Jeremiah 4
4
A Call to Repentance
1“I, Yahweh, say to Israel:
“Listen, if you turn to come back to me,
then return to me with all your heart.
If you remove your disgusting idols from before my face,
then come home and never stray from my presence again.
2If you make a promise in my name,
saying, ‘As surely as Yahweh lives’
with truth, honesty, and integrity, # 4:2 Yahweh set three conditions for Israel’s return to God: Israel must (1) renounce every idol, (2) never stray from God’s presence, and (3) live lives of integrity.
then all other nations will desire his blessing and prosperity.
They will shine and make their boast in me.”
3Yahweh says to the people of Judah and Jerusalem:
“As a plow breaks open untilled ground,
break open your hard hearts. # 4:3 See Hos. 10:12.
Do not sow good seed among thorns. # 4:3 Before planting, a farmer will remove everything that might hinder the growth of the crops; we, too, must remove what hinders the fruit of love and truth from growing in our hearts. See Matt. 13:4–9. To “sow good seed” was more than an agricultural project; rather, God was instructing his people how to restore their hearts before him.
4Listen, people of Judah and Jerusalem.
Circumcise your hearts and become vulnerable to me. # 4:4 See Deut. 10:16.
If you do not, my anger will blaze up
like unquenchable fire on account of your evil deeds.” # 4:4 The people of Judah could have escaped captivity by returning to God through repentance and by breaking open their hearts to God. The Lord always gives his people time to repent before judgment falls.
The Coming Invader
5Yahweh says:
“Blow the trumpet in Jerusalem,
and sound the alarm throughout the land of Judah!
Cry out! Shout it out, and say,
‘Gather together and let us run into the fortified cities!’
6Set up a signal to run to Zion.
Don’t just stand there; run for cover!
I am bringing disaster from the north,
terrible destruction is on the way.”
7A nation-wrecker # 4:7 This “nation-wrecker” was the king of Babylon. is on the prowl
like a lion coming up from his lair.
He is roused from his den to ransack your land.
Your cities will be ruined and left without inhabitant.
8Therefore, put on sackcloth, lament, and wail,
for the burning anger of Yahweh
has not turned away from us.
Chariots of Judgment
9Yahweh has declared, “In that day, the courage of the king will melt away. The hearts of his officials will tremble. The priests will be overcome with fear, and the prophets horrified.”
10In response to all this I said: “O Lord Yahweh, you have completely deceived Jerusalem and these people! # 4:10 God never deceives his people because God cannot lie (see Num. 23:19; Titus 1:2). It perplexed Jeremiah that God would even allow false prophets to deliver their deceptive messages and lead his people into a false sense of security that would be their undoing. Jeremiah seemed to blame God for not preventing false prophets from deceiving the people. See Jer. 14:13–16; 23:16–17. If people reject the truth and accept lies, they will be held accountable (see 2 Thess. 2:9–12). You promised peace, yet even now, the blade of the sword threatens our lives.” # 4:10 Or “the sword has reached their throats.”
11At that time it will be said to the people and to Jerusalem: “A blazing # 4:11 Although most translations render the Hebrew word tsach as “hot” or “scorching,” its meaning spans “dazzling,” “shimmering,” “glistening,” “glowing,” and “smooth.” Meteorologically, this “blazing” wind is the phenomena known as the sirocco, and this verse uses it as a metaphor for the coming judgment that will sweep over the land. wind from the barren desert heights will blow upon my dear people, # 4:11 Or “daughter of my people.” not a gentle wind to winnow or sift out—12I am sending a wind much stronger than that. Now, I will bring charges against them.”
13Look, as a storm cloud in the sky, he # 4:13 Although it is possible that “he” refers to Yahweh (see Isa. 66:15), “he” more likely refers to the king of Babylon, who was about to invade the land. arises,
and his war chariots kick up dust like a whirlwind.
His horses are swifter than eagles.
We’re done for! # 4:13 Or “Woe to us,” a funerary term, used often by prophets to signal a coming death. See v. 31. It’s over for us!
The Cause of the Judgment
14Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart
so that you may be rescued.
How long will evil thoughts and harmful schemes
find a resting place in you?
15I hear a shout warning of disaster from the territory of Dan # 4:15 The northern boundary of Dan formed the northernmost boundary of Israel. Because of its strategic location, the tribe of Dan would be the first to warn of an invasion from the north.
and another from the hills of Ephraim. # 4:15 The hills of Ephraim lie north of Jerusalem. A warning from the hills of Ephraim would indicate the invading armies were approaching the city.
16“Warn the nations of what is coming!
Announce to Jerusalem:
‘Watchers # 4:16 Or “Enemies” (LXX). are coming from a distant land,
shouting a battle cry against Judah’s cities!
17The enemies surround Judah and Jerusalem
like men who are guarding a field,
for Judah has rebelled against me,’ ”
declares Yahweh.
18“You have brought this on yourself by your deeds and your lifestyle.
Your evil and your bitterness have reached your heart.
This is your doom!”
The Cry of the Prophet
19With gut-wrenching pain deep in my soul,
I writhe on the ground in anguish. # 4:19 The Hebrew is “My bowels, my bowels, let me writhe.” Jeremiah, like no other Old Testament prophet, gave us a glimpse into his heart, emotions, and thoughts. He revealed his heavy burdens and sorrow as something unbearable (see 6:24; 9:10; 10:19–20). Jeremiah was in anguish and pain as he considered the national tragedy that Judah could have averted if they had repented. He was a prophet brokenhearted before God.
My heart is pounding within me. # 4:19 Or “My heart is roaring within me.”
I cannot keep silent,
for I hear the shofar blast.
I say to my soul, I hear the cry of war!
20A chain of disasters, one after another.
The entire land is in ruins!
Suddenly, and in an instant, our tent
and its curtains are destroyed. # 4:20 The “tent and its curtains” may refer to the temple’s destruction by the Babylonian invaders.
21How long must I see their battle flags
and hear their shofars blaring for battle?
22“My people are foolish
because they don’t know who I really am. # 4:22 Or “their princes do not know me” (LXX).
They are reckless, senseless children.
They think they are wise,
but they are cunning in sinfulness
and clueless in righteousness.”
Chaos in the Land
23I looked at the earth,
and it was completely empty and formless, # 4:23 See Gen. 1:2.
the heavens hid its light.
24I looked at the mountains and saw them trembling,
and all the hills were shaking to and fro.
25I looked for a human,
but not one was to be found.
Every bird had flown away.
26I looked at the once fruitful land,
now nothing but a desert,
all its cities left in ruins
before Yahweh’s burning anger.
27“For I, Yahweh, have spoken:
‘The whole land will remain desolate;
however, the end of the world is not yet. # 4:27 Or “yet I will not make a full end.” See Lev. 26:44; Jer. 5:10–11, 18; 30:11; 46:28; Ezek. 20:17; Amos 9:8.
28This is why the earth will mourn,
and the heavens will veil their light—
because I have spoken.
I will neither relent nor turn away from my plans.’ ”
Confusion of the People
29When they hear the approach of the horsemen and archers,
the whole city flees in terror.
Some run into the forest to hide,
and others climb up into the rocks.
Every city is deserted,
and no one lives there anymore.
30And you, desolate Zion,
what are you doing dressing up in scarlet,
adorning yourself in ornaments of gold
and putting on eye shadow?
You’re making yourself beautiful for nothing.
Your lovers don’t want you anymore.
In fact, they seek your life!
31I heard a cry of a woman gasping in labor pains;
I saw her writhing in distress
as one giving birth to her first child.
It is the daughter of Zion, gasping
and stretching out her hands for help, # 4:31 See Lam. 1:17. saying:
“I’m staring at death! I’m fainting before my murderers!”
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Jeremiah 4: TPT
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