JEREMIAH - CHAPTER 12 -How can you contend with horses... In the Swelling of the Jordan
‘How can you contend with horses…In the Swelling of the Jordan?
(Jeremiah 12:5)
Taught by: Carolyn Sissom
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Jeremiah 12:5 “If you have run with the footmen and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, wherein you trusted, they wearied you, then how will you do in the swelling of Jordan?
God never calls a man or woman to contend with horses until He has practiced him/her with footmen; that God never yet sent a man/woman into the wilds of Jordan until he had trained him/her in the land of peace.” (G. C. Morgan – Studies of Jeremiah)
This word was spoken prophetically to me in 1983. My life as I knew it had just changed and I would now be trained to contend with horses. Bet Amante recently gave me a prophetic word that the Lord had “meeked me”. I guess it was part of the training. I did a lot of kicking and bucking as we all have. Blessed be the Calling and Commissioning of the Lord.
I had to smile at Joe Biden’s remarks that Barrack Obama will be tested by the international community to see if he has "mettle". I would imagine the primary, and election will be like running with the footmen compared to contending with the rulers of nations. Most of the media have protected Barrack. There will be no protection when he is face to face with the Kings and rulers.
Chapter Eleven begins with the fourth commission of Jeremiah.
First commission - 1:4-10.
Second commission - 1:17-19.
Third commission – 6: 27-30
Fourth Commission – 11: - 1-7
The Lord here gives eight commands to Jeremiah:
- Hear the words of the covenant. (V.2)
- Speak to Judah and Jerusalem.
- Say this to them (V.3)
- Obey my voice. (V.4)
- Do my commandments
- Proclaim all these words (V.6)
- Hear the words of the covenant and do them.
- Obey My voice (V.7)
The men of Judah and Jerusalem were the only Jews or Israelites left in the land, therefore, since Jeremiah was commissioned to prophesy to them they were the Israel of these prophecies.
In Verse 33, is the first curse mentioned in the Book of Jeremiah. “Cursed is the man that obeys not the words of this covenant.” There are six curses in Jeremiah. We will get to the next one in Chapter 17.
However, for Christians all curses were broken at the Cross. But it is not automatic. According to Galatians 3 & 4, we must appropriate this by Faith, the Holy Spirit and the Blood of Jesus.
Galatians 3:12-29 “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree.”
This is the chapter of the Broken Covenant. It seems to belong to the period of reaction after Josiah’s great reformation (11 Kg. 23) when the people had restored their idols.
Jeremiah is chronologically in disorder and confusion. Distinct prophecies are mingled together regardless of the date of their delivery. However, there is a topical arrangement, dividing the book into sections according to the reference of the prophecies. Chapters 1-39 are all before the fall of Jerusalem.
I believe we can assume that the order of the commissions are chronological.
These three chapters 11-13 are Jeremiah’s fourth sermon about the broken covenant and the sign of the loin cloth.
The prophet’s own countrymen plan to kill him: 11: 18-23: “And the Lord has given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then you showed me these doings: but I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered. But, O Lord of hosts, that judges righteously, that tries the reins and the heart, let me see you vengeance on them: for unto you have I revealed my cause. Therefore thus says the Lord of the men of Anathoth that see thy life, saying, ‘Prophecy not in the name of the Lord that you die not by our hand.’
This is a plot by neighbors and relatives to kill him. Jeremiah prefigures Christ who said that a prophet has no honor by those of his own household (Mt. 10:36)
He was suffering as a lamb.
His life is sought by men of his own town.
His message is rejected.
In verses 22-23, the Lord of Hosts declares judgment on the plotters.
- I will punish them.
- The young men will die by the sword.
- The sons and daughters will die by the famine.
- There will be no remnant of them.
- I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation.
Chapter twelve opens with Jeremiah’s questions and conversation with God. Jeremiah faces the age old question of why the godless prosper and the faithless thrive. He contrasts his own suffering with the apparent prosperity of those against whom he was preaching who had ridiculed his threats. (12:4) God’s answer to his servant is that there is worse to come (5-6); Rev. 6) He will punish and then He will restore. Nevertheless he sees he must commit himself to the foreknowledge and righteousness of God.
God does not give a full answer to Jeremiah’s questions because He is not under any obligation to justify the wisdom of His Providence; because an explanation would not be the solution to the problem; and because what jeremiah really needed was not an answer to his questions, but an answer to his needs! The prophet must learn to overcome ever increasing difficulties (12: 5-6). If he faints because of the prosperity of the ungodly, persecution, his family turning against him, or for that matter any other reason, he will not be able to finish the course.
The description of Judah and her surrounding nations reveals God in His love.
(12:7) “I have forsaken my house. I have left my heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.”
The Lord’s anger is expressed in 8-13.
His compassion in 14-16.
12:14-15: The Theme of the Book of Jeremiah is again repeated: Thus says the Lord,
Against all my evil neighbors, 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 of the house of Judah from among them. 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.”
Verse 17 is his justice. “But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, says the Lord.
Jehovah is Jeremiah’s defender. I pray that we may all walk that the Lord will defend us.
Chapter Thirteen is the Parable of the Loincloth or Girdle. The pure white linen garment worn next to the skin symbolized the pristine purity of the nation in fellowship with the Lord. Put off and exposed to dampness and soil at the Euphrates (13:4-7) showed the ruin of the nation away from God and is predicted captivity beyond the Euphrates in Babylon. The entire trip from Jerusalem to the Euphrates would be 600-800 miles. I is believed that Jeremiah departed from Jerusalem and remained away for 7 years. The wine jars (13: 12-14) filled to the brim showed the people’s drunkenness and their ruin under Divine judgment. The warning against pride (15-17) was followed by the funeral song and dirge for the King (Jehoiachin and queen mother), both of whom were taken captive to Babylon in 597 B.C. Both are called to account for the state of the nation. (18-23)
Here it is plainly stated if you will not hear, you will go into captivity: (17-19) “But if you will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride: and my eye shall reap sore, and run down with tears, because the Lord’s flock is carried away captive.”
The girdle is usually a symbol of priestly service. This God has desired from His people He wanted them to serve Him to the Praise of His Name. Instead, they were serving others gods which would be to their destruction. The message of the linen girdle dealt with the sin of Judah’s pride. The danger of pride and self-trust is emphasized. Just as the girdle was marred in its long stay in the hole of the rock, so God would mar the pride of Judah and Jerusalem (8-9) The appeal is based on God’s own majesty (15-16) There is a depravity of the human heat which is beyond the reach of human remedial means. (23) Note the prophet’s weeping and sorrow in Verse 17. Jeremiah never gives up hope and envisages a time of cleansing through exile. (27)
Taught by: Carolyn Sissom
Scripture from KJV and references from Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible and The International Bible Commentary by: F.F. Bruce