Jeremiah 17:24-27

B. Promise and Threat Jeremiah 17:24-27

TRANSLATION

(24) And it shall come to pass if you fully hearken unto Me (oracle of the LORD) not to carry a burden into the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, and to sanctify the Sabbath day not to do in it any work, (25) then there shall pass through the gates of this city kings and princes who sit upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their princes, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and this city shall be inhabited forever. (26) And they shall come from the cities of Judah and from the environs of Jerusalem and from the land of Benjamin and from the Shephelah and from the hill country and from the Negev bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices and meal offerings and in cense, and bringing thank offerings to the house of the LORD. (27) But if you do not hearken unto Me to sanctify the Sabbath day and not to carry a burden while going through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will place a fire in her gates, and it shall consume the palaces of Jerusalem and shall not be extinguished.

COMMENTS

If there was any manifestation of national repentance with regard to the Sabbath observance the city would be spared. Things would continue as usual with kings and their entourages passing through the gates of the city (Jeremiah 17:24-25). From all parts of the territories of Judah and Benjamin men would continue to come to Jerusalem to offer sacrifice. The Shephelah, the Negev and the hill country are the three geographical regions of Judah. The Shephelah was the lowland region which separated the coastal plains from the hill country. The Negev was the region south of Beersheba. The different types of sacrifice or offerings enumerated prove conclusively that Jeremiah was not opposed to sacrifice as such. He mentions (1) burnt offerings, (2) sacrifices or peace offerings, (3) meal offerings, (4) incense, and (5) thank-offerings. If the people of Judah would only keep the Sabbath commandment business and worship would continue as usual. But if the exhortation to sanctify the Sabbath is ignored, then God will kindle an unquenchable fire in the gates of Jerusalem. Fire here as in Amos 1:4 to Amos 2:5 is symbolic of war.

Jeremiah's sermon on Sabbath observance underscores the fact that prophecies, no matter how final in tone, are conditional. God is always ready to receive the repentant sinner and forgive him. While Jeremiah had on numerous occasions spoken of the judgment to come as inevitable, he here makes it clear that he had a program for the people, a program which if followed could in fact avert the disaster. Jeremiah had been pleading with the people to put their trust in God alone. Now he urges them to show their faith by their works. By sanctifying the Sabbath day the inhabitants of Judah could demonstrate their faith in God. The Lord had promised to so bless their six days of labor that they could afford to set aside the seventh day for His service (Deuteronomy 28:1-14). If they really had faith in God they would not hesitate to sanctify the Sabbath. Of course the generation of Jeremiah's day did not comply with the conditions stipulated in this sermon and consequently the city of Jerusalem was destroyed by the armies of Nebuchadnezzar,