Prophecy – Jeremiah 47-52

In today’s passage, we are tying up the loose ends to the book of Jeremiah.

Last week, we read that the Lord pronounced judgement on Egypt.  And today, we read about how God will deal with eight other nations.  All these nations played a significant role in the downfall of Israel because of their idolatorous nature and its influence of the people of Israel and Judah.

But in the midst of all these judgements upon their enemies, God still holds out a message of hope to the Israelites.  Let’s read on and see what is this all about.

Bible Passage:  Jeremiah 47-52

Yes, it is a very long passage today and it may take you quite a fair bit of time to read it.  I thought that it may help if I try to provide some background on the nine nations:

1.  The Egyptians (Chapter 46)

We read about them last week in Chapter 46.  Egypt has a long history with Israel – back to the days of Exodus when Pharaoh refused to let God’s people go.

It is interesting that sometimes Egypt used Israel as a buffer against nations to the north and east, and at times, they tried to control the nation of its own purposes.

Israel still ‘remembered’ many of the idol practices in Egypt but the influence was further strengthened when Solomon married Pharaoh’s daughter (1 Kings 11:1-2).

2.  The Philistines (Chapter 47)

In Chapter 47, we learn of Philistines impending doom.  They were Israel’s long time nemesis to the southwest and they had migrated to Canaan just before the Israelites did.  And they harassed the nation of Israel throughout history and in particulat, their goddess, Ashtoreth, was a great temptation to the people of Israel (1 Sam 7:3-4).

3.  The Moabites (Chapter 48)

In Chapter 48, we read about this nation of Moab.  They were under a curse for seducing Israel to idolatory and opposing them before they entered Canaan (Numbers 25l Deut 23:3-4).

But the strange thing is that their main god, Chemosh, frequently became an onject of Israel’s worship.  Even Solomon erected a shrine to Chemosh when he had a political wedding (1 Kings 11:1, 7).

4.  The Ammonites (Jer 49:1-6)

Yet another familiar name and enemy.  But although marriage was forbidden with the Ammonites, Solomon married them and bulds sacred worship centres for their god Molech (1 Kings 11:1, 5, 7)

5.  The Edomites (Jer 49:7-22)

They were the cousins of Israel (through Esau) and they had constant battles with Israel.  And when Israel fell to the Babylonians, the Edomites celebrated with a song (Psalm 137:7).

Another polical marriage arranged by Solomon made idol worshipping even more entrenched in Israel (1 Kings 11:1, 8).

6.  The City of Damascus (Jer 49:23-27)

This is one of the oldest city in the world and at some points in history of the divided kingdom, they had been a source of trouble to Israel.

Isaiah had prophesied about their fall (Isa 17:1) and they did fall when Assyria captured them.

But if we read 2 Chrononicles 28:23, we find that somehow the worship of Syrian idols happened in Jerusalem.

7.  The Kedarites (Jer 49:28-33)

They were from the lineage of Ishmael and they controlled the caravan routes between Palestine and Egypt.

Again, in Isaiah 21:16-17, Isaiah had prophesied about their downfall.

8.  The Elamites (Jer 49:34-39)

Elam was one of the nationes which vied with Assyria and Babylonian for control of Mesopotamia.

Part of the problem is that some of the captives in the northern kingdom were reolcated to regions associated with Elam (Isa 11:11).  The Elamites were later transported to Canaan (Ezra 4:9) and they brought their pagan rites which they wanted to blend with the Israel’s worship of the Lord (2 Kings 17:24-32).

Later on, God made use of them, besides Medes and the Persians in crushing the Babylonians.

9.  The Babylonians (Jer 50-51)

Whew!  When you read about God’s judgement on them,you rejoice.

It is interesting to note that Babylonians was raised to discipline God’s children but even though it was an instrument of God, its cruel pratices condemned it.

God Will Bring Back Israel

Remember the constant theme I kept on mentioning for the books of Prophecy?  Although sometimes the books of Prophecy spell all doom and gloom, you will find nuggets of gold and hope.

Today, I found it in Jeremiah 50:18-20

Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel:

“ Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land,
As I have punished the king of Assyria.
¹⁹ But I will bring back Israel to his home,
And he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan;
His soul shall be satisfied on Mount Ephraim and Gilead.
²⁰ In those days and in that time,” says the LORD,

“ The iniquity of Israel shall be sought, but there shall be none;
And the sins of Judah, but they shall not be found;
For I will pardon those whom I preserve.

God will fight our battles for us.

But there is His time and not our time.

The people during the time of Jeremiah time and time again rejected the prophet’s calls to repentance.  And they rejected the chance to have peace and rest and insisted on testing God to see if the prophecies will come true.

Let us learn from their mistakes today and as we live our lives from henceforth after the Spiritual Meeting, let our zeal for the Lord remain strong.