Jeremiah 48 FSI - HEAR, O EARTH

> [!title|noicon] **Jeremiah 48 Notes** > [[Jeremiah 47 FSI|<Prev]]   [\[Bible\]](Bible%20Books%20Navigation.md)   %%[[Jeremiah 49 FSI|Next>]]%% [[Jeremiah 48|Verse list view]] > [Jeremiah 48:1](Jeremiah%2048.md#^1), [2](Jeremiah%2048.md#^2) note > > Moab was a son of Lot, and thus was a close relative to Abraham. And so he relates to the visible kingdom of God in our day that is under judgment. And the cities Nebo, Kiriathaim, Misgab are mentioned to refer to *all* of Moab, or to all of the churches in our day. > > Key cities in this chapter, however, are Heshbon and Aroer (Heshbon here in [verse 2](Jeremiah%2048.md#^2)). In [Genesis 15:18](Genesis%2015.md#^18), [19](Genesis%2015.md#^19), [20](Genesis%2015.md#^20) we find a vast territory, from the river of Egypt (the Nile) to the river Euphrates (Babylon), to represent the kingdom of God. It was given to Abraham and his seed to represent the kingdom of God. Then in [Deuteronomy 2:18](Deuteronomy%202.md#^18), [19](Deuteronomy%202.md#^19) we find that God carved out a certain area that was not for Israel, but for Ammon, brother to Moab. And Israel was not to take that away from them. The same was true for Esau ([Deut 2:4](Deuteronomy%202.md#^4), [5](Deuteronomy%202.md#^5) - another relative, Esau being another name for Edom), and again for Moab ([Deut 2:9](Deuteronomy%202.md#^9)). So this is a modification to that vast territory, but it's only a slight modification because this carved-out land belonged to Abraham's relatives. > > However, wicked king Sihon had taken land belonging to Moab and the Ammonites, including Heshbon, Arnon and some other cities that Israel conquered ([Deut 2:30-36](Deuteronomy%202.md)). So then in [Judges 11:12-13](Judges%2011.md) the children of Ammon demanded that land to be restored to them as if Israel had taken it away from them. And Israel, through Jephthah. responded in [Judges 11:14-27](Judges%2011.md) that the land had been taken from the wicked king Sihon, who fought against Israel in battle, not from the Ammonites nor the Moabites. So God had worked it out so that that land would first be taken away by King Sihon, *then* when he went against Israel that land became part of *their* land. > > Spiritually speaking, this points to the fact that as the visible churches (typified by Moab and Ammon) rebel against God, the kingdom of Satan (or the world, typified by Sihon and Og) takes over the land temporarily, but then the elect (the true, eternal Israel) conquer and possess the land. > > So when we read about Heshbon or Aroer, we aren't reading about Moab, we're reading about Israel. So in this context where God is speaking about the cities of Moab or Ammon, yet mixed in God is also speaking about Heshbon or Aroer as if they're cities of Moab. But they're not, they're cities of Israel. So this complicates this chapter a bit. But when God is speaking words of judgment and evil against Moab here it is also against Israel. > > The word translated *Madmen* in verse 2 is found in [Isaiah 25:10](Isaiah%2025.md#^10) where it is translated *dunghill*. So Moab is being called here a manure pile. It's about a low as you can get insofar as showing that God has no respect for them of any kind. It is a great shame to them. The sword (the Word of God) shall pursue them unto death, there is no more praise for them because they are under the wrath of God unto death. And all of this is a pattern to help us understand what is happening to the visible church at the end that has rebelled against Truth. ^jer48-1-2 > [Jeremiah 48:3](Jeremiah%2048.md#^3), [4](Jeremiah%2048.md#^4), [5](Jeremiah%2048.md#^5) note > > These 3 verses continue the theme that God's judgment is upon them, they are being completely destroyed and there is continual weeping. ^jer48-3-5 > [Jeremiah 48:6](Jeremiah%2048.md#^6) note > > Notice this verse! We are commanded of God to flee from the midst of judgment, to get ourselves out ([Mk 13:14](Mark%2013.md#^14)) in order to save our lives, just as God had commanded Judah and Jerusalem in Jeremiah to flee into Babylon. > > The word *heath* is a mistranslation of the Hebrew. We saw this word in [Jeremiah 17:6](Jeremiah%2017.md#^6) that it should be translated *naked* or *destitute*, related to being spiritually naked or destitute. It is also found in [Isaiah 17:2](Isaiah%2017.md#^2) and in [verse 19](Jeremiah%2048.md#^19) of this chapter translated *Aroer* ("*ruins*"), which identifies with Syria ([Isa 17:1](Isaiah%2017.md#^1)). So in this case it is in the context of fleeing to a place of safety (Aroer in Isa 17:2) but we will be as ruins or naked before God in the wilderness and prepared for His rescue. ^jer48-6 > [Jeremiah 48:7](Jeremiah%2048.md#^7) note > > This is the problem with those who have rebelled against God. They have trusted in *their* works and in *their* treasures. They have set up *their* idea of what salvation is. It has become a religion of good works, and now they are being taken to destruction. Chemosh (their false god) shall go forth with his priests and princes together as they go under the punishment of God in their bondage to sin. ^jer48-7 > [Jeremiah 48:8](Jeremiah%2048.md#^8) note > > There are *none* that are not being destroyed, they are *all* under the wrath of God. No city shall escape. Wherever you look, whether in this city or that city, whether it's a big church or a small church or out in the hinterlands in the mission field, they are all under the wrath of God. ^jer48-8 > [Jeremiah 48:9](Jeremiah%2048.md#^9) note > > Again it is the warning, "Get out! Flee!" because there is destruction coming. ^jer48-9 > [Jeremiah 48:10](Jeremiah%2048.md#^10) note > > "Cursed be he that does the work of the LORD deceitfully." And here it is, right in the middle of this context. As we've been studying, again this context really has to do with those who *claim* to be doing the will of the LORD but are doing so deceitfully. This is how we know that we are reading a historical parable or spiritual pattern concerning the end-time situation with the churches. And to be cursed is language they are under God's judgment, they are shamed and will lose the inheritance of the Kingdom as He speaks about Moab here, those who identify with Israel but are in rebellion against God. So God is ultimately speaking about the churches as they are represented by the Moabites. > > Blood has to do with the giving or taking of life. And when someone has a Do-It-Yourself salvation program they are denying the blood of Christ altogether, they are denying that salvation is based solely on the work of Christ. So they're keeping back the sword from blood, they are not utilizing the Sword of the Spirit according to the true Gospel. ^jer48-10 > [Jeremiah 48:11](Jeremiah%2048.md#^11) note > > "Moab has been at ease from his youth, and he has settled on his lees" -- The word *lees* means *sediment*. When they make wine, after the initial fermentation, they have to separate the wine from the sediment in order to get the best wine. But here Moab is settled on his settlement. It's like a church that began with the Gospel but then they never cleaned it up, they just left the sediment there. They are simply teaching what they think is true without carefully cleaning up the sentiment in their doctrines. > > "...and has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither has he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed." -- That is, they didn't grow in grace because they didn't get rid of the sediment. As you get rid of the sediment, the wine (Gospel) would become more and more pure. But the fact is, there's no growth in grace because they settled on their lees in ease. ^jer48-11 > [Jeremiah 48:12](Jeremiah%2048.md#^12) note > > "Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will send unto him wanderers, that shall cause him to wander," -- In [Jeremiah 2:20](Jeremiah%202.md#^20) God speaks about how they wandered upon every high hill and under every green tree, playing the harlot. And in the Bible, this has to do with the worship of heathen gods. So a wanderer is someone who goes from one heathen god to another in completely spiritual adultery and rebellion against God. So here in Jeremiah 48:12 God is sending these wanderers in with their false gods and false ideas to lead them astray along with them. These are the tares that have come in and choked out the Word through false ministers of righteousness and deception, subtly introducing false doctrines and gospels that are based on their own ideas. And this is why there are so many and why they have been so successful in leading the churches astray. They come in looking like believers with what seem to be biblical teachings but they are not faithful to the Word, even though they appear to be as they quote verses and so on. > > "...and shall empty his vessels, and break their bottles." -- Emptying the vessels and breaking the bottles has to do with the vineyard. In verse 11, we saw Moab where he is settled on his lees (sediment), not having become purified wine. So, like we read in [verse 33](Jeremiah%2048.md#^33), God has caused the wine to fail from the winepresses, taking away joy and gladness (salvation) from them. The vessels are emptied and the bottles broken by the wanderers. ^jer48-12 > [Jeremiah 48:13](Jeremiah%2048.md#^13) note > > Chemosh was the god that the Moabites served. And Bethel was a city of Israel. And in [1 Kings 12:27](1%20Kings%2012.md#^27), [28](1%20Kings%2012.md#^28), [29](1%20Kings%2012.md#^29), the wicked king Jeroboam, the first king of Israel after it was divided from Judah, set up a false god (a calf of gold) in Bethel (and another in Dan) to entice the people of Israel to worship there rather than in Jerusalem. This was to prevent them from rebellion against him and becoming loyal to king Rehoboam of Judah. Bethel actually means "House of God, " as named by Jacob many years earlier. So it altogether identifies with the House of God. But now, Jeroboam has set up his golden calf there, turning it into a place of idol worship. So this is what Jeremiah 48:13 is calling attention to. And God is linking that to the wickedness of the Moabites worshiping Chemosh, their god. And there is *shame* in this worshiping of false gods. This represents the fact that there is shame that comes upon us because of our sins. Every time we sin, in fact, we are shaming God, and that brings shame upon ourselves. > > Now, as people live out their lives they are actually not ashamed by their sins, they are quite proud of them. But in the eyes of God they have become a shame or are shamed. Only those for whom God has opened their spiritual eyes to their sins in repentance, having given them a new heart and a new Spirit, will recognize their own shame. For most of the world, the shame has to do with the day of judgment. For the human race that has been created in the very image of God, they will be reduced to corpses and ashes like manure on the ground. ^jer48-13 > [Jeremiah 48:14](Jeremiah%2048.md#^14) note > > There are hymns sung such as *Onward Christian Soldiers*, *Stand Up For Jesus*, and *Soldiers of the Cross*. There is a spiritual war against the enemy of sin and the world. Believers are to take on the whole armor of God to fight against spiritual principalities and powers ([Eph 6:11](Ephesians%206.md#^11), [12](Ephesians%206.md#^12), [13](Ephesians%206.md#^13)). So here God picks up that theme, saying that they are not strong men, they have nothing going for them. They are a servant or slave to whomever they think they are fighting against because they're going against God to go their own way. ^jer48-14 > [Jeremiah 48:15](Jeremiah%2048.md#^15) note > > "Moab is spoiled..." -- To be spoiled means to be plundered, ruined. > > "...and gone up *out of* her cities, and his chosen young men are gone down to the slaughter, saith the King, whose name *is* the LORD of hosts." -- The word *chosen* would better be translated *the choicest, or best* as it has nothing to do with election unto salvation here. It has to do with those they believe are their very best, choicest of young men for the war ([v14](Jeremiah%2048.md#^14)) -- the cream of the crop, so to speak, those who seem the most holy or the most wise and capable or what have you. The very best they can offer is still nothing and have gone down to the slaughter. Including verse 14, we could restate this as, "You thought you were winning the war, but you are spoiled, you are destroyed as God is preparing you for judgment." And it is a *slaughter* because the wages of sin is death ([Rom 6:23](Romans%206.md#^23)) for those who remain unsaved, outside of the Lord Jesus Christ. And it is a great shame that they have thrown away the inheritance of the new heavens and new earth, eternal life in the everlasting Presence of Christ that would have been a great blessing had they truly become saved. ^jer48-15 > [Jeremiah 48:16](Jeremiah%2048.md#^16) note > > Remember, this is right at the end of the church age as they have become very polluted. The wanderers of [verse 12](Jeremiah%2048.md#^12) have done their work, there's all kinds of false teachings going on. They have driven out all of the true believers, or the true believers have left. And now, they are ready for the final calamity -- the day of judgment. And it is utterly frightening to think of the terror of it. > > Think of the rich man in the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus as he speaks about the fiery torment he is under. It gives us just a little bit of a picture. God has given us some nice things in this world to enjoy, but if that has become our focus and purpose for living, and if we get caught up in the cares of life, entertainments and so on, we must remember that it will all suddenly be gone. And everyone will be aware as they are left behind that they are cast out from eternal life in Christ, regardless of how much they presumed they would be with Him through their false gospels. And the Bible says that there will be *many*. It will be a day of great torment, sadness and shock for a great many people as they are locked in to judgment ([Mt 7:22](Matthew%207.md#^22), [23](Matthew%207.md#^23)). ^jer48-16 > [Jeremiah 48:17](Jeremiah%2048.md#^17) note > > Again, remember that God is speaking about Moab as a picture of the churches. It was a strong staff and a beautiful rod, but is now broken. The staff and rod is that which gives support, and it was anticipated that they would provide strong spiritual support. And now they are broken, they can no longer provide any support. And this is something, according to this verse, that the believers bemoan. This is not something that we believe because we have a vendetta or because we look down our long noses. It is something that we look at with great sorrow and pity about how terrible it is that they ended up this way. ^jer48-17 > [Jeremiah 48:18](Jeremiah%2048.md#^18) note > > "Thou daughter that dost inhabit Dibon, come down from *thy* glory," -- We can see the intense pride of the glory of Moab in [verse 29](Jeremiah%2048.md#^29). And this represents the very height of spiritual pride. This is why we need a broken and a contrite heart, there is no place for pride in our lives. So here God says to the daughter that inhabits Dibon, "Come down from thy glory, and sit in thirst." And where is a very prominent place where we read about thirst? It was at the cross where Christ said, "I thirst," demonstrating that He was under the wrath of God for the sin of His people. So what should we thirst for? The water of the true Gospel, for Christ Himself. So God is admonishing us to come down from our immense pride and to thirst for Christ, for the Truth of the Word of God. And this admonition applies to the churches as they have gone after their own proud theology, doctrines and gospels. They need to come down from their glory and thirst for Christ's righteousness alone, humbly listening for Truth from the Word. > > "...for the spoiler of Moab shall come upon thee, *and* he shall destroy thy strong holds." -- Judgment is coming, Christ Himself is the Spoiler or Plunderer, the One Who brings ruin upon their strong holds. ^jer48-18 > [Jeremiah 48:19](Jeremiah%2048.md#^19) note > > "O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and espy..." -- The Way in the Bible relates to Christ Himself, He is the Way, Truth and the Life ([Jn 14:6](John%2014.md#^6)). That is, they are to listen to the Lord Jesus Christ. And they are to *espy*, that is, to *watch* by the Way -- meaning to humble themselves and watch in the Word. > > "...ask him that flees, and her that escapes, *and* say, What is done?" -- Who are they that are fleeing or escaping? They are those who are listening to the Word of God. They know what is happening and are thus fleeing and making escape from Moab that is going to be destroyed by God. ^jer48-19 > [Jeremiah 48:20](Jeremiah%2048.md#^20) note > > "Moab is confounded; for it is broken down:" -- The word *confounded* here means to be *ashamed, withered or dried up*. And this is in integral part of God's judgment plan. The moment we sin it is a shame to God. It's a similar idea to an upstanding family with respectful children living in a community and are proud of their heritage. But then they have one who is a renegade. He just doesn't fit the mold and they are embarrassed or ashamed by all the crazy things he is doing to bring disrepute to their name. And that's what our sin is like. We were created in the image of God and to obey, thank, respect and honor Him. But when we sin, we are scorning and mocking Him as though we know more than He. So Moab, here, is ashamed or confounded for it is broken down. > > And this is the situation with the churches as they have turned away from God. They had the high honor of possessing the Scriptures and getting it out into the world. But what have they done with the Bible? They have maligned it, they have come out with unfaithful translations and methods of interpretation to support their own doctrines and what have you. > > "...howl and cry; tell ye it in Arnon, that Moab is spoiled," -- We can weep as we think about our loved ones and friends, or as we think about the whole church throughout the world. But we know that God is in charge. He does everything perfectly, so that is a comfort to us. ^jer48-20 > [Jeremiah 48:21](Jeremiah%2048.md#^21), [22](Jeremiah%2048.md#^22), [23](Jeremiah%2048.md#^23), [24](Jeremiah%2048.md#^24), [25](Jeremiah%2048.md#^25) note > > "And judgment is come upon the plain country;" -- The word *plain* here can be translated *straight or upright* -- judgment is come upon the *upright* country. And it is upright because it is the only country that had the Bible, it started out at Pentecost very upright. But now it has become a shame in the eyes of God ([v20](Jeremiah%2048.md#^20)). > > God then lists other cities of Moab to indicate that it is a universal judgment: "and upon all the cities of the land of Moab, far or near." One of the cities is Bozrah, meaning *sheepfold*, indicating how God had set them up as under-shepherds with the Gospel where they should have been caring for the sheep. But God includes *all* of the cities of Moab, far or near, meaning that there is not even one that is excepted. > > "The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, saith the LORD." -- The horn and his arm has to do with *strength*. And they are cut off and broken. And if your horn is cut off or your arm is broken, you are not going to be the victor. ^jer48-21-25 > [Jeremiah 48:26](Jeremiah%2048.md#^26) note > > This is language that is commonly identified with judgment ([Ps 2:4](Psalm%202.md#^4), [5](Psalm%202.md#^5)). In [Jeremiah 25:26](Jeremiah%2025.md#^26), [27](Jeremiah%2025.md#^27), speaking of judgment day, God uses drunkenness and derision as a symbol for the wrath of God as the world has followed other gospels or their own carnal desires in this world. ^jer48-26 > [Jeremiah 48:27](Jeremiah%2048.md#^27) note > > "For was not Israel a derision unto thee?" -- Here God is speaking of Israel as opposed to Moab. So in this context God is speaking about Israel as the true believers over in opposition to Moab, those who are not the true believers and are not listening to the Word of God so they are heading for destruction. Israel as a derision to Moab here represents those who come to Truth and begin to really question from the Bible what is being taught over against those who are just going along with the teaching: "But what about this verse?" Or, "This verse over here seems to be teaching something else," sometimes asking the difficult questions. Sadly, they don't typically view this with joy that people are truly becoming interested in the Bible and are seeking Truth. They look at that individual as someone who is trying to get attention or going off in their own direction. They become a derision to them and are glad when they don't show up for the next Bible study. > > "...was he found among thieves?" -- *Thieves* in the Bible are those who attempt to get into the sheepfold some other way than through Christ, the Door ([Jn 10:1](John%2010.md#^1)). They come in to steal and to kill ([Jn 10:10](John%2010.md#^10)). They steal the words from the Bible in order to reconstruct them and set up their own doctrines. This way they give their own doctrines an appearance of great Authority, but in actuality they are stealing the words in order to have their own kind of a gospel. And the true believers (Israel) are not the ones who are found among thieves because they have the Truth. It is Moab (the unbelievers in the churches) who are deriding them: "...for since thou spakest of him, thou skippedst for joy." ^jer48-27 > [Jeremiah 48:28](Jeremiah%2048.md#^28) note > > "O ye that dwell in Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock," -- So God is commanding the true believers who are in Moab to flee their cities and to dwell in the Rock, Who we know is Christ ([1 Cor 10:4](1%20Corinthians%2010.md#^4)). > > "...and be like the dove *that* makes her nest in the sides of the hole's mouth." Doves in the Bible also typified the Lord Jesus as they were offered as sacrifices. They also typify the Holy Spirit as the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus as a dove. So this passage is saying to be like Christ, to be like the dove. And to be in the side of the hole's (or the pit's) mouth points to the fact Christ suffered the wrath of God for His people. So this is teaching us to go outside the camp to be like and with Christ. ^jer48-28 > [Jeremiah 48:29](Jeremiah%2048.md#^29) note > > This sentence really underscores the intense pride of the religious world and the churches. They have the seminaries, the theologians, the doctorates and the high doctrines. They were the ones appointed by God to carry the Gospel into the world. So they know. Why should they listen to those who might question them from the Bible when they've had all of that professional training? > > The human race, by nature, is *very* proud. The thought is that "I know as much as God -- I know even more than God." So they don't even read the Bible carefully because they think they know more, or they know better. They believe God is altogether like themselves in their pride ([Ps 50:21](Psalm%2050.md#^21)). And, as we'll see in [verse 30](Jeremiah%2048.md#^30), pride brings wrath. ^jer48-29 > [Jeremiah 48:30](Jeremiah%2048.md#^30) note > > In [verse 29](Jeremiah%2048.md#^29) we saw the great pride of Moab, and ultimately of the human race. And now here in verse 30 we see wrath. One reason anger is so prevalent is because of pride, and that anger is a way of getting one's way in their pride. But where God is going with this is that in their pride and anger they think they know the Truth, but that doesn't make it so. They cannot affect the Truth. ^jer48-30 > [Jeremiah 48:31](Jeremiah%2048.md#^31), [32](Jeremiah%2048.md#^32), [33](Jeremiah%2048.md#^33) note > > These 2 verses emphasize what we find in the New Testament as we read about Jesus weeping over Jerusalem. God does not rejoice over His vengeance upon those are under His wrath. > > Jazer here speaks to the intensity of the weeping. Jazer was a city of Moab and there was intense weeping when Sihon and Og took possession and destroyed the people of Jazer. And we, too, should have great sympathy for those who are under the wrath of God. > > Notice in [verse 32](Jeremiah%2048.md#^32) God speaks about a *vine*, and says, "the spoiler is fallen upon thy *summer fruits* and upon thy *vintage*. And then in [verse 33](Jeremiah%2048.md#^33) we read, "I have caused *wine* to fail from the *winepresses*." This reminds us of [Isaiah 5:1](Isaiah%205.md#^1), [2](Isaiah%205.md#^2), [3](Isaiah%205.md#^3), [4](Isaiah%205.md#^4), [5](Isaiah%205.md#^5) where God speaks about His judgment falling upon the church because it has become a vineyard that produced wild (stinking or worthless) grapes. And that is the spiritual import of Jeremiah 48:32-33 where God's judgment is upon the vine, the spoiler is fallen upon their summer fruits and vintage and He has caused the wine to fail from the winepresses. It is a picture of a corrupted, spoiled gospel that is not the Wine of the true Gospel. > > "none shall tread with shouting; _their_ shouting _shall_ _be_ no shouting." -- And so there is no great harvest of true believers coming in among them. And that is because they have not been faithful in their pride ([v29](Jeremiah%2048.md#^29)). That is, "joy and gladness is taken from the plentiful field," meaning there is no more salvation in their midst. > > Going back to verse 32, "...thy plants are gone over the sea, they reach _even_ to the sea of Jazer:" -- Their plants here are the branches of their grapevines. And the sea has to do with that which is under the wrath of God, it points to the nations that are heading to the grave. So this is a reference to the wrath of God upon Jazer, that is, on Moab as it is tied with the fruit that they produce ("the spoiler is fallen upon thy summer fruits and upon thy vintage"). And this brings us back to the fact that judgment has fallen and salvation is removed from them. A very parallel passage to this is found in [Isa 16:8](Isaiah%2016.md#^8), [9](Isaiah%2016.md#^9), [10](Isaiah%2016.md#^10). ^jer48-31-33 > [Jeremiah 48:34](Jeremiah%2048.md#^34) note > > "_as_ an heifer of three years old" -- We'll look at this phrase first to help us understand the verse. We find a similar phrase in a parallel passage in [Isaiah 15:4](Isaiah%2015.md#^4), [5](Isaiah%2015.md#^5), [6](Isaiah%2015.md#^6). Remember that Zoar was that little city Lot and his 2 daughters fled to during the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, so it was a place of safety. But this heifer of 3 years is also seen in [Genesis 15:5](Genesis%2015.md#^5), [6](Genesis%2015.md#^6), [7](Genesis%2015.md#^7), [8](Genesis%2015.md#^8), [**9**](Genesis%2015.md#^9) when God speaks to Abraham about inheriting the land. And, in that context, God speaks about bringing the seed of Abraham back into the land after four generations because the iniquity of the *Amorites* was not yet full ([Gen 15:16](Genesis%2015.md#^16)). > > This is important to us here because Sihon and Og, who had taken some of the land of Moab, were kings of the Amorites. Also in that context, God made a covenant or a Law with Abraham, passing a smoking furnace and a burning lamp between the pieces of the heifer and other animals, that indeed they would eventually inherit that land ([Gen 15:9](Genesis%2015.md#^9), [10](Genesis%2015.md#^10), [17](Genesis%2015.md#^17), [18](Genesis%2015.md#^18), [19](Genesis%2015.md#^19), [20](Genesis%2015.md#^20), [21](Genesis%2015.md#^21)). So this 3-year old heifer points ultimately to salvation, to the fact that the elect, typified by Abraham and his seed, will inherit the Promised Land (Canaan) through Christ Who is our Sacrifice. And this is demonstrated through the inheritance of this land by the nation of Israel through the covenant of God, when they come through and inherit this land of the Amorites. > > So looking at this in context, God is speaking here of the destruction of Moab and these cities of Sihon and Og, using the language of the cry of Heshbon unto Elealeh, *and* *even* unto Jahaz, and the language of the heifer of three years that guaranteed through God's covenant that Israel (typifying the believers) would come through to inherit the land. So it is a time of destruction and judgment for those who are in rebellion against God. > > "...for the waters also of Nimrim shall be desolate." -- Nimrim could be a reference to a reservoir of water. And the churches were a spiritual reservoir of water, of the Gospel. But now they are dried up and desolate (again, see also [Isa 15:6](Isaiah%2015.md#^6)). ^jer48-34 > [Jeremiah 48:35](Jeremiah%2048.md#^35) note > > This happens in the churches when they follow their own doctrines, creeds, confessions, theologians and their own gospels. It is like they are worshiping another god when they are not listening to the Bible. They aren't following the Bible, they're following these other things. So they are offering in the high places and burning incense (a figure of prayer) unto other gods. ^jer48-35 > [Jeremiah 48:36](Jeremiah%2048.md#^36) note > > A verse that's close in language to this is [1 Kings 1:40](1%20Kings%201.md#^40), but there is rejoicing in that passage. There, David was king. He was getting old at that time in history and he had 2 sons who vied for the kingdom, Absalom and Adonijah. And in this context it was Adonijah who decided that he was going to be king, so he was maneuvering himself into that position. But it was David's plan instead to make Solomon king, so at this time David made Solomon his co-regent, about 4 years before the time of his death. So the people were rejoicing to honor Solomon as the next king in [1 Kings 1:40](1%20Kings%201.md#^40) while Adonijah and his followers feared and fled ([1 Ki 1:49](1%20Kings%201.md#^49), [50](1%20Kings%201.md#^50)). > > So here in Jeremiah 48:36, what kind of joy should be expressed? We've already learned that we're to weep for those under judgment, of course, as Christ wept for Jerusalem. But we are to joy for the fact that God's justice is being fulfilled, similar to those in Revelation who cry, "How long?" until justice is done. God's justice will be done. > > "...because the riches *that* he has gotten are perished." -- All of the false riches and things of this present world and of the fallen churches will finally perish. ^jer48-36 > [Jeremiah 48:37](Jeremiah%2048.md#^37) note > > This is the final end of the churches that they are in mourning with the head exposed and the beards (typifying wisdom) shaved. The cuttings on the hands point to the prophets of Baal who went up against Elijah (and ultimately against God) as they cut themselves to show how serious they were for their false god. And that ultimately brings about intense mourning and sackcloth. > > Study in progress 10.2026. > > ^jer48-37 Tags: #Old_Testament #Jeremiah #Gods_judgment_on_His_people #FSI