Jeremiah 25 FSI - HEAR, O EARTH

> [!title|noicon] **Jeremiah 25 Notes** > [[Jeremiah 24 FSI|<Prev]]   [[Jeremiah 26 FSI|Next>]] > [[Jeremiah 25|Verse list view]] > Intro to Jeremiah 25 note > > Jeremiah 25 is one of the easier chapters to understand. God is teaching that judgment is coming *upon the whole world* in [verses 17](Jeremiah%2025.md#^17), [26](Jeremiah%2025.md#^26). That's the final judgment upon the entire world, it's as plain as anything can be. And this judgment begins with Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, as we'll see in [verse 18](Jeremiah%2025.md#^18). ^jer25-intro > [Jeremiah 25:1](Jeremiah%2025.md#^1), [2](Jeremiah%2025.md#^2), [3](Jeremiah%2025.md#^3) note > > There are some very interesting timeline tie-ins in these 3 verses. This Word came to Jeremiah in the *fourth* year of King Jehoiakim, which we'll see was in the year 605 BC. And this was also the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. Remember that Josiah was killed when he went out to battle against Necho king of Egypt ([2 Chr 35:20-24](2%20Chronicles%2035.md)). That occurred in 609 BC. But after four years, Nebuchadnezzar conquered Necho king of Egypt. So that's the timeframe that we have here in verse 1 where it speaks of the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, which was the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah. > > Then in verse 3 we have a reference to the *thirteenth* year of Josiah when Jeremiah *began* to speak to the people of Judah and Jerusalem. Since Josiah began to reign in 640 BC (from 640 BC to 609 BC, 31 years -- [2 Chr 34:1](2%20Chronicles%2034.md#^1)), Jeremiah began to prophesy in 628 BC. And now it is the *twenty-third year of Jeremiah as prophet,* (not the twenty-third year of the reign of Josiah), which would bring us, as we saw from verse 1, to 605 BC -- to the fourth year of Jehoiakim and the first year of Nebuchadnezzar. We know this is so because verse 3 says, "even unto this day" -- meaning this day that we read about in verse 1, the fourth year of Jehoiakim. So we know this wasn't just 10 years later from the 13th to the 23rd year of Josiah, it was *23 years later* since the beginning of Jeremiah speaking as prophet from Josiah's thirteenth year. > > Now, the number 23 points to God's *judgment* ([1 Cor 10:8](1%20Corinthians%2010.md#^8)). And in this situation God has been speaking to Judah and Jerusalem for 23 years through Jeremiah and they have not listened: "the word of the LORD has come unto me, and I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye have not hearkened" ([v3b](Jeremiah%2025.md#^3), see also [v4](Jeremiah%2025.md#^4)). So His judgment is about to fall. This also points to the final tribulation period when the abomination of desolation has been set up for a period of twenty-three hundred days ([Dan 8:13](Daniel%208.md#^13), [14](Daniel%208.md#^14)). Then the number 13 (in the *thirteenth* year of Josiah) points to the time of the end, where in 1988 the world was exactly 13,000 years old from creation. So from the 13th year of Josiah (representing the 13,000th year in time), God has been warning them for 23 years that He is going to destroy them through the onslaught of king Nebuchadnezzar, as we'll see in [verse 9](Jeremiah%2025.md#^9). > > Nebuchadnezzar spiritually represents Satan in the Bible, and Babylon the kingdom of Satan. So the first year of the historical Nebuchadnezzar coincides with the time that Satan is loosed for a period of time near the end of time at the beginning of the great tribulation. And that is when he is made the chief spiritual ruler over the churches as he was over Jerusalem. > > Now, historically we know that Jerusalem was destroyed by Babylon in 587 BC. So this passage was spoken 18 years prior to that. Therefore, Jeremiah declared the Word of the Lord to Judah and Jerusalem for about 40-41 years because he served as prophet until the time of captivity (from about 628 BC in Josiah's 13th year to about 587 BC when Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed). ^jer25-1-3 > [Jeremiah 25:4](Jeremiah%2025.md#^4) note > > Now remember, while this Word was given through Jeremiah to Jerusalem and Judah, ultimately the Word of God is to the local congregations. And all through the period of the church age and into the great or final tribulation, they have not been listening to the Word of God. They have established their own doctrines, and up until the end God nevertheless applied the Word of God to the hearts of His elect through them in spite of their errors. But during this final period of time, no, there is no more salvation within their midst. Rather, God has prepared them for judgment and exposed them to the onslaught of Satan as represented by Nebuchadnezzar who destroyed Jerusalem and the temple ([v9](Jeremiah%2025.md#^9)). There is no more repenting, they are not turning to God. > > Just to illustrate how bad it had become, remember from [verse 1](Jeremiah%2025.md#^1) that this is in the fourth year of king Jehoiakim. And when we look at [Jeremiah 36:1](Jeremiah%2036.md#^1), [9](Jeremiah%2036.md#^9) we find again that God is speaking during the fourth and fifth years of Jehoiakim. And there we find that Jehoiakim cast the Word of God into the fire as it was read to him ([Jer 36:23](Jeremiah%2036.md#^23), [24](Jeremiah%2036.md#^24)). It was a deliberate act with malice aforethought, in total rebellion and stubbornness, to cut it into pieces and to cast it into the fire -- it was as blatant a statement of rebellion against God that could be made. So that is the context of the times of this chapter. > > As we know from other verses in the Bible, God wrote in parables to specifically prevent those who do not trust in the Bible from understanding His Word. They are not searching out the Scriptures, comparing spiritual things with spiritual and allowing the Bible to define its own spiritual terms ([1 Cor 2:9-14](1%20Corinthians%202.md)). So they remain in their unbelief ([Mt 13:13](Matthew%2013.md#^13)). Very deliberately God has made the Bible as difficult as it is. The only way to go to the Bible is for us to recognize that we don't know anything and not to trust our minds for one second. We wait upon the Lord to teach us. > > Now, the last part of verse 3 and verse 4 are a formulary or a pattern of speech. Notice in verse 3, God says, "...and I have spoken unto you, *rising early and speaking; but ye have not hearkened*." And then in verse 4, He says, "And the LORD has sent unto you all his servants the prophets, *rising early and sending them; but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear.*" This formula is found 12 times in the Bible, several of which are [2 Chronicles 36:14](2%20Chronicles%2036.md#^14), [15](2%20Chronicles%2036.md#^15), [16](2%20Chronicles%2036.md#^16) and [Jeremiah 7:13](Jeremiah%207.md#^13), [25](Jeremiah%207.md#^25), [26](Jeremiah%207.md#^26), [32:33](Jeremiah%2032.md#^33), [34](Jeremiah%2032.md#^34). God is teaching that He has come unto them *continuously*, there has been no end to His coming to them and speaking to them. When we rise early it's typically a situation where we have a big day ahead of us, so we get up early to get our day started as soon as possible to make the very most of it. So it's a figure of speech indicating that God isn't just doing something casually. Rather, He is constantly and urgently giving us His Word. And this applies throughout the entire church age how He has been warning, warning, warning of His coming judgment through His Word. Every single time anyone reads the Law of God, the Word of God, they are being warned by the prophets because the Bible is the prophetic Voice of God. ^jer25-4 > [Jeremiah 25:5](Jeremiah%2025.md#^5), [6](Jeremiah%2025.md#^6), [7](Jeremiah%2025.md#^7) note > > Here God gives us more detail about what the prophets (and ultimately God Himself) has been declaring to them, rising early and speaking to them, as we saw in [verses 3](Jeremiah%2025.md#^3) and [4](Jeremiah%2025.md#^4). And that is, "They said, Turn ye again now every one from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that the LORD has given unto you and to your fathers for ever and ever: And go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt." > > But, as we already saw in verses 3 and 4 and now see in verse 7, they would not hear: "Yet ye have not hearkened unto me, saith the LORD; that ye might provoke me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt." So God is now declaring that they have provoked Him to anger to their own hurt. And God will describe what this hurt is, that is, what is the consequence of not listening to His Word and provoking Him to anger, beginning in [verse 9](Jeremiah%2025.md#^9) and following. > > Now, when God says, "...and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands," the word *hands* here relates to the *will*. It has to do with what *they* want, not with what *God* wants. It comes out of the desire of their will. The human race, in their pride, designs their own kinds of salvation plans and how they think the churches ought to be set up and so on. It is all based on what *they* want. So we should never ever trust the work of our hands over God and His Word. > > Remember, this warning is not just to ancient Judah and Jerusalem. It is for us today. It is for the churches and congregations today that have fallen away from God and are no longer listening to the Word of God, just as Judah and Jerusalem were no longer listening. And what God did to them as a consequence then is a pattern of exactly how He is responding today. If we want to know how God responds today, we find it right here in the Bible as an example when He responded to them (see [1 Cor 10:6](1%20Corinthians%2010.md#^6) -- this is a biblical principle). And this is also exactly how we know that, sadly, they will not listen any more than Judah and Jerusalem did back then -- this passage has a dual fulfillment in that, in the spiritual sense, God was illustrating historically in that context what would happen in our day as Babylon and King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed them. ^jer25-5-7 > [Jeremiah 25:8](Jeremiah%2025.md#^8), [9](Jeremiah%2025.md#^9) note > > "Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Because ye have not heard my words..." -- As God stated in [verse 7](Jeremiah%2025.md#^7), God reiterates that they have not heard or listened to His Words, and now comes the consequence of this. As [verses 6](Jeremiah%2025.md#^6) and [7](Jeremiah%2025.md#^7) declare, they have gone after other gods and after the works of their hands to their own hurt. > > "Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them..." -- So God is bringing the families of the north (representing Babylon and the world) under Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon against them to destroy them, with Nebuchadnezzar spiritually representing *Satan* (see [Is 14:4](Isaiah%2014.md#^4) ... [12](Isaiah%2014.md#^12), [13](Isaiah%2014.md#^13), [14](Isaiah%2014.md#^14), where God speaks of Lucifer as typified by King Nebuchadnezzar). And the Babylonians are going to destroy His land, the land of Judah and Jerusalem. And this is what has happened with the churches and congregations today as they have come up with their own methods of Bible interpretation, their own doctrines, their own theology and so on (cp [Rev 20:7](Revelation%2020.md#^7), [8](Revelation%2020.md#^8), [9](Revelation%2020.md#^9) and [2 Thes 2:3](2%20Thessalonians%202.md#^3), [4](2%20Thessalonians%202.md#^4)). > > Now it must be stated that when God calls Nebuchadnezzar "My servant" here, it does not indicate that he was a true believer in any sense. It simply refers to the fact that he is doing God's bidding as God brings judgment against Judah and Jerusalem for going their own way. In other places in the Bible, God utilizes donkeys, He utilized Balaam the wicked soothsayer to bless Israel on their journey, He utilized Judas to betray the Lord Jesus and so on -- in order to accomplish His Will. In that sense are they His servants. > > "...and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and a hissing, and perpetual desolations." -- They will be *utterly* destroyed, there will be *nothing* left. There will not be one stone left upon another, spiritually speaking. God is finished with them, they have come to an end and they are under the wrath of God. They are made *perpetual desolations* -- which means there's no light at the end of the tunnel, there's no hope after all is done that there will be some that are left. There is no turning back to God because they are deceived and convinced that their own way is pleasing to God. It is an eternal desolation once they have come under God's judgment. ^jer25-8-9 > [Jeremiah 25:10](Jeremiah%2025.md#^10) note > > Compare this verse with [Revelation 18:22](Revelation%2018.md#^22), [23](Revelation%2018.md#^23). This all relates to the fact that God is taking away or removing *the Gospel* from them. He is removing the Word of God from them for not listening to it so that they will become ever deeply entrenched in their own ways that lead to eternal destruction. The Bridegroom is Christ ([Is 62:5](Isaiah%2062.md#^5); [Mk 2:19](Mark%202.md#^19)) and the bride of Christ are the believers ([Rev 21:2](Revelation%2021.md#^2)) -- but their voices are being *taken away* from them. The sound of the millstones, used for grinding wheat, barley and rye to make bread, is being removed. Christ is the Bread of Life ([Jn 6:35](John%206.md#^35), [48](John%206.md#^48)) and He is no longer there so the millstones are silent. And the light of the candle, relating spiritually to the light of the Gospel ([Lk 8:16](Luke%208.md#^16); [Jn 8:12](John%208.md#^12); [Rev 2:5](Revelation%202.md#^5)), is being removed. All of these identify with what the churches should be, but now they are all gone. ^jer25-10 > [Jeremiah 25:11](Jeremiah%2025.md#^11), [12](Jeremiah%2025.md#^12) note > > Back in [verse 9](Jeremiah%2025.md#^9) we read that God would make Judah and the nations round about into *perpetual desolations*. But here in verse 11 God says that He will make these nations a desolation and an astonishment and shall serve the king of Babylon *for 70 years*. And then in verse 12, God says that when the seventy years are accomplished He will make *Babylon itself* perpetual desolations. > > In the historical setting, the temple was completely destroyed and Judah and Israel were banned from worship in the land. Spiritually, this represents the fact that the churches and congregations will come under the heal of Satan and the world (the kingdom of Satan) for a period of time just before judgment day upon the entire world (represented by Babylon). [Again, compare this with [Revelation 20:7](Revelation%2020.md#^7), [8](Revelation%2020.md#^8), [9](Revelation%2020.md#^9) and [2 Thes 2:3](2%20Thessalonians%202.md#^3), [4](2%20Thessalonians%202.md#^4).] So this period of time is represented by this seventy years here, and the fact that this passage is speaking of Judah and the *nations* indicates that this will be a worldwide event, it will impact the churches and congregations throughout the whole world. So the *last* event of this earth's history is a time of great tribulation where Satan comes through many false christs and false prophets which is immediately followed by the end of the world and judgment day ([Mt 24:21](Matthew%2024.md#^21), [29](Matthew%2024.md#^29), [30](Matthew%2024.md#^30)). We'll see this confirmed in more detail as we progress through the remainder of Jeremiah 25. > > Now, when we get to [Jeremiah 29:10](Jeremiah%2029.md#^10), [11](Jeremiah%2029.md#^11) it seems to indicate that the seventy years doesn't actually end with judgment as we read here in Jeremiah 25. There, we read that after the seventy years God will visit them *for their good*. The problem is that this isn't the best translation of that passage. The word *after* there in verse 10 is incorrectly translated, and it's very commonly translated in the Bible as *mouth* (or commandment, word, sentence) or *edge* (or end), like the *edge* of a sword (see [Jer 21:7](Jeremiah%2021.md#^7)). So *at the mouth of, or at the edge of* the seventy years (not *after* the seventy years), God will visit them for their good. It is an integral part of the seventy years coming right up to the very end of it, but not afterwards. So during the last part of the 70 years there is indeed a great harvest when God is bringing in a great many believers into the eternal kingdom of God outside of the churches and congregations, directly through the Word of God itself, as He is bringing the churches and congregations and the world at large under judgment. We must keep this in mind as we read through the remainder of Jeremiah 25 because we know that under no circumstances does God contradict Himself by what we read in Jeremiah 29. ^jer25-11-12 > [Jeremiah 25:13-29](Jeremiah%2025.md) note > > Verses 13-29 (and even to verse 33) of this chapter teach the same spiritual principle as [1 Peter 4:17](1%20Peter%204.md#^17), that judgment begins *first* with or at the house of God, then upon the unsaved of the entire world. The setting here in verses 13-17 (and beyond) is that God is going to bring judgment against *all* the nations after He brings judgment against His land. This is judgment at the end of the world. ^jer25-13-29 > [Jeremiah 25:13](Jeremiah%2025.md#^13), [14](Jeremiah%2025.md#^14) note > > Here God expands on the word *nations* to indeed include *all* of the nations of the world, as we'll see through verse 29 and even to verse 33 of this chapter. > > "For many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of them also..." -- This phrase would have been better translated, "For many nations and great kings shall serve *with them* also." As Babylon rules over Judah and Jerusalem (the churches and congregations - [v11](Jeremiah%2025.md#^11)) so it rules over the world, with Babylon representing the kingdom of Satan as it rules over all of the unsaved. It involves the whole world except for the elect of God who are now outside of the context of the visible kingdom of God that has fallen from God and is now under judgment. So during the final tribulation, it *really* looks like Satan has succeeded, it really looks like he has won the final battle. He has complete rule over the churches as he continues his rule over all of the unsaved of the world. So it looks like he has everything under control. Nevertheless, there are the true believers who continue to live in this alien world acting as ambassadors for Christ as individuals, very much like Daniel and his companions continued to serve God in the kingdom of Babylon outside of the nation of Judah. > > "...and I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the works of their own hands." -- This is the warning that goes throughout the Bible. It might appear that Satan and the world are winning for everything. But the fact is, it doesn't change the reality that they will have to answer to God. Judgment day is coming right at the end of the seventy year period that points to the final tribulation period. We are right near the end. ^jer25-13-14 > [Jeremiah 25:15](Jeremiah%2025.md#^15) note > > God begins to describe His judgment. And the language is so plain and inclusive that we cannot miss that this chapter is talking about the end of the world and judgment day. And again, as in verse 13, God speaks about *all* the nations. > > "Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it." -- This is the cup of the wine of the wrath of God. Christ Himself had to drink of it in order to save His people. No one will ever know the intensity of the suffering He had to endure in paying for our sins because it had to be equivalent to suffering the eternal wrath of God for everyone He had come to save. And no one will ever be able to suffer the wrath of God forevermore and come out of the other side because it is *eternal*. And yet somehow Christ paid the equivalent of an eternity under the wrath of God for each of His people. So now God is describing that the unsaved of the world -- all the nations -- will be drinking of this cup. ^jer25-15 > [Jeremiah 25:16](Jeremiah%2025.md#^16) note > > Those who drink of the cup of God's wrath will be moved and be mad, that is, they're going to go completely out of their mind. It's absolutely beyond our earthly comprehension (see [Deuteronomy 28:15 to the end](Deuteronomy%2028.md) for the super awful picture that God gives us there of being under His wrath). It is super terrible. And the *Sword* that He sends against them is the Word of God. It is the Law of God that finds them guilty and they will have no hope as they stand for judgment. God knows every sin that every human being has committed and, even though God has no pleasure in bringing such judgment against them ([Eze 33:11](Ezekiel%2033.md#^11)), nevertheless, God's law dictates that this judgment must take place ([Ro 6:23a](Romans%206.md#^23)). > > ^jer25-16 > [Jeremiah 25:17](Jeremiah%2025.md#^17) note > > Again, as in verses 13 and 15, God speaks about *all* the nations. This is judgment at the end of the world. And God is using Jeremiah as a picture of Himself. He is the One Who is causing all of this to happen ^jer25-17 > [Jeremiah 25:18](Jeremiah%2025.md#^18) note > > Here in verse 18 and following, God begins to list some of the nations that are coming under His wrath. And we can recognize quite a few of them while others we cannot as much. But God uses language to such a degree that we can understand that there's no nation that will be excepted. > > "*To wit*, Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof," -- Notice that God begins with Jerusalem and the cities of Judah before listing the other nations. This is the principle of [1 Peter 4:17](1%20Peter%204.md#^17). Spiritually speaking, this is referring to the churches and congregations of our day. This is also parallel to [Luke 21:20](Luke%2021.md#^20), speaking of the churches and congregations that are surrounded by the spiritual armies of Satan, of the world, to destroy them (see [Rev 20:7](Revelation%2020.md#^7), [8](Revelation%2020.md#^8), [9](Revelation%2020.md#^9)). > > Then in verses 19-29 we see that God brings judgment upon all the remaining nations in the whole world, and explicitly states that He first brings judgment upon those who are called by His Name and then upon the rest of the world. So very shortly, and very sadly, those who remain in the churches and congregations will find that they are standing before the judgment throne of God right along with all of the most wicked of the world. It's really just too terrible to think about. And yet we have to think about it because we're living in that kind of a world and we must warn the world that judgment is coming -- even as the world is in complete denial. Yet it's the last thing that anyone wants to think about unless we are a child of God. ^jer25-18 > [Jeremiah 25:19](Jeremiah%2025.md#^19), [20](Jeremiah%2025.md#^20), [21](Jeremiah%2025.md#^21) note > > This series of nations in verses 19-21 also point to the church age, they are nations that are historically connected to Jerusalem and Judah and also spiritually represent the local congregations (see [Rev 11:8](Revelation%2011.md#^8)). ^jer25-19-21 > [Jeremiah 25:22](Jeremiah%2025.md#^22), [23](Jeremiah%2025.md#^23) note > > Here, when God says, "And all the kings of Tyrus, and all the kings of Zidon, *and the kings of the isles which are beyond the sea*," and in verse 23, "Dedan, and Tema, and Buz, *and all that are in the utmost corners*," He includes *all* of the continents of the world. So this embraces the United States, China -- wherever anyone might exist anywhere in the whole world. "The isles which are beyond the sea" and "all that are in the utmost corners," that is, however far you might go, they, too, are under the judgment of God. There is no exception, none whatsoever. And we'll see this again in [verse 26](Jeremiah%2025.md#^26). ^jer25-22-23 > [Jeremiah 25:24](Jeremiah%2025.md#^24), [25](Jeremiah%2025.md#^25), [26](Jeremiah%2025.md#^26) note > > "And all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another, and all the kingdoms of the world, which *are* upon the face of the earth:" -- As we saw in [verses 22](Jeremiah%2025.md#^22) and [23](Jeremiah%2025.md#^23), God is using very careful language to indicate that this is the final judgment -- this includes everyone in the whole world. The is the very very end. > > Sheshach is another name for Babylon, so the king of Sheshach is a picture of Satan himself as God brings judgment upon him at the end of the world, along with all the nations of the world ([Rev 20:7](Revelation%2020.md#^7), [8](Revelation%2020.md#^8), [9](Revelation%2020.md#^9)). Everything is done ([Rev 16:17](Revelation%2016.md#^17)). ^jer25-24-26 > [Jeremiah 25:27](Jeremiah%2025.md#^27) note > >This is language of the end. It is the end. The world is no more. There is no more history of the world. There is no 1,000 years of a golden age or anything of that nature. This is plain language that there is a judgment that will encompass all the unsaved peoples of the earth where they will be judged for every sin they have committed and cast into the lake of fire ([Jn 5:28](John%205.md#^28), [29](John%205.md#^29); [Rev 20:11](Revelation%2020.md#^11), [12](Revelation%2020.md#^12), [15](Revelation%2020.md#^15)). ^jer25-27 > [Jeremiah 25:28](Jeremiah%2025.md#^28) note > > This language is absolutely imperative, there is no questioning it. It's as stern and direct as any language could be. There is no possibility of an alternative or of an escape. It's the *end*, "You *are* going to drink!" You can't argue with God about this, there is no plea bargaining, the time has come. God has a very well-defined time program and now that time has come, "Ye shall certainly drink." > > Then, in verse 29, God explains His integrity in causing them to drink. ^jer25-28 > [Jeremiah 25:29](Jeremiah%2025.md#^29) note > > God establishes His *perfect* integrity. Sin is sin. No matter how "fine" we have lived around that sin, we are going to be punished if we are not saved. God is absolutely just. And God demonstrates this through the judgment first of those who are called by His Name but had not become saved. > > So as in verse 28, God speaks another imperative, "Ye shall not be unpunished." It is guaranteed, it's going to happen. There's no point debating about it, no pleading for mercy or begging at this point. The time for that is all passed so you are now under judgment, the die is cast. And it begins with the house of God, the city that is called by His Name (the churches and congregations, as we'll see again in verses [34](Jeremiah%2025.md#^34)-[38](Jeremiah%2025.md#^38)), and ends with the rest of the world: "For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished?" See [1 Peter 4:17](1%20Peter%204.md#^17); [Zechariah 14:1](Zechariah%2014.md#^1), [2](Zechariah%2014.md#^2), [3](Zechariah%2014.md#^3), [4](Zechariah%2014.md#^4), [5](Zechariah%2014.md#^5). > > There is another important spiritual aspect to this city that is called by God's Name that had to drink of this cup. What or Who is the city of God? In the first instance the City of God is the New Jerusalem, it is *the Lord Jesus Christ Himself* and the believers, as we read in [Psalm 48:1](Psalm%2048.md#^1), [2](Psalm%2048.md#^2) ... [11](Psalm%2048.md#^11), [12](Psalm%2048.md#^12), [13](Psalm%2048.md#^13), [14](Psalm%2048.md#^14); [Isaiah 26:1](Isaiah%2026.md#^1) and [Revelation 21:2](Revelation%2021.md#^2), [3](Revelation%2021.md#^3). You see, in order for God to save a people for Himself, *Christ* had to fulfill all the demands of the Law. It means He had to drink the cup of the wine of the wrath of God in order for His people to become saved, the equivalent of eternal damnation for each person that He came to save in order to satisfy the justice of God on their behalf. > > So again, in God's perfect integrity, because Christ had to suffer the wrath of God for the sins of His people in order to satisfy the Law and the justice of God, so must the unsaved suffer the wrath of God for their own sins. Christ having suffered for His people, satisfying the full demand of the Law, is the guarantee that there is judgment for sin. And just as God was silent when Christ cried out, "If it be possible, let this cup pass from me" ([Mt 26:39](Matthew%2026.md#^39)), so will He be silent when judgment falls upon the unsaved of the world. There will be no lessening or minimizing of the punishment in any way, it cannot be averted, as God says in verses 28-29, "Ye shall certainly drink," and, "Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the LORD of hosts." No one will be able to argue or to present an excuse, God is absolutely emphatic that there is no escape. And the Sword, that is, the Word or the Law of God ([Heb 4:12](Hebrews%204.md#^12)), that God calls for upon all the inhabitants of the earth will see to it that they come under judgment for sin, for breaking the law of God ([Ro 6:23a](Romans%206.md#^23); [1 Jo 3:4](1%20John%203.md#^4)). God is *obligated* by the Law of God to pour out the full cup of His wrath upon sinners, so they *must* drink of that cup. ^jer25-29 > [Jeremiah 25:30](Jeremiah%2025.md#^30) note > > "Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them" -- People might complain that all we teach from the Bible is about judgment, judgment, judgment. But there are many verses like this one where God is declaring that Jeremiah, and we, are to prophesy to the world about the judgment of God. Otherwise, how would we know of our desperate condition and need for salvation? And since we are proclaiming the Word of God to a rebellious, sinful world, we must obey this in order to be faithful to the Word of God. > > "The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation;" -- When we read this word *roar* here, we might ask why does a lion roar? He roars because he's ready to feed on the prey, he is going to be the victor. And we find in [verse 38](Jeremiah%2025.md#^38) that God uses the picture of a lion as Himself in just that way. > > God's roaring is first of all to warn us that we need a covering for our sins, that we are in trouble with God, so that we might tremble and search the Bible and find Christ ([Hos 11:10](Hosea%2011.md#^10), [11](Hosea%2011.md#^11)). So the purpose of *declaring* the wrath and judgment of God is to prepare and focus people's minds on Christ as the Savior. We cannot see the real need for Jesus as our Savior until we understand what we need to be saved from, it must be drummed into our heads and into our hearts that we are sinners. We need the Savior to pay for our sins as Christ has done for His people. And thus, Christ Himself IS the Lion of the tribe of Judah ([Rev 5:5](Revelation%205.md#^5)), in Him we are reminded that He is coming to destroy the wicked and we need a Savior. > > "...he shall give a shout, as they that tread *the grapes*, against all the inhabitants of the earth." -- In [Lamentations 1:15](Lamentations%201.md#^15), God describes in very descriptive language the wrath of God that comes upon the unsaved who remain within the congregations, and He uses this language that He has trodden underfoot all of His mighty men and the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress. Then here in Jeremiah 25:30 He speaks of treading all the inhabitants of the earth. And this has a double meaning in that it applies to every congregation throughout the world, but also, of course, it includes all of the peoples of the earth that come under the wrath of God. ^jer25-30 > [Jeremiah 25:31](Jeremiah%2025.md#^31) note > > "A noise shall come *even* to the ends of the earth; for the LORD has a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh;" -- The word *controversy* means *contention*. There is contention between the LORD and the nations. And He will *plead with all flesh*, that is, He will *judge with all flesh.* > > "...he will give them *that are* wicked to the sword, saith the LORD." -- So this verse is the roar of the Lion, it's the roar of Christ that we read about in [verse 30](Jeremiah%2025.md#^30) that we need a Savior! > > ^jer25-31 > [Jeremiah 25:32](Jeremiah%2025.md#^32), [33](Jeremiah%2025.md#^33) note > > This is language that emphasizes the worldwide character and certainty of Christ's return. He is coming for the whole earth. And unless we are a child of God, we are in deep trouble. Again, this is the roar of the Lion ([v30](Jeremiah%2025.md#^30)) that judgment day is coming: What are you going to do about your sin! Flee to Christ! How? Think about the people of Nineveh when God sent Jonah to them: [Jonah 3:6](Jonah%203.md#^6), [7](Jonah%203.md#^7), [8](Jonah%203.md#^8), [9](Jonah%203.md#^9). This gives direction to everyone who is still unsaved in the world. Maybe, maybe God will be merciful -- this is how we come groveling, begging, beseeching, imploring God for His mercy, recognizing that we are desperate sinners under the wrath of God, on the way to eternal death and damnation. We are absolutely at the mercy of God so we simply go to Him pleading for His mercy ([Ps 51:17](Psalm%2051.md#^17)). But He must cause us to tremble, He must open our hearts and our spiritual understanding through His Word before we will even begin to do so. ^jer25-32-33 > [Jeremiah 25:34-38](Jeremiah%2025.md) note > > "Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves *in the ashes*, ye principal of the flock:" -- God is speaking to the shepherds, to the principle or the *mighty* ones of the flock (that is, to the leaders of the local congregations) here in verses 34-36. > > "...for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel." -- The phrase *pleasant vessel* could also be translated *the vessel of your desire*. And in [Haggai 2:6](Haggai%202.md#^6), [7](Haggai%202.md#^7) we read that *the desire of all nations shall come*, which refers to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. So here in verse 34 we see the relationship that helps us understand definitively that God is speaking about the churches and congregations here, just as we saw in [Jeremiah 25:29](Jeremiah%2025.md#^29) that God brought evil upon the house that is called by His Name. The shepherds, the principle of the flock shall fall like a vessel that is desired. > > "And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape." -- Since they have gone their own way instead of listening to God's Word, they have no escape. Christ alone, the Christ of the Bible, is our escape. Not through our their doctrines and so on in which they trust. > > "A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and an howling of the principal of the flock, *shall be heard:* for the LORD has spoiled their pasture. And the peaceable habitations are cut down because of the fierce anger of the LORD. He has forsaken his covert, as the lion: for their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger." -- God has employed Satan during this time of great tribulation, also called the little season ([Rev 20:3](Revelation%2020.md#^3), [7](Revelation%2020.md#^7), [8](Revelation%2020.md#^8), [9](Revelation%2020.md#^9); [2 Thess 2:1](2%20Thessalonians%202.md#^1), [2](2%20Thessalonians%202.md#^2), [3](2%20Thessalonians%202.md#^3), [4](2%20Thessalonians%202.md#^4)), to rule in the local congregations and to rule more freely out in the world (as God gives people up to their sin -- [Ro 1:18-32](Romans%201.md)), so that they are being prepared for final judgment. > > ^jer25-34-38 Tags: #Old_Testament #Jeremiah #Gods_judgment_on_His_people #FSI