Jer 12:5-13 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Jer 12:5-13: 12:5-13 The Lord rebuked his messenger and responded to his question with questions of his own. 12:5 Jeremiah’s racing against mere men was the conflict he experienced with his family and friends. It could not be compared to the race against horses that would take place when the foreign army arrived. The coming war would be as severe as finding one’s way through the thickets near the Jordan .

Summary for Jer 12:5-13: 12:5-13 ^a The Lord rebuked his messenger and responded to his question with questions of his own. 12:5 ^b Jeremiah’s racing against mere men was the conflict he experienced with his family and friends. It could not be compared to the race against horses that would take place when the foreign army arrived. The coming war would be as severe as finding one’s way through the thickets near the Jordan.
12:6 ^c Jeremiah’s family was a microcosm of Judah; they would plot ... against Jeremiah behind his back (11:9 ^d) while speaking pleasantly to his face. They wanted to convince him that the Lord would not let the Babylonians harm the people of Judah and Jerusalem, and they hoped to stop him from bringing shame on the family (cp. Mark 3:21 ^e).
Summary for Jer 12:7-13: 12:7-13 ^f God called the people of Judah his special possession, his dearest ones, his chosen people, and his vineyard. However, they had become hostile to him, so they had to be surrendered to their enemies. Perhaps the most severe justice they could face was for the Lord to step back and let the people suffer the consequences of their evil ways.
12:9 ^g The people of Judah would become prey to huge flocks of speckled vultures. The people would soon be corpses that wild animals would pick ... clean.
Summary for Jer 12:10-13: 12:10-13 ^h The corrupt rulers of Judah had already desolated the land by leading the people into sin (e.g., 2 Kgs 16:8-19 ⁱ; 21:16 ^j; 23:33-35 ^k); the invading army would simply complete the task. 12:10 ^l A vineyard is a frequent metaphor for God’s people (e.g., Isa 5:1-10 ^m; Matt 21:33-45 ⁿ; John 15:1-8 ^o).
12:11 ^p Sorrow gripped the Lord as he saw the empty wasteland. He had ordered the invasion according to the terms of the Sinai covenant, but the act gave him no satisfaction. Sadly, no one other than God even cared.
12:12 ^q The invading armies were the sword that the Lord sent to destroy the land.
12:13 ^r The Lord found no joy in seeing his people’s crops eaten by invaders, who left only thorns. However, the apostasy of the people of Judah merited the fierce anger of the Lord (cp. Ezek 16:36-39 ^s), resulting in shame.