Jeremiah - Lesson 49B

• Chapters 1-23 Review:

  • The LORD called Jeremiah as a prophet to the nations during the last five kings of Judah.

  • The LORD’s warning to His people is to stop worshipping false gods or He will judge them by destruction and exile using a nation from the North, Babylon; the judgment will include the destruction of the temple and the city of Jerusalem.

    • The people are to repent from their evil ways; the leaders are specifically called out for their rejection of the LORD’s covenant and the shedding of innocent blood; the false prophets are called out for misleading the people to believe the LORD would not bring judgment on them.

    • Jeremiah is reviled by the leaders and the people of Judah, but the LORD will protect him.

  • The LORD promises there will not be a complete destruction of His people, as He will provide a Messiah and will bring His people back into the Promised Land in a future time, never to be removed.

• Chapters 24-29 Review:

  • Good figs are used to represent the Jews who go into exile and will ultimately be those who become the Jews brought back into the land at a future time. The bad figs represent those who rebel against the judgment the LORD has brought on them through Nebuchadnezzar to last for seventy years.

  • Hypocrisy and false teaching and prophecy plague the LORD’s people justifying the LORD’s judgment on them.

    • Jeremiah continues to experience persecution for bringing the LORD’s truth to His people (like planning to stay for a long time in Babylon) and calling out false prophets. Some of the false prophets are dealt with immediately.

• Chapters 30-33 Review:

  • These chapters are often referred to as the Book of Consolation as they are filled with promises for the LORD’s people.

  • Promises of the LORD’s people being regathered and brought back to a specific land as a nation to live in safety with hearts of flesh and not stone, served by priests, ruled by a king and living in prosperity. All of this is possible because Jesus their Messiah has redeemed them and will be their King.

• Chapters 34-38 Review:

  • The Jewish leaders renege on a covenant to release Hebrew servants.

  • The obedience of the Rechabites is contrasted to the disobedience of the LORD’s people. Jeremiah’s scroll is burned by King Jehoiakim.

  • Jeremiah is rescued from death in a cistern by a servant of the king.

    • Zedekiah seeks a new word from the LORD.

• Chapters 39-41 Review:

  • Jerusalem falls, Zedekiah is taken into exile, and Jeremiah joins Gedaliah, the selected governor of Judah. Gedaliah is threatened and then killed by Ishmael along with other Jews and Chaldeans at Mizpah. The remnant is rescued by Johana and the commanders with him.

• Chapters 42-44 Review:

  • The remnant of Judah disobeys the word of the LORD to remain in Judah and not fear Nebuchadnezzar, choosing to go to Egypt in rebellion. Egypt and the remnant from Judah will experience the judgement of the LORD brought by Nebuchadnezzar. The remnant vows to continue their worship of the false gods because they did not understand the true reason for their judgement in the land of Judah.   

• Chapters 45-48 Review:

  • The LORD speaks to Baruch through Jeremiah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim. Baruch expressed sorrow knowing what the LORD has revealed for Judah but the LORD instructs him to set this aside and speak truth; the LORD will protect his life. The LORD then speaks about how He is going to bring judgement on Egypt, the Philistines and Moab.

• Chapter 49 Prophecy concerning Edom and how it will be left like Sodom and Gomorrah.

  • The sons of Ammon will be judged in this day, however there will be a day when her fortunes are restored.

Jer. 49:23 Concerning Damascus.
“Hamath and Arpad are put to shame,
For they have heard bad news;
They are disheartened.
There is anxiety by the sea,
It cannot be calmed.
Jer. 49:24 “Damascus has become helpless;
She has turned away to flee,
And panic has gripped her;
Distress and pangs have taken hold of her
Like a woman in childbirth.
Jer. 49:25 “How the city of praise has not been deserted,
The town of My joy!
Jer. 49:26 “Therefore, her young men will fall in her streets,
And all the men of war will be silenced in that day,” declares the LORD of hosts.
Jer. 49:27 “I will set fire to the wall of Damascus,
And it will devour the fortified towers of Ben-hadad.”

• Verse 23 These words are for Damascus.

  • Hamath and Arpad are put to shame.

  • Hamath is located about one hundred miles north of Damascus and Arpad about another hundred miles north of Hamath. These cities were all part of the territory of Aram.

    • Present day this territory covers most of Syria, southeastern Turkey, sections of Lebanon and Iraq.

    • Damascus is mentioned with Hamath specifically in 2 Kings 14:28.

2Kings 14:28 Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam and all that he did and his might, how he fought and how he recovered for Israel, Damascus and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

• These places belonged to Judah, and King Jeroboam had fought to bring them back to Israel.

  • The problem was that the kings of Judah worshipped the gods of Damascus.

2Chr. 28:22 Now in the time of his distress this same King Ahaz became yet more unfaithful to the LORD.
2Chr. 28:23 For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him, and said, “Because the gods of the kings of Aram helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.” But they became the downfall of him and all Israel.

• This worship of the gods of Damascus became the downfall of all Israel.

  • When Assyria exiled Israel they came to the gates of Jerusalem and they bragged about conquering the gods and kings of Hamath and Arpad, among many cities they destroyed.

2Kings 18:28 Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in Judean, saying, “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria.

2Kings 18:33 ‘Has any one of the gods of the nations delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria?
2Kings 18:34 ‘Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah? Have they delivered Samaria from my hand?
2Kings 18:35 ‘Who among all the gods of the lands have delivered their land from my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem from my hand?’”

• The Assyrians rightly declared their victory over the gods of the land they conquered.

  • They did not understand the power of the one true God of Israel. He was actually using Assyria to carry out His judgments on Israel and other nations.

  • The men residing in these cities during the time of the prophecies from Jeremiah were foreigners brought in by the Assyrians.

2Kings 17:24 The king of Assyria brought men from Babylon and from Cuthah and from Avva and from Hamath and Sepharvaim, and settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the sons of Israel. So they possessed Samaria and lived in its cities.

• This is one of the reasons they would have been willing to stand in rebellion to Babylon and King Nebuchadnezzar.

  • Jer. 49:23 The inhabitants in these locations have heard bad news.

  • The bad news during the time of Jeremiah would be that the Chaldean army is on the move coming to deal with their rebellion.

  • The news makes them disheartened and filled with anxiety.

    • This anxiety, like the constant uncertainty of the seas can’t be calmed.

• Verse 24 The LORD describes Damascus as helpless meaning they understood their true state before the Chaldean army.

  • They decide to run away in their panic and distress, like a woman in labor knowing things are going to progress from bad to worse.

• Verse 25 The city of praise and town of My (the LORD’s) joy would be Jerusalem. The LORD will not desert her (Jerusalem) He will bring judgement but He does not abandon His city.

  • This is a vague reference to be sure and open to other interpretations. It seems difficult to try and make any other city be called a city of praise and My joy except Jerusalem.

• Verse 26 The next verse begins with ‘Therefore’, and should be linked to what was just revealed.

  • Because the LORD does not abandon His city He deals with Damascus causing the men too young to flee to be killed in the streets of their cities and the warriors who fled to be killed in that day. The Chaldeans will be ruthless in their pursuit.

• Verse 27 The walls and fortified towers of Damascus will be set on fire.

  • The mention of the towers of Ben-hadad points to the name of the deity, Hadad, the storm god of the Assyrians.

  • The mention of the deity’s name can also help explain the mention of the anxiety felt ‘by the sea’ that couldn’t be calmed.

Jer. 49:28 Concerning Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated. Thus says the LORD,
“Arise, go up to Kedar
And devastate the men of the east.
Jer. 49:29 “They will take away their tents and their flocks;
They will carry off for themselves
Their tent curtains, all their goods and their camels,
And they will call out to one another, ‘Terror on every side!’
Jer. 49:30 “Run away, flee! Dwell in the depths,
O inhabitants of Hazor,” declares the LORD;
“For Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has formed a plan against you
And devised a scheme against you.
Jer. 49:31 “Arise, go up against a nation which is at ease,
Which lives securely,” declares the LORD.
“It has no gates or bars;
They dwell alone.
Jer. 49:32 “Their camels will become plunder,
And their many cattle for booty,
And I will scatter to all the winds those who cut the corners of their hair;
And I will bring their disaster from every side,” declares the LORD
Jer. 49:33 “Hazor will become a haunt of jackals,
A desolation forever;
No one will live there,
Nor will a son of man reside in it.”

• Verse 28 The LORD next speaks concerning Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor.

  • The men of Kedar are described in Psa. 120:5-7, Is. 21:16-17.

Psa. 120:5  Woe is me, for I sojourn in Meshech,
For I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
Psa. 120:6  Too long has my soul had its dwelling
With those who hate peace.
Psa. 120:7  I am for peace, but when I speak,
They are for war.

Is. 21:16  For thus the Lord said to me, “In a year, as a hired man would count it, all the splendor of Kedar will terminate;
Is. 21:17 and the remainder of the number of bowmen, the mighty men of the sons of Kedar, will be few; for the LORD God of Israel has spoken.”

• The men of Kedar dwell in tents, a nomadic people.

  • The men of Kedar are those who hate peace and are for war; mighty men.

• Jer. 49:28 Hazor is not a reference to a city located in Israel but to the kingdoms of Hazor.

  • It seems to be referring to other nomadic tribes from the Arabian deserts, referred to as ‘men of the east. The context of the remaining verses confirms this conclusion.

    • The LORD directs Nebuchadnezzar to move to defeat the people of these regions.

• Verse 29 Their defeat will include the taking of their tents, goods and their flocks and camels.

  • This demonstrates the nomadic nature of these people in Jeremiah’s time.

  • They will be surrounded on every side.

• Verse 30 These people can only flee, as Nebuchadnezzar has a plan for coming against them.

  • The only place to hide would be to dwell in the depths, maybe moving from above ground in moveable tents to hiding underground.

• Verse 31 These people are described as a nation living at ease, securely, though they had no gates or bars. This describes the nomadic nature of these people now. The people did not feel they were a threat to Babylon and would not be a target for Nebuchadnezzar.

  • Verse 32 It is repeated that their camels and cattle will be taken as plunder and booty.

    • The people will be scattered in all directions (to all the winds)

    • The people scattered will be those who cut the corners of their hair.

  • This was also covered in the words of the LORD to Jeremiah in 25:23-24.

Jer. 25:23 and Dedan, Tema, Buz and all who cut the corners of their hair;
Jer. 25:24 and all the kings of Arabia and all the kings of the foreign people who dwell in the desert;

• This was one part of a long list of those the LORD was going to pour out wrath on.

  • Also notice the ones who cut the corners of their hair are linked to the kings of Arabia and with the king of the foreign people who dwell in the desert.

• Jer. 49:33 The LORD concludes Hazor will become uninhabitable.

  • The area of Hazor is present Saudi Arabia and it is not uninhabitable now, so the conclusion is this judgement has not taken place yet and will be fulfilled at a later time.

Jer. 49:34 That which came as the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam, at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying:
Jer. 49:35 “Thus says the LORD of hosts,
‘Behold, I am going to break the bow of Elam,
The finest of their might.
Jer. 49:36 ‘I will bring upon Elam the four winds
From the four ends of heaven,
And will scatter them to all these winds;
And there will be no nation
To which the outcasts of Elam will not go.
Jer. 49:37 ‘So I will shatter Elam before their enemies
And before those who seek their lives;
And I will bring calamity upon them,
Even My fierce anger,’ declares the LORD,
‘And I will send out the sword after them
Until I have consumed them.
Jer. 49:38 ‘Then I will set My throne in Elam
And destroy out of it king and princes,’
Declares the LORD.
Jer. 49:39 ‘But it will come about in the last days
That I will restore the fortunes of Elam,’”
Declares the LORD.

• Verse 34 The word of the LORD comes at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah.

  • These words are concerning Elam.

• Verse 35 The LORD is identified as the LORD of hosts.

  • This is a reminder of the spiritual nature of the power of the LORD over the heavenly bodies.

  • The LORD is going to break the bow of Elam, the finest of their might.

    • The scriptures refer to the use of the bow in Elam in Is. 22:6.

Is. 22:6  Elam took up the quiver
With the chariots, infantry and horsemen;
And Kir uncovered the shield.

• Jer. 49:35 What is described as the finest of their might, is a way of saying the best they have to offer in way of resistance, the LORD is going to break it.

  • Verse 36 Elam will be dispersed in all directions like the four winds of heaven (every direction).

    • The dispersion will drive the survivors into every nation.

    • This does not seem to have been fulfilled in the days of Nebuchadnezzar as the capital of the next world power is headquartered in Elam.

Dan. 8:1 In the third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king a vision appeared to me, Daniel, subsequent to the one which appeared to me previously.
Dan. 8:2 I looked in the vision, and while I was looking I was in the citadel of Susa, which is in the province of Elam; and I looked in the vision and I myself was beside the Ulai Canal.

• Susa is in the province of Elam. Susa was where the events of the Book of Esther took place.

  • The location of Elam is in present day Iran.

• Jer. 49:37 Elam will be destroyed by their enemies using the sword until they are no more.

  • There is no specific mention of Nebuchadnezzar or the Chaldeans as the enemies that will be used to destroy Elam.

• Verse 38 Once the people are destroyed the LORD will set His throne in Elam.

  • The LORD will destroy the kings and princes who are there.

  • This appears to be a throne of judgment for the LORD.

• Verse 39 The words of the LORD end with what is to happen in the last days, a term to be associated with the time period before the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom, usually referring to the tribulation time.

  • The LORD says He will restore the fortunes of Elam; the purpose of this restoration is not given.

  • The reference to restoring the fortunes is used exclusively in regard to Judah and Israel throughout the scriptures; it is only in Jeremiah these words are used in association with other peoples.

Jer. 48:47 “Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab
In the latter days,” declares the LORD.  Thus far the judgment on Moab.

Jer. 49:6 “But afterward I will restore
The fortunes of the sons of Ammon,”
Declares the LORD.

Jer. 49:39 ‘But it will come about in the last days
That I will restore the fortunes of Elam,’”
Declares the LORD.

• The thread of the nations being called out for judgement is seen in Jeremiah chapter twenty-five.

  • The events prophesied in that chapter were in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, the first year of Nebuchadnezzar.

Jer. 25:4 “And the LORD has sent to you all His servants the prophets again and again, but you have not listened nor inclined your ear to hear,
Jer. 25:5 saying, ‘Turn now everyone from his evil way and from the evil of your deeds, and dwell on the land which the LORD has given to you and your forefathers forever and ever;
Jer. 25:6 and do not go after other gods to serve them and to worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the work of your hands, and I will do you no harm.’
Jer. 25:7 “Yet you have not listened to Me,” declares the LORD, “in order that you might provoke Me to anger with the work of your hands to your own harm.
Jer. 25:8 “Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Because you have not obeyed My words,
Jer. 25:9 behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will send to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land and against its inhabitants and against all these nations round about; and I will utterly destroy them and make them a horror and a hissing, and an everlasting desolation.
Jer. 25:10 ‘Moreover, I will take from them the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp.
Jer. 25:11 ‘This whole land will be a desolation and a horror, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years.

• Verse 6 The problem was the LORD’s people were not to go after other gods to serve and to worship them.

  • Verse 9 The judgment the LORD is bringing will be brought on all these nations.

  • Verse 11 These nations will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.

    • The judgement the LORD has declared for His people as well as for all the inhabitants of the earth.

Jer. 25:29 “For behold, I am beginning to work calamity in this city which is called by My name, and shall you be completely free from punishment? You will not be free from punishment; for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth,” declares the LORD of hosts.’

• The LORD is righteous to bring His judgments on the inhabitants of the earth.

  • The LORD declares Himself to be the LORD of hosts, or the LORD of the heavenly armies.

  • There is a battle being fought in the spiritual realm that continues to connect the worship of the false gods (demons - spiritual realm) with His judgments of destruction of the inhabitants of the land.

    • The war for us today is continuing as we know the spiritual nature of the battle continues.

Eph. 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
Eph. 6:11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
Eph. 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

• Verse 12 Our struggle is against the world forces of this darkness.

  • Against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

    • The church is used by God as a testimony to these spiritual forces.

Eph. 3:8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ,
Eph. 3:9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things;
Eph. 3:10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.
Eph. 3:11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,

• Verse 8 The gospel was brought to the Gentiles.

  • Verse 9 The Gentiles response to the gospel demonstrates the administration of the mystery God had kept hidden during the previous ages.

  • Verse 10 The complex wisdom of God is made known to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places through the church.

  • Verse 11 This was the eternal purpose carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord.

    • This was accomplished though Christ.

Eph. 1:18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
Eph. 1:19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might
Eph. 1:20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
Eph. 1:21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

• Verse 18 Paul’s desire is for the believers to understand in their hearts, and know the hope of His calling.

  • To know the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, or believers.

  • This inheritance begins with salvation but it is so much more.

• Verse 19 We have the surpassing greatness of His power.

  • The knowledge, inheritance and power are in line with the working of the strength of His might.

• Verse 20 These were made possible in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at the right hand in the heavenly places.

  • Verse 21 This seat put Christ high above all rule and authority and power and dominion.

    • Christ is above all wicked and dark spiritual forces.

    • Christ is elevated above every name that is named.

  • This has a specific meaning explained in Phil. 2:9-11

Phil. 2:9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,
Phil. 2:10 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
Phil. 2:11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

• Verse 9 God exalted Jesus, put Christ high above and gave Him the name above every name.

  • Verse 10 This exalted name will cause every knee to bow.

    • Those in the heavenly realm and on earth and under the earth, this will include those referred to as forces of this darkness and spiritual forces of wickedness.

  • Eph. 1:21 This is true in this age and the one to come, the Millennial Kingdom.

    • It is because Christ is above all rule and authority that the believer has been made complete.

Col. 2:9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,
Col. 2:10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;

• Believers are complete and in our new life we are to keep our minds on things in the heavenly realm.

Col. 3:1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Col. 3:2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

• Verse 1 If you are a believer described as one raised up with Christ, you are to keep seeking the things above.

  • The place where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

• Verse 2 Believers do this by setting our minds and thinking on the things above.

  • Believers are not to focus our thoughts on the things that are on earth.

    • We have so much more given to us in the heavenly places.

Eph. 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing.
These blessings are in the heavenly places in Christ.

• There was a spiritual war raging against the LORD’s people from the time they were called out to Jeremiah’s day; and there is a spiritual war continuing in our present age; but as believers in the Church Age we have been shown Christ has won that war and we are to keep our eyes on that truth even as the spiritual battles continue for us as long as we live.