◄ Jeremiah 13:2 ►
So I bought a loincloth as the LORD had instructed me, and I put it around my waist.
Study Bible
So I bought
The act of purchasing here is significant. The Hebrew root for "bought" is קָנָה (qanah), which implies acquiring or obtaining something of value. This action demonstrates obedience and commitment to God's command. In the historical context, buying a loincloth would have been a deliberate act, indicating the seriousness with which Jeremiah approached God's instructions. It reflects the prophet's role as a faithful servant, willing to invest in the symbolic acts God required to convey His messages to Israel.

a loincloth
The Hebrew word for "loincloth" is אֵזוֹר (ezor), which refers to a belt or girdle, often made of linen. In ancient Near Eastern culture, a loincloth was a common garment, symbolizing readiness and purity. Linen, in particular, was associated with priestly garments, suggesting a connection to holiness and service. The loincloth in this passage symbolizes Israel's intimate relationship with God, meant to be close and pure, yet it also foreshadows the nation's impending corruption and separation due to disobedience.

as the LORD had instructed me
This phrase underscores the divine authority behind Jeremiah's actions. The Hebrew name for "LORD" is יְהוָה (YHWH), the covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal and unchanging nature. Jeremiah's obedience to God's instruction highlights the prophet's role as a mediator between God and His people. It serves as a reminder of the importance of heeding divine guidance, trusting in God's wisdom and purpose, even when the reasons behind His commands are not immediately clear.

and I put it around my waist
The act of placing the loincloth around his waist is rich in symbolism. The waist, or loins, in Hebrew מָתְנַיִם (matenayim), is often associated with strength and readiness for action. By wearing the loincloth, Jeremiah embodies the message he is to deliver, becoming a living parable. This act signifies the closeness and intended purity of the relationship between God and Israel. However, it also foreshadows the coming judgment, as the loincloth will later become spoiled, symbolizing Israel's failure to remain faithful and pure in their covenant with God.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jeremiah
A prophet called by God to deliver His messages to the people of Judah. Known for his lamentations and warnings of impending judgment due to the people's unfaithfulness.

2. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant God of Israel, who communicates His will and instructions to Jeremiah. He uses symbolic actions to convey His messages.

3. Loincloth
A piece of clothing that Jeremiah is instructed to buy and wear. It symbolizes the close relationship God intended to have with Israel and Judah, which has been marred by their disobedience.

4. Judah
The southern kingdom of Israel, which is the primary audience of Jeremiah's prophecies. They are warned of the consequences of their idolatry and unfaithfulness.

5. Symbolic Action
The act of buying and wearing the loincloth serves as a prophetic symbol of the intimate relationship God desires with His people and the consequences of their spiritual adultery.
Teaching Points
Symbolism in Prophecy
God often uses physical symbols to communicate deeper spiritual truths. Understanding these symbols can enhance our comprehension of His messages.

Intimacy with God
The loincloth represents the closeness God desires with His people. Reflect on your personal relationship with God and consider ways to deepen that intimacy.

Obedience to God's Instructions
Jeremiah's immediate obedience to God's command serves as a model for us. Consider how you respond to God's instructions in your life.

Consequences of Unfaithfulness
The eventual fate of the loincloth symbolizes the consequences of Israel's unfaithfulness. Reflect on the areas of your life where you may be straying from God's will.

God's Persistent Love
Despite the people's unfaithfulness, God's actions through Jeremiah demonstrate His persistent love and desire for restoration. Contemplate God's unwavering love in your own life.
Bible Study Questions
1. What does the loincloth symbolize in the context of Jeremiah's prophecy, and how does this relate to your personal relationship with God?

2. How do the symbolic actions of prophets like Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Ezekiel enhance your understanding of God's messages?

3. In what ways can you demonstrate immediate obedience to God's instructions in your daily life, as Jeremiah did?

4. Reflect on a time when you experienced the consequences of straying from God's will. How did this impact your relationship with Him?

5. How can you actively cultivate a deeper intimacy with God, considering His persistent love and desire for closeness with His people?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Isaiah 20
Similar to Jeremiah's symbolic action, Isaiah is instructed to perform a symbolic act to convey a message from God. This highlights the use of physical actions to communicate spiritual truths.

Ezekiel 4
Ezekiel is also commanded to perform symbolic acts to illustrate God's messages, emphasizing the importance of visual and tangible demonstrations in prophetic ministry.

Hosea 1-3
Hosea's marriage to Gomer serves as a living parable of God's relationship with unfaithful Israel, paralleling the symbolism of the loincloth in Jeremiah.
Sermons
Good Reasons for Singular ConductJeremiah 13:1-11
Nearness to God Destroyed by SinE. Jerman.Jeremiah 13:1-11
The Cast-Off GirdleJeremiah 13:1-11
The Marred GirdleA.F. Muir Jeremiah 13:1-11
The Marred GirdleD. Young Jeremiah 13:1-11
The Ruined Girdle; Or, it May be Too Late to MendS. Conway Jeremiah 13:1-12
People
Jeremiah
Places
Euphrates River, Jerusalem, Negeb
Topics
Accordance, Band, Belt, Body, Bought, Directed, Girdle, Got, Loins, Price, Procured, Round, Waist, Waistband, Waistcloth
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Jeremiah 13:1-7

     5935   riddles

Jeremiah 13:1-11

     5131   belt

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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