Jeremiah 23:20

20 The strong vengeance of the Lord shall not turn again, till that he do, and till that he [ful]fill the thought of his heart. In the last days ye shall understand the counsel of him.

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 For why who is present in the counsel of the Lord (For who hath stood in the council of the Lord), and saw, and heard his word? who beheld, and heard the word of him?
19 Lo! the whirlwind of the Lord's indignation shall go out, and tempest breaking [out] shall come on the head of wicked men
20 The strong vengeance of the Lord shall not turn again, till that he do, and till that he [ful]fill the thought of his heart. In the last days ye shall understand the counsel of him.
21 I sent not the prophets, and they ran; I spake not to them, and they prophesied
22 If they had stood in my counsel, and had made known my words to my people, forsooth I had turned them away from their evil way, and from their worst thoughts. (But if they had stood in my council, and had told out my words to my people, then they would have turned them away from their evil ways, and from their worst thoughts.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.