Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and remove the foreskins of your hearts, O men of Judah and people of Jerusalem. Otherwise, My wrath will break out like fire and burn with no one to extinguish it, because of your evil deeds." Circumcise yourselves to the LORDThe term "circumcise" here is derived from the Hebrew word "מול" (mul), which traditionally refers to the physical act of circumcision, a covenantal sign given to Abraham and his descendants ( Genesis 17:10-14). However, in this context, it is used metaphorically to signify a spiritual purification and dedication to God. The call is for the people to consecrate themselves wholly to the LORD, indicating a deep, personal commitment and transformation of the heart. This reflects the conservative Christian understanding that true faith is not merely external but involves an inward change and devotion to God. remove the foreskin of your hearts
This phrase uses the metaphor of circumcision to describe the need for spiritual renewal. The "foreskin of your hearts" symbolizes the barriers and impurities that separate the people from God. In Hebrew thought, the heart is the center of will and emotion, and thus, removing the "foreskin" implies a call to repentance and the removal of sin and stubbornness. This aligns with the conservative Christian emphasis on repentance and the transformative power of God's grace to cleanse and renew the believer's heart. O men of Judah and people of Jerusalem
This addresses the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem, the southern kingdom of Israel. Historically, this was a time of moral and spiritual decline, with the people turning away from God to idolatry and injustice. The specific mention of Judah and Jerusalem underscores the seriousness of the message, as these were the heart of the Jewish nation and the location of the Temple, the center of worship. The conservative Christian perspective sees this as a reminder of the need for God's people to remain faithful and obedient, regardless of their heritage or location. or My wrath will break out like fire
The imagery of fire is often used in the Bible to represent God's judgment and purifying presence. The Hebrew word for "wrath" here is "אף" (aph), which conveys intense anger. The warning is clear: without repentance, the people will face the consuming judgment of God. This serves as a sobering reminder of the holiness and justice of God, central themes in conservative Christian theology, which holds that God's wrath is a response to sin and a call to return to righteousness. and burn with no one to extinguish it
This phrase emphasizes the inevitability and intensity of God's judgment if the people do not repent. The fire that "no one can extinguish" signifies the totality and inescapability of divine judgment. In the conservative Christian view, this underscores the urgency of repentance and the necessity of turning to God for salvation, as only He can provide deliverance from His righteous judgment. because of your evil deeds
The phrase "evil deeds" refers to the sinful actions and behaviors that have provoked God's wrath. The Hebrew word for "evil" is "רע" (ra), which encompasses wickedness, immorality, and injustice. This highlights the cause of the impending judgment: the people's persistent sin and rebellion against God. From a conservative Christian perspective, this serves as a call to self-examination and a reminder of the consequences of sin, urging believers to live in accordance with God's will and righteousness. Persons / Places / Events 1. JeremiahA prophet called by God to deliver messages of warning and hope to the people of Judah and Jerusalem. His ministry spanned the reigns of several kings and was marked by calls for repentance. 2. JudahThe southern kingdom of Israel, consisting of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. It was the primary audience of Jeremiah's prophecies. 3. JerusalemThe capital city of Judah, central to Jewish worship and the location of the Temple. It was often a focal point in Jeremiah's messages. 4. The LORD (Yahweh)The covenant God of Israel, who calls His people to repentance and warns of impending judgment due to their disobedience. 5. CircumcisionA physical sign of the covenant between God and Abraham's descendants, symbolizing a deeper spiritual commitment and purity. Teaching Points Spiritual Transformation Over Ritual ComplianceThe call to "circumcise your hearts" emphasizes the need for genuine spiritual transformation rather than mere adherence to religious rituals. True repentance involves a change of heart and mind. Urgency of RepentanceThe warning of God's wrath "like fire" underscores the urgency of repentance. Delaying repentance can lead to severe consequences, both spiritually and physically. Personal ResponsibilityThe directive to "remove the foreskin of your hearts" places responsibility on individuals to actively seek God and turn from evil. It is a personal call to action. God's Desire for HolinessThe passage reflects God's desire for His people to live in holiness and purity, aligning their hearts with His will and character. Consequences of DisobedienceThe warning of unquenchable fire serves as a reminder of the serious consequences of disobedience and the importance of aligning with God's commands. Bible Study Questions 1. What does it mean to "circumcise your heart," and how can this be applied in your daily walk with God? 2. How does the concept of heart circumcision in Jeremiah 4:4 relate to Paul's teachings in the New Testament about spiritual transformation? 3. In what ways can we ensure that our religious practices are not just external rituals but reflect a true change of heart? 4. How can we respond to the urgency of repentance in our own lives, and what steps can we take to align our hearts with God's will? 5. Reflect on a time when you experienced the consequences of disobedience. How did that experience shape your understanding of God's call to holiness? Connections to Other Scriptures Deuteronomy 10:16This verse also speaks of circumcising the heart, emphasizing the need for internal transformation rather than mere external compliance. Romans 2:29Paul discusses the concept of circumcision of the heart, highlighting that true belonging to God is a matter of the heart and spirit, not just physical rituals. Ezekiel 36:26God promises to give His people a new heart and spirit, removing their heart of stone and replacing it with a heart of flesh, indicating a transformation that aligns with Jeremiah's call. People Dan, JeremiahPlaces Dan, Jerusalem, Mount Ephraim, ZionTopics Able, Aside, Break, Burn, Burned, Burning, Circumcise, Circumcised, Circumcision, Deeds, Doings, Evil, Fire, Foreskin, Foreskins, Forth, Fury, Heart, Hearts, Inhabitants, Jerusalem, Judah, Lest, None, O, Quench, Quenching, Remove, Turn, Undergo, Wrath, YourselvesDictionary of Bible Themes Jeremiah 4:4 5017 heart, renewal
7021 church, OT anticipations
7336 circumcision, spiritual Jeremiah 4:1-4 6027 sin, remedy for Jeremiah 4:3-4 4506 seed 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 4:4 NIVJeremiah 4:4 NLTJeremiah 4:4 ESVJeremiah 4:4 NASBJeremiah 4:4 KJV
Jeremiah 4:4 Commentaries
Bible Hub |
