God speaks to Nations through His Prophet

 Jeremiah 46:1-28

It comes as no surprise when God speaks to Israel or Judah, people who are chosen by God through a prophet, but does God speak to other nations, heathen nations by his prophet?  I looked for help and found on page 1310 in the HCSB this note: we have Isaiah 13-21, Ezekiel 25-32, and Amos 1:3-2:3.  They state that it was rare for the prophets to deliver the message themselves, but they gave them to an ambassador who would take the message to his king.

The writers of the HCSB also stated they believe that chapters 46-51 is a collection of messages that God gave at various times during Jeremiah’s ministry.  So the first verse set the stage for these chapters, “The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations.  One wonders how the pagan nations received such messages; we do know that Nineveh’s King humbles himself and led his people to repent when Jonah proclaimed God’s message to the people of Nineveh.  But many of these leaders were proud like the leaders of Jeremiah’s time and ignored the words of God.

This first verse of chapter 46 will cover Chapter 46-51.  “About Egypt concerning the army of Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates at Carchemish and which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah:”

This thought came into my mind as I was reading, what is going to happen to the Pharaoh of Egypt and it is found in Proverbs 30:29-31. “Three things are stately in their tread; four are stately in their stride: the lion, which is mightiest among beasts and does not turn back before any; the strutting rooster, the he-goat, and a king whose army is with him.”  It was Pharaoh’s protection that the people of God sought and not God’s.  So God who loves His people too much to have them putting faith in a man, sent His servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to show once more how foolish they were.  We see this mighty army of Egypt getting ready for battle and then in the next verse full of fear running for their lives.

In verse ten we see who is taking credit for the victory, “That day belongs to the Lord, the God of Hosts, a day of vengeance to avenge Himself against His adversaries.  The sword will devour and be satisfied; it will drink its fill of their blood, because it will be a sacrifice to the Lord, the God of Hosts,
in the northern land by the Euphrates River.”  

In verses fifteen and sixteen we saw the gods of Egypt not being able to stand against the Babylonians and the foreign mercenaries getting up and returning home.  Hirelings will always run and what an example of why you do not want a preacher who is a hireling, but one who knows God is their only source. 

We find in verse 19 Jeremiah giving the same advice to the Egyptians, to pack their bags for exile.  It seems the enemy the people of Judah fled from is now taking the land they fled to.

And the chapter ends with God declaring these promises to Israel and Judah; “But you, My servant Jacob, do not be afraid and do not be discouraged, Israel, for without fail I will save you from far away and your descendants, from the land of their captivity!  Jacob will return and have calm and quiet with no one to frighten him.  And you, My servant Jacob, do not be afraid—this is the Lord’s declaration—for I will be with you.  I will bring destruction on all the nations where I have banished you, but I will not bring destruction on you.  I will discipline you with justice, and I will by no means leave you unpunished.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice