of the Jewish rebellions (just like the Romans in 70 A.D.), and destroys Jerusalem.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

27:1: “Jehoiakim” = This is another name for Zedekiah, see verses 3 & 12, and Jeremiah 28:1.

27:7: “shall serve him, and his son, and his son’s son. . . great kings” = This prophecy is so accurate. Notice the plural of “kings,” which turned out to be the Medes and the Persians.

27:8: “nation and kingdom” = See my Jeremiah 1:10 Note.

27:14: “they prophesy a lie” = Compare with First Timothy 4:1.

27:19: “pillars” = Here Jeremiah is referring to the articles that Nebuchadnezzar did not take in the first siege. Why? He only took that which was made of gold. These “pillars” are the bronze pillars of First Kings 7:15-22, that stood on the forms of twelve bronze oxen. They were so large they were given names (verse 21), Jachin, meaning, “counsel,” and Boaz, meaning, “strength.”

“sea” = Solomon’s oversize Bronze Laver of First Kings 7:23-26. These could not be carried between poles as with the original articles of the Temple built under Moses. Which explains why these articles were not taken earlier because of their tremendous weight.

“the bases” = These consisted of ten smaller bronze lavers on stands that had wheels for transport or the rearranging of the Temple articles. See First Kings 7:27-37 & Second Chronicles 4:6.

27:22: “restore them to this place” = This prophecy came true in B.C. 536 under the proclamation of Cyrus the Persian. See Ezra 1:7-11.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

28:1: “Hananiah” = Meaning, “God has been gracious.”

28:13: “make for them yokes of iron” = False prophets can break wooden objects. But God’s prophets will turn out to be made of unbreakable iron when Gods prophecies come true. Or in other words, God is stating, what I have prophesied cannot be broken nor changed.

28:17: “in the seventh month” = In other words, he lived 2 months after his prophecy (see verse one’s “fifth month”).

A little historical background here. During this time of Hananiah’s prophecy, Nebuchadnezzar was dealing with a local revolt of his own in Babylon, according to “The Babylonian Chronicle,” in which Babylon almost fell. This is most likely why Hananiah thought to take advantage of the situation and make his false prophecy.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

29:1: “captives” = Which would include Ezekiel and Daniel. Also, Gemariah, the son of Hilkiah is probably the high priest there at this time (2Ki. 22:3-4).

29:7: “pray unto the LORD for it” = Compare with Matthew 5:43-44.

29:10: “seventy years” = See my Jeremiah 25:11-12 Note.

29:13: “with all your heart” = This is the requirement. This is a Biblical promise of our Lord.

29:22: “roasted in the fire” = From the “Expositors Bible Commentary” we read: “Nothing further is said about the proposed revolt, so that Jeremiah’s vigorous protest seems to have been successful. In any case, unless irrevocable steps had been taken, the enterprise could hardly have survived the death of its advocate, Hananiah. Accordingly Zedekiah sent an embassy to Babylon, charged doubtless with plausible explanations and profuse professions of loyalty and devotion. The envoys were Elasah ben Shaphan and Gemariah ben Hilkiah. Shaphan and Hilkiah were almost certainly the scribe and high priest who discovered Deuteronomy in the eighteenth year of Josiah, and Elasah was the brother of Ahikam ben Shaphan, who protected Jeremiah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, and of Gemariah ben Shaphan, in whose chamber Baruch read the roll, and who protested against its destruction.

“Probably Elasah and Gemariah were adherents of Jeremiah, and the fact of the embassy, as well as the choice of ambassadors, suggests that, for the moment, Zedekiah was acting under the influence of the prophet. Jeremiah took the opportunity of sending a letter to the exiles at Babylon. Hananiah had his allies in Chaldea: Ahab ben Kolaiah, Zedekiah ben Maaseiah, and Shemaiah the Nehelamite, with other prophets, diviners, and dreamers, had imitated their brethren in Judah; they had prophesied without being sent and had caused the people to believe a lie. We are not expressly told what they prophesied, but the narrative takes for granted that they, like Hananiah, promised the exiles a speedy return to their native land. Such teaching naturally met with much acceptance.”

Thus, Ahab ben Kolaiah and Zedekiah ben Maaseiah must have instigated or lead a revolt and were put into the fiery furnace. Nebuchadnezzar seemed to like this method of punishment. See Daniel, Chapter Three.

29:24: “the Nehelamite” = Meaning, “The Dreamer.”

29:29: “Zephaniah the priest” = He was in charge of the policing duties around the Temple; what was left of It.

29:31: “he caused you to trust in a lie” = Not Jeremaih; but the people.

CHAPTER THIRTY

30:ALL: The time period here is Jerusalem is encamped by the Babylonians for 18 months. Famine is rampant and Jeremiah is in prison. What is interesting, is that the concept of “terror and anguish as travail in childbirth” appears in the Book of Jeremiah seven times (God and His numbers). See Jeremiah 4:31; 6:24; 13:21; 22:23; 30:6; 49:24; 50:43. If one can’t see the architecture and design in and by the Holy Spirit in God’s Word, they are deniers.

30:7: “the time of Jacob’s trouble” = See Daniel 12:1; Matthew 24:21.

30:3: “For, lo, the days come” = This is what is known as an ecological Hebrew phrase. It is a last days phrase. Like saying, “In the last days.” One thing to consider is that Satan could not kill Jesus, so he now attempts to kill the remnant. But Revelation 3:10 says he will not succeed. See Isaiah 26:20 also.

30:6: “man doth travail with child” = Men don’t bear children as the I don’t know what a woman is croud would have you falsely believe, for they don’t actually believe it either. But this is speaking of ultimate terror.

30:7: “that day is great” = “When He leaves the Sanctuary, darkness covers the inhabitants of the earth. In that fearful time the righteous must live in the sight of a holy God without an intercessor.” 4SP:432.

30:8: “strangers shall no more serve themselves of him” = That is, Israel will no longer be subservient to others paying with their substance.

30:9: “David their King” = According to Jeremiah 23:5-6, this is Jesus, The Christ. Compare with Ezekiel 37:24-25. The Jewish “Targum” sees both these passages as “The Son of David.”

30:20: “Their children also shall be as aforetime” = Could it be that according to this verse children will be united with their parents in Heaven? See Jeremiah 31:17 to back this thought up.

30:21: “their nobles shall be of themselves” = In other words, they shall rule themselves.

“their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near” = Meaning, he is a priest (cause him to draw near God) and well as a king (governor). According to Revelation 1:6 & 5:10, that would be the redeemed.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

31:4: “mountains of Samaria” = What is today known as the “West Bank.” This term was invented by the Palestine Liberation Army and has taken over the true title to this day.

31:6: = “watchmen” = This is not a watchman looking for an approaching army. But rather, this cercomstance implies that the Temple service is back in action, and the watchmen is looking for the new moon in order to determine that the next month has commenced.

31:9: “Ephraim. Is My firstborn” =. Ephraim was a son of Joseph of whom was given the right of the firstborn, although not the firstborn child (Gen. 49:4; 1Ch. 5:1-2); because of Reuben’s sin. Implications are, that God considers Christ in preeminence, although He is not the first child to ever be born. Ephraim is also a synonym for the entire nation of Isreal.

31:11: “stronger than he” = Such as the Persians and any others.

31:14 & 25: “[14] satiate [25] satiated” = A derivative of saturate. Meaning, fill to the full.

31:15: “Ramah” = An entire change here. Possibly a new Chapter should begin here. Ramah is 5 miles North of Jerusalem (Jos. 18:25). According to Matthew 2:16-18, this prophecy was fulfilled there. In a side note, Rachel’s tomb is in Bethlehem (Gen. 35:16-20). That the Scriptures need to be understood supernaturally is helpful.

31:22: “A woman shall compass a man” = The traditional view is that means a virgin birth of Jesus. However, the Hebrew word for “woman” here does not encompass any type of virginity. A possible view of mine, and I cannot back this up getting into the technicality of the Hebrew text, so take this with a grain of salt, is that the “woman” equals or equates to the True Church that embraces the attributes of Christ in the end times.

31:23: “use this speech” = According to Zephaniah 3:9, Heaven’s langue will be pure; no more various languages. It is surmised that “this speech” is the speech Jeremiah is speaking in, and as such, the language in Heaven will be Hebrew. Maybe. Doesn’t matter to me as long as we all understand each other with no idioms, slang, etcetera.

31:26: “my sleep was sweet” = In other words, this was a vision given by way of a dream.

31:29: “The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children’s teeth are set on edge” = This is an old Jewish proverb that means, The children will not be punished for the father’s sins. See Ezekial 18:2-3, then see verse 20. Also explained in Jeremiah 31:30.

31:31: “a new covenant” = Explained in verse 33.

31:32: “Not according to the covenant” = The Old Covenant.

31:33: “put My Law in their inward parts” = This is the KEY to salvation. Compare with Ezekiel 11:19; 18:31; 36:26-27.

The New Covenant is individual not national; internal not external; based upon love and not fear. It is universal and eternal; while the Old Covenant should pass away. And the New Covenant has always existed, whereas the Old Covenant was set up at Sinia.

31:34: “teach no more” = When you have love for the Lord and His Law is internalized there will be no longer any sin to be discussed.

31:35: “which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar” = Speaking of the tides.

31:36: “cease from being a nation” = See my Bible Study: “ISRAEL, REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY DOCTRINE.”

31:37: “I will also cast off all the seed of Israel” = Since you cannot measure Heaven, neither can you measure God’s wrath that is coming upon Israel for their sins and rejection of Him. Compare with Jeremiah’s being of his ministry, in Jeremiah 1:16 where God states, “who have forsaken Me.”

31:38: “the city shall be built” = Since Israel never repented, this must be speaking of after the Millinium when Jerusalem comes down from God out of Heaven to this earth.

31:40: “whole valley” = The concept is, that all these places now around Jerusalem in the new earth will be consecrated to the Lord. The Kidron Valley is to the East of Jerusalem (2Sa. Chp. 15). The Tower of Hananel is Northeast of Jerusalem (Neh. Chp. 3; Zec. Chp. 14). The Corner Gate is in the Northwest. Gareb is to the West. Goath is to the South, near the Valley of Hinnom. The Horse Gate in to the Southeast corner of the Temple. So as you can see, all directions are covered.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

32:ALL: A little background here. According to Leviticus 25:23, your families land could be sold, but not “for ever.” In other words, the family could and will buy it back (Lev. 25:24) at any time as long as they met certain requirements at the time of redemption. The conditions to be met are spelled out in Leviticus 25:27-28. These explain that all the land in Israel was to be returned to its original owner on the year of Jubilee; which occurred every 50 years. Thus, one was not in reality selling their land, but leasing it. Other conditions of redemption can be carried out by an uncle, should all that portion of the family die (Lev. 25:47-50; Lev. 25:49 states “nigh of kin”). This particular situation is spelled out in the Book of Ruth, Chapter Four. Ultimately, we learn that Christ is our Kinsman Redeemer.

If we go to Revelation 5:1, we find a Title Deed to this earth; lost by Adam when he yielded to Satan (Mat. 4:8-9; 2Co. 4:4). In verses 2 & 3, we understand that only someone who is worthy to have a right to this scroll must be found. Focusing more on verse 3, it states, “no man.” Thus, this Personage had to be a kinsman of Adam in Adams stage of perfection before the fall. In verse 4-5, Jesus Christ is found to be a near kinsman to Adam and has the rights to buy back this earth from the usurper Satan. And in a side note, the number seven, I.e., the “seven seals” is a number of completeness in a Divinity format. In verse 6, we have Jesus paying the price in order to redeem this deed. In another side note, staying with the number seven as Divine completeness, the 7 horns relate to complete authority; while the 7 eyes comprise complete knowledge; while the 7 spirits of God are listed in Isaiah 11:1-2, and we know this to be the Holy Spirit.

In Chapter 32, we find Jeremiah is in prison (Jer. 32:2), placed there by Zedekiah. He will stay there until the fall of Jerusalem. And Jeremiah knows that Jerusalem is going to be besieged by the Babylonians and they are going to conquer Judah. Thus, for Jeremiah to be buying land that will not be his shortly is what will be discussed in this Chapter.

32:7: “Anathoth” = Remember, Anathoth is Jeremiah’s home town. It has now been nearly 40 years of Jeremiah prophesying to the nation of Judah.

32:9: “seventeen shekels” = The Scriptures have a reason for everything. But why 17 I don’t know. Here are other places that may give us a clue, Genesis 37:2; 47:28; Judges 8:14; First Kings 14:21; Second Kiongs 13:1; First Chronicles 7:11; Second Chronicles 12:13; Ezra 2:39; Nehemiah 7:42.

32:10: “subscribed the evidence” = What we today would call it the signing of the deed.

32:11: “both that which was sealed” = There were two copies of the deed made when a land transaction was made. One was sealed and put in an earthen jar; which was the land office safe in those days. The other one was left open on display such that anyone could review the deed and its conditions.

32:12: “Baruch” = “Baruch will eventually be Jeremiah’s secretary (Jer. 36:4) and is the one who wrote all of this and Jeremiah’s words down.

32:14: “earthen vessel” = Because of this method we have such finds of preservation as the Dead Sea Scrolls.

32:18: “recompensest the iniquity of the fathers” = The Hebrew for “recompensest” is “H7999; shalam,” meaning, “to be in a covenant of peace; to be at peace; to make peace with.”

32:24: “mounts” = Meaning, the “siege.”

32:29: “set fire” = See Deuteronomy 13:12-16.

32:35: “neither came it into my mind” = So incredible is this atrocity that the Lord didn’t even make a Law against it because it shouldn’t even have taken place. This is just an anthropomorphic phrae because of course God knows everything.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

33:3: “Call unto Me” = This is a promise of God.

33:5: “hidden My face from this city” = Had God looked upon it He would have had it destroyed earlier. In other words, its Close of Probation didn’t take place because of Hi mercy. See Lamentations 3:22.

33:11: “Praise” = This verse is still used today in the closing part of the benediction of Jewish marriages.

33:14-26: NOTE: For some reason the “Septuagint” omits this portion of Scripture. Most of what is in these passages is found elsewhere in the “Septuagint,” and therefore, scholars see no reason for the omition.

33:15: “in those days” = This is obviously going to be at the First Coming of Christ (“BRANCH”). The only way to apply it to when Isreal returned after the 70-year period is to have Israel be obedient to the covenantal agreement, which they were not (never have been; nor will be; sticking my neck out here).

33:16: “The LORD our righteousness” = In Jeremiah 23:6 our Lord is called by this name. But here, Jerusalem will be called by this name. Compare with Ezekiel 48:35.

33:17: “never want” = Better translated or understood as (old English), “never lack.” Fulfilled in Jesus The Christ; the God/Man.

33:18: “want” = Again, better translated as “lack.” Prophesied in Numbers 25:13 and fulfilled in Hebrews 5:6 & 10; 6:20; 7:11 & 17 & 21.

“sacrifice continually” = The Sacrifice of our Lord is sufficient to fulfil this requirement; which the Jewish people reject to this day.

33:20: “If” = God’s colorful way of saying that no one can break God’s covenant in regards to Jesus sitting upon His throne.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

34:3: “thine eyes shall behold the eyes of the king of Babylon” = According to Ezekiel 12:13, Zedekial “shall he not see it, though he shall die there.” However, according to Jeremiah 52:10-11, he sees Nebuchadnezzar, but has his eyes taken out before he gets to Babylon.

34:7: “Lachish, and against Azekah” = Lachish (known today as Tel-ed-Duweir) was about 35 miles Southwest of Jerusalem; while Azekah (known today as Tel-ez-Zakariyeh) was about 15 miles Southwest. Thus, at this point Nebuchadnezzar’s armies are getting close.

34:9: “manservant” = See Exodus 21:1-6 for slavery of a Jew and Leviticus 25-39-41, a Jew who cannot pay his debts. So in slavery, you have every 7th year as a Sabbath year and every Jubilee year, which is 7 weeks of Sabbath years, 49 years at most, of freeing your Jewish slaves. Lastly, discussing Jewish slaves, if we go to Deuteronomy 15:12-14, if a slave of a slave ower be sold to a Jew, he would serve six years and then be free on the 7th year, but not turned away empty.

Something to notice about the Deuteronomy passage; slaves were no to be abused. However, we must go to Second Kings 4:1 to understand why this personage would become a slave in the first place. Consider also Nehemiah 5:1-13.

Therefore, as is often the case and what was going on here, is the Israel was not following these rules. Thus the mandate put out by Zedekiah. We must also understand the situation. Jerusalem is surrounded and under siege. Zedekiah needs army men, not slaves.

34:11: “brought them into subjection” = Put them back into slavery. Why? When Jerusalem was under siege by Babylon, they made this vow. But Nebuchadnezzar had to leave the siege of Jerusalem to put down Pharoah Hophra of Egypt. While gone, the Jews thought that they were free of him and took their slaves back. But Nebuchadnezzar will be back.

34:15: “in the house which is called by My Name” = Apparently Jeremaih had them agree to this covenant in the Lord’s Temple, which means God agreed to the terms of it. Remember, when Church blesses and sanctifies your Churches sanctuary, the Lord considers it to be holy and so should you.

34:16: “polluted My Name” = This is what makes vows so dangerous if you think in any way you might be able to keep it.

34:18: “cut the calf in twain” = See Genesis 15:7-17. In the Genesis account, God passes through the pieces and in effect is saying, should I break this covenant with you, you can cut Me into pieces. WOW. Therefore, here God is saying you broke the covenant, so I will cut you to pieces.

A note on Genesis 15:12 and “deep sleep.” The only other reference to this form of sleep in the entirety of Scripture is when Adam was sleeping while Eve was taken from his rib. And Genesis 15:16 teaches us that God’s mercy only lasts so long. But it is long. For the Amorites it was a little over 400 years. Also, the “smoke and the fire” is a reference to the Shekinah Glory. Escaping Egypt was a cloud by day and a fire by night. The “ox” symbolized servanthood; the “goat” sinners; the “ram” consecration or dedication; the “pigeon” or “turtle dove,” sorrow for sin. All of these offerings were to be 3 years of age. Thus, this is none other than symbolism of the ministry of Jesus, The Christ.

If you have heard the term, “Cut a deal.” That originates from this procedure.

34:22: “cause them to return” = Nebuchadnezzar returns from fighting Hophra, pharaoh of Egypt. The Lord does not let Nebuchadnezzar forget about this siege.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

35:ALL: This Chapter discusses an event that takes place 17 years earlier. We will learn why as we go through it.

35:2: “Rechabites = A nomadic tribe belonging to the Kenites of Hemath (1Ch. 2:55), of the family of Jethro, or Hobab, Moses’ father-in-law (Exo. 18:9). When the Northern kingdom of Isreal fell to the Assyrians, the Kenites moved South into Judah. Thus, we get the impression that these are a faithful group dedicated to the Lord. Also, they seem to take upon themselves some sort of Nazarite vow.

“wine” = The Hebrew is “H3196; yayin,” meaning “fermented wine.”

35:6: “Jonadab” = Jonadab lived about 300 years earlier.

35:7: “where ye be strangers” = Are you/me dedicated to the Lord and “strangers” to this earth?

35:11: “let us go to Jerusalem” = These are not city people.

35:13: “Go and tell” = Here is the reason for bringing up the Rechabites. They were faithful for 300 years. But Isreal was not faithful ever; though God blessed them under David, Solomon, and every righteous king, of which only the tribe of Judah had any. Which is why they out-lasted the Northern tribes.

35:19: “not want [lack] a man to stand before Me for ever” = The Lord always has a remnant somewhere. Praise Him for that and be a part of it. Then see Isaiah 1:2-4.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

36:ALL: “This chapter is a record of historical events that will be repeated.” 2SAT:331; 4BC:1159.

36:6: “upon the fasting day” = Most Bible commentators believe this to be a fast proclaimed by Jehoiakim, to avert the vengeance threatened by the Chaldean army. By contrast, it very well could have been in reference to “The Day of Atonement,” which proclaims a great fast upon “the tenth day of the seventh month” (see Leviticus, Chapter 16). This would be a very appropriate time to read Jeremiah’s works in the Sanctuary in the hearing of all the people, when the people were fasting and humbling themselves before the Lord.

36:10: “Gemariah the son of Shaphan” = These two are established as historical figures on a lump of clay, called a “Bulla.” It was used to seal official documents. Their names appear in the “Bulla of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan.” This “Bulla” was discovered in excavations in the oldest part of Jerusalem, the City of David. Other officials, Hilkiah, Azariah, Jehucal and Gedaliah ben Pashur are also named; discovered in 1982, 2005, and 2008.

36:23: “cast it into the fire” = This is a drastic case of textual criticism. When people don’t like what they hear they will find multiple way to get rid of it.

36:30: “He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David” = The burning of God’s Word, or ignoring Its instruction, or in any way defacing and whatever you can think of negatively, results in your Close of Probation.

“his dewad body” = To not be buried is shameful. But for a king to not be buried is an atrocity.

36:32: “and there were added besides unto them many like Words” = Jeremiah, being a prophet, must have received more revelations of which we have none found yet. Should our Lord want us to have those, he will bring them to light.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

37:ALL: The time between Chapter 36 and 37 is about eighteen years. Jeremiah has been prophesying the fall of Jerusalem for 40 years and Zedekiah has been reigning for about 11 years. Finally, the fall of Jerusalem is going to begin to take place here.

37:1: “Coniah” = Just another name for Jehoiachin.

37:3: “Jehucal and Zephaniah” = These two false prophets are asked to ask Jeremiah to pray for the will of Zedekiah, not seeking the Lord’s Will at all. I can just here their prayer now if they were instructing Jeremaih on how to pray. Give us this day our wants and desires. And lead us not into Your Will. But deliver us from this evil You have pronounced upon us. From Thine is the king’s kingdom, and the king’s power, and the king’s glory forever. In the king’s name, Amen.

37:5: “Pharaoh’s army was come forth out of Egypt” = That is, Pharaoh Hophra. Nebuchadnezzar goes away from the siege and defeats him. But the city of Jerusalem’s inhabitants feel that they are saved and will put Jeremiah in prison for his being a traitor with all of his false prophecies.

“Chaldeans” = Chaldean is the land of the Babylonians; whereas Babylon is its major city. Thus, when Chaldeans is listed it just means the Babylonians.

38:8: “Ebedmelech” = Means, “Servant of the king.”

37:10: “smitten the whole army” = In other words, its going to happen.

37:12: “into the land of Benjamin” = Why? Because that is where he is from. He is going to his hometown in Anathoth; ten miles to the Northwest.

37:13: “Thou fallest away to the Chaldeans” = Jeremiah is again accused of treason. But also of desertion over to the Chaldeans. What is silly about that charge, if Jeremaih was a deserter to the Chaldeans he would have gone over to them when they were there.

But there is a larger motive for Irijah’s actions. His grandfather was Hananiah; who’s death was prophesied by Jeremaih in Jeremaih 28:16.

37:16: “cabins” = As opposed to the “court of the prison” (see my Note in Jer. 32:2). The “Targum,” states that these “cabins” was “a place more inward than the cells.” In other words, it was the worst part of the prison where a man could not well lie down, or sit, or stand.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

38:6: “in the mire” = They thought to leave him there to die.

38:7: “Ebedmelech” = See Jeremaih 39:18.

“sitting in the gate of Benjamin” = Meaning, he was administering some administrative act, i.e., government business.

38:10: “thirty men with thee” = Most likely to put down any objectors who might want to stop them from taking Jeremaih out of the dungeon.

38:11: “old clouts and old rotten rags” = This is an act of caring. Rope might have hirt Jeremiah. Plus they could then be used to clean him up.

38:14: “third entry” = According to “Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Bible Commentary,” we read, “The Hebrews in determining the position of places faced the east, which they termed ‘that which is in front;’ the south was thus called ‘that which is on the right hand;’ the north, ‘that which is on the left hand;’ the west, ‘that which is behind.’ So, beginning with the east they might term it the first or principal entry; the south the second entry; the north the ‘third entry’ of the outer or inner court.” In other words, Zedekiah was speaking to Jeremaih in a private place. See “secretly” in verse 16.

38:18: “Babylon’s princes” = These would be Nebuchadnezzar’s second in command who are in charge of the siege of Jerusalem, because Nebuchadnezzar was at Riblah (what we consider to be Syria today), fighting a battle there.

38:24: “princes” = Meaning, the princes of Judah.

38:27: “all these words that the king had commanded” = Jeremiah did not lie as some commentators believe. He just didn’t tell them the entire conversation. He only told them “all these words that the king had commanded.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

39:2: “eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month” = The fall of Jerusalem was in about B.C. 588. Most sight B.C. 587. This is chronicled four times in Scripture (2Ki. 25:3; 2Ch. Chp. 36; Jer. 39:2; Jer. Chp. 52); with Jeremiah giving us a date. It two years of the Chaldeans siege to concour Jerusalem.

39:3: “Rabsaris. . . Rabmag” = There are more than these people listed here because “Rab” in Chaldean is a title, not a name. It means, “chief of.” Nergalsharezer is also a title. In that group we find Neriglissar, who is Nebuchadnezzar’s son-in-law. And Neriglissar succeeded Nebuchadnezzar and was the father of Belshazzar (Dan. Chp. 5). Sarsechim was the chief of the eunuchs; of which Daniel was under. Rabmag was chief of the Magi; of which Daniel later became chief of.

39:6: “before his eyes” = Ezekiel 12:13 states that Zedekiah would not see Babylon. That prophecy came true in Jeremaih 39:7, where Zedekiel was blinded before taken to Babylon.

Jeremiah 39:7; Second kings 25:7; Jeremiah 52:11: “carry him to Babylon” = It is from Jeremiah 52:11 only, that we learn that Zedekiah went to prison and most likely died there.

39:8: “the Chaldeans burned the king’s house” = Archeologists have found evidence of this dating to B.C. 587 / 586.

39:10: “poor of the people” = See Zephaniah 312. Zephaniah was a contemporary of Jeremaih when Jeremaih was very young; about twenty.

39:11: “gave charge concerning Jeremiah” = Nebuchadnezzar was apparently aware of Jeremiah’s prophecies to not fight the Babylonians.

39:14: “Gedaliah” = Son of Ahikam (2Ki. 25:22). He later becomes the governor of Judea, a military governor if you will, and is put in charge of the poor that were left there. We will learn in later Chapters that he isn’t very smart. He means well but is naïve, what we would understand as not street smart, which becomes his undoing. He did save Jeremiah’s life back in Jeremaih 26:24. Historically, Gedaliah name was found in a seal at Lachish.

39:15: “Word of the LORD” = This is going back in history. See Jeremiah 38:7 and on. And then see Jeremiah 39:18 for why Ebedmelech was saved.

CHAPTER FORTY

40:1: “Nebuzaradan. . . had let him go” = That is, Jeremaih.

40:2: “said unto him” = In verses 2-3, this is a Babylonian general that appears to understand the God of Israel. It is also probable that this general was familiar with Ezekiel who was captive in Babylon from the first siege of Jerusalem.

40:6: “Mizpah” = Gedaliah makes this the capital of Judea. It is the place where Jacob and Laban parted from each other. The Babylonians have had enough of Jewish revolts out of Jerusalem, and as such, wanted to find a new place to administer from. It is located in a valley near Lebanon; about 7.5 miles North of Jerusalem.

40:8: “Ishmael” = He turns out to be the main leader of the bunch and is of the House of David. This will turn up later, because Gedaliah is not of David’s lineage. Therefore, Ishmael will overthrough Gedaliah and attempt to set up the House of David again.

40:9: “Fear not” = Gedaliah basically is telling these military men, who must have hid themselves away from Jerusalem and its siege, to not cause trouble.

40:10: “that ye have taken” = Apparently the took back some cities after the Babylonians left.

40:14: “Baalis” = Why would he care? He doesn’t want Gedaliah setting up a strong Jewish settlement that could eventually attack him. For the same reason, he underestimates Ishmael. Any Jewish settlement should be a concern of his and he should have staye out of it. Historically, king Baalis was found in a Siran Bottle, dated not very well to about B.C. 667 to 580.

40:15: “secretly” = Apparently, he spoke the first time in Gedaliah’s court; publically. But now privately.

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

41:2: “smote Gedaliah” = Because Gedaliah had allied himself with Babylon and these considered him to be a traitor.

41:3: “and the Chaldeans” = Nebuchadnezzar apparently left some administrators to help run things. And if Ishmael thought that the Babylonians wouldn’t do anything about this killing, or that he would be strong enough to fight them, his arrogance will be his downfall.

41:12: = “Gibeon” = About one mile from Mizpah (Jos. 18:25; 21:17; 2Sa. 2:12-17). So they catch up to Ishmael quite quickly.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

42:3: “the LORD thy God” = Notice that they don’t say “the LORD our God.” They are not seeking God’s Will, but they want God to ratify, if you will, what they want to do.

42:4: “you” = Notice Jeremaih puts it back on them, stating “you/your” 6 times.

44:6: “our God” = Something changed. If you want your prayers to be answered you must make it personal.

44:7: “ten days” = Just a thought on my part. It took ten days for our Lord to answer because they had broken all Ten Commandments of our Lord.

Jeremiah 42:10; Exodus 32:14; Judges 2:18; First Samuel 15:11 & 35; First Chronicles 21:15; Joel 2:13; Amos 7:3; Jonah 3:10; 4:2: “repented” = This is not a change of mind (Num. 23:19; 1Sa. 15:29). For God allows Himself to take either course of action in that divine warnings (and that is precisely what this is -- a warning) are always conditional based upon the response of the people (Jer. 18:8). While His judgments are sure (Gen. 6:6), “His mercy endures for ever,” First Chronicles 16:34. For God even “repents” of the warnings forecasted events despite the desired response of the people (Deu. 32:36; Hos. 11:8).

42:18: “execration” = That is, an insult or curse.

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

43:3: “Baruch” = Jeremiah’s secretary is falsely accused of lording it over Jeremaih. They forgit that Jeremaih has stood firm against five kings over his 40 year ministry. When people want to do of believe something, they come up with stupid arguments.

“to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans” = They had good reason to believe that the Chaldeans would not be merciful, based upon Jeremiah 41:2-3, for they killed not only the Governor set up by Nebuchadnezzar himself, but “the Chaldeans that were found there.” But they should have had a better reason to believe Jeremaih’s God.

43:7: “Tahpanhes” = About 20 miles from the land of Goshen. Apparently, the capital of Eygpt has been move here. All that God had done to get them out of Egypt and all they want to do is go back there. Do we return to our sins?

43:10: “say unto them” = The number seven (7) of Divinity shows up if we consider that Nebuchadnezzar, “My servant,” Gods servant, will:

1) Set his throne in Egypt;

2) On these particular stones;

3) Place his throne there;

4) Smite the land of Egypt;

5) Destroy their false gods;

6) Destry the false gods temples;

7) Carry some false gods back to Babylon. Note, probably the same gods the Babylonians worshiped.

43:13: “gods of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire” = It was a common practice to destroy the false gods of other nations in a statement that the concurring victors gods were stranger than the gods that were concoured.

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

44:18; “since we left off” = WOW! They are blaming their lack of loyalty to this false goddess for their misfortunes instead of recognizing their unfaithfulness to the true God. Note also that it seems to be the women who were prominent in promoting this worship.

44:28: “Yet a small number” = God always has a remnant somewhere.

44:30: “Pharaoh Hophra” = “Hophra” is the Jewish name; “Wahibre” is the Egyptian name; and “Apries” is his name in Greek. In June, 2021 A.D., an Egyptian farmer was plowing his field and discovered a stone with inscriptions on it. It was given to the “Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities,” who later determined that this was a monument set up by Pharaoh “Wahigre,” plainly displaying his name at the top of the monument, describing his campaign to the East against the King of Babylon by request of Zedekiah, king of Israel.

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

45:1: “Baruch” = Jeremiah’s scribe, grandson of Maaseiah, and governor of Jerusalem under king Josiah (2Ki. 34:8). His brother was the chief chamberlain in the court of Zedekiah (Jer. 51:59. In other words, he came from noble heritage. Pharaoh Necho put Jehoahaz in charge who ruled only 90 days. He then put Jehoiakim in charge. Jehoiakim was succeeded by Jeconiah. And then Zedekiah was put in charge by Nebuchadnezzar. Apparently, Baruch was exhausted and wanted to quit. So God encouraged him except not to hope for good times to come.

45:5: “prey” = Better translated as “prize.”

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

46:6: “and fall toward the north by the river Euphrates” = The army is Egypt’s (verse 8), composed mainly of mercenaries; Ethiopians, Libyans, and Lydian’s (verse 9); who ran into the Babylonian army and were defeated at Carchemish in about B.C. 605. This battle has been identified according to “John Gill’s Bible Commentary:” “the place where this route and slaughter would be made was Carchemish, which was situated by that river; on the north side of which city, according to Abarbinel, the battle was; and which sense is mentioned by Kimchi.”

46:13: “come and smite the land of Egypt” = This is a separate prophecy from the smiting of Egypt at Carchemish. Here is where Nebuchadnezzar goes into the heartland of Egypt to fully take it over, about seven years later.

46:22: “like a serpent” = Since the Egyptian banners which lead the armies of Egypt had pictures of serpents upon them, they will lose to God’s voice that will be like that of an hissing serpent.

“with axes” = The surprise of battle-axes being used in battle by the Babylonians in their quest of Egypt confounded the Egyptians to the point of embarrassing defeat.

45:27: “fear not thou” = Earlier prophecies speak of Israels destruction if they go to Egypt. But as always, even though not listed here, God always has a remnant. Or, by “Jacob” God is speaking of those outside of Egypt, “nations whither I have driven thee,” verse 28. Buit those in Egypt will surely meet their end.

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

47:ALL: This prophecy against the Philistines is given at the same time as that of the prophecies against Egypt in Chapter 46. Notice that our Lord holds nations responsible for their worship of false gods. In the end, the Book of Revelation asks, Who Do You Worship?

47:5: “Baldness” = Idiomatically, “baldness” is a term of “desolation / ruin.” See Isaiah 7:20; Ezekiel 5:1-2; Amos 1:8 & 10. Whereas having “hair” is a symbol of strength. Consider Samson; the Nazarite Vow; and woman’s hair as their glory. It’s God’s poetic way of saying He will be judging you.

“Tyrus and Zidon” = At this point in history these were allies of the Philistines.

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

48:ALL: This prophecy against the Moabites and the Ammonites (Chp. 49) also is given at the same time period as Chapters 46 and 47. Remember that these people groups exist because of Lot’s daughters (Gen. 19:37=38). The Moabites dwelt on the Eastern shore of the Dead Sea. Hebrews 12:8 speaks of them as bastards and not heirs. In other words, no sonship is given them; they have no inheritance. According to Second Kings 24:2 and Jeremiah 12:7-13, the Moabites allied themselves against Israel, joining the Babylonian forces of Nebuchadnezzar, However, later they allied themselves with Israel against king Zedekiah 9Jer. 27:1-11). In other words, anything that kills Jews they helped out. Sound familiar today of the Arab nations?

48:1: “Woe unto Nebo” = A mountain in the middle of the land of Moab and one where they worshiped their main god Chemosh (Num. 21:29; 1Ki. 11:7 & 33).

“Kiriathaim” = Another plae of worship for the Moabites. See Numbers 32:37.

“Misgab” = In Isaiah 25:12, this word is translated as a high fortress. Thus, this may not be a city and none has been found with that name at this point in our history.

48:3: “Horonaim” = Isaiah mentions it (Isa. 15:5), but efforts to identify its location is considered to be South of Moab.

48:6: “heath in the wilderness” = Witch is taken by the wind and where it lands it grows. In other words, flee to a place not inhabited in order to hide.

48:13: “as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel” = This is in reference to when Jeroboam set up calf worship at Bethel (1Ki. 12:32). Notice that God does not tolerate this false worship anywhere. As the Book of Revelation points out: Who Do You Worship?

48:1: “Dibon” = As city captured by the Ammonites and held by them at this time; meaning the Ammonites are also going to be judged.

48:25: “horn of Moab is cut off” = The horn of an animal is its strength / power. Thus, the meaning. Moabs power will be “cut off,” and rendered powerless.

48:29: “pride. . . haughtiness of his heart” = Herein lies the real problem with Moab. And God hates pride. See Psalm 16:18.

48:36: “pipes” = These “pipes,” or flutes, where associated with funerals. Thus, the implication that God is referencing.

48:37: “head. . . beard. . . cuttings. . . loins sackcloth” = Forms of morning that was prohibited by God for the Jews. See Deuteronomy 14:1.

48:46: “Woe be unto thee, O Moab” = For other prophecies against Moab, see Deuteronomy 23:3; Psalnm 60:8; 83:6-7; 108:9; Isaiah, Chapter 15-16; 25:10-12; Jeremaih 9:25-27; 25:21; 27:3; Chapter 48; Ezekiel 25:8-11; Amos 2:1-3; Zephaniah 2:8-11.

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

49:1: “Ammonites” = They dwelt North of Moab on the Eastern shore of the Dead Sea. Back in Jeremiah 40:11-14, we learned that they participated in and rejoiced over the fall of Jerusalem. They lived closest to the tribal territories of Gad, and also were near Reuben and Benjamin.

“Hath Israel no sons? Hath he no heir” = Ammon is considered to be a bastard and to have no inheritance. Israel has an inheritance. To attempt to “inherit Gad[s]” inheritance by taking over Gad will not work. God rewards the obedient.

49:2: “Rabbah” = The capital city of the Ammonites.

49:6: “Edom” = This is Esau’s descendant’s (Gen. 36:1-19). Esau ad Edom are synonyms of “red.” Israel is constantly dealing with them. See First Samuel 14:47; Second Samuel 8:14; First Kings 11:15-16 Second Chronicles 20:1; Job 2:11; Psalm 137:7; Isaiah 11:14; 21:11-12; 34:5-7; 63:16; Ezekiel 25:12-14; 35:1-15; Joel 3:19; Amos 2:1; 9:12; the Book of Obadiah; Happy for the fall of Judah in Psalm 137:7 & Lamentations 4:21-22.

A little history here. The Edomites become Idumaea. They have a governor named Antipater, who lived around B.C. 63. Antipater’s son is Herod, who becomes Herod the Great; which begins the Herodian dynasty around B.C. 37. In another interesting fact. Petra was their capital, where pagan worship for Muslims began. Petra is eventually overrun by the Nabateans. Thus, Herod was an Idumaean. This is why the Jews not only hated the Romans for being in their land, they hated Herod.

49:8: “Dedan” = Dedan is South of Edom and the warning here is to stay away from Edom.

“the calamity of Esau” = That there would be nothing left for them to inherit (see Heb. 12:16-17, i.e., no place found for them to live.

49:12: “drink of the cup” = Of indignation. Our Lord is outraged at them.

49:16: “pride of thine heart” = Here again lies the problem. God hates pride. Notice that the others have a remnant. Not Edom.

49:23: “Damascus” = Capital city of Assyria.

“Hamath. . . Arpad” = Hamath is 110 miles North of Damascus; while Arpad is 95 miles further North of Hamath. Thus, Assyria is covered.

49:27: “Benhadad” = King of Assyria. Hadad was the Syrian god of storms. Do we wee false god worship here of which our True God is jealous and hateful of?

49:28: “Kedar. . . Hazor” = Kingdoms in Arabia. Hazor is a desert region where the offspring of Hagar’s son Ishmael lived. Kedar is mentioned in Genesis 25:13; Isaiah 21:13 & 16; Ezekiel 27:21.

49:34: “Elam” = The son of Shem (Gen. 10:22). Other mentions of Elam are in Genesis 14:1-17; Ezra 4:9-10; Isaiah 22:6; Jeremaih 25:25; 47:35; 49:34; Ezekial 32:16 & 24; Acts 2:9. Elam is 200 miles east of Babylon; in what would be a portion of Iran today. They form an alliance with the Medes, who eventually join with the Persians against Babylon. Thus, they become assimilated into Media-Persia; which in turn is taken down by the Greek, Alexander The Great. Because they are mentioned in Ats 2:9, a remnant must have survived.

49:38: “I will set my throne in Elam” = Better, “I will show Myself King because of My judgments in Elam.” Prophecies against Ammon are found in Jeremaih, Chapter 49; Ezekiel 21:20 & 28-32; 25:1-7; Amos 1:13-15; Zephaniah 2:8-11.

CHAPTER FIFTY

50:2: “Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces” = In God’s eyes a nation is successful or ruined based upon the idols it worships.

50:3 & 9 & 41: “north” = Specifically mentioned as the Medes in Jeremiah 51:11.

50:4: “he goats before the flocks” = Goats tend to run ahead of the other animals. In other words, run out of Babylon, for destruction cometh.

50:8: “be as the he goats before the flocks” = In other words, let everyone be foremost in returning.

50:9: “an assembly of great nations” = Medea-Persia.

50:13: “it shall not be inhabited” = Meaning Babylon, as also foretold in Isaiah 13:20; Jeremiah 50:39-40; 51:26 & 29 & 37. A little before the “Iraq War,” Saddam Hussein, fifth president of Iraq, attempted to rebuild Babylon. It has yet to be done. It must be remembered that Babylon was the center of idolatry; the mother of every heathen system of worship; and Satan worship. This is why it is used as an idiom in the Book of Revelation for Rome. In the Scriptures, Egypt is often displayed as worshiping the world. Whereas Babylon is depicted as worshiping idols.

50:20: “whom I reserve” = God always has a remnant.

50:21: “Merathaim. . . Pekod” = Suburbs of Babylon.

50:32: “none shall raise him up” = See my Jeremiah 50:13 Note.

50:34: “Redeemer. . . their cause” = Certainly not Babylon, for God is cursing them. Therefore, this must refer to the remnant of verse 20.

50:36: “dote” = Better translated as “fools.”

50:37: “they shall become as women” = In those days women did not become members of an army. In other words, they will not be able to defend themselves.

50:39 & 40: “[39] it shall be no more inhabited for ever [40] no man abide there” = See my Jeremiah 50:13 Note.

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

51:6: “Flee out of the midst of Babylon” = See Revelation 14:8 & 18:2.

51:7: “her wine” = Her false ideas. In the Book of Revelation, it would mean Rome’s false doctrines.

51:9: “We” = Trinity doctrine in the Old Testament.

51:10: “our righteousness” = Speaking of the Israelites. But they are not righteous. Thus, it must be referring to only those of the remnant that will serve God.

51:17: “brutish” = Better translated as “stupid / dumb.”

51:18: “visitation” = Meaning, “in the time of their judgement.”

51:19: “portion of Jacob” = Again, only a remnant.

51:20: “Thou” = Referring to Media-Persia.

51:26: “not take of thee a Stone for a corner, nor a Stone for foundations” = Both Paul and Peter pick up on this phrase here in Jeremiah. See Ephesains 2:20 and First Peter 2:6.

“but thou shalt be desolate for ever” = See my Jeremiah 50:13 Note.

51:27: “Ararat” = Mentioned in Genesis 8:4.

“Minni” = Associated with the Minnians, who were located in West Iran.

“Ashkenaz” = The Scythians, who were nomads living East of Lake Ermia. Mentioned in Genesis 10:3. The historian Herodotus points out that the Scythians conquered the Samarians; who in turn conquer Gomar and Gomar’s Germany. Today, Ashkenaz in Hebrew implies a Germanic background.

“caterpillers” = Without number.

51:29: “without an inhabitant” = See my Jeremiah 50:13 Note.

51:30: “they shall become as women” = In those days women did not become members of an army. In other words, they will not be able to defend themselves.

51:33: “threshingfloor” = Where the wheat harvest was thrashed / beaten. The “Targum” renders it “the congregation of Babylon;” and the “Septuagint” the “houses of the king of Babylon;” so the Arabic version.

51:37: “without an inhabitant” = See my Jeremiah 50:13 Note.

51:33: “daughter of Babylon is like a threshingfloor” = Babylon is like a threshing-floor (Jer. 51:33) not trodden for a long time; but the time of harvest, when her citizens shall be trodden under foot, shall come. Notice also that Babylon has made for herself daughters (as in Rev. 14:8; 17:1; and even most of the people of God that must come out of her -- Rev. 18:4).

51:41: “Sheshach” = Another name for Babylon.

51:44: “Bel” = One of the main false Gods of Babylon.

51:45: “go ye out” = See Revelation 14:8 & 18:2.

51:58: “recompences” = See Deuteronomy 32:35; Psalm 94:1; Romans 12:19; Hebrews 10:30.

51:59: “Seraiah” = He was assigned to attend to and comfort Zedekiah when he went to Babylon.

51:62: “desolate for ever” = See my Jeremiah 50:13 Note.

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

52:ALL: This Chapter was written by an unknown scribe and not Jeremaih. It appears to be an appendix to Jeremaih’s writings and includes material found in Second Kings 24:18 through 25:30.

52:1: “Jeremiah of Libnah” = Obviously a different Jeremaih from the prophet. This Jeremaih is the brother of Jehoahaz and king Jehoiakim; which where sons of king Josiah.

52:9: “Riblah” = See my Jeremaih 21:9 Note.

Jeremiah 52:11; Second Kings 25:7; Jeremiah 39:7: “put him in prison till the day of his death” = It is from Jeremiah 52:11 only that we learn that Zedekiah went to prison and died there.

52:12: “the nineteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar” = According to “The Canon of Ptolemy,” based upon an eclipse in Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, he reigned from B.C. 605-562. That means the 19th year would be B.C. 586; the year the Solomon’s Temple was destroyed.

52:31: “Evilmerodach” = Evil-Merodach is known as “Amel-Marduk” in the Babylonian records. Evil is not an adjective describing this character. It’s just a part of his name. Maradoch is the Hebraization of the false god Marduk; of which is a part of his name. It is not clear if he was a son or a grandson of Nebuchadnezzar.

In a side note, Cuneiform Tablets were found that list the rations that were provided to king Jehoiachin by Evil-Marodach. See Second Kings 25:27-30.

Introduction To The Book Of Lamentations

THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH, Chapter 1-52

THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH,
Chapter 1-52