Jer 13:9 | KingComments | STEP | The LORD instructed Jeremiah to buy a linen waistband ( ). The LORD also says that he is to wear it around his waist and that the waistband is not to be put in water. In this command we have the first example of an act Jeremiah is to perform in order to thereby give important teaching to the people. More such acts will follow. Later, Ezekiel is instructed to use similar means during his ministry in Babylon ( ). The act is the preaching. Jeremiah, as an obedient servant, does what the LORD has said to him. He buys the waistband and puts it around his waist ( ). The fact that the waistband must be around the waist is mentioned three times. Jeremiah is a priest and a waistband is part of the priestly garment ( ). The waistband is a symbol of service ( ; ) and here of priestly service, for it symbolizes Israel being dedicated by the LORD to His service ( ). The linen is a picture of righteous deeds of God’s people ( ). That the waistband should not come in water – to be washed – is because the service has become unclean. No confession of sins has taken place. The people live on in their sins while professing to serve the LORD. After some time, the word of the LORD comes to Jeremiah for the second time ( ). He has now worn the waistband for some time. It has become a part of his garment. He has also paid a price for it. The waistband is his property. That it is referred to “the second time” emphasizes its direct connection to the first time. The new instruction is that he is to go to the Euphrates and there hide the waistband he has bought in a crevice of the rock ( ). The journey to the Euphrates is long, for the river is over a thousand kilometers from Jerusalem. It will take about a month of walking to get there. Because of that distance, it has been questioned whether the Euphrates is meant here. According to some, it could also be a small river with that name that lies five to six kilometers from Anathoth. Nevertheless, in any case, the thought of the Euphrates River is important because it flows along Babylon and Assyria. That puts the waistband in connection with Babylon and Assyria as areas where it is ruined, just as the connection with these countries ruined Israel. The ten tribes were carried away by Assyria and the two tribes will be carried away by Babylon. Jeremiah does as the LORD has commanded him and hides the waistband by the Euphrates ( ). “After many days” the LORD tells him to go to the Euphrates again ( ). He is to pick up the waistband and take it with him. It is the waistband of which the LORD has commanded him to hide there. In these words the LORD emphasizes that it is the waistband that he has been commanded to hide. This points to a time of disappearance of the people. The words “after many days” also point to that. They refer to the time of the people’s captivity at the Euphrates, to which they will be taken. He digs and takes the waistband from the place where he had hidden it ( ). It turns out that the waistband was ruined and unusable. It has decayed and is no longer good for anything. The application is that the captivity will not change anything about the condition of the heart of the people. Only sincere self-judgment can do that. As Jeremiah stands with the ruined and useless waistband in his hands, the word of the LORD comes to him ( ). He tells him the meaning of what he had to do and of the result ( ). As the waistband is ruined, so the LORD will “destroy the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem”. They have boasted of their service and glory, but it has become a worthless service and their glory or splendor has been destroyed. Jerusalem has boasted even more than Judah and has become even more apostate. Becoming proud of what has been given is a horrible sin. It is the primal sin, the sin of satan. Pride is a great sin for the Christian, especially for those in a position of leadership. Everywhere in Scripture we are called to be humble and to humble ourselves. The LORD calls His people “this wicked people” ( ). This refers to their mindset, their mind. Their wickedness is evident in their refusal to listen to His words. Instead, they follow their hardened hearts and go after other gods to which they bow down. Their refusal to serve Him and instead serve idols ruined them and made them worthless to the LORD. A people who act like this are no longer good for anything, just like the waistband. What a contrast this is to what God purposed with His people. He made this people cling to Himself, like the original purpose of the waistband ( ). So close is it to Him, “a people near to Him” ( ). He has brought them so close to Himself, that they might be to Him “a people, for renown, for praise and for glory”. He has wanted that His people would be a people to Him, His possession, serving Him devotedly. This they would do if they would cling to Him Who attaches them to Himself ( ). He has also wanted that they should be to Him for renown, that is, that they should show His features to the nations around them. He has wanted that they would be to Him for praise, full of gratitude for all the privileges that possess a people who have Him as God. Such a people would radiate His glory. “But they did not listen.” Therefore, they will suffer the fate of the waistband: they will be put away, ruined, disposed of. The waistband around Jeremiah’s waist represents Israel and Judah. As long as the waistband is around his waist, it takes the place of praise and glory. When it is loosened from the waist and buried, it becomes completely useless. Likewise, Israel and Judah have become useless after they have separated themselves from the LORD to go and serve false gods, the idols. God has given the church, like Israel, a high position ( ). Shouldn’t what is said here of Judah and Jerusalem be said of the mass of the church, and especially of those who profess to stand on the foundation of the church? How much we miss when we do not listen to the words of God, and how much God also misses then.

‏ Jeremiah 13:9

The Ruined Linen Waistband

The LORD instructed Jeremiah to buy a linen waistband (Jer 13:1). The LORD also says that he is to wear it around his waist and that the waistband is not to be put in water. In this command we have the first example of an act Jeremiah is to perform in order to thereby give important teaching to the people. More such acts will follow. Later, Ezekiel is instructed to use similar means during his ministry in Babylon (Eze 4:1-17 ; Eze 5:1-4). The act is the preaching. Jeremiah, as an obedient servant, does what the LORD has said to him. He buys the waistband and puts it around his waist (Jer 13:2). The fact that the waistband must be around the waist is mentioned three times.

Jeremiah is a priest and a waistband is part of the priestly garment (Lev 16:4). The waistband is a symbol of service (Lk 12:35 ; 37; Jn 13:4-5) and here of priestly service, for it symbolizes Israel being dedicated by the LORD to His service (Exo 19:6a). The linen is a picture of righteous deeds of God’s people (Rev 19:8). That the waistband should not come in water – to be washed – is because the service has become unclean. No confession of sins has taken place. The people live on in their sins while professing to serve the LORD.

After some time, the word of the LORD comes to Jeremiah for the second time (Jer 13:3). He has now worn the waistband for some time. It has become a part of his garment. He has also paid a price for it. The waistband is his property. That it is referred to “the second time” emphasizes its direct connection to the first time. The new instruction is that he is to go to the Euphrates and there hide the waistband he has bought in a crevice of the rock (Jer 13:4).

The journey to the Euphrates is long, for the river is over a thousand kilometers from Jerusalem. It will take about a month of walking to get there. Because of that distance, it has been questioned whether the Euphrates is meant here. According to some, it could also be a small river with that name that lies five to six kilometers from Anathoth. Nevertheless, in any case, the thought of the Euphrates River is important because it flows along Babylon and Assyria. That puts the waistband in connection with Babylon and Assyria as areas where it is ruined, just as the connection with these countries ruined Israel. The ten tribes were carried away by Assyria and the two tribes will be carried away by Babylon.

Jeremiah does as the LORD has commanded him and hides the waistband by the Euphrates (Jer 13:5). “After many days” the LORD tells him to go to the Euphrates again (Jer 13:6). He is to pick up the waistband and take it with him. It is the waistband of which the LORD has commanded him to hide there. In these words the LORD emphasizes that it is the waistband that he has been commanded to hide. This points to a time of disappearance of the people. The words “after many days” also point to that. They refer to the time of the people’s captivity at the Euphrates, to which they will be taken.

He digs and takes the waistband from the place where he had hidden it (Jer 13:7). It turns out that the waistband was ruined and unusable. It has decayed and is no longer good for anything. The application is that the captivity will not change anything about the condition of the heart of the people. Only sincere self-judgment can do that.

As Jeremiah stands with the ruined and useless waistband in his hands, the word of the LORD comes to him (Jer 13:8). He tells him the meaning of what he had to do and of the result (Jer 13:9). As the waistband is ruined, so the LORD will “destroy the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem”. They have boasted of their service and glory, but it has become a worthless service and their glory or splendor has been destroyed. Jerusalem has boasted even more than Judah and has become even more apostate.

Becoming proud of what has been given is a horrible sin. It is the primal sin, the sin of satan. Pride is a great sin for the Christian, especially for those in a position of leadership. Everywhere in Scripture we are called to be humble and to humble ourselves.

The LORD calls His people “this wicked people” (Jer 13:10). This refers to their mindset, their mind. Their wickedness is evident in their refusal to listen to His words. Instead, they follow their hardened hearts and go after other gods to which they bow down. Their refusal to serve Him and instead serve idols ruined them and made them worthless to the LORD. A people who act like this are no longer good for anything, just like the waistband.

What a contrast this is to what God purposed with His people. He made this people cling to Himself, like the original purpose of the waistband (Jer 13:11). So close is it to Him, “a people near to Him” (Psa 148:14b). He has brought them so close to Himself, that they might be to Him “a people, for renown, for praise and for glory”. He has wanted that His people would be a people to Him, His possession, serving Him devotedly. This they would do if they would cling to Him Who attaches them to Himself (Deu 10:20 ; Deu 11:22).

He has also wanted that they should be to Him for renown, that is, that they should show His features to the nations around them. He has wanted that they would be to Him for praise, full of gratitude for all the privileges that possess a people who have Him as God. Such a people would radiate His glory. “But they did not listen.” Therefore, they will suffer the fate of the waistband: they will be put away, ruined, disposed of.

The waistband around Jeremiah’s waist represents Israel and Judah. As long as the waistband is around his waist, it takes the place of praise and glory. When it is loosened from the waist and buried, it becomes completely useless. Likewise, Israel and Judah have become useless after they have separated themselves from the LORD to go and serve false gods, the idols.

God has given the church, like Israel, a high position (1Pet 2:9). Shouldn’t what is said here of Judah and Jerusalem be said of the mass of the church, and especially of those who profess to stand on the foundation of the church? How much we miss when we do not listen to the words of God, and how much God also misses then.