Jeremiah 23:20

20 "The 1anger of the LORD will not turn back Until He has 2performed and carried out the purposes of His heart; 3In the last days you will clearly understand it.

Jeremiah 23:20 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 23:20

The anger of the Lord shall not return
Having a commission from him, and being sent forth on an errand to do business for him, it shall not return to him, without having done it; as a servant sent by his master does not return till he has finished what he was sent about: until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his
heart;
all his counsels, purposes, and designs, respecting those his anger kindled against, the false prophets and wicked Jews: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly;
when too late to avert it by repentance and reformation when all this shall be fulfilled, and the seventy years captivity take place; or, "in the end of days" F4; in the latter part off time, when the Jews shall be converted, and seek the Lord their God, ( Hosea 3:5 ) ; then "shall [they] understand it with an understanding" F5, as it may be rendered; when they shall have the veil removed from them, and turn to the Lord; then they shall have a true and thorough understanding of these things; of the cause and reason of them; and of the mind of God in them, and the ends to be answered by them. Kimchi says this will be in the times of the Messiah.


FOOTNOTES:

F4 (Mymyh tyrxab) "in extremo dierum", Cocceius; "in extremitate dierum", Calvin, Piscator, Schmidt.
F5 (hnyb hb wngwbtt) "intelligetis hoc inteliigentia", Calvin, Gataker.

Jeremiah 23:20 In-Context

18 "But who has stood in the council of the LORD , That he should see and hear His word? Who has given heed to His word and listened?
19 "Behold, the storm of the LORD has gone forth in wrath, Even a whirling tempest; It will swirl down on the head of the wicked
20 "The anger of the LORD will not turn back Until He has performed and carried out the purposes of His heart; In the last days you will clearly understand it.
21 "I did not send these prophets, But they ran. I did not speak to them, But they prophesied
22 "But if they had stood in My council, Then they would have announced My words to My people, And would have turned them back from their evil way And from the evil of their deeds.

Cross References 3

  • 1. 2 Kings 23:26, 27; Jeremiah 30:24
  • 2. Isaiah 55:11; Zechariah 1:6
  • 3. Genesis 49:1
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