Dr. JJeremiah – Chapter 16

This chapter could easily be described as Jeremiah’s life-style and ordained, like in predestined, message, his life’s mission and a preview of a portion of End Time. Why? It begins with the Lord Jehovah instructing Jeremiah to NOT GET MARRIED AND NOT HAVE CHILDREN.

The “what” in 16:3 and 4 explain bluntly but also seem to have a qualifier.

They will die of horrible diseases and of war and starvation. No one will give them a funeral or bury them, and their bodies will be food for the birds and wild animals. And what’s left will lie on the ground like manure.

This reminds us of chapter 15 verses 3 & 4 where God’s frustration [the why] with “this people,” the Judeans and all Israelis for turning their back on their God and redeemer (salvation) over and over again. God no longer calls them HIS people. He steps back now calling them “this people.” What a horrible position of condemnation. Can one imagine if our own eternal security and salvation was revoked due to our putting other gods before God such as money, pleasure, not studying or neglecting his Word?

This passage gets franker in the message from Jehovah to Jeremiah. Verse 5 instructs Jeremiah the Prophet of Judah to not even lament those he knows who die or visit the families of those who have died from this point forward. This means, as it is today, the usual “after funeral” luncheons. There will be so much carnage that others in Judah or neighboring territories won’t have time to lament the loss of family, neighbor or leaders. No time to even bury them.

If there is an after death luncheon, verse 6 instructs Jeremiah to NOT set foot into a house where this is being offered. Is there sorrow? Yes! What will it take to get these people, God’s chosen, to not only return to him but remain in HIM? This propels us to End Time when God tells Jeremiah in chapter 31 that he will write His word upon their hearts. It is also stated in Hebrews 8:10 and 10:16. However even today we make this mistake of not keeping God first. Charles Spurgeon said, “We write our blessings in the sand, and we engrave our complaints in the marble.”

Taking verse 6 and 7 into context, no one will bring wine of food to comfort those with the loss and if they supply it themselves, don’t attend.

Verse 9 needs some explanation. It reads in the CEV: “Warn the people of Judah that I, the LORD All-Powerful, will put an end to all their parties and wedding celebrations.” This would better translate “their desires to party and celebrate.” Many have experienced something somewhat similar when invited to a party today. The invited person(s) simply have no desire to go. The attempted party is there but there is no celebration. The King James puts it: “…the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride.” There will be moments to celebrate. The emphasis in verse 9 is the words to celebrate. It will be gone.

Now Jeremiah gets a bit contemporary. We all know the “what did I do” expression the guilty say when trying to dodge the accusation of wrong doing. When a person back then, as it is true today, answers a question of accusation with a question, s/he is avoiding answering. However, God gives Jeremiah an answer or reply to this or their attempt to defer. He is to tell the people of Judah to realize they are even worse than their ancestors who turned to idols. These people in Jeremiah’s time did whatever came to mind; good, bad, and simply evil. Read verses 11 & 12 of Jeremiah 16. A good read is found at: [Control + Click to follow] https://books.google.com/books?id=zYXhAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA80&lpg=PA80&dq=Judah+is+even+worse+than+the+Tribes+in+the+north&source=bl&ots=Hl2arjbk4K&sig=3rl9M2xOqEQuxvEBf9ZtA-2BALE&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiC2IyE2OrRAhXqxVQKHaLeDA4Q6AEIPDAG#v=onepage&q=Judah%20is%20even%20worse%20than%20the%20Tribes%20in%20the%20north&f=false

There is Hope

At 16:14 & 15 God offers an eventual plan of redemption to the people of Israel/Judah. This is the covenant of End Time and Israel. This simultaneous fulfilment of the two covenants, one with Israel and one with the New Testament (church) plan of eternity. (Israel) “…For I will bring them [Israel] back into their land which I gave to their fathers.” Do you want to know the solution to the Palestinian issues today? Reread the previous sentence. The West Bank is former Judah and Samaria. Lands to the east of the Jordan River belonged to the Tribes of Gad, Reuben, and a half tribe of Manasseh.

Beginning with verse 17, Jeremiah explains the “what” and the “why.” But to fully understand chapter 16 in Jeremiah, we must realize God is actually telling Jeremiah of the past, present, and future. God even include a critical but often overlooked portion of verse 19. It explains a time will come when those people and nations that have challenged Israel and Israelis from their time in Egypt through a prophetic End Time Apocalypse, will see the truth. They will admit that they have been deceived by their Gentile ancestors who were and are anti-Semite. The truth will be known as the Kingdom of God is ushered in.

Let’s break down this past, present and future of which Jeremiah is writing using the ESV translation’ verses 17 – 21.

For my eyes are on all their [people] ways. They are not hidden from me, nor is their [both Israelite and Gentile] iniquity concealed from my eyes [This is the past and present]. But first I will doubly repay their [the Great Tribulation] iniquity and their sin, because they [both Israelite and Gentile] have polluted my land [Palestine and Canaan] with the carcasses of their detestable idols, and have filled my inheritance [Promised Land] with their abominations.” O LORD, my strength and my stronghold, my refuge in the day of trouble [both Israelite and Gentile; i.e. the Great Tribulation], to you shall the nations [Gentiles; future tense] come from the ends of the earth and say: “Our fathers [Gentiles; future tense] have inherited [Gentile nations; past and present tense] nothing but lies, worthless things in which there is no profit. Can man make for himself gods? Such are not gods!” “Therefore, behold, I will make them [future tense; Gentile] know, this once [one time offer] I will make them [future tense; Gentile] know my power and my might, and they shall know that my name is the LORD.”

This is one of the most powerful and promising chapters in Jeremiah. The same things are echoed in Daniel, Revelation, Isaiah, the Minor Prophetic books (12 books at the end of the Old Testament) and in part, several New Testament books.  The challenge to peripheral bible study or reading, the individual seldom realizes these differentiations as identified in the previous paragraph.

But then…don’t take my word for it. Study it for yourself.

Rev. Dr. Jstark January 30, 2017