What is the meaning of Jeremiah 5:30? A horrible • This opening phrase underlines God’s verdict on Judah’s sin—He calls it “horrible,” not merely disappointing (Jeremiah 2:12; Isaiah 1:4). • The word signals moral repulsiveness: idolatry, lying prophets, and stubborn hearts (Jeremiah 5:19). • God’s people, meant to be holy (Leviticus 20:26), have chosen corruption; His response is righteous outrage (Psalm 50:21-22). and shocking thing • “Shocking” points to something that startles even heaven (Jeremiah 18:13). • It is the compounded offense of spiritual leaders and laity alike: – Prophets speak falsehood (Jeremiah 23:16-17). – Priests rule by their own authority (Ezekiel 22:26). – The people love it that way (Isaiah 30:10-11). • Habakkuk 1:5 reminds us that when sin reaches this level, God’s intervention will also be astonishing. has happened • The verb tense stresses that the evil is present-tense reality, not theoretical (Jeremiah 7:28). • God has already witnessed the breach of covenant (Jeremiah 11:10-11). • Because the sin is active, judgment will be just as real (Jeremiah 6:15; Romans 1:24-25). in the land. • The corruption is nationwide, not confined to a corner (2 Chronicles 36:14-16). • “Land” recalls the covenant gift—Canaan was to be a place of blessing (Deuteronomy 8:7-10), so its defilement is doubly tragic. • National sin invites national consequences: famine, sword, exile (Jeremiah 25:8-11; Amos 8:11-12). • Yet God still calls for repentance that can heal the land (2 Chronicles 7:14; Jeremiah 3:12-13). summary Jeremiah 5:30 is God’s blunt assessment of Judah’s collective rebellion. He labels their conduct “horrible” and “shocking,” emphasizing how far they have strayed from covenant holiness. The offense is no longer theoretical—it is happening, permeating the entire land. By exposing the depth of national sin, the verse warns that equally real judgment is imminent, while implicitly inviting listeners to turn back before it falls. |
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