God forsaken—what a frightening term for a fearful truth—and it was what the inhabitants of Jerusalem were about to experience. The vultures were circling and the jackals were skulking—waiting to pick the bones of the dead. The Jews should have raised their voices to God in repentance, but instead roared at Him as a lion in their arrogance. That was folly to be met with God’s fury.
The Lord had brought them into a land flowing with milk and honey, but soon there would only be desolation. The rulers of Babylon—the commanders of their army—would invade—rape, pillage, destroy, kill, and enslave until all would be destroyed.
Notice, that it is “the sword of the LORD” that falls upon them. God is sovereign and even as He will use the Babylonians as His sword, it is His hand that wields it. God is not beyond using a foreign nation to bring down wrath on a land like America today—such a God-blessed land that can soon become a desolation because we have forgotten the source of our blessing. Nuclear weapons would do that.
The farmers sowed what they hoped would be a harvest of grain, but they would instead reap thorns. You reap what you sow, and thorns are the crop that comes from the curse of sin.
When Jerusalem fell, the nations that encircled them—Egypt, Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Edom, Syria, and others would be exult in the downfall of Judah and like the aforementioned vultures and jackals were eager to devour the scraps. Yet, Babylon would conquer those nations, as well.
Out of the dark storm clouds descending on Jerusalem, a beam of hope breaks through in the distance. After 70 years of captivity, the Jews will be permitted to return. God will have compassion—and not just to them. The pagans who dwelt in the land, and influenced the Jews to call on Baal, can be influenced by the Jews to call on the LORD—and “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Rom.10:13). There is hope for Jews and Gentiles alike. We can sink roots of repentance into the soil of salvation or we will be uprooted and destroyed. There is no middle ground.
Out of the dark storm clouds descending on Jerusalem, a beam of hope breaks through in the distance. After 70 years of captivity, the Jews will be permitted to return. God will have compassion—and not just to them. The pagans who dwelt in the land, and influenced the Jews to call on Baal, can be influenced by the Jews to call on the LORD—and “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Rom.10:13). There is hope for Jews and Gentiles alike. We can sink roots of repentance into the soil of salvation or we will be uprooted and destroyed. There is no middle ground.
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