Why Do the Ways of the Wicked Prosper? |
Jeremiah 12:1-17 The Book of Jeremiah [in Smaller Chunks] |
You are Righteous, O Lord, when I plead with You. [Still,] let me talk with You [about] Your judgments. [Why] does the way of the wicked prosper? [For what reason] are all [those] happy [who behave] very treacherously? You have planted them & [yes,] they have taken root & they grow. |
[Yes,] they [produce] fruit. You are near their mouth & far from their [heart strings.] [Mark 7:6-7 He answered & said to them, [Isaiah] said well of you hypocrites, [like] it is written, This people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. [However] they do worship Me in vain, teaching for doctrines, the commandments of men.] |
But, O Lord, You know me. You have seen me & tested [my] heart toward You. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter & prepare them for the day of slaughter. [James 5:5 You have lived in pleasure on the earth & [have] been [thoughtless] & you have [fattened] your hearts, [like] [fattened animals] [on] the day of slaughter.] |
How long shall the land mourn & the [vegetation from] every field wither, for the wickedness of [those who] dwell [there?] Because they said, He shall not see our [final] end, the [animals] & birds are [destroyed.] |
[Hosea 4:3 Therefore, the land shall mourn & everyone, [who] dwells [there] shall [waste away] with the [animals] of the field & the [birds] of heaven. [Yes,] the fish of the sea, shall also be taken away.] |
If you had run with the footmen & they have [tired] you, then how can you [keep up] with horses? And if they [tired] you, in the land of peace, [in which] you trusted, then how would you do in the swelling [flood waters] of Jordan? |
[Joshua 3:16-17 The waters that came down from [higher,] stood & rose up [in a] heap, very far from the city: Adam, that is beside Zaretan. And those, [who] came down toward the sea of the plain, even the Salt Sea, failed [to flow] & were cut off. |
And the people [crossed] over, right [next to] Jericho. And the priests, [who carried] the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, stood on firm, dry ground in the [middle] of [the] Jordan [River,] & all the Israelites [crossed] over on dry ground, until all the people [had totally crossed] over Jordan.] |
For even your brethren & your [father's] house, have even dealt treacherously with you. [Yes,] they called a multitude after you. [Don't] believe them, [even though] they speak [kind] words to you. [Psalm 12:2 [Those who] speak [what is] vanity & everyone with his neighbor, they do speak with flattering lips & a [2 faced] heart.] |
I have [abandoned My] house & I have left [My] heritage. I have [delivered] the dearly beloved of My soul, [over] into the [hands] of her enemies. [My] heritage is to Me [like] a lion in the forest. It cries out against Me. Therefore, I have hated it. [Hosea 8:4-6 They have [established] kings, but not by Me. They have made princes & I [didn't] know it. They have made [themselves] idols of silver & gold, [so] that they might be cut off. |
Your calf, O Samaria, has cast you [away.] [My] anger [grows] against them. How long will it be [until] they [achieve] innocence? It was also [from] Israel: [that] the workman made it. Therefore, it isn't God, but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.] |
[My] heritage is to Me, [like] a speckled bird. The birds [around] are against her. Come you & assemble all the [animals] of the field [that] come to devour. [Leviticus 26:22-24 I will also send wild [animals] among you, [that] shall rob you of your children, destroy your cattle & make you few in number. |
And your highways shall be desolate. And if you won't be reformed by these things [through] Me, but [continue] to walk contrary to Me, then, I will also walk contrary to you & will punish you, [still] 7 times for your sins.] |
Many pastors have destroyed My vineyard & they have [trampled] down My portion under foot. They have made My pleasant portion [of the land] a desolate wilderness. [Jeremiah 23:1-2 The Lord says, Woe to the pastors, [a.k.a. shepherds, who] destroy & scatter the sheep of My pasture! |
Therefore, the Lord God of Israel says [this,] against the pastors, [who] feed My people; You have scattered My flock & have driven them away & haven't visited them. [Watch,] I will visit, [a.k.a. punish] you [for] the evil of your [actions,] says the Lord.] |
They have made it desolate. And being desolate, it [grieves] Me. The whole land is made desolate, because no man [takes] it to heart. The [plunderers have] come upon all [the] high places, [throughout] the wilderness. For the sword of the Lord shall devour from one end of the land, even to the other. No [living,] shall have peace. |
[Deuteronomy 12:2-3 You shall [totally] destroy all the places, [in which,] the nations [that] you shall possess, served their gods, upon the high mountains, the hills & under every green tree. And you shall overthrow their altars, break their pillars & burn their groves with fire. And you shall [cut] down the [carved] images of their gods & destroy the names of them out of that place.] |
They have sown wheat, but shall [harvest] thorns. They have [caused] themselves pain, but shall not [benefit.] And they shall be ashamed of your [rewards.] because of the fierce anger of the Lord. [Micah 6:15-16 You shall sow, but shall not [harvest.] You shall [walk] the [olive groves,] but you shall not anoint [yourself] with [its] oil. |
[And you shall make] sweet wine, but not drink [the] wine. For the [mandates] of Omri are kept & all the [deeds] of the house of Ahab & you [follow] their [advice; so] that I [would] make you a desolation & [its] inhabitants [are repulsive, worthy of] hissing. Therefore, you shall [put up] with the [disgrace] of My people.] |
The Lord says [this] against all [My] evil neighbors, [who] have [meddled with] the inheritance [that] I have caused My people, Israel, to inherit. [Look,] I will [snatch] them out of their land & pluck out from among them, the house of Judah. |
[Zechariah 2:8-9 For the Lord of Hosts says [this;] He has sent Me after glory, to the nations [who plundered] you. For he, [who meddles with] you, [meddles with] the apple of His eye. For, [look,] I will shake [My] hand upon them & they shall be [plunder] to their servants. And you shall know that the Lord of Hosts has sent Me.] |
And it shall [happen,] after I have [snatched] them out, I will return & [will] have compassion on them & will bring them [back] again, every man to his heritage & every man to his land. And it shall [happen,] if they will [sincerely] learn the ways of My people, to swear [oaths] by My Name, The Lord Lives; [like] they taught My people to swear by Baal; then they shall be [rebuilt] in the midst of My people. |
[Romans 9:25-26 As He also said [by Hosea,] I will call them My people, [who] weren't My people & her beloved, [who] wasn't beloved. And it shall [happen,] that in the place where it was said to them, You aren't My people; they shall be called the children of the Living God, there.] |
But if they won't obey, I will [totally snatch] up & destroy that nation, says the Lord. [Isaiah 60:12 For the nation & kingdom, [who] won't serve you shall perish. [Yes,] those nations shall be [totally] wasted.] |