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Scripture Reading: Jer. 48; Jer. 49
In this message we will continue to consider God's judgment upon the nations involved with God's elect, Israel.
In chapter forty-eight we see Jehovah's punishment and judgment upon Moab.
Moab as a nation typifies the world of fleshly lust that corrupts and frustrates God's chosen people through the greedy religionists from following and walking with God in His holy way (Num. 25:1-5; Deut. 23:3-4; Rev. 2:14). It was Moab who hired Balaam, the Gentile prophet, to stumble the children of Israel.
Moab, as the first forefather of the Moabites, was born of Lot through incest with his daughter (Gen. 19:30-38). In the sight of God, the source of Moab was most evil.
The Moabites were not allowed to enter into the assembly of Jehovah even to the tenth generation (Deut. 23:3). However, a Moabitess by the name of Ruth became the mother of one of the prominent forefathers of Christ (Matt. 1:5b) because of her allegiance to Israel in the interest of God (Ruth 1:14-18). This indicates that although the Moabites were condemned, at a certain time God had compassion on them.
Moab would be destroyed and cut off from being a nation. Because of his trust in his works and in his treasures, he would be captured. His god Chemosh will go forth into exile with its priests and princes (Jer. 48:1-10).
Moab magnified himself against Jehovah. Israel was a derision to him. He was very proud — his loftiness, his pride, his arrogance, and the haughtiness of his heart were heard of by people. Jehovah would therefore bring to an end in Moab the one who offered up in high places and burned incense to his gods. Moab would become a derision and a terror to all who were around him (vv. 26-44; cf. Isa. 16:6-14).
Jehovah will turn again the captivity of Moab in the latter days (Jer. 48:47).
From this portion we can see that God is not only the God of Israel but also the God of the Gentiles. Such a people as the Moabites, whose source was incest and who were condemned by God, still received the compassion of God to produce Ruth to bring forth Christ into mankind and to have a remnant to be among the restored nations, who will be the spectators in the new heaven and new earth.
Jeremiah 49:1-6 concerns Jehovah's punishment and judgment upon the children of Ammon.
Ammon was also born of Lot through incest with his daughter, as Moab was. The nation of Ammon typifies the world of fleshly lust that fights against God's chosen people and misleads them into idolatry (Judg. 11:12; 1 Sam. 12:12a; 2 Chron. 20:10-11; Psa. 83:4-8; 1 Kings 11:5, 7).
Both Moab and Ammon are the world of lust. One is the fleshly world with religion to entangle God's people, and the other is the fleshly world that fights against God's people.
The Ammonites took the land of Gad and possessed it with their god Malcam (Jer. 49:1).
Jeremiah 49:2a and 3 tell us that Jehovah would cause war against the Ammonites. Their nation would become a mound of desolation, and its villages would be burned with fire. Their god Malcam would go into exile together with its priests and its princes.
Regarding the Ammonites, we are told that Israel will dispossess those who dispossess him (v. 2b; cf. Zeph. 2:8-9; Amos 1:13-15).
Jeremiah 49:6 prophesies that afterward Jehovah will turn again the captivity of the children of Ammon.
The word in 49:7-22 concerns Jehovah's punishment and judgment upon Edom.
Edom was a nation of the descendants of Esau, who was the twin brother of Jacob; who was hated by God and destined by God to serve his younger brother; and who was struggling in the flesh against his brother (Gen. 36:9; 25:21-26a; Mal. 1:3a; Rom. 9:13b; 1 Kings 11:14-16; 2 Kings 8:20, 22; Psa. 83:4-6; 137:7; Num. 20:21). As such a nation, Edom typifies the world of the old and fleshly man who struggles against the God-chosen and spiritual people.
Jehovah will bring the calamity of Esau upon Edom at the time when He punishes him. He will destroy the people of Edom, but He will preserve their orphans alive and let their widows trust in Him (Jer. 49:8-11). Even with such a people, God is very concerned for the widows and the orphans and desires that they, and all human beings, trust in Him.
Jeremiah 49:13 reveals that Bozrah, the capital of Edom, will become a waste, a reproach, a ruin and a curse. All her cities will become eternal desolations.
Jehovah has made Edom small among the nations, despised among men, because of the pride of her heart. She will become an astonishment, and people will hiss at all her wounds. No one will dwell there, nor will a son of man sojourn there, as when Sodom and Gomorrah were overthrown (vv. 15-18).
The purpose of Jehovah's counsel and His thoughts were all against Edom (v. 20; cf. Mal. 1:3-4; Lam. 4:21-22; Isa. 34:5-15; Ezek. 25:12-14; 32:29).
At the war of Armageddon Christ will come to judge the nations from Bozrah of Edom (Jer. 49:22; Rev. 16:12-16; 19:11-15, 19-21; Isa. 63:1-6). The Lord Jesus will come back first to Bozrah, and He will tread the great winepress from Bozrah to Armageddon, destroying Antichrist and all the evil armies of the world gathered there.
In Jeremiah 49:23-27 we see Jehovah's punishment and judgment upon Damascus.
Damascus was a part of Syria (2 Sam. 8:5). It was close to Israel and had dealings and wars with Israel (1 Kings 15:18-21; 19:15-16; 2 Kings 16:7-16; 1 Kings 11:23-25; 1 Chron. 18:5-6; 2 Chron. 24:23). Damascus typifies the world that is close to and involved with the kingdom of God. The Bible shows us that sometimes Damascus was one with Israel but at other times made trouble for Israel. Around the church today there is such an aspect of the world. Sometimes it is good to the church and sometimes it bothers the church.
Jeremiah 49:23 and 24 say that her cities were put to shame because they had heard an evil report. Panic took hold of her, and pain and anguish seized her, like a woman giving birth.
Verse 25 indicates that the city of praise, the town of Jehovah's joy, would be forsaken.
Verse 26 speaks of her young men falling in her open squares, and all her men of war being cut off in that day.
Verse 27 says that Jehovah would set fire to the wall of Damascus, and it would consume the palaces of her king Ben-hadad (cf. Isa. 17:1-3; Amos 1:3-5; Zech. 9:1).
In Jeremiah 49:28-33 we are told of Jehovah's punishment and judgment upon Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor.
Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor are Arabia (Ezek. 27:21). The people of Kedar were the descendants of Ishmael (Gen. 25:13), and they were nomadic (Psa. 120:5; S.S. 1:5; Isa. 60:7). Hazor was very much involved with Israel (Josh. 11:10-13; Judg. 4:2-3; 1 Sam. 12:9). Arabia typifies the world that mixes with the people of God.
Jeremiah 49:28-32 reveals that Jehovah sent the Chaldeans to strike down Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor and destroy the children of the east. The Chaldeans would take away their tents, their flocks, their curtains, all their vessels, and their camels. Terror would be on every side. Nebuchadnezzar had taken counsel against them and had devised a plan against them.
Verse 33 declares that Hazor, which once was a good place for flocks, would become a habitation of jackals, an eternal desolation. No one would dwell there; neither would a son of man sojourn in it (cf. Isa. 21:13-17).
Finally, in Jeremiah 49:34-39 we have Jehovah's punishment and judgment upon Elam.
The forefather of the Elamites was a son of Shem (Gen. 10:22). The nation of Elam was once a province of Media, with the city of Shushan as its capital (Dan. 8:2; Esth. 1:2). The Elamites were enemies of Israel (Ezra 4:9), and in the ancient time the king of Elam was defeated by Abraham (Gen. 14:1, 17). Hence, Elam typifies the world that is the enemy of God's chosen people.
Jehovah was about to break the bow of Elam, the chief part of their might (Jer. 49:35). He would scatter the Elamites into the nations. He would cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies, and He would bring evil upon them, even His burning anger. He would send the sword after them, until He would make an end of them (vv. 36-37; Ezek. 32:24).
Jeremiah 49:39 prophesies that in the last days Jehovah will turn again the captivity of Elam. This assures us that Elam will be a part of the restored nations around the New Jerusalem in the new heaven and new earth. These restored nations will be the spectators, the observers, admiring God's masterpiece, the New Jerusalem.
