Jeremiah Chapter 8
1 "At that time," says the LORD, "they will bring the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of his princes, the bones of the priests, the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves.
2 They will spread them before the sun, the moon, and all the army of the sky, which they have loved, which they have served, after which they have walked, which they have sought, and which they have worshipped. They will not be gathered or be buried. They will be like dung on the surface of the earth.
3 Death will be chosen rather than life by all the residue that remain of this evil family, that remain in all the places where I have driven them," says the LORD of Armies.
4 "Moreover you shall tell them, 'The LORD says: " 'Do men fall, and not rise up again? Does one turn away, and not return?
5 Why then have the people of Jerusalem fallen back by a perpetual backsliding? They cling to deceit. They refuse to return.
6 I listened and heard, but they didn't say what is right. No one repents of his wickedness, saying, "What have I done?" Everyone turns to his course, as a horse that rushes headlong in the battle.
7 Yes, the stork in the sky knows her appointed times. The turtledove, the swallow, and the crane observe the time of their coming; but my people don't know the LORD's law.
8 " 'How do you say, "We are wise, and the LORD's law is with us?" But, behold, the false pen of the scribes has made that a lie.
9 The wise men are disappointed. They are dismayed and trapped. Behold, they have rejected the LORD's word. What kind of wisdom is in them?
10 Therefore I will give their wives to others and their fields to those who will possess them. For everyone from the least even to the greatest is given to covetousness; from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely.
11 They have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, "Peace, peace," when there is no peace.
12 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed. They couldn't blush. Therefore they will fall amongst those who fall. In the time of their visitation they will be cast down, says the LORD.
13 " 'I will utterly consume them, says the LORD. No grapes will be on the vine, no figs on the fig tree, and the leaf will fade. The things that I have given them will pass away from them.' "
14 "Why do we sit still? Assemble yourselves! Let's enter into the fortified cities, and let's be silent there; for the LORD our God has put us to silence, and given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.
15 We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of healing, and behold, dismay!
16 The snorting of his horses is heard from Dan. The whole land trembles at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they have come, and have devoured the land and all that is in it, the city and those who dwell therein."
17 "For, behold, I will send serpents, adders amongst you, which will not be charmed; and they will bite you," says the LORD.
18 Oh that I could comfort myself against sorrow! My heart is faint within me.
19 Behold, the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people from a land that is very far off: "Isn't the LORD in Zion? Isn't her King in her?" "Why have they provoked me to anger with their engraved images, and with foreign idols?"
20 "The harvest is past. The summer has ended, and we are not saved."
21 For the hurt of the daughter of my people, I am hurt. I mourn. Dismay has taken hold of me.
22 Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then isn't the health of the daughter of my people recovered?
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Jeremiah Chapter 8 Guide
Utter desolation would overtake them so that death would be chosen rather than life. This sin of idolatry had been aggravated by the people's terrible persistence therein. If men fall it is naturally expected that they will rise, if they wander that they will return. In the case of Jerusalem this had not been so, their backsliding had been perpetual. There was no sign of repentance. The people did not know the ordinance or judgment of the Lord.
Because of this perpetual backsliding the judgment was again pronounced, and with the same care the prophet declared the reason to be their complete corruption, the false healing of their wound by prophet and priest, and their lack of shame. Therefore the judgment was to be complete.
The prophet then voiced the cry of the people in answer to the doom. It was characterized, first, by rebellion against the action of Jehovah, and then by remorse. The message ends with a new declaration of the certainty and imminence of judgment.
The strain of the terrible message on the prophet now became evident as he poured out his soul in lamentation. His perplexity was great, and he was conscious of the offended King, and the unhealing physician, and in his anguish cried out, "Why have they provoked me to anger?"
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Jeremiah Chapter 8 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- The remains of the dead exposed. -- (1-3)
- The stupidity of the people, compared with the instinct of the brute creation. -- (4-13)
- The alarm of the invasion, and lamentation. -- (14-22)
Verses 1-3
Though no real hurt can be done to a dead body, yet disgrace to the remains of wicked persons may alarm those yet alive; and this reminds us that the Divine justice and punishments extend beyond the grave. Whatever befalls us here, let us humble ourselves before God, and seek his mercy.
Verses 4-13
What brought this ruin?
- The people would not attend to reason; they would not act in the affairs of their souls with common prudence. Sin is backsliding; it is going back from the way that leads to life, to that which leads to destruction.
- They would not attend to the warning of conscience. They did not take the first step towards repentance: true repentance begins in serious inquiry as to what we have done, from conviction that we have done amiss.
- They would not attend to the ways of providence, nor understand the voice of God in them, Jer. 8:7. They know not how to improve the seasons of grace, which God affords. Many boast of their religious knowledge, yet, unless taught by the Spirit of God, the instinct of brutes is a more sure guide than their supposed wisdom.
- They would not attend to the written word. Many enjoy abundance of the means of grace, have Bibles and ministers, but they have them in vain. They will soon be ashamed of their devices. The pretenders to wisdom were the priests and the false prophets. They flattered people in sin, and so flattered them into destruction, silencing their fears and complaints with, All is well. Selfish teachers may promise peace when there is no peace; and thus men encourage each other in committing evil; but in the day of visitation they will have no refuge to flee unto.
Verses 14-22
At length they begin to see the hand of God lifted up. And when God appears against us, every thing that is against us appears formidable. As salvation only can be found in the Lord, so the present moment should be seized. Is there no medicine proper for a sick and dying kingdom? Is there no skilful, faithful hand to apply the medicine? Yes, God is able to help and to heal them. If sinners die of their wounds, their blood is upon their own heads. The blood of Christ is balm in Gilead, his Spirit is the Physician there, all-sufficient; so that the people may be healed, but will not. Thus men die unpardoned and unchanged, for they will not come to Christ to be saved.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.