Jer 22:7 | KingComments | STEP | In Jeremiah 22-23, Jeremiah gives a number of prophecies that are linked together by their content. Jeremiah 22 is about the political leaders of the people; Jeremiah 23 is about the Messiah in contrast to the false spiritual leaders. Both the political leaders, the kings, and the spiritual leaders, the prophets, with the exception of Jeremiah and a few others, are responsible for the national disaster. Jeremiah is commissioned to go down to the king’s house. It is a remarkable assignment in two ways. It means that the king’s house is in a dilapidated state, in the lowlands. It also means that Jeremiah is to go fearlessly into the lion’s den. This is reminiscent of Elijah’s attitude toward Ahab and John the baptist’s toward Herod ( ; ). He must go without being summoned by the king, because the LORD says so. He is to address the word to Zedekiah and address him in the full responsibility of his position as “king of Judah” and as the one “who sits on David’s throne” ( ). All who serve him and support him in that position and his people over whom he rules also need to hear the word of the LORD. In short, powerful words, Zedekiah and his people are told what the LORD expects of them ( ). It is to do justice and be merciful to the socially weak and to refrain from violence and bloodshed. If the king will go before the people in repentance to God as he has gone before the people in rebellion against Him, they will be exalted and the kingship will be permanent ( ). After all, “righteousness exalts a nation” ( ). If they do not listen to these words of the LORD, the kingship will become a desolation ( ). To underscore and reinforce the certainty of His words so that they will be impressed by them, the LORD swears by Himself (cf. ; ; ; ; ). There could not be a stronger endorsement of a declaration from God. The LORD tells what the royal house means to Him ( ). It is to Him like “Gilead”, recalling the covenant between Jacob and Laban ( ). It is a place of testimony. That is what the royal house is to Him. It should be His witness. We too ought to be that today. The royal house is also like “the summit of Lebanon” to Him, magnificent and great, impressive. However, the LORD must say what He is going to make of them because of their unfaithfulness. He will make them a wilderness and their cities uninhabitable. For this purpose He will set destroyers against them ( ). They will cut down and burn with their own methods everything that His people find beautiful and that gives the land prestige, so that only ashes remain. Their palaces and houses, which they have built with beautiful cedars, will be cut down and burned. The sight will cause consternation among the nations as they pass by it, instead of the former admiration ( ). They will attribute the destruction of the city to the LORD. They will ask why He acted this way with the great city of Jerusalem, the city of great importance, where great kings have reigned. The answer sounds that it is because of the unfaithfulness of the people ( ; ; ). That unfaithfulness is twofold. They have, on the one hand, forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God and, on the other hand, bowed down to other gods whom they have come to serve.

‏ Jeremiah 22:7

Introduction

In Jeremiah 22-23, Jeremiah gives a number of prophecies that are linked together by their content. Jeremiah 22 is about the political leaders of the people; Jeremiah 23 is about the Messiah in contrast to the false spiritual leaders. Both the political leaders, the kings, and the spiritual leaders, the prophets, with the exception of Jeremiah and a few others, are responsible for the national disaster.

Admonition to Righteousness

Jeremiah is commissioned to go down to the king’s house. It is a remarkable assignment in two ways. It means that the king’s house is in a dilapidated state, in the lowlands. It also means that Jeremiah is to go fearlessly into the lion’s den. This is reminiscent of Elijah’s attitude toward Ahab and John the baptist’s toward Herod (1Kgs 17:1; Mk 6:18). He must go without being summoned by the king, because the LORD says so.

He is to address the word to Zedekiah and address him in the full responsibility of his position as “king of Judah” and as the one “who sits on David’s throne” (Jer 22:2). All who serve him and support him in that position and his people over whom he rules also need to hear the word of the LORD. In short, powerful words, Zedekiah and his people are told what the LORD expects of them (Jer 22:3). It is to do justice and be merciful to the socially weak and to refrain from violence and bloodshed.

If the king will go before the people in repentance to God as he has gone before the people in rebellion against Him, they will be exalted and the kingship will be permanent (Jer 22:4). After all, “righteousness exalts a nation” (Pro 14:34a). If they do not listen to these words of the LORD, the kingship will become a desolation (Jer 22:5). To underscore and reinforce the certainty of His words so that they will be impressed by them, the LORD swears by Himself (cf. Jer 49:13 ; Jer 51:14; Gen 22:16; Isa 45:23; Amos 6:8; Heb 6:13-18). There could not be a stronger endorsement of a declaration from God.

The LORD tells what the royal house means to Him (Jer 22:6). It is to Him like “Gilead”, recalling the covenant between Jacob and Laban (Gen 31:44-48). It is a place of testimony. That is what the royal house is to Him. It should be His witness. We too ought to be that today. The royal house is also like “the summit of Lebanon” to Him, magnificent and great, impressive.

However, the LORD must say what He is going to make of them because of their unfaithfulness. He will make them a wilderness and their cities uninhabitable. For this purpose He will set destroyers against them (Jer 22:7). They will cut down and burn with their own methods everything that His people find beautiful and that gives the land prestige, so that only ashes remain. Their palaces and houses, which they have built with beautiful cedars, will be cut down and burned.

The sight will cause consternation among the nations as they pass by it, instead of the former admiration (Jer 22:8). They will attribute the destruction of the city to the LORD. They will ask why He acted this way with the great city of Jerusalem, the city of great importance, where great kings have reigned. The answer sounds that it is because of the unfaithfulness of the people (Jer 22:9; Deu 29:25-28; 1Kgs 9:8-9). That unfaithfulness is twofold. They have, on the one hand, forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God and, on the other hand, bowed down to other gods whom they have come to serve.