◄ Jeremiah 13:18 ►
Say to the king and to the queen mother: "Take a lowly seat, for your glorious crowns have fallen from your heads."
Study Bible
Say to the king and the queen mother
This phrase directly addresses the ruling authorities of Judah, emphasizing the importance of leadership in guiding the spiritual and moral direction of a nation. The Hebrew word for "king" is "melek," which denotes not just a political leader but one who is supposed to embody the covenantal relationship between God and His people. The "queen mother" (Hebrew: "gebirah") held significant influence in the royal court, often advising the king. This highlights the shared responsibility in leadership and the potential impact of their decisions on the nation's spiritual health.

Take a lowly seat
The call to "take a lowly seat" is a directive towards humility. In Hebrew, the concept of humility is often linked with the word "anavah," which implies a recognition of one's position before God. This phrase suggests a reversal of fortunes and a call to repentance. It is a reminder that earthly power is temporary and that true honor comes from submission to God's will.

for your glorious crowns
The "glorious crowns" symbolize authority, honor, and the divine right to rule. In ancient Near Eastern culture, crowns were not just physical adornments but represented the divine favor and legitimacy of a ruler. The Hebrew word for "crown" is "atarah," which can also mean a wreath or garland, signifying victory and celebration. However, the impending loss of these crowns serves as a warning that divine favor is contingent upon obedience to God.

will fall from your heads
The imagery of crowns falling from heads signifies the loss of authority and the impending judgment. In the biblical context, this is a powerful metaphor for the consequences of disobedience and pride. The Hebrew verb "naphal," meaning "to fall," often conveys suddenness and inevitability. This serves as a stark reminder of the transient nature of human power and the ultimate sovereignty of God over all earthly rulers.

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, including Jehoiakim and Zedekiah.

2. The King
Likely referring to King Jehoiachin or King Zedekiah of Judah, both of whom faced the consequences of Judah's disobedience to God.

3. The Queen Mother
Possibly Nehushta, the mother of King Jehoiachin, or Hamutal, the mother of King Zedekiah. The queen mother held significant influence in the royal court.

4. Judah
The southern kingdom of Israel, which was facing impending judgment and exile due to its persistent idolatry and rebellion against God.

5. Babylonian Exile
The event where the people of Judah were taken captive by the Babylonians, fulfilling the warnings given by prophets like Jeremiah.
Teaching Points
Humility Before God
The call for the king and queen mother to "take a lowly seat" is a reminder that no earthly power is above God's authority. We must approach God with humility, recognizing His sovereignty over our lives.

The Consequences of Pride
Pride can lead to downfall, as seen in the leaders of Judah. We should examine our lives for areas where pride may be leading us away from God's will.

The Role of Leadership
Leaders are accountable to God for their actions. This passage challenges those in positions of authority to lead with integrity and humility, seeking God's guidance.

God's Sovereignty in Judgment
God's warnings through Jeremiah highlight His control over nations and leaders. Trusting in God's plan, even in times of judgment, is crucial for believers.

Repentance and Restoration
While this passage speaks of judgment, it also implies the possibility of restoration through repentance. Turning back to God can lead to healing and renewal.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the call for the king and queen mother to "take a lowly seat" challenge our understanding of humility in leadership today?

2. In what ways can pride manifest in our personal lives, and how can we guard against it according to biblical principles?

3. How does the theme of God's sovereignty in Jeremiah 13:18 provide comfort and assurance in times of uncertainty or judgment?

4. What lessons can we learn from the consequences faced by Judah's leaders that apply to our roles and responsibilities in our communities?

5. How can we actively pursue repentance and restoration in our relationship with God, drawing from the warnings and promises found in the book of Jeremiah?
Connections to Other Scriptures
1 Samuel 2:7-8
This passage speaks of God humbling the proud and exalting the humble, echoing the theme of Jeremiah 13:18 where the king and queen mother are called to humility.

Proverbs 16:18
This verse warns that pride precedes destruction, which is relevant to the fall of Judah's leaders as prophesied by Jeremiah.

Isaiah 47:1-2
Similar to Jeremiah 13:18, this passage calls Babylon to sit in the dust, symbolizing humiliation and loss of power.
Sermons
The Warning Against PrideR. Newton, D. D.
People
Jeremiah
Places
Euphrates River, Jerusalem, Negeb
Topics
Beautiful, Beauty, Crown, Crowns, Fall, Glorious, Glory, Headdresses, Heads, Headtires, Humble, Low, Lowly, Magnificence, Mistress, Principalities, Queen, Queen-mother, Seat, Seated, Sit, Thrones, Yourselves
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Jeremiah 13:18

     5157   head
     5280   crown
     5487   queen
     5581   throne

Library
An Impossibility Made Possible
'Can the Ethiopian change his skin?'--JER. xiii. 23. 'If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.'--2 COR. v. 17. 'Behold, I make all things new.'--REV. xxi. 5. Put these three texts together. The first is a despairing question to which experience gives only too sad and decisive a negative answer. It is the answer of many people who tell us that character must be eternal, and of many a baffled man who says, 'It is of no use--I have tried and can do nothing.' The second text is the grand Christian …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Notion of Inability.
PROPER METHOD OF ACCOUNTING FOR IT. I have represented ability, or the freedom of the will, as a first-truth of consciousness, a truth necessarily known to all moral agents. The inquiry may naturally arise, How then is it to be accounted for, that so many men have denied the liberty of the will, or ability to obey God? A recent writer thinks this denial a sufficient refutation of the affirmation, that ability is a first-truth of consciousness. It is important that this denial should be accounted …
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

On Earthly Things
The earth is man himself; in the gospel: another has fallen into the good earth. The same in a bad part about the sinner: you devour the earth all the days of your life. [Mark 4:18; Genesis 3:14] The dry lands are the flesh of a fruitless man; in Ecclesiastes, to work in a dry land with evil and sorrow. [Ecclesiastes 37:3] The dust is a sinner or the vanity of the flesh; in the psalm: like the dust, which the wind blows about. [Ps. 1:4 Vulgate] The mud is the gluttony of sinners; in the psalm: tear …
St. Eucherius of Lyons—The Formulae of St. Eucherius of Lyons

The Cavils of the Pharisees Concerning Purification, and the Teaching of the Lord Concerning Purity - the Traditions Concerning Hand-Washing' and Vows. '
As we follow the narrative, confirmatory evidence of what had preceded springs up at almost every step. It is quite in accordance with the abrupt departure of Jesus from Capernaum, and its motives, that when, so far from finding rest and privacy at Bethsaida (east of the Jordan), a greater multitude than ever had there gathered around Him, which would fain have proclaimed Him King, He resolved on immediate return to the western shore, with the view of seeking a quieter retreat, even though it were …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

On the Animals
The birds are the saints, because they fly to the higher heart; in the gospel: and he made great branches that the birds of the air might live in their shade. [Mark 4:32] Flying is the death of the saints in God or the knowledge of the Scriptures; in the psalm: I shall fly and I shall be at rest. [Ps. 54(55):7 Vulgate] The wings are the two testaments; in Ezekiel: your body will fly with two wings of its own. [Ez. 1:23] The feathers are the Scriptures; in the psalm: the wings of the silver dove. …
St. Eucherius of Lyons—The Formulae of St. Eucherius of Lyons

Covenanting Confers Obligation.
As it has been shown that all duty, and that alone, ought to be vowed to God in covenant, it is manifest that what is lawfully engaged to in swearing by the name of God is enjoined in the moral law, and, because of the authority of that law, ought to be performed as a duty. But it is now to be proved that what is promised to God by vow or oath, ought to be performed also because of the act of Covenanting. The performance of that exercise is commanded, and the same law which enjoins that the duties …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Meditations on the Hindrances which Keep Back a Sinner from the Practice of Piety.
Those hindrances are chiefly seven:-- I. An ignorant mistaking of the true meaning of certain places of the holy Scriptures, and some other chief grounds of Christian religion. The Scriptures mistaken are these: 1. Ezek. xxxiii. 14, 16, "At what time soever a sinner repenteth him of his sin, I will blot out all," &c. Hence the carnal Christian gathers, that he may repent when he will. It is true, whensoever a sinner does repent, God will forgive; but the text saith not, that a sinner may repent whensoever …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

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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