By Eugene Garner

JEREMIAH - CHAPTER 12

A PROPHETIC COMPLAINT & GOD'S ANSWER

    Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously? 2 Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins. 3 But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter. 4 How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end. 5 If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan? 6 For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea, they have called a multitude after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee.

    1. Though Jeremiah recognizes God as both "just" and irrefutable, he also views Him as willing to "reason" with His people, (vs. 1; comp. 11:20; Psa. 129:4; Job 13:3, 14; Isa. 1:18).
    2. The question of WHY the wicked prosper is an age old one that never receives a direct answer in the Scriptures, (5:27-28; comp. Job 21:7; Hab. 1:2-4; Mal. 2:17; 3:14-15; Psa. 37; 49; 73).
      a. The Lord has "planted them"; nor is their prosperity accidental, (vs. 2a; Psa. 1:3; Isa. 40:24; Jer. 11:17; 45:4; Ezek. 17:5-10).
      b. Divine sustenance is, obviously, involved, (vs. 2b; Matt. 5:45; Lk. 6:35).
      c. Though they use God's name, and insist on His blessing and protection, their hypocritical hearts are far from Him, (vs. 2c; 3:10; comp. Isa. 29:13; Matt. 5:18: Ezek. 33:31; Titus 1:16).
    3. Compared to the fidelity of Jeremiah, their wickedness is appalling' (vs. 3-4; comp. Psa. 139:1-4; 7:9; 11:5).
      a. They ought to be punished instead of being permitted to prosper! (vs. 3c; 17:18; 18:21-23).
      b. Because of their wickedness the land is in mourning - the grass of the field withering; birds and beast are swept away, (vs. 4a; 9:10; 23:10; comp. Joel 1:10-17; Hos. 4:1-3; Jer. 4:25; Hab. 3:17-19).
      c. And the wicked boast that Jeremiah will not live to see his prediction of judgment upon them fulfilled, (vs. 4b; comp. Ezek. 7:1-4).
      d. The perplexity is almost driving the deeply sensitive prophet to despair!
    4. The Lord replies with a gentle rebuke: Jeremiah has not yet faced anything to COMPARE with the trials that await him! (vs. 5-6).
      a. If he has been worn out while running with footmen, how can he possibly compete with horses? (comp. 26:8; 36:26; 38:4-6).
      b. If in his home territory, and on level ground, he has not learned to lay hold on such divine grace as will enable him to stand; how can he be triumphant in the dense, lion infested thickets of the Jordan? (vs. 5; comp. 49:19; 50:44; Josh. 3:15).
      c. "Cheer up, Jeremiah! The worse is yet to come!" By adversity the faith of the righteous is tested, strengthened and made manifest, (Rom. 8:37-39; I Pet. 1:6-9).
      d. In a word of caution, the Lord warns Jeremiah against being deceived by his own family; they are pictured as calling together a multitude to pursue him as a fugitive who must be captured and restrained - though they speak words of kindness, bitterness and hatred are in their hearts, (vs. 6; 9:4-5; comp. Gen. 37:4-11).

    7 I have forsaken mine house, I have left mine heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies. 8 Mine heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest; it crieth out against me: therefore have I hated it. 9 Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour. 10 Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. 11 They have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourneth unto me; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart. 12 The spoilers are come upon all high places through the wilderness: for the sword of the LORD shall devour from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh shall have peace. 13 They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns: they have put themselves to pain, but shall not profit: and they shall be ashamed of your revenues because of the fierce anger of the LORD.

    1. The historical background for this lamentation may be seen in 2 Kings 24:1-2 (about 598 B.C.).
    2. God is here (vs. 7-11) speaking TO Jeremiah.
      a. He has forsaken His house (7:29; 23:39; Isa. 2:6), and cast off His heritage - delivering the beloved of His soul into the hands of her enemies, (vs. 7; comp. 11:15; Lam. 2:1; Hos. 11:1-8).
      b. As Jeremiah's people have treated him, so has Judah treated her God - roaring with defiance and hostility against Him whom her fathers promised to obey; thus, necessitating His sorrowful rejection and repudiation of His heritage, (vs. 8; Isa. 59:13; Hos. 9:15).
      c. Thus, Judah will be as a "speckled bird" whose unique plumage provokes the enmity of other predators (surrounding nations) who will show her no pity, (vs. 9; 2 Kings 24:2; Ezek. 23:22-25; Jer. 7:33; 15:3; 34:20).
      d. Verses 10-12 describe the devastation and desolation of the Lord's vineyard (Isa. 5:1-7) as many shepherds (her own leaders) and destroyers (foreign rulers) - acting as the "sword of Jehovah" - have so devoured the land that none dwell in peace, (23:1; 4:20; 14:2; 23:10; 15:11; 47:6; Isa. 63:18; Lam. 1:10; Amos 9:6).
      e. Judah has sown wheat, but reaped thorns; brought pain upon herself, but to no profit; under the anger of Jehovah she will be brought to shame, (vs. 13; 17:10; 25:37-38; Hos. 8:7; Gal. 6:7).

    14 Thus saith the LORD against all mine evil neighbours, that touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit; Behold, I will pluck them out of their land, and pluck out the house of Judah from among them. 15 And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out I will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land. 16 And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, The LORD liveth; as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built in the midst of my people. 17 But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, saith the LORD.

    1. Israel's neighbors will also be exiled from their homelands; yet, if they repent, their judgment will be of short duration, (vs. 14-15).
      a. Reference here is specifically to Syria, Moab and Ammon, (49:1; Zeph. 2:8-10; Jer. 50:11-12).
      b. With Judah, they will be punished by Babylon - a common enemy.
    2. If they will diligently learn the ways of Jehovah, and swear by His name - as they have taught the covenant people to swear by Baal; then they may share with Israel in the blessings of Jehovah - even that of covenant fellowship, (vs. 16; Deut. 4:29-31; comp. Isa. 42:6; 49:6; 42; etc.).
    3. If they will not honor Him, the Lord will pluck them up and destroy them, (vs. 17; Psa. 2:8-12; Isa. 60:12; Zech. 14:17-19).