OVERVIEW:
God’s condemnation through Jeremiah of the remnant’s idolatry in Egypt (44:1–4); the people blatantly confess their affection for idols (44:15–19); God’s last word concerning the faithless remnant (44:20–30); God’s exhortation to Baruch (45:1–5); God’s judgment upon Egypt (46:1–28); God’s judgment upon Philistia (47:1–7); God’s judgment upon Moab (48:1–47); God’s judgment upon Ammon (49:1–6); God’s judgment upon Edom (49:7–22); God’s judgment upon Damascus (49:23–27); God’s judgment upon the lesser nations (49:28–33); God’s judgment upon Elam (49:34-39).
HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:
When we ended yesterday’s reading, the remnant had chosen to rebel against the word of the Lord, through Jeremiah, in spite of their extravagant promises not to do so. They went to Egypt in hopes of finding a place of refuge against the wrath of the Babylonians. Not content to simply go themselves, they forced Jeremiah and Baruch to go with them. Perhaps they thought that God would not exercise judgment against them if these two men of God were with them. Regardless of what they thought, Jeremiah’s preaching against them was anything but over! Nor was God’s judgment! Jeremiah walked them through the wickedness and idolatry of Judah, despite God’s cry to them through the prophets, “Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate.” (44:4) Jeremiah promised that just as surely as God’s “fury” and “anger” was poured out on their cities and in the streets of Jerusalem, leaving them “wasted” and “desolate”, God’s judgment would fall upon them in Egypt. It is indeed amazing how, even after watching the painful effects of sin on people as they incur and endure the chastisement of Almighty God, that we can deceive ourselves into thinking that “it will be different for us,” or that “we will be the exception.”
Rather than Jeremiah’s message causing the people to repent, they somehow concluded that their problem was that they had not served other gods enough! They resort back to worshipping the queen of heaven (Ashtoreth), reasoning that their lives had turned for the worse when they stopped worshipping her. (44:17–19) Before we think that this idolatry “shoe”, as it were, doesn’t fit us, be reminded that in the New Testament, God identifies covetousness as idolatry. (Colossians 3:5) He doesn’t say that it is “like” idolatry, He says that it “IS” idolatry! Do note that at least three times in the New Testament, “covetousness” specifically refers to the desire for illicit sexual fulfillment. What happens in that whole world of sexual sin, is no different than what was happening to this remnant in Egypt. Practically speaking, people know how sexual sin has destroyed thousands and thousands and tens of thousands of homes before them, and yet, they deceive themselves into thinking it won’t destroy theirs. Oh God, deliver us from ourselves!
Chapter 45 is a short chapter with God giving His word to Baruch through Jeremiah. Baruch was one of only two people (Ebedmelech being the other one) in all of Jeremiah’s 40-year ministry who had ever responded to his preaching in any kind of positive way. God wants Baruch to realize, however, that though he was bummed at how things had shaken out for Jerusalem, the reason he was bummed was because of how it had affected him, not because of how it had affected God! Again, with God letting us know that the chief characteristic of our day is that we are “lovers of our own selves” (2nd Timothy 3:1–2), we must be careful that we don’t deceive ourselves into thinking we are “spiritual” because of how we are repulsed by the condition of our country, and, yea, the world. Do we hurt because God hurts; or do we hurt because of how the sin of the world has affected, and is affecting, our lives?
In the remaining chapters in today’s reading, God details His judgment upon the Gentile nations:
- His judgment upon Egypt. (46:1–28)
- His judgment upon Philisita (47:1–7)
- His judgment upon Moab (48:1–47)
- His judgment upon Ammon (49:1–6)
- His judgment upon Edom (49:7–22)
- His judgment upon Damascus (49:23–27)
- His judgment upon the lesser nations (49:28–33)
- His judgment upon Elam (49:34–39)
The nations listed basically encompassed all of the nations of the known world at that time. It seems that God’s message, through Jeremiah, was that there is no nation who can defy Him and not inflict His judgment upon themselves. If that be true, our nation is on a collision course with disaster!
SPECIFIC REFERENCES TO “THE DAY OF THE LORD”:
- 46:10 – “the day of the Lord God of hosts, a day of vengeance”
- 48:41 – “at that day”
- 48:47 – “in the latter days”
- 49:22 – “at that day”
- 49:39 – “in the latter days”
CHRIST IS REVEALED:
Through GOD’S SERVANTS, THE PROPHETS — Jeremiah 44:4 (Jesus was God’s “chosen Servant” — Matthew 12:17–18; Acts 3:20–21)