August 13, 2025
What kind of days were coming?
Jeremiah 48-49
Sydney Bonner
Big Book Idea
Being a messenger of truth in a dark place can be challenging, but it is worth it.
Key Verse | Jeremiah 48:12
"Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I shall send to him pourers who will pour him, and empty his vessels and break his jars in pieces."
Jeremiah 48-49
Chapter 48
Judgment on Moab
1 Concerning Moab.
Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel:
“Woe to Nebo, for it is laid waste!
Kiriathaim is put to shame, it is taken;
the fortress is put to shame and broken down;
2
the renown of Moab is no more.
In Heshbon they planned disaster against her:
‘Come, let us cut her off from being a nation!’
You also, O Madmen, shall be brought to silence;
the sword shall pursue you.
3
A voice! A cry from Horonaim,
‘Desolation and great destruction!’
4
Moab is destroyed;
her little ones have made a cry.
5
For at the ascent of Luhith
they go up weeping;
1
48:5
Hebrew weeping goes up with weeping
for at the descent of Horonaim
they have heard the distressed cry
2
48:5
Septuagint (compare Isaiah 15:5) heard the cry
of destruction.
6
Flee! Save yourselves!
You will be like a juniper in the desert!
7
For, because you trusted in your works and your treasures,
you also shall be taken;
and Chemosh shall go into exile
with his priests and his officials.
8
The destroyer shall come upon every city,
and no city shall escape;
the valley shall perish,
and the plain shall be destroyed,
as the LORD has spoken.
9
Give wings to Moab,
for she would fly away;
her cities shall become a desolation,
with no inhabitant in them.
10 Cursed is he who does the work of the LORD with slackness, and cursed is he who keeps back his sword from bloodshed.
11
Moab has been at ease from his youth
and has settled on his dregs;
he has not been emptied from vessel to vessel,
nor has he gone into exile;
so his taste remains in him,
and his scent is not changed.
12 Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I shall send to him pourers who will pour him, and empty his vessels and break his 3 48:12 Septuagint, Aquila; Hebrew their jars in pieces. 13 Then Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel, their confidence.
14
How do you say, ‘We are heroes
and mighty men of war’?
15
The destroyer of Moab and his cities has come up,
and the choicest of his young men have gone down to slaughter,
declares the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts.
16
The calamity of Moab is near at hand,
and his affliction hastens swiftly.
17
Grieve for him, all you who are around him,
and all who know his name;
say, ‘How the mighty scepter is broken,
the glorious staff.’
18
Come down from your glory,
and sit on the parched ground,
O inhabitant of Dibon!
For the destroyer of Moab has come up against you;
he has destroyed your strongholds.
19
Stand by the way and watch,
O inhabitant of Aroer!
Ask him who flees and her who escapes;
say, ‘What has happened?’
20
Moab is put to shame, for it is broken;
wail and cry!
Tell it beside the Arnon,
that Moab is laid waste.
21 Judgment has come upon the tableland, upon Holon, and Jahzah, and Mephaath, 22 and Dibon, and Nebo, and Beth-diblathaim, 23 and Kiriathaim, and Beth-gamul, and Beth-meon, 24 and Kerioth, and Bozrah, and all the cities of the land of Moab, far and near. 25 The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, declares the LORD.
26 Make him drunk, because he magnified himself against the LORD, so that Moab shall wallow in his vomit, and he too shall be held in derision. 27 Was not Israel a derision to you? Was he found among thieves, that whenever you spoke of him you wagged your head?
28
Leave the cities, and dwell in the rock,
O inhabitants of Moab!
Be like the dove that nests
in the sides of the mouth of a gorge.
29
We have heard of the pride of Moab—
he is very proud—
of his loftiness, his pride, and his arrogance,
and the haughtiness of his heart.
30
I know his insolence, declares the LORD;
his boasts are false,
his deeds are false.
31
Therefore I wail for Moab;
I cry out for all Moab;
for the men of Kir-hareseth I mourn.
32
More than for Jazer I weep for you,
O vine of Sibmah!
Your branches passed over the sea,
reached to the Sea of Jazer;
on your summer fruits and your grapes
the destroyer has fallen.
33
Gladness and joy have been taken away
from the fruitful land of Moab;
I have made the wine cease from the winepresses;
no one treads them with shouts of joy;
the shouting is not the shout of joy.
34 From the outcry at Heshbon even to Elealeh, as far as Jahaz they utter their voice, from Zoar to Horonaim and Eglath-shelishiyah. For the waters of Nimrim also have become desolate. 35 And I will bring to an end in Moab, declares the LORD, him who offers sacrifice in the high place and makes offerings to his god. 36 Therefore my heart moans for Moab like a flute, and my heart moans like a flute for the men of Kir-hareseth. Therefore the riches they gained have perished.
37 For every head is shaved and every beard cut off. On all the hands are gashes, and around the waist is sackcloth. 38 On all the housetops of Moab and in the squares there is nothing but lamentation, for I have broken Moab like a vessel for which no one cares, declares the LORD. 39 How it is broken! How they wail! How Moab has turned his back in shame! So Moab has become a derision and a horror to all that are around him.”
40
For thus says the LORD:
“Behold, one shall fly swiftly like an eagle
and spread his wings against Moab;
41
the cities shall be taken
and the strongholds seized.
The heart of the warriors of Moab shall be in that day
like the heart of a woman in her birth pains;
42
Moab shall be destroyed and be no longer a people,
because he magnified himself against the LORD.
43
Terror, pit, and snare
are before you, O inhabitant of Moab!
declares the LORD.
44
He who flees from the terror
shall fall into the pit,
and he who climbs out of the pit
shall be caught in the snare.
For I will bring these things upon Moab,
the year of their punishment,
declares the LORD.
45
In the shadow of Heshbon
fugitives stop without strength,
for fire came out from Heshbon,
flame from the house of Sihon;
it has destroyed the forehead of Moab,
the crown of the sons of tumult.
46
Woe to you, O Moab!
The people of Chemosh are undone,
for your sons have been taken captive,
and your daughters into captivity.
47
Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab
in the latter days, declares the LORD.”
Thus far is the judgment on Moab.
Chapter 49
Judgment on Ammon
1 Concerning the Ammonites.
Thus says the LORD:
“Has Israel no sons?
Has he no heir?
Why then has Milcom
4
49:1
Or their king; also verse 3
dispossessed Gad,
and his people settled in its cities?
2
Therefore, behold, the days are coming,
declares the LORD,
when I will cause the battle cry to be heard
against Rabbah of the Ammonites;
it shall become a desolate mound,
and its villages shall be burned with fire;
then Israel shall dispossess those who dispossessed him,
says the LORD.
3
Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste!
Cry out, O daughters of Rabbah!
Put on sackcloth,
lament, and run to and fro among the hedges!
For Milcom shall go into exile,
with his priests and his officials.
4
Why do you boast of your valleys,
5
49:4
Hebrew boast of your valleys, your valley flows
O faithless daughter,
who trusted in her treasures, saying,
‘Who will come against me?’
5
Behold, I will bring terror upon you,
declares the Lord God of hosts,
from all who are around you,
and you shall be driven out, every man straight before him,
with none to gather the fugitives.
6 But afterward I will restore the fortunes of the Ammonites, declares the LORD.”
Judgment on Edom
7 Concerning Edom.
Thus says the LORD of hosts:
“Is wisdom no more in Teman?
Has counsel perished from the prudent?
Has their wisdom vanished?
8
Flee, turn back, dwell in the depths,
O inhabitants of Dedan!
For I will bring the calamity of Esau upon him,
the time when I punish him.
9
If grape gatherers came to you,
would they not leave gleanings?
If thieves came by night,
would they not destroy only enough for themselves?
10
But I have stripped Esau bare;
I have uncovered his hiding places,
and he is not able to conceal himself.
His children are destroyed, and his brothers,
and his neighbors; and he is no more.
11
Leave your fatherless children; I will keep them alive;
and let your widows trust in me.”
12 For thus says the LORD: “If those who did not deserve to drink the cup must drink it, will you go unpunished? You shall not go unpunished, but you must drink. 13 For I have sworn by myself, declares the LORD, that Bozrah shall become a horror, a taunt, a waste, and a curse, and all her cities shall be perpetual wastes.”
14
I have heard a message from the LORD,
and an envoy has been sent among the nations:
“Gather yourselves together and come against her,
and rise up for battle!
15
For behold, I will make you small among the nations,
despised among mankind.
16
The horror you inspire has deceived you,
and the pride of your heart,
you who live in the clefts of the rock,
6
49:16
Or of Sela
who hold the height of the hill.
Though you make your nest as high as the eagle's,
I will bring you down from there,
declares the LORD.
17 Edom shall become a horror. Everyone who passes by it will be horrified and will hiss because of all its disasters. 18 As when Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring cities were overthrown, says the LORD, no man shall dwell there, no man shall sojourn in her. 19 Behold, like a lion coming up from the jungle of the Jordan against a perennial pasture, I will suddenly make him 7 49:19 Septuagint, Syriac them run away from her. And I will appoint over her whomever I choose. For who is like me? Who will summon me? What shepherd can stand before me? 20 Therefore hear the plan that the LORD has made against Edom and the purposes that he has formed against the inhabitants of Teman: Even the little ones of the flock shall be dragged away. Surely their fold shall be appalled at their fate. 21 At the sound of their fall the earth shall tremble; the sound of their cry shall be heard at the Red Sea. 22 Behold, one shall mount up and fly swiftly like an eagle and spread his wings against Bozrah, and the heart of the warriors of Edom shall be in that day like the heart of a woman in her birth pains.”
Judgment on Damascus
23 Concerning Damascus:
“Hamath and Arpad are confounded,
for they have heard bad news;
they melt in fear,
they are troubled like the sea that cannot be quiet.
24
Damascus has become feeble, she turned to flee,
and panic seized her;
anguish and sorrows have taken hold of her,
as of a woman in labor.
25
How is the famous city not forsaken,
the city of my joy?
26
Therefore her young men shall fall in her squares,
and all her soldiers shall be destroyed in that day,
declares the LORD of hosts.
27
And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus,
and it shall devour the strongholds of Ben-hadad.”
Judgment on Kedar and Hazor
28 Concerning Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon struck down.
Thus says the LORD:
“Rise up, advance against Kedar!
Destroy the people of the east!
29
Their tents and their flocks shall be taken,
their curtains and all their goods;
their camels shall be led away from them,
and men shall cry to them: ‘Terror on every side!’
30
Flee, wander far away, dwell in the depths,
O inhabitants of Hazor!
declares the LORD.
For Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon
has made a plan against you
and formed a purpose against you.
31
Rise up, advance against a nation at ease,
that dwells securely,
declares the LORD,
that has no gates or bars,
that dwells alone.
32
Their camels shall become plunder,
their herds of livestock a spoil.
I will scatter to every wind
those who cut the corners of their hair,
and I will bring their calamity
from every side of them,
declares the LORD.
33
Hazor shall become a haunt of jackals,
an everlasting waste;
no man shall dwell there;
no man shall sojourn in her.”
Judgment on Elam
34 The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah.
35 Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the mainstay of their might. 36 And I will bring upon Elam the four winds from the four quarters of heaven. And I will scatter them to all those winds, and there shall be no nation to which those driven out of Elam shall not come. 37 I will terrify Elam before their enemies and before those who seek their life. I will bring disaster upon them, my fierce anger, declares the LORD. I will send the sword after them, until I have consumed them, 38 and I will set my throne in Elam and destroy their king and officials, declares the LORD.
39 But in the latter days I will restore the fortunes of Elam, declares the LORD.”
Footnotes
[1] 48:5 Hebrew weeping goes up with weeping[2] 48:5 Septuagint (compare Isaiah 15:5) heard the cry
[3] 48:12 Septuagint, Aquila; Hebrew their
[4] 49:1 Or their king; also verse 3
[5] 49:4 Hebrew boast of your valleys, your valley flows
[6] 49:16 Or of Sela
[7] 49:19 Septuagint, Syriac them
Table of Contents
Introduction to Jeremiah
Timeline
Author and Date
Jeremiah was called to be a prophet c. 627 B.C., when he was young (1:6). He served for more than 40 years (1:2–3). Jeremiah had a difficult life. His messages of repentance delivered at the temple were not well received (7:1–8:3; 26:1–11). His hometown plotted against him (11:18–23), and he endured much persecution (20:1–6; 37:11–38:13; 43:1–7). At God’s command, he never married (16:1–4). Although he preached God’s word faithfully, he apparently had only two converts: Baruch, his scribe (32:12; 36:1–4; 45:1–5); and Ebed-melech, an Ethiopian eunuch who served the king (38:7–13; 39:15–18). Though the book does not reveal the time or place of Jeremiah’s death, he probably died in Egypt, where he had been taken by his countrymen against his will after the fall of Jerusalem (43:1–7). He most likely did not live to see the devastation he mentions in chs. 46–51.
Purpose
Jeremiah and Baruch left a record of the difficult times in which they lived, God’s message for those times, and God’s message for the future of Israel and the nations.
Key Themes
- God and humanity. God alone is a living God. God alone made the world. All other so-called gods are mere idols (10:1–16). This Creator God called Israel to a special relationship (chs. 2–6), gave her his holy word, and promised to bless her temple with his name and presence (7:1–8:3). God rules both the present and the future (1:4–16; 29:1–10), protects his chosen ones (1:17–19; 29:11–14; 39:15–18; 45:1–5), and saves those who turn to him (12:14–17). Because God is absolutely trustworthy and always keeps his promises, his grace triumphs over sin and judgment when people repent and turn to him.
The human heart is sick, and no one except God can cure it (17:9–10). The nations worship idols instead of their Creator (10:1–16). Israel, God’s covenant people, went after other gods (chs. 2–6), defiled the temple by their unwillingness to repent (7:1–8:3; 26:1–11), and oppressed one another (34:8–16). Since Israel and the nations have sinned against God (25:1–26), God the Creator is also the Judge of every nation on the earth he created (chs. 46–51).
- Old covenant, Messiah, and new covenant. God made a covenant with Israel, based on his promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Genesis 12–50). As time passed, God’s covenant with Israel included his promise to David of an eternal kingdom (2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17). God used Jeremiah to deliver the good news that, sometime in the future, God would “make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah” (Jer. 31:31). This covenant would be different in one major way. The new covenant partners will not break the covenant, as most of the old partners did even though God was completely faithful (31:32). Instead, the new covenant partners will have the word of God so ingrained in their hearts through God’s power that they will know and follow God all their lives (31:33–34).
Thus, all the new covenant partners will be believers who are forgiven and empowered by God; he will “remember their sin no more” (31:34). Hebrews 8:8–12 quotes Jer. 31:31–34 as evidence that the new covenant has come through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The coming of Jesus the Messiah fulfills God’s promises to Abraham, Moses, David, and the prophets.
Outline
- Introduction (1:1–19)
- Israel’s Covenantal Adultery (2:1–6:30)
- False Religion and an Idolatrous People (7:1–10:25)
- Jeremiah’s Struggles with God and Judah (11:1–20:18)
- Jeremiah’s Confrontations (21:1–29:32)
- Restoration for Judah and Israel (30:1–33:26)
- God Judges Judah (34:1–45:5)
- God’s Judgment on the Nations (46:1–51:64)
- Conclusion: The Fall of Jerusalem (52:1–34)
Israel and Judah at the Time of Jeremiah
c. 597 B.C.
The book of Jeremiah is set during the politically tumultuous times following the fall of the Assyrians and the rise of the Babylonians. During Jeremiah’s life, several groups of Judeans were deported to Babylon and the temple was destroyed. Though the precise boundaries of Judea and the surrounding regions during this period are difficult to determine, they likely resembled those that previously existed under Assyrian rule, with the exception that Edom (Idumea) was now the area formerly belonging to southern Judah.
Fact: Doves
Doves are known for hiding their nests in high cliffs and other places difficult to reach (48:28).
Israel and Judah at the Time of Jeremiah
c. 597 B.C.
The book of Jeremiah is set during the politically tumultuous times following the fall of the Assyrians and the rise of the Babylonians. During Jeremiah’s life, several groups of Judeans were deported to Babylon and the temple was destroyed. Though the precise boundaries of Judea and the surrounding regions during this period are difficult to determine, they likely resembled those that previously existed under Assyrian rule, with the exception that Edom (Idumea) was now the area formerly belonging to southern Judah.
Oracles against the Nations in the Prophets
| Isaiah | Jeremiah | Ezekiel | Joel | Amos | Obadiah | Jonah | Nahum | Zephaniah | Zechariah* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammon | 49:1–6 | 25:1–7 | 1:13–15 | |||||||
| Arabia | 21:13–17 | |||||||||
| Assyria (Nineveh) | 10:5–19; 14:24–27 | (Nineveh) | (Nineveh) | |||||||
| Babylon | 13:1–14:23; 21:1–10; 46:1–47:15 | 50:1–51:64 | 2:9–12? | |||||||
| Damascus | 17:1–6? | 49:23–27 | 1:3–5 | 9:1 | ||||||
| Edom | 21:11–12 | 49:7–22 | 25:12–14 | 1:11–12 | 1–14? | |||||
| Egypt | 18:1–20:6 | 46:2–26 | 29:1–32:32 | |||||||
| Elam | 49:34–39 | |||||||||
| Ethiopia | 2:12–15 | |||||||||
| Gaza | 1:6–8 | 9:5 | ||||||||
| Kedar and Hazor | 49:28–33 | |||||||||
| Lebanon | 11:1–3? | |||||||||
| Moab | 15:1–16:14 | 48:1–47 | 25:8–11 | 2:1–3 | 2:8–11 | |||||
| Philistia | 14:28–32 | 47:1–7 | 25:15–17 | 3:4–8 | 2:5–7 | 9:6 | ||||
| Tyre Sidon | 23:1–18 | 26:1–28:19; 28:20–23 | 3:4–8 | 1:9–10 | 9:2–3 |
*Additional cities /states are denounced in 9:1–8: Hadrach, Aram (v. 1); Ashkelon, Ekron (v. 5); Ashdod (v. 6)
Jer. 48:1 The location of Nebo is uncertain; perhaps it was near Mount Nebo, 12 miles (19 km) east of the northernmost point of the Dead Sea. Kiriathaim was probably near Nebo. fortress. One or both of the cities were fortresses that could house refugees from the countryside. When such places fell, defeat was total.
Jer. 48:2 Heshbon was northeast of Mount Nebo.
Jer. 48:7 Chemosh was Moab’s national deity. Human sacrifice was part of Moab’s rituals for Chemosh (2 Kings 3:27). shall go into exile. Images of a defeated nation’s gods were often taken to the temples of the victorious nation (1 Sam. 5:1–12; Isa. 46:1–2).
Jer. 48:8 destroyer. Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar defeated Moab c. 582 B.C. Every city and region, valley and plain was devastated.
Jer. 48:10 Babylon will do its work as God’s instrument of judgment (27:1–15) with urgency, not laziness.
Jer. 48:11 Moab has survived many previous invasions (v. 9). Thus, Moab has become complacent and settled on his dregs (Zeph. 1:12), like wine allowed to age. Moab produced wine (Isa. 16:8–11), so the comparison is appropriate.
Jer. 48:12 pour him . . . break his jars. Babylon will empty Moab like one pours wine from a jar. It will smash Moab like one smashes and disposes of old jars (13:12–14; 19:1–15).
Jer. 48:13 ashamed of Chemosh. Because this god cannot save (10:1–25). ashamed of Bethel. At Bethel, Jeroboam I established one of his chief high places in his new religion (1 Kings 12:25–33). Worship there was part of the reason God judged Israel (2 Kings 17:9).
Jer. 48:15 See 46:18. The LORD is the King of all nations. Even Babylon must obey him (see 27:1–15).
Jer. 48:16 near at hand. See v. 8. Moab had only a few years to change its ways.
Jer. 48:20 The fleeing ones explain that Moab is broken (v. 12). The Arnon is a river just south of Aroer (v. 19).
Jer. 48:21–24 All of Moab’s cities are lost in this judgment time.
Jer. 48:26 drunk. By drinking the cup of God’s wrath (25:15–26). wallow in his vomit. See 25:27.
Fact: Doves
Doves are known for hiding their nests in high cliffs and other places difficult to reach (48:28).
Jer. 48:29–30 the pride of Moab. See Isa. 16:6.
Jer. 48:31 Compare Isa. 16:7, 11. God mourns over the necessity of judging Moab.
Jer. 48:33 The shout of joy heard when new wine is made will be replaced by the shouts of warriors (25:30–31). See Isa. 16:8–10.
Jer. 48:35 God’s judgment will bring Moab’s idolatry to an end (see Isa. 15:2, 5).
Jer. 48:36 my heart moans. God mourns that Moab’s people will lose the possessions they spent a lifetime collecting. Though God in his justice brings righteous judgment against sinners and takes delight in the purity and holiness of his judgment, he also feels sorrow at the destruction that the judgment brings upon human beings created in his image (see Ezek. 18:32; 33:11; Matt. 23:37; Luke 19:41).
Jer. 48:40 spread his wings against. Babylon will swoop down on Moab like a bird capturing prey (see 49:22; Lam. 4:19; Ezek. 17:3–8).
Jer. 48:42 Moab . . . magnified itself against the LORD by failing to accept God’s word concerning Babylon’s role as a divine instrument of judgment. See 27:1–15.
Jer. 48:43–44 Moab will be hunted down and captured like animals. See Isa. 24:17–18; Lam. 3:52–55; Amos 5:18–20.
Jer. 48:45 house of Sihon. See Num. 21:21. forehead . . . crown. Probably refers to Moab’s northern regions.
Jer. 48:47 God makes the same promise of restoration to Moab that he did to Judah in 29:14. The latter days most likely refers to a time when Moabites will take refuge in the Messiah (see 49:6, 39; Isa. 16:3–5).
Jer. 49:1 Ammonites. People living north of Moab. Their capital was Rabbah, present-day Amman, Jordan. During Jehoiakim’s reign they raided Judah (2 Kings 24:2), and they conspired with Judah and others against Babylon during Zedekiah’s reign (Jer. 27:3). Milcom. Or Molech, Ammon’s chief god (1 Kings 11:5, 7). Milcom means “their king.” dispossessed Gad. In the aftermath of the Assyrian invasion of 734–732 B.C., Ammon occupied some territory belonging to the Israelite tribe Gad.
Jer. 49:3 Heshbon. See 48:2. Ai. Location unknown; not the Ai of Josh. 7:1–9. Rabbah. See note on Jer. 49:1. Milcom shall go into exile. See 48:7.
Jer. 49:5 I will bring terror. God is sovereign over all nations; he will send an invader. every man straight before him. The Ammonites will flee by the quickest route possible. Nebuchadnezzar defeated Ammon c. 582 B.C.
Jer. 49:6 God will restore Ammon’s fortunes, just as he will for Israel and Moab. See 29:14 and 48:47.
Jer. 49:7 Edom. Descendants of Esau (Gen. 36:1–19) who lived south of the Dead Sea toward the Gulf of Aqaba. Obadiah 10–14 indicates that Edom benefited from Jerusalem’s fall. wisdom . . . in Teman. Teman was in northern Edom. Obadiah 8 indicates Edom was famous for its wise men; they will soon vanish.
Jer. 49:8 Dedan. A site southeast of Edom.
Jer. 49:11–12 God may protect Edom’s fatherless children and widows, but the nation as a whole will drink the cup of destruction (25:28–29; Lam. 4:21).
Jer. 49:13 Bozrah. Capital of Edom, 25 miles (40 km) southeast of the Dead Sea. Like Jerusalem (15:4; 24:9), Bozrah shall become a horror to other nations.
Jer. 49:23 Damascus. See Isa. 17:1–6 and Amos 1:3–5. The chief Aramean city, home to kings Ben-hadad (1 Kings 20) and Hazael (2 Kings 8:7–15). Assyria dominated Damascus from 732 to 609 B.C., and Babylon did so after 605. Hamath and Arpad. Hamath was 115 miles (185 km) north of Damascus, and Arpad was 95 miles (153 km) north of Hamath. heard bad news. About Damascus, from a great distance.
Jer. 49:24 Damascus’s distress is so great she is too terrified to flee. She is like a woman in labor. See 4:31 and 48:41.
Jer. 49:28 Kedar. A significant Arab clan (2:10; Isa. 21:16–17). Kedar engaged in sheep breeding (Isa. 60:7) and traded with Phoenicia (Ezek. 27:21). kingdoms of Hazor. Probably a term designating several nomadic tribes in northern Arabia (Ps. 120:5; Isa. 42:11).
Jer. 49:30 plan . . . purpose. See v. 20. God devises plans that Nebuchadnezzar puts into practice (27:1–15).
Jer. 49:34 Elam. East of Babylon in the lower Tigris River Valley. Conquered by Assyria in 640 B.C. beginning of the reign of Zedekiah. c. 597 B.C.
Jer. 49:36–38 God will send invaders against Elam and destroy it. set my throne. Most likely the throne of Nebuchadnezzar (27:1–15).
Jer. 49:39 For the same promise to other nations, see 33:26; 49:6; and note on 48:47. These verses predict a future salvation for Gentiles.
Listen to the Podcast
Listen NowDive Deeper | Jeremiah 48-49
It would be easy to write off these passages as only a series of judgments. While this is the overarching message, there is always more to Scripture than meets the eye. With that in mind, let's dive into our passage today!
Jeremiah 48 reintroduces us to Moab, the neighboring country to the east of Israel. The Moabites have a tumultuous history—they emerged from an incestuous pairing of Lot and his daughter (Genesis 19:37). Ruth, David's great-grandmother, was also a Moabite.
We learn that Moab has "trusted in [their] works and [their] treasures" (Jeremiah 48:7), rather than trusting in God. They became proud, believing themselves to be self-sufficient. However, this false sense of self-sufficiency could be taken away. In comparison to its neighbor Israel, Moab was geographically isolated. This offered advantages—Moab was less likely to be caught in conflicts. In other words, unlike Israel, which endured captivity and conflict, Moab hadn't been shaken.
To illustrate this, Jeremiah uses the metaphor of wine. In the fermentation process, the impurities, or "dregs," would settle to the bottom of the bottle. Wine would then be moved to another bottle, leaving the dregs in the first bottle. Moab had never been poured out, and they settled in the dregs of complacency and pride.
God tells the Moabites through Jeremiah, "Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I shall send to him pourers who will pour him, and empty his vessels and break his jars in pieces." (Jeremiah 48:12) Moab needed to be poured out and unsettled in order to become faithful. They would be forced to leave their former false comforts (Jeremiah 48:28).
Although Moab deserved judgment—and it was necessary for their repentance—God cried out for the Moabites (Jeremiah 48:31). Despite their evil ways, God promises mercy in the latter days (the gospel)!
In chapter 49, Jeremiah continues to share the truth in dark places with similar warnings to other people groups. Ammon's confidence was in stolen land and riches, Edom's in wisdom, Kedar in nomadic life, Elam's in archery; yet, God redemptively promises mercy to the undeserving.
This month's memory verse
"But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
– Lamentations 3:21-23
Discussion Questions
1. What fears do you face about being a messenger of truth in a dark place? What does this look like in your everyday life?
2. Like the people groups in Jeremiah 48-49, we can all cling to false comforts and put our confidence in something other than Christ. Are there any false comforts that you cling to?
3. When in your life have you been unsettled or poured out? What dregs or impurities did God remove from your life? Or said differently, how did the "pouring out" sanctify you? How was this an act of mercy?
4. In what ways have you seen God's character of mercy in your testimony and/or your quiet time?