◄ Jeremiah 12:14 ►
This is what the LORD says: "As for all My evil neighbors who attack the inheritance that I bequeathed to My people Israel, I am about to uproot them from their land, and I will uproot the house of Judah from among them.
Study Bible
This is what the LORD says
The phrase underscores the divine authority and the prophetic nature of the message. In Hebrew, "LORD" is "YHWH," the sacred name of God, emphasizing His eternal and unchanging nature. This introduction is a common prophetic formula, indicating that the message is not Jeremiah's own but a direct revelation from God. It serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and His active role in the affairs of nations.

As for all My wicked neighbors
The term "wicked" in Hebrew is "ra‘," which conveys not just moral evil but also hostility and enmity. The "neighbors" refer to the surrounding nations of Israel, such as Edom, Moab, Ammon, and others, who often acted with hostility towards Israel. Historically, these nations were frequently in conflict with Israel, and their actions were seen as opposing God's chosen people.

who seize the inheritance I gave My people Israel
The "inheritance" refers to the land of Canaan, which God promised to Abraham and his descendants. The Hebrew word for "inheritance" is "nachalah," indicating a possession or heritage that is divinely allotted. The act of seizing this inheritance is not just a political or military aggression but a direct challenge to God's covenant promises. It reflects a deeper spiritual rebellion against God's ordained order.

I will uproot them from their lands
The imagery of "uprooting" is powerful, suggesting total removal and destruction. In Hebrew, "uproot" is "nathash," which conveys the idea of pulling out by the roots, ensuring that there is no possibility of regrowth. This action signifies God's judgment and His ability to displace nations as easily as a gardener removes a plant. It serves as a warning of the consequences of opposing God's will.

and I will uproot the house of Judah from among them
Here, the "house of Judah" represents the southern kingdom of Israel, which had been exiled among these nations. The repetition of "uproot" emphasizes God's control over the destinies of both His people and their enemies. This phrase offers a glimmer of hope, suggesting that just as God can uproot Judah from among the nations, He can also restore them. It reflects the dual themes of judgment and restoration that are prevalent throughout the book of Jeremiah.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant-keeping God of Israel, who speaks through the prophet Jeremiah.

2. Wicked Neighbors
Nations surrounding Israel that have acted treacherously against God's people.

3. Inheritance of Israel
The land given by God to the people of Israel as their heritage.

4. House of Judah
The southern kingdom of Israel, representing God's chosen people.

5. Uprooting
A metaphor for divine judgment and removal from the land, both for Israel's enemies and for Judah.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty Over Nations
God is in control of all nations and their destinies. He determines the rise and fall of kingdoms according to His divine plan.

Divine Justice and Judgment
God will judge those who act wickedly against His people. This serves as a warning to nations and individuals who oppose God's purposes.

The Importance of Inheritance
The land of Israel is not just a physical territory but a symbol of God's promise and faithfulness to His people.

Hope for Restoration
Despite judgment, there is hope for restoration. God promises to bring His people back, demonstrating His mercy and faithfulness.

Faithfulness in Adversity
Believers are called to remain faithful, trusting in God's ultimate justice and His plans for restoration.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding God's sovereignty over nations impact your view of current world events?

2. In what ways can we see God's justice at work in the world today, and how should this influence our actions?

3. What does the concept of "inheritance" mean for Christians today, and how can we live in light of this inheritance?

4. How can the promise of restoration in Jeremiah 12:14 encourage us in times of personal or communal adversity?

5. How do the themes of judgment and restoration in Jeremiah 12:14 connect with the New Testament teachings on God's kingdom and justice?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Deuteronomy 32:8-9
Discusses God's allocation of lands to nations, emphasizing His sovereignty over the inheritance of Israel.

Ezekiel 36:5-7
Speaks of God's judgment against nations that have taken Israel's land, reinforcing the theme of divine retribution.

Psalm 94:14
Assures that the LORD will not forsake His people, connecting to the promise of restoration for Judah.

Isaiah 11:12
Prophecies the regathering of Israel, aligning with the theme of uprooting and eventual restoration.

Zechariah 2:8-9
Declares that those who harm Israel harm the apple of God's eye, underscoring the protective nature of God's covenant.
Sermons
Mercy and JudgmentA.F. Muir Jeremiah 12:14-17
The Tide that has no Ebb, But OverflowsS. Conway Jeremiah 12:14-17
People
Jeremiah
Places
Anathoth, Jerusalem, Jordan River
Topics
Behold, Caused, Endowed, Evil, Ground, Hands, Heritage, Inherit, Inheritance, Judah, Lands, Midst, Neighbors, Neighbours, Pluck, Plucking, Says, Seize, Strike, Striking, Thus, Touch, Uproot, Uprooted, Uprooting, Wicked
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Jeremiah 12:14-15

     4504   roots

Jeremiah 12:14-17

     5704   inheritance, material

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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