Righteous are You, O LORD, when I plead before You. Yet about Your judgments I wish to contend with You: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease? Righteous are You, O LORDThe Hebrew word for "righteous" is "צַדִּיק" (tsaddiq), which conveys the idea of being just, lawful, and morally right. In the context of ancient Israel, righteousness was not merely a legal status but a relational one, reflecting God's covenant faithfulness. Jeremiah acknowledges God's inherent righteousness, setting the stage for his lament. This acknowledgment is crucial, as it frames the prophet's complaint within a context of faith and reverence, recognizing God's ultimate authority and moral perfection. when I plead with You
The phrase "plead with You" comes from the Hebrew "אָשִׁיב" (ashiv), meaning to argue or present a case. This reflects a legal metaphor, where Jeremiah approaches God as one would a judge. In the ancient Near Eastern context, it was common for individuals to present their grievances before a deity, seeking divine intervention or clarification. Jeremiah's plea is not one of rebellion but of seeking understanding, demonstrating a deep, personal relationship with God where honest dialogue is encouraged. yet I would speak with You about Your justice
The term "justice" is translated from the Hebrew "מִשְׁפָּט" (mishpat), which encompasses judgment, rights, and ordinances. Jeremiah's desire to speak about God's justice indicates a struggle to reconcile his understanding of divine justice with the reality he observes. This reflects a common biblical theme where human perception of justice is challenged by divine wisdom, as seen in the books of Job and Habakkuk. Jeremiah's approach is one of humility and inquiry, seeking to understand God's ways rather than accusing Him of wrongdoing. Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
The word "prosper" is derived from the Hebrew "צָלַח" (tsalach), meaning to advance or succeed. This question echoes a timeless human concern about the apparent success of those who act contrary to God's will. In the historical context of Jeremiah, this was particularly poignant as Judah faced external threats and internal corruption. The prosperity of the wicked challenges the covenantal promises of blessings for obedience, prompting Jeremiah to seek divine insight into this paradox. Why do all the faithless live at ease?
"Faithless" is translated from the Hebrew "בֹּגְדִים" (bogedim), referring to those who are treacherous or unfaithful. The phrase "live at ease" suggests a life free from the struggles and judgments that the faithful might expect the wicked to face. This observation is not just a personal grievance but a theological dilemma, questioning the visible outcomes of faithfulness versus unfaithfulness. Jeremiah's inquiry reflects a deep yearning for understanding God's timing and purposes, trusting that divine justice, though delayed, is ultimately certain. Persons / Places / Events 1. JeremiahA prophet called by God to deliver His messages to the people of Judah. Known for his lamentations and struggles with the people's unfaithfulness. 2. The LORD (Yahweh)The covenant God of Israel, who is righteous and just in all His ways. Jeremiah addresses Him directly in this verse. 3. The WickedThose who live in opposition to God's laws and seem to prosper despite their unrighteousness. 4. JudahThe southern kingdom of Israel, where Jeremiah prophesied. The people of Judah were often unfaithful to God, leading to Jeremiah's lament. 5. The FaithlessThose who have turned away from God, living without regard for His commandments, yet appear to live comfortably. Teaching Points God's Righteousness and JusticeDespite appearances, God is always righteous and just. Our understanding is limited, but His ways are perfect. The Struggle with InjusticeIt is natural to question why the wicked prosper, but we must trust in God's ultimate justice and timing. Faith in God's PlanEven when circumstances seem unfair, believers are called to maintain faith in God's overarching plan and His righteous character. Prayer and Honest Dialogue with GodLike Jeremiah, we can bring our honest questions and struggles to God in prayer, trusting that He hears and understands. Eternal PerspectiveThe prosperity of the wicked is temporary. Believers are encouraged to focus on eternal rewards and God's ultimate justice. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Jeremiah's approach to questioning God in this verse reflect a balance between reverence and honesty? 2. In what ways can we apply Jeremiah's example of bringing our concerns about injustice to God in our own prayer lives? 3. How do other scriptures, like Psalm 73 and Habakkuk 1:13, help us understand the issue of the prosperity of the wicked? 4. What are some practical ways to maintain faith in God's justice when we see the wicked prospering around us? 5. How can focusing on an eternal perspective help us deal with the apparent ease of the faithless in this life? Connections to Other Scriptures Psalm 73This psalm echoes Jeremiah's concern about the prosperity of the wicked and the struggles of the righteous, ultimately finding resolution in God's justice. Habakkuk 1:13Habakkuk also questions why God allows the wicked to prosper, seeking understanding of God's ways. Job 21:7-13Job similarly laments the prosperity of the wicked, questioning the justice of their ease in life. People JeremiahPlaces Anathoth, Jerusalem, Jordan RiverTopics Bring, Case, Cause, Comfort, Complain, Contend, Deal, Dealers, Deceit, Decisions, Discuss, Ease, Evil-doer, Faithless, Happy, Indeed, Judgments, Justice, Matters, O, Plead, Prosper, Prospered, Question, Reason, Rest, Righteous, Secure, Speak, Talk, Thrive, Towards, Treacherous, Treacherously, Treachery, Wherefore, Wicked, Workers, Wouldest, YetDictionary of Bible Themes Jeremiah 12:1 1075 God, justice of
1125 God, righteousness
8722 doubt, nature of
8744 faithlessness, as disobedience Jeremiah 12:1-4 5265 complaints Library Calms and Crises
'If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and though in a land of peace thou art secure, yet how wilt thou do in the pride of Jordan?'--JER. xii. 5, R.V. The prophet has been complaining of his persecutors. The divine answer is here, reproving his impatience, and giving him to understand that harder trials are in store for him. Both clauses mean substantially the same thing, and are of a parabolic nature. The one adduces the metaphor …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureAre You Prepared to Die?
"There is a land of pure delight, Where saints immortal reign; Infinite day excludes the night, And pleasures banish pain." There everlasting spring abides, And never-withering flowers; Death, like a narrow sea, divides This heavenly land from ours." Taking "the swelling of Jordan" to represent the precise time of death, the question really is, what shall we do when we come to die? "How wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?" I. We notice, in the first place, that this is an EXCEEDINGLY PRACTICAL …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 11: 1865 Synagogues: their Origin, Structure and Outward Arrangements
It was a beautiful saying of Rabbi Jochanan (Jer. Ber. v. 1), that he who prays in his house surrounds and fortifies it, so to speak, with a wall of iron. Nevertheless, it seems immediately contradicted by what follows. For it is explained that this only holds good where a man is alone, but that where there is a community prayer should be offered in the synagogue. We can readily understand how, after the destruction of the Temple, and the cessation of its symbolical worship, the excessive value attached …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life The Roman Pilgrimage: the Miracles which were Wrought in It.
[Sidenote: 1139] 33. (20). It seemed to him, however, that one could not go on doing these things with sufficient security without the authority of the Apostolic See; and for that reason he determined to set out for Rome, and most of all because the metropolitan see still lacked, and from the beginning had lacked, the use of the pall, which is the fullness of honour.[507] And it seemed good in his eyes[508] that the church for which he had laboured so much[509] should acquire, by his zeal and labour, …
H. J. Lawlor—St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh Of the Trinity and a Christian, and of the Law and a Christian.
EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. These two short treatises were found among Mr. Bunyan's papers after his decease. They probably were intended for publication, like his 'Prison Meditations' and his 'Map of Salvation,' on a single page each, in the form of a broadside, or handbill. This was the popular mode in which tracts were distributed; and when posted against a wall, or framed and hung up in a room, they excited notice, and were extensively read. They might also have afforded some trifling profit to aid …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Jeremiah, a Lesson for the Disappointed.
"Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord."--Jeremiah i. 8. The Prophets were ever ungratefully treated by the Israelites, they were resisted, their warnings neglected, their good services forgotten. But there was this difference between the earlier and the later Prophets; the earlier lived and died in honour among their people,--in outward honour; though hated and thwarted by the wicked, they were exalted to high places, and ruled in the congregation. …
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VIII The Justice of God
The next attribute is God's justice. All God's attributes are identical, and are the same with his essence. Though he has several attributes whereby he is made known to us, yet he has but one essence. A cedar tree may have several branches, yet it is but one cedar. So there are several attributes of God whereby we conceive of him, but only one entire essence. Well, then, concerning God's justice. Deut 32:4. Just and right is he.' Job 37:23. Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity Jeremiah
The interest of the book of Jeremiah is unique. On the one hand, it is our most reliable and elaborate source for the long period of history which it covers; on the other, it presents us with prophecy in its most intensely human phase, manifesting itself through a strangely attractive personality that was subject to like doubts and passions with ourselves. At his call, in 626 B.C., he was young and inexperienced, i. 6, so that he cannot have been born earlier than 650. The political and religious …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Jeremiah 12:1 NIVJeremiah 12:1 NLTJeremiah 12:1 ESVJeremiah 12:1 NASBJeremiah 12:1 KJV
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