Jer 48:2 | KingComments | STEP | The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, also pronounces His judgment on Moab ( ; ). The God of Israel is also the God of all nations ( ). Moab is the son of Lot, whom, after made drunk by his daughter, he fathered in incest with his daughter ( ). His descendants have always been enemies of God’s people. The name of Moab occurs over 30 times in this chapter. This prophecy about Moab is longer than any other prophecy in Jeremiah 46-49. The length is partly due to the large number of geographical designations mentioned. It is the most thorough of all Old Testament prophecies about Moab ( ; ; ; ; ; ; ). Moab is a picture of the world in its laziness and pride. It is the world that seeks pleasure and flees trouble. Those who seek ease are quick to boast of what they have. But love of ease always leads to poverty. There is destruction, shame and dismay. The cities that are their pride are taken. Moab is east of Judah, on the other side of the Dead Sea. They have many cities. Nebo and Kiriathaim first belonged to the tribe of Reuben ( ; ), but were conquered by Moab. Those cities will be taken and destroyed by the enemy. It is over with the glory of Moab ( ). Everything on which man boasts in his ease will be nullified. All glory of man is excluded. The only glory that remains is to glory in the Lord. Heshbon also belonged to the tribe of Reuben ( ). In that city, plans are being devised to wipe out Moab. Another city, Madmen, receives the message that it will be destroyed and that those who flee from it will be pursued by the sword. From Horonaim, another city, the sound of an outcry is heard ( ). There the enemy has already done his devastating work and one speaks of a great destruction. Moab has been plunged into disaster ( ). His small, defenseless children are also victims. They cry out. The passionate crying of children suffering from violence is an agony to the hearing of anyone who still has any natural feeling. It also means that the land has no hope of recovery. One walks the streets dazed and constantly crying ( ). There are those who go the way up, to Luhith. Others go the way down, to Horonaim. On the way down, the cries of distress from Horonaim meet the refugees. Horonaim is already destroyed ( ). No safe refuge will be found there. They cry out to each other to flee and save their life ( ). Let them leave all their belongings behind and live like a juniper in the wilderness. It’s just a matter of surviving. Their condition here is compared to a juniper in the wilderness, a picture of devastation and desolation.

‏ Jeremiah 48:2

Desolation of the Cities of Moab

The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, also pronounces His judgment on Moab (Jer 48:1; Isa 15:1-9 ; Isa 16:1-14). The God of Israel is also the God of all nations (Rom 3:29). Moab is the son of Lot, whom, after made drunk by his daughter, he fathered in incest with his daughter (Gen 19:37). His descendants have always been enemies of God’s people. The name of Moab occurs over 30 times in this chapter.

This prophecy about Moab is longer than any other prophecy in Jeremiah 46-49. The length is partly due to the large number of geographical designations mentioned. It is the most thorough of all Old Testament prophecies about Moab (Deu 23:3; Psa 60:8 ; Psa 83:6-7 ; Psa 108:9; Isa 15:1-9 ; Isa 16:1-14 ; Isa 25:10-12; Jer 9:25 ; Jer 25:21 ; Jer 27:3; Eze 25:8-11; Amos 2:1-3; Zep 2:8-11).

Moab is a picture of the world in its laziness and pride. It is the world that seeks pleasure and flees trouble. Those who seek ease are quick to boast of what they have. But love of ease always leads to poverty. There is destruction, shame and dismay. The cities that are their pride are taken. Moab is east of Judah, on the other side of the Dead Sea. They have many cities. Nebo and Kiriathaim first belonged to the tribe of Reuben (Num 32:37-38; Jos 13:19), but were conquered by Moab. Those cities will be taken and destroyed by the enemy.

It is over with the glory of Moab (Jer 48:2). Everything on which man boasts in his ease will be nullified. All glory of man is excluded. The only glory that remains is to glory in the Lord.

Heshbon also belonged to the tribe of Reuben (Num 32:37). In that city, plans are being devised to wipe out Moab. Another city, Madmen, receives the message that it will be destroyed and that those who flee from it will be pursued by the sword.

From Horonaim, another city, the sound of an outcry is heard (Jer 48:3). There the enemy has already done his devastating work and one speaks of a great destruction. Moab has been plunged into disaster (Jer 48:4). His small, defenseless children are also victims. They cry out. The passionate crying of children suffering from violence is an agony to the hearing of anyone who still has any natural feeling. It also means that the land has no hope of recovery.

One walks the streets dazed and constantly crying (Jer 48:5). There are those who go the way up, to Luhith. Others go the way down, to Horonaim. On the way down, the cries of distress from Horonaim meet the refugees. Horonaim is already destroyed (Jer 48:3). No safe refuge will be found there.

They cry out to each other to flee and save their life (Jer 48:6). Let them leave all their belongings behind and live like a juniper in the wilderness. It’s just a matter of surviving. Their condition here is compared to a juniper in the wilderness, a picture of devastation and desolation.