Jeremiah 46 - Prophecy Against Egypt
Notes
Transcript
Notes
Notes
Context
Context
Lexham Context Commentary: Old Testament Jeremiah’s Prophecies Against the Nations, Historical Epilogue (46:1–52:34)
At the outset of the book, Jeremiah was made a prophet over “nations and kingdoms” (1:10). But to this point, almost all of his words have been for Judah. Now he preaches against the nations the same message of judgment.
In chapter 46, God’s word of judgment on Jeremiah focuses on two events: (1) Egypt’s defeat at Carchemish in 605 B.C. and (2) Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion of Egypt around 569-568 B.C.
v. 1
v. 1
“That which came as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations.”
This heading introduces the entire collection of prophecies against foreign nations, which begins here in chapter 46 and extends through chapter 51.
God is the god of all peoples.
31 because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”
31 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 “All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats;
vv. 25-26a
vv. 25-26a
Summary of this chapter
God will put Egypt to shame/The defeat of Egypt’s Army (vv. 2-12)
God will put Egypt to shame/The defeat of Egypt’s Army (vv. 2-12)
In this part of the chapter, verses 2-6 describe the defeat of Egypt in the battle of Carchemish. Verses 7-12 describe the humiliation of the once proud Egypt.
Pharaoh Neco ruled Egypt from 609-595 BC. He was significantly involved in international affairs from the Promised Land to Babylon. Jeremiah began his prophetic career during the reign of King Josiah of Judah, and it was King Josiah that opposed Pharaoh Neco as he traveled north to aid Assyria. In the ensuing battle, King Josiah was killed (2 Kings 23:28-30). When Pharaoh Neco returned from Assyria, he took control of Judah and replaced Josiah’s successor, Jehoahaz, with a king of his own choosing, Jehoiakim (2 Kings 23:31-35). Jehoiakim remained loyal to Pharaoh Neco until Nebuchadnezzar took control of the area after defeating Neco in 605 BC at the battle of Carchemish. Jehoiakim promptly became loyal to Babylon after Neco’s defeat (2 Kings 24:1). For the moment, Neco was able to keep Nebuchadnezzar out of Egypt, but Neco’s involvement in international politics was finished. Second Kings 24:7 says…
7 The king of Egypt did not come out of his land again, for the king of Babylon had taken all that belonged to the king of Egypt from the brook of Egypt to the river Euphrates.
The Battle of Carchemish was a watershed event in the ancient Near East. The Babylonian army defeated the remains of the Assyrian army and its Egyptian allies. With Babylon’s victory at Carchemish, the Assyrian Empire came to an end and Babylon become the undisputed world power. Egyptian designs on world domination would never be realized.
Ethiopia (Cush) and Put (Libya, North Africa) were Egypts neighbors to the south and west.
The Lydians (hailing from Lydia or Lud) was located in central Turkey far to the north of Egypt.
This destruction will come from the Lord by way of the Babylonians, and it will be extreme.
v. 10, “the day of the Lord” - The earliest biblical use of the phrase “day of the Lord” occurs in Amos 5:18. In addition to being used by Amos and Jeremiah, the phrase is also used by Isaiah (Isa. 13:6, 9), Ezekiel (Ezek. 13:5; 30:3), Joel (Joel 1:15; 2:1, 11, 31; 3:14), Obadiah (Obad. 15), Zephaniah (Zeph. 1:7, 14), and Malachi (Mal. 4:5). In Amos’s day, people used the phrase to refer to time when God would set Israel over the other nations. But Amos (and all the other prophets as well) warned Israel that the day of the Lord would be a day of judgment upon them as well if they were unfaithful to God. As here in Jeremiah 46, sometimes the day of the Lord is specifically referring to God’s judgment on a foreign nation (e.g., Babylon— Isa. 13:6, 9; Edom—Obad. 15; and many others—Joel 3:14; Obad. 15). The day of the Lord then is a series of unique days when God brought His judgment upon rebellious nations whether Israel or otherwise. However, the NT teaches that the ultimate day of the Lord will arrive with the return of the Lord Jesus (1 Cor. 1:8; 2 Pet. 3:10).
7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.
Gilead is on the eastern side of the Jordan River.
‘O virgin daughter of Egypt’ is a term of endearment referring to all of Egypt’s people.
‘Many medicines’ refers to strategy.
‘No healing’ refers to aid from another country.
v. 12 ‘shame’ — Shame is feelings associated with failure, public exposure, disgrace, embarrassment, social rejection, ridicule, dishonor, and more. Shame held a very important place in the ancient world. It was associated with one’s outward reputation and inner experience of disgrace. If one violated a social expectation but was undiscovered in the violation, then there was no shame. However, when God’s law was broken, shame resulted whether the sin was known or unknown (Hos. 4:6-7). Shame came from sin, but sin was to be removed from God’s people on the day of liberty (Isa. 61:7). Isaiah 61:1-2a says…
1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the Lord has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners; 2 To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,
Jesus quoted Isaiah 61:1-2 in reference to Himself in Luke 4:18-19.
And Isaiah 61:7 continues…
7 Instead of your shame you will have a double portion, And instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion. Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land, Everlasting joy will be theirs.
In Jesus the year of liberty has come and in Him we are delivered from shame.
God will judge Egypt’s gods and kings (vv. 13-26)
God will judge Egypt’s gods and kings (vv. 13-26)
Babylon attempted to invade Egypt in 601 BC and 568 BC.
Migdol was on Egypt’s northeastern frontier.
Memphis and Tahpanhes were cities in the Nile delta region. Memphis was in the central region and Tahpanhes was in the eastern Nile delta region.
Migdol, Memphis, and Tahpanhes were places that the rebellious remnant fled to. God said those places would be punished by Babylon back in Jeremiah 44:1-14.
v. 17, “They cried there, ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a big noise; He has let the appointed time pass by!’”
His bark was bigger than his bite. He turned out to be all thunder an no lightning.
Tabor is a prominent mountain on the north side of the Jezreel Valley. Carmel is a prominent mountain range on the Mediterranean coast.
By God’s doing, Babylon looms prominently over Egypt.
v. 19, Memphis was the capital of Egypt. It will suffer the same fate as Jerusalem.
v. 20, Babylon would sting Egypt as a horsefly a horse.
v. 25, Amon was an Egyptian sun god whose temple was at Thebes. Eventually Amon would be merged with Re to become Amon-Re, the supreme god among Egypt’s idols.
v. 26, Egypt would endure. God will leave a remnant, perhaps a remnant that will turn to Him.
19 In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the Lord near its border. 20 It will become a sign and a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to the Lord because of oppressors, and He will send them a Savior and a Champion, and He will deliver them. 21 Thus the Lord will make Himself known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day. They will even worship with sacrifice and offering, and will make a vow to the Lord and perform it. 22 The Lord will strike Egypt, striking but healing; so they will return to the Lord, and He will respond to them and will heal them. 23 In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrians will come into Egypt and the Egyptians into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. 24 In that day Israel will be the third party with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, 25 whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.”
God is with Israel (vv. 27-28)
God is with Israel (vv. 27-28)
God said something similar in Jeremiah 30:10-11…
10 ‘Fear not, O Jacob My servant,’ declares the Lord, ‘And do not be dismayed, O Israel; For behold, I will save you from afar And your offspring from the land of their captivity. And Jacob will return and will be quiet and at ease, And no one will make him afraid. 11 ‘For I am with you,’ declares the Lord, ‘to save you; For I will destroy completely all the nations where I have scattered you, Only I will not destroy you completely. But I will chasten you justly And will by no means leave you unpunished.’
Isaiah also said…
8 “But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, Descendant of Abraham My friend, 9 You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, And called from its remotest parts And said to you, ‘You are My servant, I have chosen you and not rejected you. 10 ‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
If Egypt’s humiliation was not permanent (Jer. 46:26), then Israel could take hope that it’s humiliation wouldn’t be permanent.