Enemies of Israel will face Judgment

 Jeremiah 47

Jeremiah prophecies against the Philistines and it is evident they have been an enemy of Israel and Judah, almost from the time God’s people came out of Egypt with Moses.   Now we have Jeremiah proclaiming this is what the Lord says: “Behold, waters are rising out of the north, and shall become an overflowing torrent; they shall overflow the land and all that fills it, the city and those who dwell in it.  Men shall cry out, and every inhabitant of the land shall wail.”  These waters are not going to bring fertile deposits; no the waters are referring to the Babylonian army invading the land from the north.

The invasion brings such fear that the fathers leave their children and sons to be captured or slaughtered.  The army from the north will come with such speed, and the fear will overtake those who have gods who cannot see or hear.  And we have Jeremiah prophesying that the Babylonian army is going to destroy the Philistines, Tyre and Sidon and cut off all of its remaining allies.

In verse five we see things that are very strange to one in our modern world, as things got worst for them they shaved their heads, they became silent, and they began to cut themselves as a way of making the Lord’s punishment cease.

And verses 6-7, end the chapter with this word: “Oh, sword of the Lord!
How long will you be restless?  Go back to your sheath; be still; be silent!
How can it rest when the Lord has given it a command?  He has assigned it
against Ashkelon and the shore of the sea.”  When any nation becomes an enemy of Israel at some point they will face judgment, and when the sword of the Lord is out of the sheath, it will not go back until all it was assigned has been done.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice