Jeremiah 13

CHAPTER 13

A Linen Belt (13:1–11)

1–11 Here the Lord instructs Jeremiah to perform a symbolic act to illustrate his message.⁵¹ The linen belt (verse 1) represented the close relationship between God and His people. Just as the linen belt was ruined, so will the people’s relationship with God be ruined. It was that relationship which was the true pride of Judah and Jerusalem (verse 9); because of the people’s rebellion and idolatry, their “pride” would be destroyed (verse 10). Instead of clinging to God like a belt, the people abandoned God and thus hastened the day of their own ruin.

Wineskins (13:12–14)

12–14 In order to illustrate what was about to happen to the leaders and people of Judah, the Lord compares them to wine–skins filled with wine—the wine of the Lord’s wrath (Isaiah 51:7). They would stagger into each other like drunken people and thereby bring on their defeat at the hands of their enemies.

Threat of Captivity (13:15–27)

15–17 Here Jeremiah pleads with his people to pay attention and stop being arrogant (verse 15). Their arrogance would lead to their destruction; it would lead to darkness, the darkness of God’s judgment⁵² (verse 16). The thought of judgment leads Jeremiah to weep for his people (verse 17). Once again we see Jeremiah reflecting God’s own heart: he is firm in declaring God’s judgment, but at the same time he wishes it could be avoided.

18–19 Here Jeremiah gives a warning to Judah’s king and queen mother that their reign is about to end;⁵³ exile is imminent. Even the Negev, the desert region of southern Judah, will be overtaken by the enemy. All Judah will soon be carried away.⁵⁴ Within thirty to forty years all this came true, just as Jeremiah prophesied.

20–22 In these verses, Jerusalem is personified as a shepherdess who has lost the flock entrusted to her (verse 20). Jerusalem, the location of the throne and the temple, was in a sense responsible for the entire nation. Jerusalem (Judah’s leaders) had cultivated Babylon as a “specialally” against Egypt; now Babylon would soon be “set over” Jerusalem (verse 21). That experience would be like the pain of a woman in labor.

In verse 22, Jerusalem is pictured as a prostitute, whose skirts have been torn off to shame her and to expose her sin. Her sin is one of unfaithfulness to her true husband, the Lord.

23 Can the leopard change its spots? Here Jeremiah cites a proverb to indicate that Jerusalem’s people were no longer able to change their evil ways. They had become hardened in their sins; they had becomes laves of sin (John8:34). When people persist in sin beyond a certain point—a point known only to God—they cut themselves off from God’s grace; they can no longer turn back;⁵⁵ they can no longer “ change their spots.”

This is all true—from God’s perspective. But from man’s perspective, there is always hope; it is never too late to repent. True, when people persist in rejecting God’s grace, they grow further and further away from Him; hope grows less and less. But it never disappears entirely. Some may feel they are beyond hope of change, but that is never true. All they need to do is to confess their sins and turn in faith to Christ, and He will receive them and purify them from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Up until the day he dies, even the hardened sinner can repent; and if he does, God will “change his spots” (see Luke 23:32,39–43).

24–27 In these verses the Lord speaks directly through His prophet. He will scatter the wicked people of Judah like chaff (verse 24); this is the fate of the wicked (Psalm 1:4). The Lord’s patience is exhausted; He has seen too much of the people’s adulteries and lustful neighings (see Jeremiah 5:7–8) and all their other detestable acts (verse 27). He pronounces a final curse on Jerusalem: “Woe to you.” And then He asks the rhetorical question: “How long will you be unclean?” The answer is: “forever”; God knows that at this point, the people of Jerusalem are incapable of change (verse 23).