Monday March 13th 2017
Key verse: 4
JEREMIAH PROPHESIES AGAINST THE PHILISTINES
Jeremiah prophesies against the Philistines who were the closest enemies of Israel. Their power is enormously small in the time of David but their collapse will be the day of the Eternal God through Babylon.
1. The waters rise from the north (1-5)
Nekko strikes Gaza, one of the five countries of the Philistines in 609 before Jesus Christ. After that, Jeremiah prophesies their collapse through the Babylonians.They are as the overflowing and impetious waters which overrun all the country. The people cry and scream because of their pain. The hands of the fathers are very weak because of the panic which is coming. They abandon their children to the enemies. The Philistines join forces with Pharaoh and the Phonecia (Tyr and Sidon) and opt for the same politic. But Babylon devastates all these countries and also the island of Kaphtor, the present Crete, which is the origin of the Philistines. Gaza becomes bald. The shaved skull and the incisions on the body are a big shame because they evoke a total disaster.
2. The ringing voices (6-7)
The Philistines are striken by the Eternal God and they cry for rest. This seamark cry of the Philistines "where will you go up to ?" refers to the severity of the judgment of God. But there is an other voice, the voice of the prophet, which warnsof the malice of the people that God decided to punish. The prophet says that this setback represents a divine judgment. The Eternal God orders to his sword to go where he wants. None can say why he does that.
Prayer: Lord, you are mighty and your judgment is formidable. You are the sovereign of the world so you aim your sword where you want to.
Bottom line: the irresistible judgment of God 
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