What is the meaning of Jeremiah 35:17? Therefore - The word “Therefore” ties verse 17 to the object lesson of the Rechabites in vv. 1-16. They obeyed their earthly forefather; Judah refused to obey the LORD (Jeremiah 35:14-15). - God’s judgment is never arbitrary; it is always the logical outcome of the people’s response to His previous warnings (Jeremiah 26:4-6). This is what the LORD God of Hosts, the God of Israel, says - Three titles stack up to underline absolute authority: • “LORD” – the covenant name, reminding Judah of their special relationship (Exodus 3:15). • “God of Hosts” – Commander of angelic and earthly armies; He has ample power to carry out His word (Isaiah 1:24). • “God of Israel” – the One who formed the nation and still rules over it (Jeremiah 32:18). - When the sovereign God speaks, the issue is never His clarity but our response (Psalm 33:9). Behold, I will bring to Judah and to all the residents of Jerusalem all the disaster I have pronounced against them - “Behold” signals certainty; what was foretold will now unfold (Jeremiah 1:14-16). - “All the disaster” points to the Babylonian siege, exile, and temple destruction (2 Kings 25:1-12; Jeremiah 25:9-11). - God never retracts an unheeded warning; He keeps every word, whether promise or penalty (Numbers 23:19). Because I have spoken to them but they have not obeyed - Repeated prophetic messages had come “again and again” (Jeremiah 7:25-26), yet the nation shrugged off God’s voice. - Disobedience here is not ignorance but willful resistance (Jeremiah 11:7-8). - Obedience is the proof of love for God (1 Samuel 15:22; John 14:15); its absence exposes hollow religiosity. And I have called to them but they have not answered - The LORD’s “call” is personal and relational, much like a father summoning his child (Hosea 11:1-2). - Silence from Judah equals contempt for God (Proverbs 1:24-28; Zechariah 7:11-13). - Every ignored invitation piles up evidence for righteous judgment (Romans 2:4-5). summary Jeremiah 35:17 is the solemn verdict on a nation that chose stubborn silence over humble obedience. The God who lovingly called now must judge. His word is unfailingly true: blessings follow compliance, disaster follows defiance. The verse stands as a timeless reminder that hearing without obeying always brings the consequences God has clearly announced. |
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