◄ Jeremiah 12:17 ►
But if they will not obey, then I will uproot that nation; I will uproot it and destroy it, declares the LORD."
Study Bible
But if they will not obey
This phrase underscores the conditional nature of God's covenant with His people and the nations surrounding Israel. The Hebrew word for "obey" is "שָׁמַע" (shama), which means to hear, listen, or give heed. In the biblical context, obedience is not merely about hearing words but involves a response of submission and action. Historically, Israel's relationship with God was contingent upon their adherence to His commandments. This phrase serves as a reminder of the importance of obedience in maintaining a covenant relationship with God.

then I will uproot that nation
The imagery of "uprooting" is powerful and evocative, suggesting a complete removal or destruction. The Hebrew word "נָתַשׁ" (natash) is used here, which means to pull up or pluck out. This agricultural metaphor would have been vivid to an agrarian society, symbolizing the total eradication of a nation from its place. Archaeologically, this reflects the historical reality of nations that rose and fell based on their adherence to divine principles. The uprooting signifies God's sovereign power over nations and His ability to judge and remove them from their established positions.

uprooting and destroying it
The repetition of "uprooting" emphasizes the certainty and completeness of the action. The word "destroying" in Hebrew is "אָבַד" (abad), which means to perish or be lost. This conveys the finality of God's judgment against those who persist in disobedience. Scripturally, this reflects the fate of nations that opposed God's will, as seen throughout the Old Testament. The dual action of uprooting and destroying highlights the seriousness of divine judgment and the consequences of turning away from God's commands.

declares the LORD
This phrase affirms the authority and certainty of the message. The Hebrew word for "declares" is "נְאֻם" (ne'um), often used in prophetic literature to denote a solemn pronouncement from God. The use of "the LORD" (YHWH) emphasizes the covenantal name of God, reminding the audience of His eternal and unchanging nature. Historically, this declaration would have been received with reverence and fear, as it comes from the ultimate authority. It serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and the seriousness with which He views obedience and disobedience.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jeremiah
A prophet called by God to deliver His messages to the people of Judah and Jerusalem. He is known for his prophecies of judgment and calls for repentance.

2. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant God of Israel, who speaks through Jeremiah, warning of judgment against disobedience.

3. The Nation
Refers to any nation, including Judah, that refuses to obey God's commands. The context implies nations surrounding Israel that were given the opportunity to turn to God.

4. Uprooting and Destroying
A metaphor for divine judgment, indicating complete removal and destruction as a consequence of persistent disobedience.

5. Judah and Surrounding Nations
The immediate context involves Judah and the nations around it, which were often warned by prophets like Jeremiah to turn from their ways and follow God.
Teaching Points
The Seriousness of Disobedience
God's warnings are not idle threats; they reflect His holiness and justice. Disobedience leads to severe consequences, as seen in the metaphor of uprooting.

God's Sovereignty Over Nations
God holds all nations accountable, not just Israel. His sovereignty extends over all creation, and He can raise or destroy nations according to His will.

The Call to Repentance
Even in judgment, there is an implicit call to repentance. God's desire is for nations to turn back to Him, avoiding the destruction that disobedience brings.

The Role of Prophets
Prophets like Jeremiah serve as God's mouthpieces, delivering messages of warning and hope. Their role is crucial in guiding people back to God.

The Hope of Restoration
While judgment is severe, God's ultimate plan includes restoration for those who turn back to Him, as seen in the broader account of Scripture.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the imagery of "uprooting" in Jeremiah 12:17 help us understand the consequences of disobedience to God?

2. In what ways does the message of Jeremiah 12:17 reflect the broader themes of covenant blessings and curses found in Deuteronomy 28?

3. How can we apply the warning of Jeremiah 12:17 to our personal lives and the life of the church today?

4. What role do prophets play in calling nations and individuals to repentance, and how can we recognize modern-day prophetic voices?

5. How does the concept of God's sovereignty over nations in Jeremiah 12:17 provide comfort and assurance in today's world?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Deuteronomy 28
This chapter outlines the blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience, providing a backdrop for understanding the consequences mentioned in Jeremiah 12:17.

Isaiah 5:1-7
The parable of the vineyard, where God describes Israel as a vineyard that He will destroy due to its failure to produce good fruit, parallels the uprooting imagery in Jeremiah.

Matthew 21:33-46
Jesus' parable of the tenants reflects the theme of judgment upon those who reject God's messengers, similar to the warnings in Jeremiah.
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
Affirmation, Completely, Declares, Destroy, Destroying, Destruction, Ear, Hearken, Listen, Nation, Obey, Pluck, Plucked, Plucking, Says, Uproot, Uprooted, Utterly
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Jeremiah 12:17

     5165   listening

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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