JEREMIAH WAS NOT TO TAKE A WIFE OR HAVE SONS AND DAUGHTERS, ATTEND FUNERALS, OR PARTICIPATE IN FEASTING, AS A SIGN OF THE DEVASTATION THAT WAS COMING ON JUDAH WHICH WOULD TRANSFORM LIFE FOR ALL ITS INHABITANTS WHO SURVIVED (JEREMIAH 16:1). In powerful words YHWH now tells Jeremiah that he is to demo... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FIRST SIGN: ABSTENTION FROM MARRIAGE AND CHILDBEARING (JEREMIAH 16:2). Jeremiah's abstention from marriage and childbearing was in order to underline the awful future that waited those who were married, along with their wives, sons and daughters. Jeremiah 16:2 “You shall not take for yourself... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SECOND SIGN: ABSTENTION FROM MOURNING (JEREMIAH 16:5). The second sign was to be seen as the abstention from mourning and from attendance at funerals. Proper mourning for the dead was again seen as an essential part of life. Not to do so would have been severely frowned on, for true mourning wa... [ Continue Reading ]
THE THIRD SIGN - NON-PARTICIPATION IN CELEBRATORY FEASTS (JEREMIAH 16:8). The third sign was to absent himself from all celebratory feasts, as an indication that the future was so black that there was nothing to celebrate. It was a sign that soon all merriment would cease in the land. Nothing would... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT JEREMIAH IS TO ANSWER ONCE HE HAS GIVEN HIS EXPLANATION AS TO WHY HE IS ABSTAINING FROM MARRIAGE AND FAMILY LIFE, FROM ALL FORMS OF MOURNING, AND FROM ALL CELEBRATORY FEASTS (JEREMIAH 16:10). With Jeremiah having brought home to the people the significance of his signs, i.e. that they are indic... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SIN OF JUDAH IS ESPECIALLY HEINOUS IN THE LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT ONE DAY THE NATIONS WILL RECOGNISE THE FOLLY OF THEIR IDOLATRY. THIS MAKE JUDAH'S TURNING TO IDOLS TOTALLY REPREHENSIBLE (JEREMIAH 16:19). The encouraging idea that one day the nations would turn from their idols and seek YHWH is p... [ Continue Reading ]