Jeremiah 12:7-17.  Wow!  That’s my first reaction after reading today’s verses.  In verses 7-13 Jeremiah describes the coming destruction by Babylon.  He uses the past tense because when God decides something is going to happen it happens; it’s a good as done.  It’s interesting though the words God uses to describe the people of Judah (and Israel for that matter, look back at Jeremiah 11:17 where God brings up the “house of Israel”, they may be gone but not forgotten).  In verse 7 God calls the people of Judah, “My house”, “the Beloved of my soul”, and “my inheritance”.  In verses 8 and 9 he uses “my inheritance” again.  And in verse 10 he calls Judah “my pleasant field”.  All of these descriptions tell me that God cares very much for the people of Judah, they are his, and valuable to him.

In verse 10 we are told that “many shepherds” are responsible for the destruction.  Some Bible experts believe that this in some way is a reference to the Babylonian army who actually invaded and destroyed Judah (well from the point of vies of our story “was going to come and destroy Judah”).  I suppose that the men in the Babylonian army could have been shepherds back home and this could be a literal description of them but it seems more likely that Jeremiah is referring back to the religious and political leaders who had led the people astray.  That is how the word was used back in Jeremiah 10:21 and so far in Jeremiah the word “shepherd” has only been used for leaders in Judah.  In verse 1 we find out that the whole land has been destroyed because no one has cared for it.  In Psalm 23 we learn that when Yahweh (LORD, the one true God) is our shepherd or leader that we are taken care of, have peace even in the middle of troubling events, that we clearly belong to him (the anointing part) and that we have security now and in eternity.  In John 10:10-15 we learn that Jesus is the good shepherd who cared for his sheep even to the point of death (which he actually did).  Here in Jeremiah no one cares and that is why the land is going to be invaded, this is clearly a picture of the people moving away from God at least partly because the leaders have not been good leaders and kept them close to God.  It is sad that even though the king (or at least one of the kings during the time Jeremiah served the people), Josiah, tried to move the people back toward God, that it was not enough.  During the American Revolution Benjamin Franklin is quoted as saying, “We must all hang together, Gentlemen, or we will surely all hang alone.”(some sources say it was Thomas Paine but the point is still the same)  He was indicating that if the revolutionaries did not work together that they would fail and all be executed for their treason against England.  As believers we need to “hang together”; work as a team, if we want to make a difference in our world.  That doesn’t mean that we don’t try, even if it seem like it’s just us, Jeremiah kept telling the people to turn back to God, but we need to realize that our society as a whole may fail.  There are many shepherds in our lives today leading people away from God but we need to continue to be his voice in our world.

In verses 12-13 we see a picture of the invasion and the peoples lives are totally disrupted.  There is no peace and they are not even able to care for their crops.  They have planted but the fields have been filled with weed.  I like to garden but it is hard to keep up sometimes.  If my garden were the total source of my food it would be a full time job.  Sometimes when I get busy with other stuff weeds come up and practically take over, even getting bigger than the plants I have planted.  Here the people have been distracted by the invasion.  When they go back to harvest the wheat they planted all they get are weeds.  Jeremiah makes an interesting comment about this in verse 13, he tells them to be ashamed of their harvest because of the fierce anger of Yahweh.  I wonder if this is a hint back to Genesis 3:17-19 where weeds were one of the consequences of Adam’s disobedience and rebellion (sin).  That would fit with the anger of God.  Here the curse comes back full force when they are double affected by the consequences of their sin.  The invasion is one consequence and then the weeds.  They should have gotten the message and been ashamed.  Shame should lead to a change of heart, but in this situation it doesn’t seemed to have gone that way.

Another thing to notice is that, not only is the invasion called the “anger of the LORD”, but the invaders are called the “sword of the LORD”.  This tells me that what is going on is in God’s control and for God’s purposes.  Some people don’t like this part of the picture of God but remember that the consequence of sin is forever separation from God.  In Hebrew 9:27 we are told that everyone dies once then there is judgment from God.  The next verse in Hebrews tells us that since Jesus died once physically for our sins that those sins will not be brought up at that judgment for those who have put their faith in him.  On the other hand those who have not given their existence to Jesus will be judged according to their deeds.  Since we all have sinned that judgment will lead to banishment from heaven for ever (Romans 3:23, Revelation 20:11-15).  Physical death is awful; it is the unnatural consequence of our disobedience and rebellion against God.  But worse is the eternal death we suffer if we don’t get right with God, and we can only do that through Jesus (John 14:6).  So rebellion is very serious and deserves and requires a serious response.

It is clear from the next part though,  that God’s intention is not total destruction; he is looking for a change of heart.  God want’s people to come back to him.  First we see that the neighbors of Judah who have been misleading them also have their lives disturbed.  It’s not just Judah or Israel who lose their lands, but in verse 15 we see that God has compassion and will eventually bring them back to their land.  From verse 16 we learn that this compassion is talking about the neighbors.  But the compassion is conditional.  These neighbors will be brought back if they will learn to honor the true God, Yahweh (LORD).  They had taught the Israelites to honor Baal (their false god) but now they would need to learn from the Israelites to honor the true God if they wanted to return home and live in peace.  We see in verse 16 that the mercy must have been offered to the Israelites as well because we see that the other nations will be living in the midst of God’s people.  The condition is made very clear in verse 17 where we learn that if the people do not turn to God they will not be restored.

I like it that God both warns and forgives.  In Psalm 23 we see that the shepherd has a tool called both a rod and a staff.  I understand that it was used to hook a sheep and pull it out of a bad situation but that is could also be used to “spank” a sheep.  God will use harsh discipline if he needs to, to get our attention, but in the end he wants us to be comforted.  God wants to forgive but we need to turn to him, just like the nations who led the Israelites astray.  If we do not respond the consequences are very severe, eternity away from God; a situation compared to destruction, but it is a real and conscience existence (Matthew 8:12, 13:42, 51).  God is very patient and loving but he has standards we need to respect that.  We also need to realize he will not force us to be with him, we need to chose; just like the nations around Judah would need to choose.  Finally we need to realize that choosing God means giving up some of our old life.  We need to live for him not the other things we have come to worship and give first place in our lives.

God thank you for your love, thank you for a chance, thank you for showing how serious this all is.  Help me be a good shepherd, help me be worthy of the title “beloved”, help me show you to the world around me and lead them to your everlasting house.