Jeremiah 4

4“O Israel,” says the Lord, “if you wanted to return to me, you could. You could throw away your detestable idols and stray away no more.H7725H3478H5002H3068H7725H5493H8251H6440H51102Then when you swear by my name, saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ you could do so with truth, justice, and righteousness. Then you would be a blessing to the nations of the world, and all people would come and praise my name.”H7650H3068H2416H571H4941H6666H1471H1288H1984

Coming Judgment against Judah

3This is what the Lord says to the people of Judah and Jerusalem: “Plow up the hard ground of your hearts! Do not waste your good seed among thorns.H559H3068H376H3063H3389H5214H5215H2232H69754O people of Judah and Jerusalem, surrender your pride and power. Change your hearts before the Lord

, or my anger will burn like an unquenchable fire because of all your sins.H4135H3068H5493H6190H3824H376H3063H3427H3389H2534H3318H784H1197H3518H6440H7455H46115“Shout to Judah, and broadcast to Jerusalem! Tell them to sound the alarm throughout the land: ‘Run for your lives! Flee to the fortified cities!’H5046H3063H8085H3389H559H8628H7782H776H7121H4390H559H622H935H4013H58926Raise a signal flag as a warning for Jerusalem

: ‘Flee now! Do not delay!’ For I am bringing terrible destruction upon you from the north.”H5375H5251H6726H5756H5975H935H7451H6828H1419H76677A lion stalks from its den, a destroyer of nations. It has left its lair and is headed your way. It’s going to devastate your land! Your towns will lie in ruins, with no one living in them anymore.H738H5927H5441H7843H1471H5265H3318H4725H7760H776H8047H5892H5327H34278So put on clothes of mourning and weep with broken hearts, for the fierce anger of the Lord is still upon us.H2296H8242H5594H3213H2740H639H3068H77259“In that day,” says the Lord, “the king and the officials will tremble in fear. The priests will be struck with horror, and the prophets will be appalled.”H3117H5002H3068H3820H4428H6H3820H8269H3548H8074H5030H853910Then I said, “O Sovereign Lord, the people have been deceived by what you said, for you promised peace for Jerusalem. But the sword is held at their throats!”H559H162H136H3069H403H5377H5377H5971H3389H559H7965H2719H5060H531511The time is coming when the Lord will say to the people of Jerusalem, “My dear people, a burning wind is blowing in from the desert, and it’s not a gentle breeze useful for winnowing grain.H6256H559H5971H3389H6703H7307H8205H4057H1870H1323H5971H2219H130512It is a roaring blast sent by me! Now I will pronounce your destruction!”H4392H7307H935H1696H494113Our enemy rushes down on us like storm clouds! His chariots are like whirlwinds. His horses are swifter than eagles. How terrible it will be, for we are doomed!H5927H6051H4818H5492H5483H7043H5404H188H770314O Jerusalem, cleanse your heart that you may be saved. How long will you harbor your evil thoughts?H3389H3526H3820H7451H3467H205H4284H3885H713015Your destruction has been announced from Dan and the hill country of Ephraim.H6963H5046H1835H8085H205H2022H66916“Warn the surrounding nations and announce this to Jerusalem: The enemy is coming from a distant land, raising a battle cry against the towns of Judah.H2142H1471H8085H3389H5341H935H4801H776H5414H6963H5892H306317They surround Jerusalem like watchmen around a field, for my people have rebelled against me,” says the Lord.H8104H7704H5439H4784H5002H306818“Your own actions have brought this upon you. This punishment is bitter, piercing you to the heart!”H1870H4611H6213H7451H4751H5060H3820

Jeremiah Weeps for His People

19My heart, my heart—I writhe in pain! My heart pounds within me! I cannot be still. For I have heard the blast of enemy trumpets and the roar of their battle cries.H4578H4578H2342H3176H7023H3820H3820H1993H2790H8085H5315H6963H7782H8643H442120Waves of destruction roll over the land, until it lies in complete desolation. Suddenly my tents are destroyed; in a moment my shelters are crushed.H7667H7667H7121H776H7703H6597H168H7703H3407H728121How long must I see the battle flags and hear the trumpets of war?H7200H5251H8085H6963H778222“My people are foolish and do not know me,” says the Lord. “They are stupid children who have no understanding. They are clever enough at doing wrong, but they have no idea how to do right!”H5971H191H3045H5530H1121H995H2450H7489H3190H3045

Jeremiah’s Vision of Coming Disaster

23I looked at the earth, and it was empty and formless. I looked at the heavens, and there was no light.H7200H776H8414H922H8064H21624I looked at the mountains and hills, and they trembled and shook.H7200H2022H7493H1389H704325I looked, and all the people were gone. All the birds of the sky had flown away.H7200H120H5775H8064H507426I looked, and the fertile fields had become a wilderness. The towns lay in ruins, crushed by the Lord’s fierce anger.H7200H3759H4057H5892H5422H6440H3068H2740H63927This is what the Lord says: “The whole land will be ruined, but I will not destroy it completely.H3068H559H776H8077H6213H361728The earth will mourn and the heavens will be draped in black because of my decree against my people. I have made up my mind and will not change it.”H776H56H8064H4605H6937H1696H2161H5162H772529At the noise of charioteers and archers, the people flee in terror. They hide in the bushes and run for the mountains. All the towns have been abandoned—not a person remains!H5892H1272H6963H6571H7198H7411H935H5645H5927H3710H5892H5800H376H3427H200430What are you doing, you who have been plundered? Why do you dress up in beautiful clothing and put on gold jewelry? Why do you brighten your eyes with mascara? Your primping will do you no good! The allies who were your lovers despise you and seek to kill you.H7703H6213H3847H8144H5710H5716H2091H7167H5869H6320H7723H3302H5689H3988H1245H531531I hear a cry, like that of a woman in labor, the groans of a woman giving birth to her first child. It is beautiful Jerusalem

gasping for breath and crying out, “Help! I’m being murdered!”H8085H6963H2470H6869H1069H6963H1323H6726H3306H6566H3709H188H5315H5888H2026