And you, O devastated one, what will you do, though you dress yourself in scarlet, though you adorn yourself with gold jewelry, though you enlarge your eyes with paint? You adorn yourself in vain; your lovers despise you; they want to take your life. And you, O devastated oneThe phrase "O devastated one" refers to the nation of Judah, which is facing impending destruction due to its unfaithfulness to God. The Hebrew word for "devastated" can also mean "ruined" or "plundered," indicating a state of complete desolation. Historically, this reflects the period when Judah was under threat from Babylonian forces. Spiritually, it serves as a metaphor for the soul that has turned away from God, highlighting the emptiness and ruin that result from sin. what will you do?
This rhetorical question challenges Judah to consider its actions and the futility of its attempts to find security outside of God. It implies a call to self-examination and repentance. In a broader spiritual context, it asks believers to reflect on their own lives and the choices they make when they stray from God's path. Though you dress yourself in scarlet
Scarlet, a color often associated with wealth and status, symbolizes Judah's attempts to maintain an appearance of prosperity and allure despite its moral and spiritual decay. The Hebrew root for "scarlet" is linked to luxury and opulence, which contrasts with the nation's true state of devastation. This serves as a warning against relying on external appearances to mask internal corruption. though you adorn yourself with gold jewelry
Gold jewelry represents the pursuit of worldly wealth and beauty as a means of gaining favor and security. In ancient times, such adornments were used to attract attention and admiration. However, the verse suggests that these efforts are futile when one's heart is far from God. It reminds believers that true worth and security come from a relationship with God, not material possessions. though you enlarge your eyes with paint
The practice of enlarging the eyes with paint, or cosmetics, was common in ancient cultures as a way to enhance beauty and allure. This phrase highlights the superficial measures Judah takes to appear attractive to its allies and potential saviors. Spiritually, it warns against the deception of relying on outward appearances and human efforts to solve spiritual problems. you beautify yourself in vain
The futility of Judah's attempts to beautify itself is emphasized here. The Hebrew word for "vain" suggests emptiness and worthlessness. Despite all efforts to appear strong and appealing, without God's favor, these attempts are meaningless. This serves as a reminder that true beauty and strength come from a life aligned with God's will. Your lovers despise you
"Lovers" refers to the foreign nations and alliances Judah sought for protection. Historically, these alliances proved unreliable and even treacherous. The word "despise" indicates a deep-seated contempt, showing that these nations had no genuine loyalty to Judah. This illustrates the danger of placing trust in worldly powers rather than in God. they seek your life
The phrase underscores the betrayal and danger Judah faces from those it trusted. Instead of providing safety, these alliances threaten Judah's very existence. In a spiritual sense, it warns believers of the peril in trusting anything or anyone more than God, as such misplaced trust can lead to spiritual death. Persons / Places / Events 1. JeremiahA 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 repentance and judgment. 2. JudahThe southern kingdom of Israel, which was facing impending judgment due to its persistent idolatry and rebellion against God. 3. Babylonian ThreatThe looming invasion by the Babylonian empire, which served as an instrument of God's judgment against Judah for its unfaithfulness. 4. Idolatry and ApostasyThe spiritual state of Judah, characterized by turning away from God and engaging in idol worship, which led to their downfall. 5. Symbolic ImageryThe use of vivid imagery in the verse to depict Judah's futile attempts to secure alliances and protection through superficial means. Teaching Points The Futility of Superficial SolutionsJudah's attempts to beautify itself symbolize the futility of relying on external solutions to spiritual problems. True security comes from repentance and faithfulness to God. The Danger of IdolatryIdolatry leads to spiritual adultery, where God's people seek fulfillment and security in things other than Him. This results in judgment and separation from God. The Call to RepentanceDespite the dire warnings, God's desire is for His people to return to Him. Repentance is the pathway to restoration and protection. The Consequences of UnfaithfulnessJust as Judah's lovers turned against her, relying on worldly alliances and solutions can lead to betrayal and destruction. The Importance of Inner TransformationTrue beauty and security come from a heart transformed by God, not from external adornments or alliances. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the imagery in Jeremiah 4:30 reflect the spiritual state of Judah, and what modern parallels can we draw from this? 2. In what ways do we, like Judah, sometimes rely on superficial solutions to address deeper spiritual issues? 3. How can the themes of idolatry and unfaithfulness in Jeremiah 4:30 be seen in other parts of the Bible, and what lessons can we learn from them? 4. What steps can we take to ensure that our security and identity are rooted in God rather than in worldly alliances or possessions? 5. How does the call to repentance in Jeremiah's message apply to our personal lives and the broader Christian community today? Connections to Other Scriptures Isaiah 1:21-23This passage also uses the imagery of a once-faithful city turned harlot, emphasizing the theme of unfaithfulness and corruption. Ezekiel 23:40-42Similar imagery of adornment and seeking lovers, representing Israel's alliances with foreign nations instead of relying on God. Hosea 2:13Hosea speaks of Israel's unfaithfulness and the futility of her adornments, paralleling the themes in Jeremiah. Revelation 17:4-5The imagery of a woman adorned in scarlet and gold, symbolizing false religion and idolatry, connects to the themes of spiritual adultery. People Dan, JeremiahPlaces Dan, Jerusalem, Mount Ephraim, ZionTopics Adorn, Adornest, Although, Beautiful, Beautify, Clothe, Clothed, Clothest, Crimson, Deck, Deckest, Decorate, Designs, Desire, Desolate, Despise, Devastated, Doest, Doting, Dress, Enlarge, Enlargest, Face, Fair, Gold, Jewels, Kicked, Laid, Lovers, Mean, Nothing, O, Ones, Ornaments, Pain, Paint, Painting, Puttest, Red, Rendest, Rentest, Scarlet, Seek, Shade, Spoiled, Th, Though, Thyself, Vain, Waste, Wasted, Wide, WiltDictionary of Bible Themes Jeremiah 4:30 4333 gold
4808 crimson
5778 adorning Library The Wailing of Risca
You all know the story; it scarce needs that I should tell it to you. Last Saturday week some two hundred or more miners descended in health and strength to their usual work in the bowels of the earth. They had not been working long, their wives and their children had risen, and their little ones had gone to their schools, when suddenly there was heard a noise at the mouth of the pit;--it was an explosion,--all knew what it meant. Men's hearts failed them, for well they prophesied the horror which …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 7: 1861How those are to be Admonished who Sin from Sudden Impulse and those who Sin Deliberately.
(Admonition 33.). Differently to be admonished are those who are overcome by sudden passion and those who are bound in guilt of set purpose. For those whom sudden passion overcomes are to be admonished to regard themselves as daily set in the warfare of the present life, and to protect the heart, which cannot foresee wounds, with the shield of anxious fear; to dread the hidden darts of the ambushed foe, and, in so dark a contest, to guard with continual attention the inward camp of the soul. For, …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great Prevailing Prayer.
Text.--The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.--James v. 16. THE last lecture referred principally to the confession of sin. To-night my remarks will be chiefly confined to the subject of intercession, or prayer. There are two kinds of means requisite to promote a revival; one to influence men, the other to influence God. The truth is employed to influence men, and prayer to move God. When I speak of moving God, I do not mean that God's mind is changed by prayer, or that his …
Charles Grandison Finney—Lectures on Revivals of Religion How to Make Use of Christ for Cleansing of us from Our Daily Spots.
Having spoken of the way of making use of Christ for removing the guilt of our daily transgressions, we come to speak of the way of making use of Christ, for taking away the guilt that cleaveth to the soul, through daily transgressions; "for every sin defileth the man," Matt. xv. 20; and the best are said to have their spots, and to need washing, which presupposeth filthiness and defilement, Eph. v. 27. John xiii. 8-10. Hence we are so oft called to this duty of washing and making us clean. Isa. …
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life "For they that are after the Flesh do Mind the Things of the Flesh,",
Rom. viii. 5.--"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh,", &c. Though sin hath taken up the principal and inmost cabinet of the heart of man--though it hath fixed its imperial throne in the spirit of man, and makes use of all the powers and faculties in the soul to accomplish its accursed desires and fulfil its boundless lusts, yet it is not without good reason expressed in scripture, ordinarily under the name of "flesh," and a "body of death," and men dead in sins, are …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning "Who Walk not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the Flesh,"
Rom. viii. 4, 5.--"Who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh," &c. If there were nothing else to engage our hearts to religion, I think this might do it, that there is so much reason in it. Truly it is the most rational thing in the world, except some revealed mysteries of faith, which are far above reason, but not contrary to it. There is nothing besides in it, but that which is the purest reason. Even that part of it which is most difficult to man, …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning "If So be that the Spirit of God Dwell in You. Now if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ, He is None of His. "
Rom. viii. 9.--"If so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." "But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth?" 2 Chron. vi. 18. It was the wonder of one of the wisest of men, and indeed, considering his infinite highness above the height of heavens, his immense and incomprehensible greatness, that the heaven of heavens cannot contain him, and then the baseness, emptiness, and worthlessness of man, it may be a wonder to the …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning The Acceptable Sacrifice;
OR, THE EXCELLENCY OF A BROKEN HEART: SHOWING THE NATURE, SIGNS, AND PROPER EFFECTS OF A CONTRITE SPIRIT. BEING THE LAST WORKS OF THAT EMINENT PREACHER AND FAITHFUL MINISTER OF JESUS CHRIST, MR. JOHN BUNYAN, OF BEDFORD. WITH A PREFACE PREFIXED THEREUNTO BY AN EMINENT MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL IN LONDON. London: Sold by George Larkin, at the Two Swans without Bishopgates, 1692. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. The very excellent preface to this treatise, written by George Cokayn, will inform the reader of …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Original Sin
Q-16: DID ALL MANKIND FALL IN ADAM'S FIRST TRANSGRESSION? A: The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity, all mankind descending from him, by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him in his first transgression. 'By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin,' &c. Rom 5:12. Adam being a representative person, while he stood, we stood; when he fell, we fell, We sinned in Adam; so it is in the text, In whom all have sinned.' Adam was the head …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity Repentance
Then has God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.' Acts 11: 18. Repentance seems to be a bitter pill to take, but it is to purge out the bad humour of sin. By some Antinomian spirits it is cried down as a legal doctrine; but Christ himself preached it. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent,' &c. Matt 4: 17. In his last farewell, when he was ascending to heaven, he commanded that Repentance should be preached in his name.' Luke 24: 47. Repentance is a pure gospel grace. …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments Directions to Awakened Sinners.
Acts ix. 6. Acts ix. 6. And he, trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do. THESE are the words of Saul, who also is called Paul, (Acts xiii. 9,) when he was stricken to the ground as he was going to Damascus; and any one who had looked upon him in his present circumstances and knew nothing more of him than that view, in comparison with his past life, could have given, would have imagined him one of the most miserable creatures that ever lived upon earth, and would have expected …
Philip Doddridge—Practical Discourses on Regeneration The Quotation in Matt. Ii. 6.
Several interpreters, Paulus especially, have asserted that the interpretation of Micah which is here given, was that of the Sanhedrim only, and not of the Evangelist, who merely recorded what happened and was said. But this assertion is at once refuted when we consider the object which Matthew has in view in his entire representation of the early life of Jesus. His object in recording the early life of Jesus is not like that of Luke, viz., to communicate historical information to his readers. …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Jesus Attends the First Passover of his Ministry.
(Jerusalem, April 9, a.d. 27.) Subdivision B. Jesus Talks with Nicodemus. ^D John III. 1-21. ^d 1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. [Nicodemus is mentioned only by John. His character is marked by a prudence amounting almost to timidity. At John vii. 50-52 he defends Jesus, but without committing himself as in any way interested in him: at John xix. 38, 39 he brought spices for the body of Jesus, but only after Joseph of Arimathæa had secured the body. …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel 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 4:30 NIVJeremiah 4:30 NLTJeremiah 4:30 ESVJeremiah 4:30 NASBJeremiah 4:30 KJV
Jeremiah 4:30 Commentaries
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