The Book of Jeremiah
Lesson 13
Jeremiah 25 – 26
Introduction
The kings were responsible for scattering the sheep, leading the people astray in serving other gods and not executing justice in the land. Therefore, God would gather the people, return them to their own land, and raise up a king who would execute justice. To the prophets who prophesied without seeking God’s council, deluding the people; they would eat wormwood and drink poisoned water, and God’s anger would not turn back. There were 2 baskets of figs: the good figs represented those who would go into exile, while the bad figs are those who will die.
I. What is prophesied concerning Babylon?
a) Because the people did not listen and provoked the Lord to anger (25:7), God is going to bring the tribes from the north against Judah and utterly destroy it (25:9 – notice that the king of Babylon is “my servant”). The whole land shall become a waste, and they shall serve the king of Babylon for 70 years (25:11).
b) After 70 years, God will punish the king and the nation, making the land a waste (25:12). Everything that Jeremiah has prophesied will be fulfilled, and God will repay Babylon for their deeds (25:13-14).
II. What is the wine of wrath?
a) “For thus the LORD, the God of Israel, said to me: Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it (25:15).” Then Jeremiah took the cup from the Lord and made all the nations drink from it (25:17).
b) The nations are: Judah, Egypt, Uz, all of the lands of the Philistines (Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron and Ashdod), the Ammonites (Edom and Moab), Tyre and Sidon, Dedan, Tema, Buz, Arabia, Zimri, Elam, and Media. All of the kings shall drink from the cup of wrath, get drunk and vomit. And if they refuse to drink, God says you must drink (25:18-28).
c) Because God is bringing disaster upon Jerusalem (God’s city) the other nations cannot avoid punishment for their sins (25:29). The Lord has an indictment against the nations and disaster is spreading from nation to nation. Those slain shall not be mourned or buried. Even those who are shepherds, the Lord is spoiling their pasture (25:31-38).
IV. What new do these prophecies teach us about God?
a) Let’s start with what we have seen/known concerning God: Gen. 28:10-22. Ex. 13:20-22, 33:7-10; Deut. 23:12-13. Josh. 3:14-17; 1 Sam. 4:3-18; 2 Sam. 6:12-15.
b) Now, let’s look at Jer. 3:16-18. In the scriptures we just read we saw that the ark symbolized the presence of God (the mercy seat on top is where God sat). In 587-6 BCE when Jerusalem was destroyed, Babylon carried the ark and other vessels of the temple back with them to Babylon (you’ll see this next week). Jeremiah is prophesying a time when the ark is neither remembered nor missed. So, what does it mean to be God’s people without the ark and God’s presence?
c) The prophesies of Babylon and the cup of wrath cause us to reflect upon 3:16 and a time where there is no ark. What new does this teach us about God?
1) the knowledge/understanding of God develops over time. We started with God being a God if place; then God was a presence signified by the ark. Now the ark does not exist.
2) God is not just the God of Israel. 25:9 says that the “heathen king (as Israel would have saw him)” Nebuchadrezzar is God’s servant. God is the God of all the nations. All nations are ruled by God and judged by God.
3) Today we think of God as being omnipresent, but that is not a biblical term; it comes from the Greeks. With the loss of the ark, Israel had to rethink and develop a new understanding of who God is. We see this in both Isaiah and Jeremiah where they both speak of God as the God of the nations. We will later develop the concept of God being omnipresent, not confined by temples or other structures. God is everywhere and governs all things.
IV. What happened to Jeremiah and how was he saved?
a) Jeremiah spoke the word of the Lord: If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law that I have set before you, … then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city a curse for all the nations of the earth (26:4, 6).” When Jeremiah finished speaking, “then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, ‘You shall die!’ (26:8).
b) When the officials of the city heard that Jeremiah had been taken, they came and sat at the city gate to hear (judge) the charge against Jeremiah. “This man deserves the sentence of death because he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears (26:11).” Jeremiah then said that he prophesied in the name of the Lord (26:12, 15).
c) The officials said that he did not deserve to die but also recounted other prophets who had prophesied punishment and destruction (Micah the prophet is mentioned). Jeremiah was released and not put to death (26:24).
Next Week: Jeremiah 27 – 28
Questions for the week:
1. What is the sign of the yoke?
2. What is the result of lies?
3. Who was Hananiah and what happened to him?