Devotional
Commentary on Jeremiah 47
Have
you ever heard of leaders misunderstanding and miscommunicating to each other
almost with a fake news scenario and then they go to war and rip each other,
each countries, cities, towns, and people apart with millions dying? Until one
leader throws in the towel. Only then they stop. As crazy as such a situation sounds,
there is a God Who’s Hand is pushing historical events for purposes we cannot
yet understand or always totally comprehend. But, according to this chapter of
Jeremiah, He is definitely involved and even through earthly instrumentalities carrying
out His work with a sword of punishment. Is it just of God to punish the
Philistines of Jeremiah’s day next to the coast in coastal cities? Tyre, Sidon,
Byblos, Ashkelon and Gaza. This is what this chapter is all about.
Tyre
and Sidon are mentioned as well as Ashkelon and Gaza. Including Byblos,
excavations were carried out by archaeological teams of different countries at
each of these sites. I also have pictures where I am sitting in one of the
fields digging with Tom Jull from Arizona University at the Harvard University
Excavation at Ashkelon in the park during the Summer of I think 1990 or 1991.
Michael Hasel and myself spent some weeks at Ashkelon and then went to Dor
also. Good times, good experience.
As
R. K. Harrison said in 1973 on page 173 that this pharaoh was Necho II when he
went to Haran on that expedition in 609 BCE. Jeremiah was predicting before [betherem]
that. Some people want to say a prophet is a speaker ex eventu, out of
the event. When he is within the corridor of the events he make some educated
guesses and sometimes he is right. That is a prophet. No. That is a
weather-reporter not a prophet. A prophet is given the ability to see into the
future even 2500 years later because God can see 2500 years later. Like the
2300 years prophecy in Daniel 8:14. Others are even worse. They say the prophet
speaks only post-eventu, after the event. What a fake then.
Scholars
want to date the event at Gaza to about 601 BCE but that is not possible. In
this chapter is explained that Necho II was successful in his military
campaign. It was in his earlier years before Neb that Necho II were successful
and since Neb came on the scene things did not work out so well so he spent the
rest of his years on ambitious projects of building and exploration. Harrison
supra is probably closer to the truth.
“Water”
will come from the north which is the armies of Neb (verse 2). It will become a
flooding stream that will inundate the cities, people and the land shall wail
(verse 2).
The
noise of horses hoofs, chariots, the wheels will be heard and this shocking
sounds will make the fathers run without grabbing the child’s hands (verse 3). Coward
fathers. Leaving children unattended.
The
Lord, through Neb has a plan to plunder Tyre, Sidon and remnant of the island
of Caphtor (verse 4). Gaza and Ashkelon would become a waste and the remnant of
the valley (verse 5). Is that the valley where Gezer is situated?
Then
Isaiah talked to the sword of the Lord: “O Sword of the Lord [His Word] how
long will you not be silent? Go into your sheath, rest and be silent” (6). “How shall it be silent when the Lord
commanded it?” (verse 7).
The
sword was appointed by the Lord to Ashkelon and to the sea coast (verse 7).
Rabbi Abarbanel identified the sword as Neb in 1500, but it is rather the
audible voice of the Lord. His will is spoken and things happen as He spoke.
And God said let there be light and there was light.
Dear
Lord
We
are fascinated in Your Word that came to Jeremiah and also the Word that
functions as a Sword to punish nations or let events happen in history even in
our times without us seeing it with this perspective. Open our eyes to see Your
Hand and trust in You and how You have led the remnant in the past. In Jesus
Name. Amen.