The Lord Proclaims Judgment

Jeremiah 5

14 Therefore thus says the LORD God of hosts:
"Because you speak this word,
z Behold, I will make My words in your mouth fire,
And this people wood,
And it shall devour them. 15 Behold, I will bring a a nation against you b from afar,
O house of Israel," says the LORD.
"It is a mighty nation,
It is an ancient nation,
A nation whose language you do not know,
Nor can you understand what they say. 16 Their quiver is like an open tomb;
They are all mighty men. 17 And they shall eat up your c harvest and your bread,
Which your sons and daughters should eat.
They shall eat up your flocks and your herds;
They shall eat up your vines and your fig trees;
They shall destroy your fortified cities,
In which you trust, with the sword.

18 "Nevertheless in those days," says the LORD, "I d will not 1 make a complete end of you. 19 "And it will be when you say, e 'Why does the LORD our God do all these things to us?' then you shall answer them, 'Just as you have f forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your land, so g you shall serve aliens in a land that is not yours.'

20 "Declare this in the house of Jacob
And proclaim it in Judah, saying, 21 'Hear this now, O h foolish people,
Without 2 understanding,
Who have eyes and see not,
And who have ears and hear not: 22 i Do you not fear Me?' says the LORD.
'Will you not tremble at My presence,
Who have placed the sand as the j bound of the sea,
By a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass beyond it?
And though its waves toss to and fro,
Yet they cannot prevail;
Though they roar, yet they cannot pass over it. 23 But this people has a defiant and rebellious heart;
They have revolted and departed. 24 They do not say in their heart,
"Let us now fear the LORD our God,
k Who gives rain, both the l former and the latter, in its season.
m He reserves for us the appointed weeks of the harvest." 25 n Your iniquities have turned these things away,
And your sins have withheld good from you. 26 'For among My people are found wicked men;
They o lie in wait as one who sets snares;
They set a trap;
They catch men. 27 As a cage is full of birds,
So their houses are full of deceit.
Therefore they have become great and grown rich. 28 They have grown p fat, they are sleek;
Yes, they 3 surpass the deeds of the wicked;
They do not plead q the cause,
The cause of the fatherless;
r Yet they prosper,
And the right of the needy they do not defend. 29 s Shall I not punish them for these things?' says the LORD.
'Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?'

30 "An astonishing and t horrible thing
Has been committed in the land: 31 The prophets prophesy u falsely,
And the priests rule by their own power;
And My people v love to have it so.
But what will you do in the end?

  1. Cross References
    Isaiah 24:6
    Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, And those who dwell in it are desolate. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, And few men are left.
    Jeremiah 1:9
    Then the LORD put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to me: "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.
    Jeremiah 23:29
    Is not My word like a fire?" says the LORD, "And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
    Hosea 6:5
    Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of My mouth; And your judgments are like light that goes forth.
    Zechariah 1:6
    Yet surely My words and My statutes, Which I commanded My servants the prophets, Did they not overtake your fathers? "So they returned and said: 'Just as the LORD of hosts determined to do to us, According to our ways and according to our deeds, So He has dealt with us.' " '
  2. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 28:49
    The LORD will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flies, a nation whose language you will not understand.
    Isaiah 5:26
    He will lift up a banner to the nations from afar, And will whistle to them from the end of the earth; Surely they shall come with speed, swiftly.
    Jeremiah 1:15
    For behold, I am calling All the families of the kingdoms of the north," says the LORD; "They shall come and each one set his throne At the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, Against all its walls all around, And against all the cities of Judah.
    Jeremiah 6:22
    Thus says the LORD: "Behold, a people comes from the north country, And a great nation will be raised from the farthest parts of the earth.
  3. Cross References
    Isaiah 39:3
    Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah, and said to him, "What did these men say, and from where did they come to you?" So Hezekiah said, "They came to me from a far country, from Babylon.
    Jeremiah 4:16
    Make mention to the nations, Yes, proclaim against Jerusalem, That watchers come from a far country And raise their voice against the cities of Judah.
  4. Cross References
    Leviticus 26:16
    I also will do this to you: I will even appoint...
    Deuteronomy 28:31
    Your ox shall be slaughtered before your eyes, ...
    Deuteronomy 28:33
    A nation whom you have not known shall eat the ...
    Jeremiah 8:16
    The snorting of His horses was heard from Dan. ...
    Jeremiah 50:7
    All who found them have devoured them; And thei...
    Jeremiah 50:17
    "Israel is like scattered sheep; The lions have...
  5. Cross References
    Jeremiah 30:11
    For I am with you,' says the LORD, 'to save you; Though I make a full end of all nations where I have scattered you, Yet I will not make a complete end of you. But I will correct you in justice, And will not let you go altogether unpunished.
    Amos 9:8
    Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are on the sinful kingdom, And I will destroy it from the face of the earth; Yet I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob," Says the LORD.
  6. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 29:24 - 29
    "All nations would say, 'Why has the LORD done so to this land? What does the heat of this great anger mean?'
    1 Kings 9:8
    "And as for this house, which is exalted, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and will hiss, and say, 'Why has the LORD done thus to this land and to this house?'
    1 Kings 9:9
    "Then they will answer, 'Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, and worshiped them and served them; therefore the LORD has brought all this calamity on them.'"
    Jeremiah 13:22
    And if you say in your heart, "Why have these things come upon me?" For the greatness of your iniquity Your skirts have been uncovered, Your heels made bare.
    Jeremiah 16:10 - 13
    "And it shall be, when you show this people all these words, and they say to you, 'Why has the LORD pronounced all this great disaster against us? Or what is our iniquity? Or what is our sin that we have committed against the LORD our God?'
  7. Cross References
    Jeremiah 1:16
    I will utter My judgments Against them concerning all their wickedness, Because they have forsaken Me, Burned incense to other gods, And worshiped the works of their own hands.
    Jeremiah 2:13
    For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns - broken cisterns that can hold no water.
  8. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 28:48
    Therefore you shall serve your enemies, whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in need of everything; and He will put a yoke of iron on your neck until He has destroyed you.
    Jeremiah 16:13
    'Therefore I will cast you out of this land into a land that you do not know, neither you nor your fathers; and there you shall serve other gods day and night, where I will not show you favor.'
  9. Cross References
    Isaiah 6:9
    And He said, "Go, and tell this people: 'Keep o...
    Jeremiah 6:10
    To whom shall I speak and give warning, That th...
    Ezekiel 12:2
    Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebelli...
    Matthew 13:14
    And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled...
    John 12:40
    "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their h...
    Acts 28:26
    Saying, 'Go to this people and say: "Hearing yo...
    Romans 11:8
    Just as it is written: "God has given them a sp...
  10. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 28:58
    If you do not carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD.
    Psalms 119:120
    My flesh trembles for fear of You, And I am afraid of Your judgments.
    Jeremiah 2:19
    Your own wickedness will correct you, And your backslidings will rebuke you. Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing That you have forsaken the LORD your God, And the fear of Me is not in you," Says the Lord GOD of hosts.
    Jeremiah 10:7
    Who would not fear You, O King of the nations? For this is Your rightful due. For among all the wise men of the nations, And in all their kingdoms, There is none like You.
    Revelation 15:4
    Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, For Your judgments have been manifested.
  11. Cross References
    Job 26:10
    He drew a circular horizon on the face of the waters, At the boundary of light and darkness.
  12. Cross References
    Psalms 147:8
    Who covers the heavens with clouds, Who prepares rain for the earth, Who makes grass to grow on the mountains.
    Jeremiah 14:22
    Are there any among the idols of the nations that can cause rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Are You not He, O LORD our God? Therefore we will wait for You, Since You have made all these.
    Matthew 5:45
    That you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
    Acts 14:17
    "Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness."
  13. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 11:14
    Then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil.
    Joel 2:23
    Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the LORD your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you - The former rain, And the latter rain in the first month.
    James 5:7
    Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.
  14. Cross References
    Genesis 8:22
    While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.
  15. Cross References
    Jeremiah 3:3
    Therefore the showers have been withheld, And there has been no latter rain. You have had a harlot's forehead; You refuse to be ashamed.
  16. Cross References
    Psalms 10:9
    He lies in wait secretly, as a lion in his den; He lies in wait to catch the poor; He catches the poor when he draws him into his net.
    Proverbs 1:11
    If they say, "Come with us, Let us lie in wait to shed blood; Let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause.
    Jeremiah 18:22
    Let a cry be heard from their houses, When You bring a troop suddenly upon them; For they have dug a pit to take me, And hidden snares for my feet.
    Habakkuk 1:15
    They take up all of them with a hook, They catch them in their net, And gather them in their dragnet. Therefore they rejoice and are glad.
  17. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 32:15
    But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; You grew fat, you grew thick, You are obese! Then he forsook God who made him, And scornfully esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
  18. Cross References
    Isaiah 1:23
    Your princes are rebellious, And companions of thieves; Everyone loves bribes, And follows after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, Nor does the cause of the widow come before them.
    Jeremiah 7:6
    If you do not oppress the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, or walk after other gods to your hurt.
    Jeremiah 22:3
    Thus says the LORD: "Execute judgment and righteousness, and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor. Do no wrong and do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, or the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.
    Zechariah 7:10
    Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, The alien or the poor. Let none of you plan evil in his heart Against his brother.
  19. Cross References
    Job 12:6
    The tents of robbers prosper, And those who provoke God are secure - In what God provides by His hand.
    Psalms 73:12
    Behold, these are the ungodly, Who are always at ease; They increase in riches.
  20. Cross References
    Jeremiah 5:9
    Shall I not punish them for these things? " says the LORD. "And shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?
    Malachi 3:5
    And I will come near you for judgment; I will be a swift witness Against sorcerers, Against adulterers, Against perjurers, Against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans, And against those who turn away an alien - Because they do not fear Me," Says the LORD of hosts.
  21. Cross References
    Jeremiah 23:14
    Also I have seen a horrible thing in the prophets of Jerusalem: They commit adultery and walk in lies; They also strengthen the hands of evildoers, So that no one turns back from his wickedness. All of them are like Sodom to Me, And her inhabitants like Gomorrah.
    Hosea 6:10
    I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel: There is the harlotry of Ephraim; Israel is defiled.
    2 Timothy 4:3
    For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers.
  22. Cross References
    Jeremiah 14:14
    And the LORD said to me, "The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart.
    Ezekiel 13:6
    They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, 'Thus says the LORD!' But the LORD has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed.
  23. Cross References
    Micah 2:11
    If a man should walk in a false spirit And speak a lie, saying, 'I will prophesy to you of wine and drink,' Even he would be the prattler of this people.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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