Isaiah 11
Jeremiah 11 is a chapter in which God gives Jeremiah to warn the people of Israel about the old covenant (the covenant made with Moses) and about their disobedience. God reminds the people of Israel of the covenant they made with their ancestors after the Exodus, promising blessings when they kept that covenant, but warning that calamity would come due to their disobedience and idolatry. The chapter also depicts a scene in which Jeremiah himself is threatened for his life by the people of Anathoth, his hometown.
1verseA shoot will come out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots will bear fruit.
2verseThe LORD’s Spirit will rest on him: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.
3verseHis delight will be in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by the sight of his eyes, neither decide by the hearing of his ears;
4versebut he will judge the poor with righteousness, and decide with equity for the humble of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the breath of his lips he will kill the wicked.
5verseRighteousness will be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his waist.
6verseThe wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, the calf, the young lion, and the fattened calf together; and a little child will lead them.
7verseThe cow and the bear will graze. Their young ones will lie down together. The lion will eat straw like the ox.
8verseThe nursing child will play near a cobra’s hole, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.
9verseThey will not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
10verseIt will happen in that day that the nations will seek the root of Jesse, who stands as a banner of the peoples; and his resting place will be glorious.
11verseIt will happen in that day that the Lord will set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant that is left of his people from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
12verseHe will set up a banner for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
13verseThe envy also of Ephraim will depart, and those who persecute Judah will be cut off. Ephraim won’t envy Judah, and Judah won’t persecute Ephraim.
14verseThey will fly down on the shoulders of the Philistines on the west. Together they will plunder the children of the east. They will extend their power over Edom and Moab, and the children of Ammon will obey them.
15verseThe LORD will utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his scorching wind he will wave his hand over the River, and will split it into seven streams, and cause men to march over in sandals.
16verseThere will be a highway for the remnant that is left of his people from Assyria, like there was for Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.
Structure and Flow
- Verses 1-8: God instructs Jeremiah to proclaim the covenant’s words to the people. The core of the covenant is that obedience to God’s word brings blessing, but disobedience brings judgment.
- Verses 9-17: As a result of the people breaking the covenant and falling into idolatry, God declares that he will no longer listen to them. He says that when calamity comes, even if they seek help, he will not respond.
- Verses 18-23: A situation appears in which Jeremiah’s hometown people (Anathoth) make plans to harm him. Jeremiah informs God about this situation, and God promises to judge the plan.
Overall Meaning and Direction for Reflection
This chapter once again reminds us of the importance of the covenant and the key meaning that obedience has in the relationship between God and the people. At the same time, it clearly shows how serious the consequences of communal disobedience are, and how God’s heart aches because of the people’s disobedience. Finally, we can observe how persecution of the one who proclaims the truth (the prophet) unfolds in real life, and also how God’s protection and justice are revealed.
Points for Reflection
- Let us check whether the community or country to which I belong is keeping God’s will and covenant.
- Let us reflect on what kind of attitude the one who conveys God’s will, and the one who listens to that message, have—reflect on my life and my attitude.
- Let us reflect again on the fruits of obedience and disobedience, and on my relationship with God.
Apply to Yourself
- Within a covenantal relationship with God, think about which part of my life needs obedience.
- Sometimes opposition or persecution may come to the one who proclaims the truth, but let us remember that we can trust God’s protection and justice.
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