Jeremiah 12 FSI - HEAR, O EARTH

> [!title|noicon] **Jeremiah 12 Notes** > [[Jeremiah 11 FSI|<Prev]]   [[Jeremiah 13 FSI|Next>]] > [[Jeremiah 12|Verse list view]] > [Jeremiah 12:1](Jeremiah%2012.md#^1) note > > "Righteous *art* thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of *thy* judgments" -- We recognize that God is absolutely righteous. Notice the word *plead* -- that's a judicial word. When you stand before the judge you bring your pleadings, you bring your rationale why you should be set free if you are the accused. And here Jeremiah is speaking on behalf of all true believers and he has a question regarding the perfect justice of God. > > "Wherefore does the way of the wicked prosper? *wherefore* are all they happy that deal very treacherously?" -- This is the kind of sense we can get if we take our eyes off of Christ. We look at the wicked around us and they're the ones making all of the money, they're living very prosperously, they seem to be of such good health, they seem to be so happy, they drive a beautiful automobile ... they just seem like they have everything going for them, like they have the Midas touch where everything they touch turns to gold. And maybe we're in some lowly, undesirable position insofar as this world is concerned. Maybe we have to put up with a distressful spouse or boss on the job, or maybe we have an illness that keeps us down so that we can't earn anything to speak of, so that we're living in the lowest kind of poverty. And maybe we're reviled all the time by others where life is just one bowl of misery, from one misery to another. We can think of all kinds of examples of how bad life can be, and then when we see the rich all around us we think, "My, there's a wonderful world out there." > > This is very parallel to [Psalm 73:1-15](Psalm%2073.md) (scroll to read those verses). There, the Psalmist began to have serious doubts about the justice and fairness of God. Is He *really* the wonderful, just God that we are led to believe? Look at these wicked of the world, they make no bones about it -- they don't need God, they have everything going for them. And it's going very, very well for them, thank you. They own a fine car, they have a nice home, they have an excellent job, their children are going to a great school -- why do they need God? Has God abandoned this world that He allows this total inconsistency? And then there's the wrong idea that if we become saved then things should really be going well for us. Maybe it won't be a bowl of cherries but it should be quite good. But to our bitter disappointment we find that we have even more problems in life. What's going on? Where is God's justice? Then we read the answer in [Psalm 73:16](Psalm%2073.md#^16), [17](Psalm%2073.md#^17), [18](Psalm%2073.md#^18). > > We *must* remember that when we become a child of God, it has nothing to do with political freedom, financial security or physical health. As a human being, we all like to have at least some minimal level of these three things that we might live without too much trouble and angst. But they have nothing at all to do with the Gospel. This is seen in [Luke 16:19-31](Luke%2016.md) concerning the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man had everything heart could wish while the poor beggar Lazarus had nothing. He was there eating from the garbage of the rich man with the dogs licking his sores, he was very pitiable with nothing at all. But when God opens the curtain into eternity we find that Lazarus had eternal life in Christ, he had everything, while the rich man suffered eternal death with no hope, just as we read about those in Psalm 73:16-18. So the rich man had everything for a few short years of this life, but into eternity in comparison he had nothing at all -- while Lazarus had everything going for him forevermore. > > Now we mustn't forget that the context of Jeremiah is the wickedness of Judah and Jerusalem, a type or figure of today's churches and congregations. And from [chapter 11, verse 21](Jeremiah%2011.md#^21) God is particularly speaking now of those in Anathoth, Jeremiah's home town, which was a city of priests or Levites. And so we can see this theme continue in the next verse, verse 2. ^jer12-1 > [Jeremiah 12:2](Jeremiah%2012.md#^2) note > > We see here that they are seemingly identified with God in a correct way, they are quick to speak of God, He is near in their mouth. But He is far from their reigns, that is, from the innermost part of their being, from their internal essence or heart. So they identify with God outwardly, but inwardly they are evil (cp [Mt 23:28](Matthew%2023.md#^28)). Similarly, today you can visit just about any local congregation and they will speak well and gladly about Jesus and salvation and about the Bible. They may speak about the inerrancy and infallibility of the Bible and it all sounds so good. And they're so blessed, they're growing and have all the money they need for their benefit and for missions and so on. And yet there is something deadly wrong going on because God is far from their reigns, He is far from their inner being. > > "Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit" -- If they bring forth fruit it immediately sounds good, like they are true believers, because it is the believers who bear fruit of the Spirit. But we have to be careful here. In [Matthew 7:16](Matthew%207.md#^16), [17](Matthew%207.md#^17), [18](Matthew%207.md#^18), [19](Matthew%207.md#^19), [20](Matthew%207.md#^20) we see that there are two kinds of fruit -- good fruit and evil or corrupt fruit. So we look at a typical, fine, conservative congregation with all of the people entering the building on Sunday morning and they're all carrying their Bibles. Then we hear them singing a beautiful Psalm within and the pastor preaches a fine sermon that comes right out of the Bible. And we have to say that we're looking at a very God-glorifying situation because you'll know them by their fruits. Then we look at [Galatians 5:22](Galatians%205.md#^22), [23](Galatians%205.md#^23), [24](Galatians%205.md#^24), and we see lots of *love* and joy there which are fruits of the Spirit. > > Now when we go to [John 14:21](John%2014.md#^21), [23](John%2014.md#^23) we find that *love* has to do with obedience, with keeping the Word of God. So let's go back to this hypothetical congregation. How do they stand with the commandments of God because that is the test of love? When the Bible says there is not to be divorce for fornication, are they obedient to that command? When the Bible speaks of the Lord's Supper and baptism as a sign pointing to some aspect of salvation, how do they understand this? Do they think it somehow gives them spiritual guarantees as they perform these acts? They had been planted by God, they do bring forth fruit, but what kind of fruit? If they were truly faithful to the Word of God and had a tremendous desire to serve God and constantly reexamine and correct their doctrines then they could honestly say that they love God. > > And so we must look again at Matthew 7 in the next verse, [verse 21](Matthew%207.md#^21), and remember that just because they have the Word of God on their mouth it doesn't mean that He is in their heart, that they truly know Him -- unless they *do the will* of God which is in Heaven. And those who are trusting in anything other than the Bible alone and carefully analyzing everything it says are actually false prophets following another God than the God of the Bible, even if they use the Bible as the device or the handy reference to talk about spiritual things. If they just take out what they like and adding and modifying as they desire so they come up with their own kind of a gospel. So we find the warning in [Matthew 7:15](Matthew%207.md#^15), [16a](Matthew%207.md#^16). If they aren't walking obediently before the Word of God but are setting up their own doctrines, modifying the Bible to suit themselves, then the fruit they are showing is that they are false prophets, they are coming up with their own kind of a gospel no matter how loving and kind and joyful they may seem. And this is unfortunately the kind of fruit that God is speaking about here in Jeremiah 12:2, they are bearing fruit but He is far from their reigns, they are not being obedient to the Word of God. They speak beautiful, biblical phrases, they sing beautiful Psalms, but they are a long way away from God. > > Now, ultimately, we must truly look at ourselves rather than at someone else. What about *Me*, am I doing the will of God, am I truly saved? ^jer12-2 > [Jeremiah 12:3](Jeremiah%2012.md#^3) note > > "But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee:" -- The word try (tried) means to test or to prove whether one is saved ([Zech 13:9](Zechariah%2013.md#^9)). First of all, when we become saved we are brought through the furnace of the wrath of God with Christ as our Substitute, as our Stand-in. And we come out as gold or silver. But God also tries us to know whether we are just fools gold or the real thing ([Ps 139:23](Psalm%20139.md#^23)), and so that we ourselves can know whether we are a child of God or not .And something that is not true gold will not meet the test that would prove that something is true gold. > > So God sends testings into our life each day so that we can know even ourselves where we stand, and whether we have a hatred for our sins whenever we fail the test. And we will fail the test at times because we still live in our unredeemed, sin-cursed bodies that lust after sin *and* we continue to live in this very sinful world. And yet we have the Spirit of Christ within us if we are truly saved so that we never want to sin again, so that it seriously violates our conscience when we give in to temptation. And whenever we do it God's way we have the joy of knowing we are growing in grace. So God's testing is for *our* benefit so that we can be humbled again and again, praying before God for *His* strength. > > And if we find that we cannot turn away from our sin, we must be very honest with ourselves and conclude that perhaps we are not truly saved at all. And while this may be traumatic news, it's actually good news for us to find this out now, not on the last day standing before the Judgment Throne where Christ will say, "Depart from me, you who commit iniquity, I never knew you." Today we can still plead with God for mercy and thank Him that we have another day while there is still time. > > God is also demonstrating the mystery of His mercy, goodness, grace, justice and so on to the principalities and powers in heavenly places through our salvation and all that is going on in this world as they witness what is happening through the (eternal) church ([Eph 3:9](Ephesians%203.md#^9), [10](Ephesians%203.md#^10), [11](Ephesians%203.md#^11)). > > ". . . pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter." -- Now God shifts and looks at those who are *apparently* saved but actually are not. As we saw in [verse 2](Jeremiah%2012.md#^2), these are those who know God with their mouths but not in their hearts. They are the hypocrites who claim they are saved but do not truly know Him. They may look like Christians on the outside but in their hearts they have set up their own gospel. So now God sets up the justice of God. And as we read this, we are very grateful that God is perfect in His justice, and we know that God *must* punish the unsaved whether they think they are saved or not. And we have an intense desire that God's Will be done ([Mt 6:10](Matthew%206.md#^10)). > > However, this does *not* mean that we should wish someone to be under the wrath of God, or to have thoughts of vengeance against them hoping that God will throw the book at them and throw them into the lake of fire, even though this language here, ". . . pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter," might appear to say this. Rather, when we think of the sheep being prepared for slaughter, we think of the Lord Jesus Christ ([Is 53:7](Isaiah%2053.md#^7)). And the same judgment that came upon the Lord Jesus Christ, namely, the wrath of God for the sins of those He came to save, will come upon them as they must pay for their own sins. It is the same judgment that will come upon the unsaved, that is, eternal destruction. God does not have 2 Lawbooks, one for Himself and another for humanity. It is the same Lawbook. So when Christ was guilty with the sins of His people, He had to suffer the wrath of God in equivalent fashion to what we would have had to endure had He not saved us. ^jer12-3 > [Jeremiah 12:4](Jeremiah%2012.md#^4) note > > Creation itself has a tremendous stake in the whole scenario of God's saving His people through Christ ([Jn 3:16](John%203.md#^16) -- the word *world* there is *kosmos*, speaking of the whole universe, all of creation.). It's because of the sin of humanity that the universe came under the curse of God, and it is upon the *redemption* of some of humanity that there is potential for redemption of the universe itself. When Adam and Eve were created the creation itself was *perfect*, with humanity ruling over it under God. But once they fell into sin they subjected themselves to Lucifer or Satan and God brought creation under a curse ([Gen 3:17](Genesis%203.md#^17), [18](Genesis%203.md#^18), [19](Genesis%203.md#^19)). And that's when death entered into the creation with all of that curse woven into the fabric of the world. In [Romans 8:19](Romans%208.md#^19), [20](Romans%208.md#^20), [21](Romans%208.md#^21), [22](Romans%208.md#^22) the word *creature* could equally be translated *creation*. Once all of the true believers are saved and ultimately manifested at the end of the world, the creation itself will be delivered from the bondage of corruption along with them. It will be a new creation that is no longer under a curse. And that's what God has in mind here in Jeremiah 12:4 where the land is mourning. There's an interesting phrase in [Jonah 4:11](Jonah%204.md#^11) where God speaks of sparing much cattle along with the people. And when God brings judgment upon the world it will impact all of creation, including the animals. And this illustrates or demonstrates how the entire cosmos, creation itself, has an interest and a relationship in what God does to humanity. > > ". . . because they said, He shall not see our last end." -- Humanity sinned thinking that somehow the judgment will not come, that God is just a good, merciful God so no judgment will fall. When Lucifer tempted Eve in the Garden to eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and then gave to her husband, Adam, they were not thinking it all through that they would be subject to eternal damnation, they were just focused on how good the fruit appeared to be. And this is how it is normally when people sin. They aren't thinking of the consequences. They just do it because they want it for themselves at the moment, that's all their focused on. People simply do not want to look at the end. And that's why we must be in the Bible and face the consequences of our sin so that we can be reminded of this again and again, we must be reminded of the end and that God does indeed see and know all that goes on in the deepest recesses of our being -- our motives, our desires, our secrets, our sins and so on. And may this assist us so that we might live in a way that is more pleasing to God. ^jer12-4 > [Jeremiah 12:5](Jeremiah%2012.md#^5) note > > Footmen are used in the Bible as a symbol of infantry in the army ([2 Sa 8:4](2%20Samuel%208.md#^4)). The armies of the Bible consisted mainly of infantry who were on foot and carried swords, lances and bows. Then there were the chariots pulled by the horses. And then there were those riding the horses into the battle. And if one is wearied in the trenches from battling the footmen, what happens when they now have to battle those who are riding horses, when the larger weapons of war come again them? And as Christians, we are in this world to do spiritual battle, we're all infantry, we're all on foot. But then there comes a time when Satan himself comes against them (as the world comes into the church), even into the strongholds of the churches and congregations, someone much stronger than they are. That is normally their land of peace where they had Christ to turn to and lead them in their battles. But once it is given over to Satan there's a different battle on their hands, it is no longer the land of peace. And the problem here is that they *trusted* in that land of peace rather than in God Himself: "in the land of peace, *wherein* thou trustedst." They trusted in their own doctrines and in their own ways rather than in the Word of God. So God is effectively saying, "If you could not properly deal with the spiritual issues while I was still in the midst, how will you deal with them when I'm gone?" ([v7](Jeremiah%2012.md#^7)) > > ". . . then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?" -- The word *swelling* here means *pride*. We see this in [Zechariah 11:3](Zechariah%2011.md#^3), for example, where it refers to the enemy that will be destroyed. In [Genesis 13:7](Genesis%2013.md#^7), [8](Genesis%2013.md#^8), [9](Genesis%2013.md#^9) we see where Abraham's herdsmen and Lot's herdsmen were in close proximity and contended with each other. And God put a test before Lot as to what he will choose. Abraham is saying, "Whatever you choose, I'll be content with whatever is left." And the choice was between the hills of Judea and the beautiful Jordan Valley through which the Jordan River ran. Jericho was located there with an oasis of palm trees and so on. It was a beautiful country that catered to the pride of someone who wanted to be great in this world. And that's what Lot chose in [verse 10](Genesis%2013.md#^10). It was the beautiful Jordan Valley, something to be proud of -- but it was identified with two wicked cities, Sodom and Gomorrah, which came into destruction. And it is Satan, of course, that leads people into pride and as he seeks to come into the congregations as a roaring lion against the habitation of the strong (see [Jeremiah 49:18](Jeremiah%2049.md#^18), [19](Jeremiah%2049.md#^19)). > > So when God is saying, "How will you do in the pride of Jordan," He is asking how they will fare when Satan himself comes against them will the full force of his armies unto their destruction as typified by the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in the plains of Jordan. ^jer12-5 > [Jeremiah 12:6](Jeremiah%2012.md#^6) note > > God is developing the message here before we get to verse 7, where He declares that He has forsaken His house and left His heritage, having given them into the hand of her enemies. But before we get there, here He is indicating what is happening -- that in your own house, within your own family, in your own clan where your loved ones are, with those whom you trust -- they are the very ones who have dealt treacherously with you. Even though they speak very good words with full assurance of what they are saying, they have dealt treacherously. And this happens in churches all over the world where people realize their churches are not teaching as faithfully as they should. And yet their friends, their loved ones, their parents, those they should normally trust, are all saying, "Don't get uneasy, everything is well, everything is going fine. Just trust our pastor, trust our doctrines, trust us, we've been here for many years and there's nothing at all to be worried about with our good doctrines and sermons and so on. Just love the Lord and be content." > > But it's destructive because God has abandoned them (v7), it's the most dangerous place in the world to be because it has become a false gospel. And those who remain there are being prepared for the judgment Throne. This is the terror and the danger that is going on in those congregations. Just because they are your own people and you have a long association with them for many decades, just because it has a fine reputation, just because they love you dearly and come with all assurances that all is well -- that is not where the Truth is. The Truth is only in the Word of God and God is indicating how easy it is to be sidetracked, to be snared, to be deceived even by our own loved ones as their spiritual eyes have not been opened to the fact God's judgment is on them. ^jer12-6 > [Jeremiah 12:7](Jeremiah%2012.md#^7) note > > God is setting the record straight here, there is no misunderstanding this verse at all. They are under the wrath of God, God has forsaken His house and left His heritage, having given them into the hand of her enemies. And this is not speaking of the synagogues of national Israel, this is speaking now about the churches and congregations. Most any Christian would agree that God had long ago completely forsaken the Old Testament congregations, there is no more salvation that comes within their midst because the Gospel is simply not there for many centuries. But they cannot see that He has now done the same with the New Testament congregations as we approach the end as we'll see when we get to [verse 10](Jeremiah%2012.md#^10) ([1 Pe 4:17](1%20Peter%204.md#^17)). This is what identifies this with the great tribulation. > > Notice that *God* has done this. *He* has forsaken His house, *He* has left His heritage, *He* has given the dearly beloved of His Soul into the hand of her enemies. They are therefore under the wrath of God, this is by His action. And this cannot be speaking about the eternal, invisible church. This cannot be the true elect spoken of here because they have eternal life, they are covered by the blood of Christ forevermore. He can only be speaking of the visible kingdom of God on earth, the churches and congregations and denominations, that which is a corporate representation of the kingdom of God on earth with a historical mixture of those who were saved and those who were not. That which has a history of falling astray from God and being continually abandoned until God is finally and completely finished with the church age. Nevertheless how sad this is because even the visible church was created and set up by God for the purpose of sending forth the Gospel into the world. But those who trusted in this rather than in the Word of God Himself have finally gone their own way ([v10](Jeremiah%2012.md#^10)). So God has now rejected and forsaken them. > > "I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies." -- It's not just an incidental matter that someone is a part of the local congregation. They are nevertheless spoken of as the dearly beloved of His soul, again, just as when Christ *wept* over Jerusalem (see also [Jer 9:1](Jeremiah%209.md#^1)). The church, like national Israel, was established by Christ, it's not just any old meeting of people. And the Holy Spirit was in the midst to apply the Word of God to those God planned to save. So it was a very wonderful blessing to be a part of the congregation. And now He has given her into the hand of her enemies, right into the hand of Satan and the world. ^jer12-7 > [Jeremiah 12:8](Jeremiah%2012.md#^8) note > > God's using the analogy of a lion in the forest. In [Jeremiah 5:6](Jeremiah%205.md#^6) God describes those who are in complete *opposition* to Christ, those who are under the power of Satan, as a lion ([Ps 22:13](Psalm%2022.md#^13); [Eze 22:25](Ezekiel%2022.md#^25); [1 Pe 5:8](1%20Peter%205.md#^8)). They want the kingdom of God *destroyed*. So God is saying those who remain in the congregations as the heritage that He has forsaken ([v7](Jeremiah%2012.md#^7)) are like a lion, like someone who wants to destroy the kingdom of God. It cries out against God, therefore He has hated it. They want to be their own kind of kingdom in competition against God, a pseudo-kingdom created from the minds of men rather than from the Word of God. This is why it's so imperative that we repeatedly reexamine everything we believe because we never want to be accidentally or incidentally against what God is teaching, because the moment we teach anything other than what God teaches were are in opposition to Him, setting up our own program in principle. > > ". . . it cries out against me: therefore have I hated it." -- This is strong language like we find in [Romans 9:13b](Romans%209.md#^13). This isn't language like, "I love you less." God is saying He *hated* them because they are in complete rebellion so that His wrath, anger and fury is vented against them. They were created in God's image to love Him and to do His Will and He gave them the custodianship of His Word. And yet they deliberately set up their own kind of salvation plan, they wanted their own way of thinking, they knew more than God. And that's what has happened to the local congregations as they continued to do this, mixing themselves with a lot of Truth and error from their own minds and their own theology. So they were working to destroy the kingdom of God, whether they knew it or not, and therefore came under the hatred of God. They have gone from bad to worse as we've seen free will and worldly gospels and charismatic wonders permeate them more and more and so on. And there's been no repair, they continue to spiral downward. While they ostensibly and superficially appear to be fine, holy congregations that love the Lord -- they all carry their Bibles, they speak about Christ and the Holy Spirit and Heaven and such -- nevertheless, they continue to hold their cherished false doctrines that are based upon their own salvation programs and have come under His hatred. ^jer12-8 > [Jeremiah 12:9](Jeremiah%2012.md#^9) note > > "Mine heritage *is* unto me *as* a speckled bird, the birds round about *are* against her" -- The word *speckled* here is an adjective that is used elsewhere to indicate something that is wet or that is dyed. Now, if you have a flock of chickens, and a spot of blood shows up on one chicken -- a colored wet spot -- that chicken is going to be killed by the others. The rest of the chickens will start picking on that one chicken. So that one spot of blood on the one chicken is a death-trap. That's just the way chickens are. So this is the figure God is using here. His heritage has the mark of death on it. > > ". . . come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour." -- This is, of course, the language of judgment. This is the picture of all the animals gathered around waiting for their turn to feed on the carcass, to help destroy it further. ^jer12-9 > [Jeremiah 12:10](Jeremiah%2012.md#^10) note > > *Many* pastors have destroyed God's vineyard (cp [Mt 24:11](Matthew%2024.md#^11)). The role of the pastor is to faithfully guide the congregation into the path of Truth. He is to do his homework by carefully studying the Bible and faithfully teaching that. But what they typically do is represent the theology of their denomination or seminary, so they guide the flock to certain parts of the Bible. They don't really teach the *whole* Bible, they take certain verses of the Bible to arrive at conclusions that are in error. And they have utilized a human-devised hermeneutic, or method of Bible study, that is not supported by the Bible at all, mostly the historico-grammatical method of interpretation. And this bypasses the many spiritual levels of meaning throughout the Bible, locking them out from Truth and devising a pseudo-gospel. So God lays the responsibility right at the feet of the pastors, that they dared to be employed by God as a shepherd of the flock. They'd better think clearly about what an awesome responsibility this is. You can make mistakes when you teach English or woodcraft or anything else in the world, but when it comes to the Word of God you are saying, "Thus saith the Lord." And you'd better not contend with God. > > This is another proof-text that God is speaking about the local congregations in our day. When Christ came to the nation of Israel, He spoke about the *vineyard* being taken away from them and given to those who would render the fruits in their seasons. The nation of Israel were not accused of actually *destroying* the vineyard, they killed the heir of the vineyard. But at the end of time the vineyard *is* completely destroyed, and that comes at the end of the church age ([Isaiah 5](Isaiah%205.md)). > > ". . . they have trodden my portion under foot" -- In [Joshua 24:32](Joshua%2024.md#^32) we see that a parcel or a portion of the land is just a part of the land, not the whole. So that's the idea here, there's a *portion* of the kingdom of God that has been trodden under. And that's because even as the churches and congregations bring false doctrines that end up destroying them, those who have become saved are not destroyed along with them because they are eternally secure in the kingdom of God. But those true believers are eventually driven out of the congregation as they fall farther and farther from Truth. > > ". . . they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness." We're going to see this word desolate several times going into the next verse (v11). And God's *pleasant* portion, this part of the whole that has been trodden under foot, was dearly beloved of God's Soul ([v7](Jeremiah%2012.md#^7)). ^jer12-10 > [Jeremiah 12:11](Jeremiah%2012.md#^11) note > > This verse continues from verse 10, "They have made it desolate," that is, these pastors (in v10) have made His pleasant portion desolate. ". . . *and being* desolate it mourns unto me" -- It is like people who are in the presence of death, mourning has to do with death. And it has become a dead situation altogether, there is no spiritual life left in the congregations. > > "The whole land is made desolate" -- It is the *whole* land here. It is not just some of it. It is all of the congregations. And the context here is speaking of the visible kingdom of God represented by them across the world. We will see this again in [verse 12](Jeremiah%2012.md#^12) that it is from one end of the land to the other. > > ". . . because no man lays *it* to heart." -- See [Malachi 2:1](Malachi%202.md#^1), [2](Malachi%202.md#^2). There God associates taking it to heart with giving glory to God. And we only give glory to God when we are altogether obedient to Him. And the curious language here in Jeremiah 12 is for every human being, it is just as critical for us -- and even more critical for us -- than it was for them in Jeremiah's day. These words are far more applicable for us today than for the people of Judah at that time ([Ro 15:4](Romans%2015.md#^4); [1 Cor10:11](1%20Corinthians%2010.md#^11)). And this is one way in which the historico-grammatical method of interpretation prevents proper understanding of Scripture as it seeks to understand how this applied to those in Jeremiah's day but fails to see how it truly applies directly to us in our day. > > Now, even though God says here that *no* man lays it to heart, it doesn't mean there were no true believers left at all, like Jeremiah, Ezekiel and a few others in that day (as it is today). But ultimately it means that Christ is no longer working within them as a visible representation of the kingdom of God to give glory to God. And that's why God's judgment is there, the vineyard has been destroyed ([v10](Jeremiah%2012.md#^10)), they have finally followed a false gospel long enough to the end of the church age when their work is finished and now there is no man left to lay it to heart, to give glory to God. Christ is now absent from them. ^jer12-11 > [Jeremiah 12:12](Jeremiah%2012.md#^12) note > > "The spoilers," that is, those who have come to destroy, "are come upon all the high places through the wilderness." -- Normally the phrase *high places* has to do with the worship of false gods, like when they build a high place on a mountain under a tree where they build an altar and so on. But that's a different Hebrew word altogether than what is translated here as *high places*. Here the Hebrew word means "bare places" where it is devoid of vegetation. It means there is no fruit that is coming forth, there is no life left there. As we read in verses 10-11 it is a desolation, it is spiritually barren. The spoilers or the plunderers are come, that is, the wrath of God has fallen upon them and the Gospel has been emptied out. And the *wilderness* also has to do with the barrenness of the land. > > "for the sword of the LORD shall devour from the *one* end of the land even to the *other* end of the land: no flesh shall have peace." -- This is a *big* statement, it is a *universal* judgment. As we saw in [verse 11](Jeremiah%2012.md#^11), it is the *whole* land. When God began the great tribulation He did not only begin in the local congregations, it was all over the world ([Mt 24:21](Matthew%2024.md#^21), [22](Matthew%2024.md#^22)). The major effect of the great tribulation is that no flesh is being saved all over the world. [Revelation 8:1](Revelation%208.md#^1) speaks of this as a time of silence in heaven for about the space of half an hour -- because the angels are not rejoicing while no flesh is being saved ([Lk 15:10](Luke%2015.md#^10)). So the entire world came into great tribulation. But as we see in [Matthew 24:22](Matthew%2024.md#^22), we read that those days are shortened so that once again, yet outside of the visible kingdom of God (outside of the churches and congregations), God will once again save His elect during the short period of time called the latter rain. ^jer12-12 > [Jeremiah 12:13](Jeremiah%2012.md#^13) note > > "They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns" -- "They" again refers to the many pastors who have destroyed the vineyard in [verse 10](Jeremiah%2012.md#^10). They had the task of sowing the seed of the Gospel. Wheat has to do with the true believers. But remember, Satan has been seeding the churches with tares, and tares identify with thorns and weeds. So ideally the local congregation should be a body of true believers who love the Lord. But in reality as God examines the churches there are thorns ([Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43](Matthew%2013.md)). > > ". . . they have put themselves to pain, *but* shall not profit:" -- The word *pain* here means *pain or grief*. That is, they have *worked hard* at what they are teaching. But their method of interpretation means they shall not profit from it. They expend a lot of time and effort to make a greater impact on their congregation by trying this and that and the other thing. But it doesn't profit. Why not? Because there is no one to lay it to heart ([v11](Jeremiah%2012.md#^11)). > > ". . . and they shall be ashamed of your revenues because of the fierce anger of the LORD." -- The word translated *revenues* here typically means *fruits, produce or increase*. And to be *ashamed* means *confounded* and ties into coming under the judgment of God ([Ps 31:17](Psalm%2031.md#^17), [71:13](Psalm%2071.md#^13)). So these pastors are under the judgment of God, they are ashamed and confounded because of their increase, the fruits that come from the fierce anger of God upon sin. This is the normal expectation of those who are under the wrath of God, there is no escape from it outside of those in Christ. And this is speaking of *our* day! This isn't something out in the wild blue yonder where maybe something might or might not happen and maybe this, maybe that -- maybe it won't be quite so bad. It *is* that bad, it *is* coming soon for all who are not saved in the Lord Jesus Christ. It's as negative and as sorrowful as anything can be. There will be no mercy of any kind. And so we pray for mercy for ourselves and for our loved ones now while it is still possible to escape and we rest in the fact that God does everything perfectly. ^jer12-13 > [Jeremiah 12:14](Jeremiah%2012.md#^14) note > > "Thus saith the LORD against all mine evil neighbors, that touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit;" -- Remember the context is speaking about God giving up His heritage ([v7](Jeremiah%2012.md#^7), [8](Jeremiah%2012.md#^8)). Here God indicates that the *means* by which He has forsaken His heritage, that is, by allowing or bringing their spiritual enemies against them to their destruction, does not *excuse* their enemies for doing so just because they indeed fulfilled God's will. Just because God uses the enemy to conquer His heritage does not limit the responsibility or accountability of the enemy. As Judah was assaulted by Babylon, for example, the nation of Babylon was *brought* by God against them. God set this up, He made it possible for Babylon to gain the victory over the people over Judah and to carry them into captivity. But this did not diminish one iota their accountability to God, they still had to answer for their sin, for acting in their savagery, hatred, enmity and so on. They, too, are created in the image of God and cannot escape this. So regardless of how God might use the wicked to fulfill His will and accomplish His purposes in bringing judgment, it does not lessen their own culpability. And that is what God is speaking about here. As the world, in the form of false prophets, pastors and teachers under the rulership of Satan, comes against the churches and congregations and takes over, they, too shall come under the wrath of God. > > "Behold, I will pluck them out of their land, and pluck out the house of Judah from among them." -- First, God will pluck the enemy out, those who now abide or remain in the churches and congregations that have been overrun by unbelievers, out of the land and bring them under judgment. At the same time, God will rescue His elect, represented by the house of Judah here, from among them by bringing them out from their midst. And God receives *all* of the glory in this for *His* mercy and grace. ^jer12-14 > [Jeremiah 12:15](Jeremiah%2012.md#^15) note > > Those who have been spared the wrath of God through all of this, those who are of His elect, will be brought to the eternal heritage of God forevermore ([Is 11:10](Isaiah%2011.md#^10), [11](Isaiah%2011.md#^11); [Jer 32:37](Jeremiah%2032.md#^37), [38](Jeremiah%2032.md#^38), [39](Jeremiah%2032.md#^39), [40](Jeremiah%2032.md#^40); [Rev 7:9](Revelation%207.md#^9)). ^jer12-15 > [Jeremiah 12:16](Jeremiah%2012.md#^16) note > > God does not have 2 salvation plans, if we become saved we have been given His Spirit, a new heart and a new resurrected soul -- we have become a new creation, born from above -- to do His will, to diligently learn His ways and to swear by His Name. ^jer12-16 > [Jeremiah 12:17](Jeremiah%2012.md#^17) note > > But if we have not truly become saved then our end will be destruction. ^jer12-17 Tags: #Old_Testament #Jeremiah #Gods_judgment_on_His_people #FSI