Jeremiah 12 – Skeptic's Annotated Bible answered

A response and reply to the notes on Jeremiah 12 in the Skeptic's Annotated Bible (SAB).

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King James Version

SAB comment

My comment


1 Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?

Do evildoers prosper?
They appeared to prosper, but it was only for a certain time. See Job 12:6.

2 Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.

3 But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.

Jeremiah asks God to drag away his enemies like "sheep for the slaughter."
Jeremiah does not pray this because they were his enemies, but because they were wicked (verse 1), and therefore they hated people like Jeremiah.
But this prayer is not to be emulated by us. As Calvin notes:

The last expression ought especially to be noticed. The Prophet indeed seems here in an excited feeling to imprecate ruin on the people; but there is no doubt but that he was here discharging the duty of his office, for he was the herald of God’s vengeance. He therefore asks God to execute what he had commanded him to denounce on the people. He had often promulgated what God had resolved to do to them, but he had moved no one: he now then asks God to fulfin what he had foretold the Jews — that they should shortly perish, because they refused to repent.

It is neither unjust nor unrighteous as they had brought these punishment upon themselves.

4 How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end.

5 If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?

6 For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea, they have called a multitude after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee.

7 I have forsaken mine house, I have left mine heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.

  (12:7-9) God delivered his people "into the hand of her enemies." He "hates" his "dearly beloved" people and plans to feed them to the birds.
God forsook them, because of their sins. They are called wicked in verse 1. And God had warned them before this would happen. See also chapter 5:15.

8 Mine heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest; it crieth out against me: therefore have I hated it.

9 Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour.

10 Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.

11 They have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourneth unto me; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart.

12 The spoilers are come upon all high places through the wilderness: for the sword of the LORD shall devour from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh shall have peace.

God's sword will "devour" everyone until "no flesh shall have peace."
Should the people who burn their sons and daughters in the fire, chapter 7:31, have peace?

13 They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns: they have put themselves to pain, but shall not profit: and they shall be ashamed of your revenues because of the fierce anger of the LORD.

14 Thus saith the LORD against all mine evil neighbours, that touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit; Behold, I will pluck them out of their land, and pluck out the house of Judah from among them.

15 And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out I will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.

16 And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, The LORD liveth; as they taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built in the midst of my people.

Is it OK to swear?.
Yes, see Matthew 5:34.

17 But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, saith the LORD.

If any nation does not obey God, he "will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation."
God punishes sin. And evil shall not overcome the good. Why is it unjust or cruel, the icons the author of the SAB uses, that National Socialist Germany and the USSR have not lasted?

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