This Material Has Not Been Edited For s15

THIS MATERIAL HAS NOT BEEN EDITED FOR

SCRIPTURAL ACCURACY, SPELLING, OR GRAMMAR

J E R E M I A H

CHAPTER FOUR

Jer 4:1-2 Bible Text

"If you will return, O Israel," says the LORD, "Return to Me; and if you will put away your abominations out of My sight, Then you shall not be moved. 2 And you shall swear, 'The LORD lives,' in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; the nations shall bless themselves in Him, and in Him they shall glory." NKJV

4:1-4 God’s call for Judah’s repentance is the primary goal of the larger text in (Chapters 2-6 verses 1-2) conclude the haftarah [Hebrew “conclusion” the reading from a prophetic book that follows the Torah reading in the Sabbath or festival service] reading of (2:4-28; 3:4; 4:1-2) for the parashah of Mase’ei [the portion of Torah designated to be read publicly for each week of the year] (Numbers 33:1-36:13), the second of the three haftarot of rebuke prior to the 9th of Av, to illustrate the principle that restoration will follow punishment. 4: The imagery of circumcision (Open, literally “circumcise,” [cf. Deuteronomy 10:16 and 30:6]) symbolizes the rejuvenation of the covenant between God and Israel (see Genesis Chapter 17). Jewish Study Bible

Jer 4:1-2

Just as there the prophet hears in spirit the penitent supplication of the people, so here he hears the Lord's answer to this supplication, by inward vision seeing the future as already present. The removal of the abominations from before God's face is the utter extirpation of idolatry, the negative moment of the return to the Lord; and the swearing by the life of Jahveh is added as a positive expression of their acknowledgment of the true God. Taanuwd (OT: 5110) is the wandering of the idolatrous people after this and the other false god, (Jer 2:23 and 3:13).

Note the following verses:

1. “Not with standing the Lord turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal.” (2 Kings 23:26)

2. “And he [Jehoahaz] did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done.” (2 Kings 23:32)

3. “And he [Jehoiakim] did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father had done.” (2 Kings 23:37)

4. “And also for the innocent blood that he [Manasseh] shed: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the Lord would not pardon.” (2 Kings 24:4)

5. “And he [Jehoiachin] did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father had done.” (2 Kings 24:9 KJ)

These Scriptures explain why God was so angry with Judah and why they had to face judgement.

Jer 4:1-2

If the heathen peoples bless themselves in the name of Jahveh, then are they become partakers of the salvation that comes from Jahveh; and if this blessing comes to them as a consequence of the true conversion of Israel to the Lord, as a fruit of this, then it has come to them through Israel as the channel, as the patriarchal blessings declare. Jeremiah does not lay stress upon this intermediate agency of Israel, but leaves it to be indirectly understood from the unmistakeable allusion to the older promise.

JEREMIAH CHAPTER FOUR

The return of apostate Israel to its God is indeed necessary ere the destined end be attained; it is not, however, the ground of the blessing of the nations, but only one means towards the consummation of the divine plan of redemption, a plan which embraces all mankind. Israel's apostasy delayed this consummation; the conversion of Israel will have for its issue the blessing of the nations.

Jer 4:3-4 Bible Text

3 For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: "Break up your fallow ground, And do not sow among thorns. 4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your hearts,

You men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, lest My fury come forth like fire, And burn so that no one can quench it, Because of the evil of your doings." NKJV

4:4. metaphor of heart circumcision. Circumcision was not unique to Israel, as iconographic evidence has been found in Egypt. But the meaning behind it was unique, as it was a sign that the people of Israel belonged to Yahweh. Regular circumcision symbolically put the organ of generation under the control of Yahweh as a reminder of his covenant promise to make Israel a great nation. The concept of circumcision of the heart symbolically put the organ of the will under the control of Yahweh as recognition of the obligation to the law. (IVP Commentary)

Jer 4:3-31

Threatening of Judgment upon Jerusalem and Judah. - If Judah and Jerusalem do not reform, the wrath of God will be inevitably kindled against them (vv. 3, 4). Already the prophet sees in spirit the judgment bursting in upon Judah from the north; to the dismay of all who were accounting themselves secure (vv. 5-10). Like a hot tempest-blast it rushes on, because of the wickedness of Jerusalem (vv. 11-18), bringing desolation and ruin on the besotted people, devastating the whole land, and not to be turned aside by any meretricious devices (vv. 19-31).

In v. 1 this was addressed to Israel. In (v. 3) the call comes to Judah, which the prophet had already in his eye in ch. 3; (cf. Jer 3:7-8, 10-11). The transition from Israel to Judah in the phrase: for thus saith Jahveh, is explained by the introduction of a connecting thought, which can without difficulty be supplied from the last clause of (v. 2); the promise that the nations bless themselves in Jahveh will come to be fulfilled. To prepare new ground for living on, to begin a new life. Sow not among thorns. The seed-corns are the good resolutions which, when they have sunk into the soil of the mind, should spring up into deeds (Hitz.). The thorns which choke the good seed as it grows (Matt 13:7) are not, but the evil inclinations of the unrenewed heart, which thrive luxuriantly like thorns.

"Circumcise you to the Lord" is explained by the next clause: remove the foreskins of your heart. The stress is implied that the circumcision should not be in the flesh merely. In the flesh all Jews were circumcised. If they then are called to circumcise themselves to the Lord, this must be meant spiritually, of the putting away of the spiritual impurity of the heart, i.e., of all that hinders the sanctifying of the heart; see in (Deut 10:16).

“Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff necked.” Deuteronomy 10:16

Jer 4:5-7 Bible Text

Declare in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say: "Blow the trumpet in the land; Cry, 'Gather together,' and say,’ assemble yourselves, and let us go into the fortified cities.' 6 Set up the standard toward Zion. Take refuge! Do not delay! For I will bring disaster from the north, and great destruction." 7 The lion has come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of nations is on his way. He has gone forth from his place to make your land desolate. Your cities will be laid waste, without inhabitant. NKJV

4:5-6:30 Evil from the north: Although this passage is later read as a reference to the invasions of Judah by the Babylonians – who would have approached from the north in [597, 588 and 582 BCE] (see 2 Kings Chapters 24-25; Jeremiah 41-43; 52) – some maintain that early in Jeremiah, the enemy from the north was thought to be the Scythians. According to the ancient Greek historian Herodotus (5th century BCE), the Scythians were a horse-back-mounted people from the Caucasus (cf. 4:13; 6:22-23) who threatened Philistia and Judah in the [7th century BCE]. 4:5-31 the question of theodicy or divine righteousness in the face of evil.

Jewish Study Bible

Enemy from the North

4:5. major fortified cities of Judah. According to Sennacherib, king of Assyria (r. 705 B.C. - 681 B.C.), Judah had forty-six strong cities (i.e., walled towns), which he had overrun, and countless small cities or villages. There were thus a number of cities with major defensive systems. The defensive system at Lachish, one of the primary fortresses in Judah, has been extensively excavated in this century. It contained two layers of city walls and strong towers.

4:6. nature of signal. The blowing of the horn announced a state of emergency (see Amos 3:6). On hearing it citizens who lived in villages or were out farming fled into the confines of the walled city. In this case the trumpet was blown throughout the entire land because of a national emergency.

4:6. army from north. See comment on Jer 1:14-15. (From IVP Bible Commentary)

Jer 4:5-6:30 "God's Judgment upon the Unrepentant"

A group of prophecies now commences, extending to (Jer 10:25), but broken at the beginning of Jer 7 by a new heading. The subject of them all is the same, namely, the approaching devastation of Judaea by a hostile army in punishment of its persistence in idolatry. The prophecy of Jer 7 was probably written in the first year of Jehoiakim, while as regards the rest they probably extended over a considerable period of time.

This group, which we may reasonably believe to have come down to us much as it stood in Jehoiakim's scroll, gives us a general view of the nature of Jeremiah's efforts during that important period, when under Josiah a national reformation was still possible, and the exile might have been averted. The prophecy (Jer 7), spoken in the first year of Jehoiakim, when the probation of Judah was virtually over, was the solemn closing of the appeal to the conscience of the people, and a protest, while the new king was still young upon his throne, against that ruinous course upon which he so immediately entered. (From Barnes' Notes)

The invasion of a formidable foe is here represented with poetic animation; the inhabitants being called upon to publish the enemy's approach throughout the land, so that every one may hide himself in the fortified cities.

The enemies approaching like clouds, their chariots like the whirlwind, with horses swifter than eagles (Jer 4:13), every city fleeing from the noise of the horsemen and of the bowmen (4:29), and the like, go to form a description obviously founded on (Deut 28:49 ff.), and on the account of the Chaldeans in (Hab 1:7-11). Again, in (ch. 25), where he expressly names Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babel as the fulfiller of judgment foretold, Jeremiah mentions the enemy in the same words as in (Jer 1:15), and represents the accomplishment of judgment by Nebuchadnezzar as the fulfillment of all the words he had been prophesying since the 13 th year of Josiah. This makes it as clear as possible that Jeremiah regarded the Chaldeans as the families of the peoples of the north who were to lay Judah waste, conquer Jerusalem, and scatter its inhabitants amongst the heathen. (Keil & Delitzsch Commentary)

“The Lord shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand;” Deuteronomy 28:49

“…they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.” Habakkuk 1:8

Jer 4:8-17 Bible Text

8 For this, clothe yourself with sackcloth, Lament and wail. For the fierce anger of the LORD Has not turned back from us. 9 "And it shall come to pass in that day," says the LORD,” That the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the princes; the priests shall be astonished, and the prophets shall wonder." 10 Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Surely You have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, Saying, 'You shall have peace,’ whereas the sword reaches to the heart." 11 At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem,” A dry wind of the desolate heights blows in the wilderness toward the daughter of My people --Not to fan or to cleanse --12 A wind too strong for these will come for Me; now I will also speak judgment against them."

13 "Behold, he shall come up like clouds, and his chariots like a whirlwind. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are plundered!" 14 O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved. How long shall your evil thoughts lodge within you? 15 For a voice declares from Dan and proclaims affliction from Mount Ephraim: 16 "Make mention to the nations, Yes, proclaim against Jerusalem, that watchers come from a far country and raise their voice against the cities of Judah. 17 Like keepers of a field they are against her all around, because she has been rebellious against Me," says the LORD. NKJV

Verse 8 For this calamity the people was to mourn deeply. For the description of the mourning, (cf. Joel 1:13; Mic 1:8). For the wrath of the Lord has not turned from us, as in blind self-delusion ye imagine, (Jer 2:35). The heath of Jahveh's anger is the burning wrath on account of the sins of Manasseh, with which the people has been threatened by the prophets. This wrath has not turned itself away, because even under Josiah the people have not sincerely returned to its God.

THE CUP OF THE INDIGNATION OF THE LORD

‘But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.’ (Genesis 15:16) There is a cup of wrath and gets full and then the judgment of God falls on that nation whether it is the Amorites or the Jews or even the United States of America. Each nation has a cup and I believe that once it is full then as we say ‘all hell breaks loose’.