Jer 6:13 | KingComments | STEP | The LORD compares “the remnant of Israel”, that is Judah and Benjamin, to a vineyard ( ; ). He says as “the LORD of hosts” that the enemy will go through the land one more time after the judgment, just like a grape gatherer goes through the vineyard one more time to see whether there are still grapes left somewhere. It is pictorially represented how the hand of the grape gatherer goes along the vines. He searches branch after branch to see if there is still a forgotten grape somewhere. In this way the enemy will comb through Jerusalem in a gleaning that will lead to those who have escaped still being taken into exile or killed. Jeremiah wonders to whom he will speak ( ). Is there anyone left who will listen to the word of the LORD that he speaks? His words seem to have no effect whatsoever. The reason is that the ear of the people is uncircumcised, as is their heart ( ; ). They do not want to listen, because they do not want to judge themselves. Their ears are closed by the filth of sin. Then they also put their fingers in their ears. They cannot hear the Word and they do not want to hear the Word. The word of the LORD is scorned by them, that is, ridiculed and despised. Such a reaction hurts both the LORD and the prophet. The people find no joy in the word of the LORD, it has nothing attractive to them, there is no taste in it for them. The reason is that they have never felt its power in their heart and conscience. How quite different this is with Jeremiah and with those who are born again ( ; ; ). The utterly indifferent and even defamatory attitude of the people toward the word of the LORD produces great indignation in Jeremiah ( ). He is filled with the wrath that is also present with the LORD over such an attitude of His people. Jeremiah has wanted to hold back that wrath, but he no longer succeeds. He preaches doom not because he loves to do so, but if then they are so apostate, judgment must come. Jeremiah is then instructed by the LORD to pour out His wrath on the entire population. Wrath must be poured out on 1. the “children” playing in the street, 2. “the young men” standing together in a circle and entertaining each other, 3. “husband” and “wife” and 4. “the aged and the very old”. All people groups, in every age group and in all compositions, from young to old, fall under the judgment of being taken away into exile because corruption is present in everyone. Judgment also comes on their houses and their fields and their wives ( ). Fields and wives are mentioned in the same breath, as if wives were also “property”. Everything passes into the hands of others, that is, of the enemy, the Babylonians. They will become the new owners. This will happen because the LORD stretches out His hand in wrath against His people. To stretch out His hand means that He actually intervenes and reveals His power. This is what Moses warned about ( ). The wrath of God is aroused by the conduct of the whole people. From the least of them even to the greatest of them, they are only out for profit ( ). The desire for more dominates them. The prophet and the priest participate in this just as hard. Instead of telling the people what the LORD wants, each one of them cheats to get hold of as much money as possible. They deceive the people by not demonstrating the true cause – sin – of the brokenness that has occurred with the LORD. Instead, they encourage the wicked to continue sinning by proclaiming them peace ( ; cf. ; ). This is quite a superficial cure for the breach. It is something like covering a cancerous tumor with a band-aid. Therefore, it is not real healing. It is the false optimism of sin. There is no peace at all. On the contrary, there is the threat of the coming of a cruel enemy. Does it also make any impression on them when they are confronted with their actions ( )? No. There is no sense of shame in them for what they have done. They commit the gravest evil without the slightest blush of shame on their faces ( ). Total insensitivity regarding their sins characterizes them. As a result, they are not open to the message of truth. Therefore, at God’s time His judgment comes on them.

‏ Jeremiah 6:13

The Fall of the City

The LORD compares “the remnant of Israel”, that is Judah and Benjamin, to a vineyard (Jer 6:9; Isa 5:1-7). He says as “the LORD of hosts” that the enemy will go through the land one more time after the judgment, just like a grape gatherer goes through the vineyard one more time to see whether there are still grapes left somewhere. It is pictorially represented how the hand of the grape gatherer goes along the vines. He searches branch after branch to see if there is still a forgotten grape somewhere. In this way the enemy will comb through Jerusalem in a gleaning that will lead to those who have escaped still being taken into exile or killed.

Jeremiah wonders to whom he will speak (Jer 6:10). Is there anyone left who will listen to the word of the LORD that he speaks? His words seem to have no effect whatsoever. The reason is that the ear of the people is uncircumcised, as is their heart (Jer 4:4; Acts 7:51). They do not want to listen, because they do not want to judge themselves. Their ears are closed by the filth of sin. Then they also put their fingers in their ears. They cannot hear the Word and they do not want to hear the Word.

The word of the LORD is scorned by them, that is, ridiculed and despised. Such a reaction hurts both the LORD and the prophet. The people find no joy in the word of the LORD, it has nothing attractive to them, there is no taste in it for them. The reason is that they have never felt its power in their heart and conscience. How quite different this is with Jeremiah and with those who are born again (Jer 15:16; Psa 1:2; 1Pet 2:2-3).

The utterly indifferent and even defamatory attitude of the people toward the word of the LORD produces great indignation in Jeremiah (Jer 6:11). He is filled with the wrath that is also present with the LORD over such an attitude of His people. Jeremiah has wanted to hold back that wrath, but he no longer succeeds. He preaches doom not because he loves to do so, but if then they are so apostate, judgment must come.

Jeremiah is then instructed by the LORD to pour out His wrath on the entire population. Wrath must be poured out on

1. the “children” playing in the street,

2. “the young men” standing together in a circle and entertaining each other,

3. “husband” and “wife” and

4. “the aged and the very old”.

All people groups, in every age group and in all compositions, from young to old, fall under the judgment of being taken away into exile because corruption is present in everyone.

Judgment also comes on their houses and their fields and their wives (Jer 6:12). Fields and wives are mentioned in the same breath, as if wives were also “property”. Everything passes into the hands of others, that is, of the enemy, the Babylonians. They will become the new owners. This will happen because the LORD stretches out His hand in wrath against His people. To stretch out His hand means that He actually intervenes and reveals His power. This is what Moses warned about (Deu 28:30).

The wrath of God is aroused by the conduct of the whole people. From the least of them even to the greatest of them, they are only out for profit (Jer 6:13). The desire for more dominates them. The prophet and the priest participate in this just as hard. Instead of telling the people what the LORD wants, each one of them cheats to get hold of as much money as possible.

They deceive the people by not demonstrating the true cause – sin – of the brokenness that has occurred with the LORD. Instead, they encourage the wicked to continue sinning by proclaiming them peace (Jer 6:14; cf. Mic 3:5; 1Thes 5:3). This is quite a superficial cure for the breach. It is something like covering a cancerous tumor with a band-aid. Therefore, it is not real healing. It is the false optimism of sin. There is no peace at all. On the contrary, there is the threat of the coming of a cruel enemy.

Does it also make any impression on them when they are confronted with their actions (Jer 6:15)? No. There is no sense of shame in them for what they have done. They commit the gravest evil without the slightest blush of shame on their faces (Jer 8:12). Total insensitivity regarding their sins characterizes them. As a result, they are not open to the message of truth. Therefore, at God’s time His judgment comes on them.