Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

11:2 this covenant. The Mosaic law.

11:3 Cursed refers to the consequences of Israel not keeping its promises to God (Lev. 26:14-39; Deut. 28:15-68). hear. Obey.

11:4 I brought them out. God alone deserves credit for the exodus (Ex. 20:1-2). iron furnace. Egypt forced Israel to make bricks (Ex. 5:1-21). My people . . . your God underscores the relational nature of the covenant. For similar language, see Deut. 4:20 and 1 Kings 8:51.

11:5 confirm the oath. Staying in the Promised Land depended on Israel's obedience and repentance (Deut. 28:15-68; 30:1-10). Milk and honey signifies the land's richness (cf. Ex. 3:8).

11:6 Jeremiah had an itinerant ministry, proclaiming Judah's need to hear and do what the covenant required.

11:7 God was warning them persistently through Moses (Num. 14:5-9), chastisement (Ex. 16:27-30), instruction, and liturgy (Leviticus 16). to this day. Through Jeremiah at the time of this book.

11:8 The invasion described in 10:17-25 occurred because of covenant infidelity (4:22).

11:9 conspiracy. Against Yahweh, to serve other gods (v. 10).

11:10 iniquities of their forefathers. Idolatry committed with the golden calf (Ex. 32:1-6), Baal (Judg. 2:11-15), and astral deities (Jer. 7:16-20; 8:2).

11:11-12 disaster. The nation's destruction by Babylon. not listen to them. God has decided to judge (v. 14; 14:11). cry to the gods. See 2:27-28; Lam. 1:19. The gods cannot save because they are not real (Jer. 10:1-16).

11:13 Superstitious polytheism fills Jerusalem. Baal. Canaanite fertility god whose worship rituals included sexual acts committed with sacred prostitutes.

11:14 do not pray. God will not heed Jeremiah's prayer for a delay in punishment (cf. 7:16; 14:11).

11:15 Israel's spiritual adultery leads God to expel her from his home. sacrificial flesh. Sacrifices offered with no intent to change (7:1-15; Isa. 1:10-20).

11:16 Green olive tree signifies fruitfulness and economic prosperity (Ps. 52:8). great tempest. The storm of invasion (cf. Ezek. 1:24). Paul used Jeremiah's image of God's people as an "olive tree" with the members as branches (Rom. 11:17-24).

11:17 On the wordplay with disaster and evil, see note on 1:13-14. provoking me. See 7:18.

11:18-20 God reveals a plot against Jeremiah, who commits his future to his deliverer.

11:21 Anathoth. Jeremiah's hometown (1:1). Do not prophesy. Even his old friends hate his message, for it exposes their sins. They prefer false prophets (5:12-13).

11:22-23 God will protect his word and his prophet. sword . . . famine. Babylon's sword and natural disaster will overwhelm Anathoth.

12:1 Righteous. God defines and acts out what is fair and correct. complain. Jeremiah laments his situation. His basic question is universal and naive. It assumes that sinful persons never harm God's servants, despite the warnings in 1:17-19.

12:2 You plant them. Jeremiah believes God has blessed hypocrites who feign belief in him (Ps. 73:1-3). you are near in their mouth. They speak of God often. and far from their heart. They do not know him or love him (cf. Isa. 29:13; Matt. 15:8).

12:3 In contrast, Jeremiah's heart is right with God. Thus, he wants God to set his enemies apart for the day of slaughter.

12:4 How long? A common question asked by those waiting for justice (Ps. 13:1; 35:17; 79:5; 80:4; Rev. 6:10). He will not see. Sinners often believe God will not judge (Zeph. 1:12; 2 Pet. 3:1-13).

12:5-6 God responds with a rebuke and a caution: Jeremiah must prepare for worse times, and he cannot trust even family and friends.

12:7 God has forsaken his people, the beloved of his soul, consigning them to judgment. His suffering exceeds Jeremiah's.

12:9 The hyena and birds represent Babylon, the enemy who stalks Judah.

12:10-11 shepherds have destroyed my vineyard. On God's people as his vineyard, see note on Isa. 5:1. Judah's leaders have misled God's people, resulting in oppression and judgment (Isa. 3:1-5; 5:1-13; Jer. 2:8; 4:9-10). no man lays it to heart. No leader pays attention and guides Judah to repent (Isa. 42:18-25).

12:12 sword of the Lord. Babylon is simply God's instrument for punishing Judah; he rules the earth.

12:13 Sown wheat . . . reaped thorns indicates either an invasion keeping farmers from harvesting or the result of Judah reaping what it has sown morally.

12:14 pluck up. God will take Judah from the land (1:10; 18:7; 31:28; 42:10) and take Judah's evil neighbors from their land as well.

12:15 compassion. Wrath is never God's final word to his covenant people (Deut. 30:1-10; Lam. 3:19-38; Hos. 11:1-9).

12:16-17 God also has compassion on the nations who learn his ways, swear by his name, and obey his word. He is the Creator of all nations (10:1-16), not just Israel's national deity.