Jer 4:11-13 | KingComments | STEP | The LORD has to let judgment come, judgment is imminent. It will come from the north, where the Babylonians come from. The people have corrupted so much that God cannot delay judgment any longer. In His mercy, He has His people warned that calamity is coming. To that end, He calls for the blowing of the trumpet ( ; ; ; ). There is also to be a loud cry, indicating that there is a need for haste. Then the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem can gather and go together to the fortified cities. A standard to be lifted up toward Zion ( ) seems to be intended primarily for the inhabitants of the landside. The standard serves to show them in what direction they must go to get to Zion. There they will be able to get to safety. They must quickly seek a safe haven there, without letting anything hold them up (cf. ; ). The evil that is coming is coming “from the north.” This indicates that the enemy will invade Israel from the north. But it is the LORD Himself Who brings this evil from the north. He is bringing this great destruction upon His people. Haste is called for, for the enemy, that is Nebuchadnezzar, who is here compared to a lion, has already departed from “his place”, that is Babylon, against God’s people ( ; ). That he “has gone up from his thicket” indicates that he unexpectedly throws himself upon his prey with great force. The land, “your land”, will be made a waste by him, and the cities, “your cities”, will be ruins, no one will dwell in them. It does show how total the devastation and destruction will be. The LORD also holds out to His people what He expects as the appropriate response from them when they learn that judgment is inevitable ( ). They are to put on sackcloth and to lament and wail. Jeremiah again makes himself one with the people when he says that the fierce anger of the LORD “has not turned back from us”. The cause of this is that the people do not turn away from idolatry. Jeremiah is well aware of this as well. He has announced the anger of the LORD, but cannot rejoice when it actually comes. He suffers together with the people. When the anger of the LORD comes, it will deeply affect all the leaders of the people ( ). King Zedekiah and the princes, the political leaders, will lose all courage. The priests will be appalled and the prophets will be astounded. They have caused the people to believe in lies and to believe in them themselves. Now that they are confronted with reality, there is nothing left of their speaking of lies. They cannot offer the people any support. The only reaction we hear is that of Jeremiah ( ). He interrupts his preaching to express his feelings. He is deeply affected by the message he has to deliver. His great love for his people, God’s people, even leads him to accuse God of lying by speaking of peace. It seems that Jeremiah blames the LORD for allowing the false prophets to speak of peace and security and for allowing the people to believe in them (cf. ). The opposite happens, for “a sword touches the throat”. This means that they are completely in the power of the enemy and have no way to go. The LORD has heard Jeremiah’s accusation and had it written down. He appreciates his commitment and compassion, but does not respond to it. Jeremiah is similar to Moses and Paul who also made statements out of love for God’s people, but to which God did not respond ( ; ). It tells us not to follow our emotions, but to follow God’s thoughts and feelings according to His Word and His Spirit. The LORD continues His announcement of judgment on the people and especially on Jerusalem ( ). The enemy will come as “a scorching wind from the bare heights in the wilderness” that withers all vegetation. That wind is headed for God’s people, whom the LORD calls “the daughter of My people” to indicate His intimate relationship with them. The judgment He must send is also a grievous matter to Him. His discipline is “not to winnow and not to cleanse”. Winnowing and cleansing are done to rid the good that is present of the wrong elements. However, there is nothing present among God’s people that is good, so there is nothing to be winnowed and cleansed. The entire nation falls under the judgment. The wind of judgment is sent by the LORD Himself ( ). He sends a whirlwind ( ) that takes everything it encounters. He is the Judge Who pronounces the judgment and executes the sentence. This happens because sin has been demonstrated with every conceivable evidence. There is no rebuttal to be made. There are no mitigating circumstances. Therefore, the enemy comes up like clouds that darken the sky ( ; cf. ). The enemy comes with chariots that have the speed of a whirlwind. The horses that pull them are even faster than eagles. This describes the arrival of the armies of Babylon, with chariots and war horses. The arrival of the enemy happens so quickly that the overrun is complete and the people can only cry out: “Woe to us, for we are ruined!” The threat of the coming of the enemy should cause the people to wash the evil from their hearts ( ). It is in the heart that the plotting of evil takes place. From it come the “evil thoughts” ( ). This evil can only be washed off by confession and repentance. If they do, they will be saved. That is the LORD’s desire. But He knows their heart. He knows that sinful thoughts dwell in their innermost being, that they spend the night there and have a resting place there, and that they will not be removed from it. Therefore, the announcement of judgment continues and the LORD does not call a halt to the enemy ( ). Word comes that the enemy has already invaded the land and is in Dan. The tribe of Dan is in the far north of Israel. The prophet presents it as if it is already happening. The tribe of Dan first has to deal with the invading armies of Babylon and lets hear the news of it in Jerusalem. That message is underscored by a subsequent tiding of calamity that comes from Ephraim. Ephraim is already much closer to Judah and Jerusalem. It shows the rapid advance of the armies of Babylon to Jerusalem. The approach of the enemy is to be reported to “the nations” ( ). By this may be meant the tribes of Israel ( ). It may also mean the surrounding nations, who will also have to deal with the advancing king of Babylon. The “besiegers … from a far country” are the Babylonians ( ). Jeremiah suggests that they are already so close that the voice of the enemy is heard in the cities of Judah. Once again, the occasion of this attack from the north is clearly stated ( ). The besiegers have surrounded the city – Jeremiah presents it as if it were already happening – just as watchmen surround fields to prevent the wild beasts from coming upon it to eat the field bare. Watchmen hermetically seal a field. That’s what the besiegers are doing to Jerusalem. The tactic of the enemy is to first occupy the land and the villages and towns around Jerusalem so that the supply to the city is cut off and the siege can be laid for it. This situation resulted from their disobedience to the LORD. Had there been faith, a single man could have stopped the enemy ( ). But sin makes weak. The people have been disobedient to the LORD in their ways and actions ( ). These have not been superficial deviations, but are deep in the heart. Therefore, the judgments must strike the heart.

‏ Jeremiah 4:11-13

The Enemy Is on His Way

The LORD has to let judgment come, judgment is imminent. It will come from the north, where the Babylonians come from. The people have corrupted so much that God cannot delay judgment any longer. In His mercy, He has His people warned that calamity is coming. To that end, He calls for the blowing of the trumpet (Jer 4:5; Hos 5:8; Joel 2:1; Amos 3:6). There is also to be a loud cry, indicating that there is a need for haste. Then the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem can gather and go together to the fortified cities.

A standard to be lifted up toward Zion (Jer 4:6) seems to be intended primarily for the inhabitants of the landside. The standard serves to show them in what direction they must go to get to Zion. There they will be able to get to safety. They must quickly seek a safe haven there, without letting anything hold them up (cf. Gen 19:16-17; Mt 24:15-18). The evil that is coming is coming “from the north.” This indicates that the enemy will invade Israel from the north. But it is the LORD Himself Who brings this evil from the north. He is bringing this great destruction upon His people.

Haste is called for, for the enemy, that is Nebuchadnezzar, who is here compared to a lion, has already departed from “his place”, that is Babylon, against God’s people (Jer 4:7; Jer 50:17). That he “has gone up from his thicket” indicates that he unexpectedly throws himself upon his prey with great force. The land, “your land”, will be made a waste by him, and the cities, “your cities”, will be ruins, no one will dwell in them. It does show how total the devastation and destruction will be.

The LORD also holds out to His people what He expects as the appropriate response from them when they learn that judgment is inevitable (Jer 4:8). They are to put on sackcloth and to lament and wail. Jeremiah again makes himself one with the people when he says that the fierce anger of the LORD “has not turned back from us”. The cause of this is that the people do not turn away from idolatry. Jeremiah is well aware of this as well. He has announced the anger of the LORD, but cannot rejoice when it actually comes. He suffers together with the people.

When the anger of the LORD comes, it will deeply affect all the leaders of the people (Jer 4:9). King Zedekiah and the princes, the political leaders, will lose all courage. The priests will be appalled and the prophets will be astounded. They have caused the people to believe in lies and to believe in them themselves. Now that they are confronted with reality, there is nothing left of their speaking of lies. They cannot offer the people any support.

The only reaction we hear is that of Jeremiah (Jer 4:10). He interrupts his preaching to express his feelings. He is deeply affected by the message he has to deliver. His great love for his people, God’s people, even leads him to accuse God of lying by speaking of peace. It seems that Jeremiah blames the LORD for allowing the false prophets to speak of peace and security and for allowing the people to believe in them (cf. Jer 23:17). The opposite happens, for “a sword touches the throat”. This means that they are completely in the power of the enemy and have no way to go.

The LORD has heard Jeremiah’s accusation and had it written down. He appreciates his commitment and compassion, but does not respond to it. Jeremiah is similar to Moses and Paul who also made statements out of love for God’s people, but to which God did not respond (Exo 32:32; Rom 9:1-3). It tells us not to follow our emotions, but to follow God’s thoughts and feelings according to His Word and His Spirit.

The LORD continues His announcement of judgment on the people and especially on Jerusalem (Jer 4:11). The enemy will come as “a scorching wind from the bare heights in the wilderness” that withers all vegetation. That wind is headed for God’s people, whom the LORD calls “the daughter of My people” to indicate His intimate relationship with them. The judgment He must send is also a grievous matter to Him.

His discipline is “not to winnow and not to cleanse”. Winnowing and cleansing are done to rid the good that is present of the wrong elements. However, there is nothing present among God’s people that is good, so there is nothing to be winnowed and cleansed. The entire nation falls under the judgment.

The wind of judgment is sent by the LORD Himself (Jer 4:12). He sends a whirlwind (Jer 4:13) that takes everything it encounters. He is the Judge Who pronounces the judgment and executes the sentence. This happens because sin has been demonstrated with every conceivable evidence. There is no rebuttal to be made. There are no mitigating circumstances.

Therefore, the enemy comes up like clouds that darken the sky (Jer 4:13; cf. Eze 38:16a). The enemy comes with chariots that have the speed of a whirlwind. The horses that pull them are even faster than eagles. This describes the arrival of the armies of Babylon, with chariots and war horses. The arrival of the enemy happens so quickly that the overrun is complete and the people can only cry out: “Woe to us, for we are ruined!”

The threat of the coming of the enemy should cause the people to wash the evil from their hearts (Jer 4:14). It is in the heart that the plotting of evil takes place. From it come the “evil thoughts” (Mt 15:19). This evil can only be washed off by confession and repentance. If they do, they will be saved. That is the LORD’s desire. But He knows their heart. He knows that sinful thoughts dwell in their innermost being, that they spend the night there and have a resting place there, and that they will not be removed from it.

Therefore, the announcement of judgment continues and the LORD does not call a halt to the enemy (Jer 4:15). Word comes that the enemy has already invaded the land and is in Dan. The tribe of Dan is in the far north of Israel. The prophet presents it as if it is already happening. The tribe of Dan first has to deal with the invading armies of Babylon and lets hear the news of it in Jerusalem. That message is underscored by a subsequent tiding of calamity that comes from Ephraim. Ephraim is already much closer to Judah and Jerusalem. It shows the rapid advance of the armies of Babylon to Jerusalem.

The approach of the enemy is to be reported to “the nations” (Jer 4:16). By this may be meant the tribes of Israel (Deu 33:3). It may also mean the surrounding nations, who will also have to deal with the advancing king of Babylon. The “besiegers … from a far country” are the Babylonians (Isa 39:3). Jeremiah suggests that they are already so close that the voice of the enemy is heard in the cities of Judah.

Once again, the occasion of this attack from the north is clearly stated (Jer 4:17). The besiegers have surrounded the city – Jeremiah presents it as if it were already happening – just as watchmen surround fields to prevent the wild beasts from coming upon it to eat the field bare. Watchmen hermetically seal a field. That’s what the besiegers are doing to Jerusalem. The tactic of the enemy is to first occupy the land and the villages and towns around Jerusalem so that the supply to the city is cut off and the siege can be laid for it.

This situation resulted from their disobedience to the LORD. Had there been faith, a single man could have stopped the enemy (2Sam 23:11-12). But sin makes weak. The people have been disobedient to the LORD in their ways and actions (Jer 4:18). These have not been superficial deviations, but are deep in the heart. Therefore, the judgments must strike the heart.