CLARITY EDITION · OLD TESTAMENT
Jeremiah 25
Chapter 25 of 52
Chapter Overview
What happens in Jeremiah 25
In the fourth year of King Jehoiakim, Jeremiah summarizes twenty-three years of prophetic warnings that the people have ignored. He predicts that Babylon will conquer the land and the people will serve Babylon for seventy years. After that, God will punish Babylon. God then gives Jeremiah a cup of wine representing his wrath, which all nations must drink.
Scripture
Jeremiah 25
Twenty-Three Years of Warnings
Study note
From the thirteenth year of King Josiah to the fourth year of King Jehoiakim (the first year of Nebuchadnezzar), Jeremiah has faithfully spoken God's word for twenty-three years. God also sent other prophets, but the people refused to listen.
1 This message came to Jeremiah about all the people of Judah. It came in the fourth year of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah, which was the first year of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that was the first year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon;
2 Jeremiah the prophet spoke this word to all the people of Judah. He spoke to everyone in Jerusalem. The which Jeremiah the prophet spake unto all the people of Judah, and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying,
3 "For twenty-three years now — from the thirteenth year of King Josiah son of Amon of Judah until today — the Lord has been giving me messages. I have told them to you over and over, but you never listened." From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, even unto this day, that is the three and twentieth year, the word of the LORD hath come unto me, and I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye have not hearkened.
4 "The Lord also sent his servants the prophets to you again and again. But you would not listen or pay any attention." And the LORD hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising early and sending them; but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear.
5 "They told you, 'Each of you needs to turn away from your evil ways and wicked actions. Then you can stay in the land the Lord gave to you and your ancestors to enjoy forever.'" 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 hath given unto you and to your fathers for ever and ever:
6 "They said, 'Stop chasing after other gods to serve and worship them. Don't make the Lord angry with things your own hands have made. Then he won't hurt you.'" 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.
7 "But you refused to listen to me," says the Lord. "You made me angry with things your own hands created, and you brought harm on yourselves." 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.
Seventy Years of Exile
Study note
Because the people refused to listen, God will bring Nebuchadnezzar against Judah and the surrounding nations. All joy will be taken away, and the people will serve Babylon for seventy years. After seventy years, God will punish Babylon and make it a permanent wasteland.
8 Because of this, the Lord of Armies says, "Since you have not listened to my words," Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Because ye have not heard my words,
9 "I will send for all the peoples from the north," says the Lord, "including my servant King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I will bring them against this land, its people, and all the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy them all and turn them into something people gasp at, whistle over, and see as permanently ruined." 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, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations.
10 "I will take away every sound of joy. No more laughter. No more wedding feasts. No more grinding of grain. No more glow of the evening lamp." Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle.
11 "This whole land will become an empty wasteland. These nations will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years." And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
12 "But when the seventy years are complete, I will punish the king of Babylon and his nation for their sins," says the Lord. "I will turn the land of Babylon into a permanent wasteland." And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations.
13 "I will bring on that land all I have spoken against it. Everything in this book will come true. Jeremiah spoke it all against the nations." And I will bring upon that land all my words which I have pronounced against it, even all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah hath prophesied against all the nations.
14 "Many nations and powerful kings will make slaves of the Babylonians too. I will pay them back for everything they have done." For many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of them also: and I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the works of their own hands.
The Cup of God's Wrath
Study note
God tells Jeremiah to take a cup filled with the wine of his wrath and make all the nations drink from it. Starting with Jerusalem and Judah, then Egypt, and all the kingdoms of the world, every nation must drink and stagger under God's judgment.
15 The Lord, the God of Israel, said to me, "Take this cup from my hand. It is filled with the wine of my anger. Make every nation I send you to drink from it." For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.
16 "When they drink it, they will stagger around and act like they've lost their minds, because of the war I am sending on them." And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.
17 So I took the cup from the Lord's hand and made every nation he sent me to drink from it. Then took I the cup at the LORD's hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom the LORD had sent me:
18 First, I made Jerusalem and the towns of Judah drink from this cup, along with their kings and officials. I turned them into ruins that fill people with horror, mockery, and cursing. That is how they are today. To wit, Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, an hissing, and a curse; as it is this day;
19 Then I made Pharaoh king of Egypt drink, along with his officials, his nobles, and all his people. Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people;
20 I made all the outsiders there drink too. All the kings of Uz drank it. So did the Philistine kings of Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and what was left of Ashdod. And all the mingled people, and all the kings of the land of Uz, and all the kings of the land of the Philistines, and Ashkelon, and Azzah, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod,
21 I made Edom, Moab, and the Ammonites drink. Edom, and Moab, and the children of Ammon,
22 I made all the kings of Tyre and Sidon drink, and the kings of the coastlands across the sea. And all the kings of Tyrus, and all the kings of Zidon, and the kings of the isles which are beyond the sea,
23 I made Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all the desert peoples who trim the hair at their temples drink. Dedan, and Tema, and Buz, and all that are in the utmost corners,
24 I made all the kings of Arabia and the kings of the various peoples living in the desert drink. And all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the mingled people that dwell in the desert,
25 I made all the kings of Zimri, Elam, and Media drink. And all the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes,
26 I made all the kings of the north drink, near and far, one after another — and every kingdom on the face of the earth. And last of all, the king of Babylon himself will drink from this cup. 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: and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them.
27 "Then tell them, 'The Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: Drink! Get drunk and throw up! Fall down and never get back up, because of the war I am unleashing on you.'" Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Drink ye, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you.
28 "If they refuse to take the cup and drink, tell them, 'The Lord of Armies says: You must drink!'" And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ye shall certainly drink.
29 "I am starting my punishment with the city that carries my own name. Do you truly think you will escape punishment? You will not escape, because I am sending war against everyone on earth," says the Lord of Armies. For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the LORD of hosts.
The Lord Roars in Judgment
Study note
The Lord will roar from heaven against all the inhabitants of the earth. He has a case against the nations. The wicked will be given over to the sword. Disaster will spread from nation to nation like a great storm. The shepherds (rulers) will have no escape.
30 "Now prophesy all these words and tell them: 'The Lord will roar from heaven above. He will thunder from his holy home. He will roar with power against his own land. He will shout like people stomping grapes, against everyone on earth.'" Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.
31 "The uproar will be heard at the ends of the earth, because the Lord is putting the nations on trial. He is judging all humanity. He will hand over the wicked to be killed by the sword," says the Lord. A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the LORD.
32 The Lord of Armies says, "Disaster is spreading from nation to nation. A massive storm is building up from the farthest corners of the earth." Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.
33 On that day, the people killed by the Lord will be scattered everywhere, from one end of the earth to the other. Nobody will mourn for them. Nobody will gather or bury them. They will lie on the ground like manure. And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.
34 Cry and wail, you leaders! Roll around in the dust, you who are in charge of the flock! Your time to be slaughtered has come. You will fall and shatter like expensive pottery. Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel.
35 The leaders will have no place to run. Those in charge of the flock will find no escape. And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape.
36 Listen to the leaders crying and wailing, because the Lord is destroying their pasture. A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and an howling of the principal of the flock, shall be heard: for the LORD hath spoiled their pasture.
37 The peaceful meadows will be destroyed because of the Lord's fierce anger. And the peaceable habitations are cut down because of the fierce anger of the LORD.
38 Like a lion leaving its den, the Lord has come out. Their land has become a wasteland because of the oppressor's violence and the Lord's fierce anger. He hath forsaken his covert, as the lion: for their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger.
Key Themes
Themes in Jeremiah 25
Twenty-three years of rejected warningsSeventy years of exile prophesiedGod's cup of wrath for all nationsThe patience and justice of GodUniversal accountability before God
Apply This Today
Living Jeremiah 25
God's patience in sending repeated warnings should not be mistaken for indifference or inability to act. When judgment finally comes, it is thorough and far-reaching. The same God who judges His own people also holds all nations accountable, reminding us that no one is beyond the reach of divine justice.
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Study Jeremiah in Covenant Path
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