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NOTES for Jer 11:18-20

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18 And the LORD hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou shewedst me their doings.
19 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.
20 But, O LORD of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause.
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Hatred of a prophet is a fairly common thing. Of course, when it comes to Jeremiah, one can speak of special circumstances in his ministry. He had to preach in an era when superficial, purely external religiosity was combined in the public consciousness with boastful self-exaltation, confidence in one's own righteousness, and religious nationalism thickly mixed with a peculiar mythology that had nothing in common with Yahwism. The prophet had to spiritually oppose this mixture, provoking at least hostility, and often hostility turning into hatred, especially against the background of military defeats (Jeremiah preached in the last years of Judah's existence, becoming a witness to its end and to the beginning of the Babylonian exile).

But the matter is not only in the specific nature of Jeremiah's prophetic ministry; it is also in the features of this ministry as such. If a prophet were simply a predictor of the future, as prophets are sometimes considered to be, he would quite possibly have been dangerous to those in power, but such a predictor would not have provoked universal hatred. Universal hatred is explained by the fact that a prophet is not a predictor of the future, which in general cannot be predicted if only because no unambiguously programmed future exists, but a witness of God. He sees the situation as God sees it, as God reveals His vision to the prophet. Incidentally, prediction of coming events is also possible here, especially if those events have already matured and are explained by society's current spiritual condition; but even when catastrophe appears inevitable, the prophet usually still calls for conversion: nothing is predetermined, an alternative always exists; one need only repent of committed sins and turn to God. Yet the main thing remains witness, which those against whom it is directed often cannot forgive the prophet. That is what provokes hatred, hatred especially strong because those against whom the prophet's witness is directed understand: if not for him, this bothersome prophet with his preaching, they would have no problems; they could live in peace.

It is possible that these people even understand that the prophet is right, that catastrophe is inevitable; however, the traits of fallen human psychology often force a person to hide his head in the sand and ignore the approaching threat, especially when it can be prevented only by abandoning the accustomed way of life and the accustomed system of values. In such a situation, the prophet's words truly can provoke nothing in his contemporaries except hatred. And only years and decades later, and sometimes centuries later, when the catastrophe about which this prophet warned becomes a fact and is spiritually understood, the descendants of those to whom the prophet spoke will understand and acknowledge that he was right. As happened with Jeremiah.

Other notes

 
For Jer 11:18-20
18 And the LORD hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou shewedst me their doings.
19 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.
20 But, O LORD of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause.
Hide
In the Bible, and above all in the Old Testament books, there is frequent mention of vengeance on God's enemies and other wicked people. Usually such calls come from the mouths of those whom God Himself calls His own: prophets, psalmists...  Read more

In the Bible, and above all in the Old Testament books, there is frequent mention of vengeance on God's enemies and other wicked people. Usually such calls come from the mouths of those whom God Himself calls His own: prophets and psalmists. In the New Testament there is nothing of the kind. Most often this difference is explained by a different spirit of the Old and New Testaments.

True, this explanation sounds somewhat strange: God is one, but the spirit, it turns out, is different? Meanwhile, calls of this kind have another explanation as well. It is connected with the fact that the New Testament books were written after the coming of the Messiah, who is described in them. With the coming of Christ the situation really changed radically, and changed quite objectively. The point is not that with Christ's coming everyone immediately began to understand God and God's love better. People remained what they had been. Something else changed.

Together with the Messiah, the Kingdom entered the world. And in the Kingdom many things are possible that are possible nowhere else. Among other things, the coming of Christ and the entrance of the Kingdom into the world mean the beginning of the time of Judgment. Judgment consists, according to the Savior's word, precisely in this: that light has entered the world, and people flee from it because they do not want to part with their sins. In pre-Christian times this could only be awaited. And many really awaited Judgment with joy and impatience.

The issue is, of course, righteous people, God's people. They did not consider themselves sinless, but they were confident in their choice. And they knew that God would complete the rest, cleansing them of the sin from which they could not free themselves by their own strength. The wicked, however, in every age fled from Judgment.

And God's people always awaited the day when there would be nowhere left for them to flee. Not in order to enjoy vengeful triumph, but in order finally to see God's Kingdom with their own eyes. They knew that God would put everything in its place, but only when the world truly became His Kingdom. And the triumph of the wicked over the righteous they always perceived as the triumph of the powers of darkness over this Kingdom. But they always knew that such triumph is by definition temporary. And they asked God for this time to end sooner, and for the world to become what God had intended it to be.

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For Jer 11:1-23
1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2 Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
3 And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant,
4 Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God:
5 That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. Then answered I, and said, So be it, O LORD.
6 Then the LORD said unto me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and do them.
7 For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice.
8 Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but they did them not.
9 And the LORD said unto me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
10 They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.
11 Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them.
12 Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble.
13 For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to that shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto Baal.
14 Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.
15 What hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? when thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest.
16 The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.
17 For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal.
18 And the LORD hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou shewedst me their doings.
19 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.
20 But, O LORD of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause.
21 Therefore thus saith the LORD of the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, Prophesy not in the name of the LORD, that thou die not by our hand:
22 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will punish them: the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine:
23 And there shall be no remnant of them: for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.
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Jeremiah's compatriots want to kill him. But why?..  Read more

Jeremiah's compatriots want to kill him. But why? Because he “spoke in the name of the Lord” and called everyone to listen to Him and heed the words of His covenant? Can this really be so terrible that they are prepared to “eliminate” the prophet for it? Of course, we might suppose that they disliked his denunciations of their lives, religious beliefs, and lies, but Jeremiah's principal appeal is to “hear the words of the covenant.” When we think about it, this truly is frightening. It is good to live by one's own rules, but better still to be able to choose gods who offer good rules! To hear the words of the covenant God made with Israel, which requires a readiness to listen and respond, a readiness for a real relationship, is difficult, very difficult indeed. Such appeals can get a person killed. But what will remain afterward, when there is neither prophet nor covenant with God?..

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For Jer 11:1-23
1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2 Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
3 And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant,
4 Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God:
5 That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. Then answered I, and said, So be it, O LORD.
6 Then the LORD said unto me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and do them.
7 For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice.
8 Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but they did them not.
9 And the LORD said unto me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
10 They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.
11 Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them.
12 Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble.
13 For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to that shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto Baal.
14 Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.
15 What hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? when thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest.
16 The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.
17 For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal.
18 And the LORD hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou shewedst me their doings.
19 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.
20 But, O LORD of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause.
21 Therefore thus saith the LORD of the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, Prophesy not in the name of the LORD, that thou die not by our hand:
22 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will punish them: the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine:
23 And there shall be no remnant of them: for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.
Hide
The mildest thing one can say about a people who have turned away from the Lord is that they are astonishingly frivolous. But those whom He chose do not value what has been given to them, and such forgetful ingratitude is more than...  Read more

The mildest thing one can say about a people who have turned away from the Lord is that they are astonishingly frivolous. But those whom He chose do not value what has been given to them, and such forgetful ingratitude is more than frivolity. Once Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for lentil stew; but now Jacob's descendants have agreed to exchange what is far more valuable than a birthright not even for food, but for poison. Now, by their own ingratitude, the people have brought a curse upon themselves. Those who turn away from the Source of all good things have no right to claim the use of those good things.

Well, the old saying is still alive: "Until thunder strikes, a man will not cross himself." And today, another man who crossed himself during the storm forgets God after the storm is over. It is too easy to start looking at the Lord pragmatically, turning to Him in times of need and forgetting Him when He is no longer needed. But is such a pragmatic approach not the beginning of betrayal toward Him? A betrayal for which one will have to answer...

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