◄ Jeremiah 12:8 ►
My inheritance has become to Me like a lion in the forest. She has roared against Me; therefore I hate her.
Study Bible
My inheritance
In Jeremiah 12:8, the phrase "My inheritance" refers to the people of Israel, whom God has chosen as His special possession. The Hebrew word for inheritance, "נַחֲלָה" (nachalah), signifies a portion or possession that is passed down. In the context of the Old Testament, Israel is often described as God's inheritance, emphasizing the covenant relationship between God and His people. This relationship is rooted in the promises made to the patriarchs, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and highlights the special status of Israel as a nation set apart for God's purposes.

has become to Me
The phrase "has become to Me" indicates a change in the relationship between God and His people. It suggests a shift from a position of favor to one of disfavor. This change is not due to God's unfaithfulness but rather the people's persistent disobedience and idolatry. The Hebrew verb "הָיָה" (hayah) is used here, which means "to become" or "to come to pass," indicating a transformation in the nature of the relationship.

like a lion in the forest
The imagery of "like a lion in the forest" conveys a sense of danger and hostility. Lions are known for their strength and ferocity, and in the ancient Near Eastern context, they were often seen as symbols of power and destruction. The forest, or "יַעַר" (ya'ar) in Hebrew, represents a place of wildness and untamed nature. This metaphor suggests that Israel, once a cherished possession, has become wild and rebellious, posing a threat to the harmony of the relationship with God.

She roars against Me
"She roars against Me" further emphasizes the aggressive and rebellious nature of Israel's actions. The Hebrew verb "שָׁאַג" (sha'ag) means "to roar" or "to cry out," often associated with the roar of a lion. This roaring signifies defiance and opposition to God's authority. It is a vivid depiction of Israel's spiritual rebellion, as they have turned away from God's commandments and pursued their own desires, much like a lion asserting its dominance.

Therefore I hate her
The phrase "Therefore I hate her" is a strong expression of God's righteous indignation towards Israel's unfaithfulness. The Hebrew word "שָׂנֵא" (sane) means "to hate" or "to reject." In this context, it reflects God's response to the persistent sin and rebellion of His people. It is important to understand that this hatred is not a capricious or emotional reaction but a just response to the covenant violations. God's holiness and justice demand a response to sin, and this phrase underscores the seriousness of Israel's spiritual adultery.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jeremiah
A prophet called by God to deliver messages of warning and hope to the people of Judah. His ministry spanned the reigns of several kings and was marked by themes of judgment and restoration.

2. Judah
The southern kingdom of Israel, often referred to as God's inheritance. During Jeremiah's time, Judah was facing imminent judgment due to its persistent idolatry and rebellion against God.

3. God
The speaker in this verse, expressing His deep disappointment and anger towards His people, Judah, who have turned against Him.

4. Lion in the Forest
A metaphor used to describe Judah's aggressive and rebellious stance against God, symbolizing danger and hostility.

5. The Forest
Represents the world or the environment in which Judah operates, highlighting the natural setting of their rebellion.
Teaching Points
Understanding God's Inheritance
Recognize that as believers, we are God's inheritance, and our actions should reflect our identity in Him. Judah's rebellion serves as a warning against taking our relationship with God for granted.

The Consequences of Rebellion
Judah's transformation into a "lion" against God illustrates the destructive nature of sin and rebellion. We must examine our lives for areas where we might be resisting God's will.

God's Righteous Anger
God's hatred towards Judah's rebellion is a reminder of His holiness and justice. It calls us to live in reverence and obedience, understanding that God's love also includes His righteous judgment.

Repentance and Restoration
While this verse highlights God's anger, it also implicitly calls for repentance. We should seek to restore our relationship with God through confession and turning away from sin.

Metaphors in Scripture
The use of metaphors like the "lion in the forest" helps us understand spiritual truths. Reflect on how God uses imagery in the Bible to communicate His messages effectively.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the metaphor of a "lion in the forest" help us understand Judah's relationship with God at this time?

2. In what ways can we, as modern believers, become like a "lion" against God, and how can we prevent this?

3. How does understanding God's perspective on His inheritance (Judah) influence our view of our identity as His people?

4. What are some practical steps we can take to ensure we are living in obedience and not rebellion against God?

5. How do the themes of judgment and restoration in Jeremiah 12:8 connect with the broader account of redemption in the Bible?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Isaiah 5:1-7
This passage uses the metaphor of a vineyard to describe Israel's unfaithfulness, similar to the lion imagery in Jeremiah 12:8, emphasizing God's disappointment with His people.

Hosea 5:14
God is depicted as a lion, showing His power and judgment, which contrasts with Judah's rebellious roar against Him in Jeremiah 12:8.

Psalm 74:1-2
The psalmist laments God's anger towards His inheritance, paralleling the theme of divine disappointment and the need for restoration.
Sermons
Leaving All for GodA.F. Muir Jeremiah 12:7, 8
The Inheritance that has Lost its CharmsD. Young Jeremiah 12:7-11
The Hiding of God's FaceS. Conway Jeremiah 12:7-13
People
Jeremiah
Places
Anathoth, Jerusalem, Jordan River
Topics
Crieth, Forest, Forth, Hate, Hated, Heritage, Inheritance, Lifted, Lion, Loud, Raised, Roared, Roars, Uttered, Voice, Woodland
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Jeremiah 12:8

     4448   forests
     4666   lion
     5875   hatred

Jeremiah 12:7-8

     1025   God, anger of

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 Scripture

Are 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

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