TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Jeremiah 14:1–9. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The first verse is the title of the whole chapter: it does indeed all concern the dearth, but much of it consists of the prophet's prayers concerning it; yet these are not unfitly said to be, The word of the Lord which came to him concerning it, for every acceptable prayer is that which God puts into our hearts; nothing is our word that comes to him but what is first his word that comes from him. In these verses we have,
I.The language of nature lamenting the calamity.
When the heavens were as brass, and distilled no dews, the earth was as iron, and produced no fruits; and then the grief and confusion were universal.
1.The people of the land were all in tears. Destroy their vines and their fig-trees and you cause all their mirth to cease, Hos 2:11, Hos 2:12. All their joy fails with the joy of harvest, with that of their corn and wine. Judah mourns (Jer 14:2), not for the sin, but for the trouble - for the withholding of the rain, not for the withdrawing of God's favour. The gates thereof, all that go in and out at their gates, languish, look pale, and grow feeble, for want of the necessary supports of life and for fear of the further fatal consequences of this judgment. The gates, through which supplies of corn formerly used to be brought into their cities, now look melancholy, when, instead of that, the inhabitants are departing through them to seek for bread in other countries. Even those that sit in the gates languish; they are black unto the ground, they go in black as mourners and sit on the ground, a the poor beggars at the gates are black in the face for want of food, blacker than a coal, Lam 4:8. Famine is represented by a black horse, Rev 6:5. They fall to the ground through weakness, not being able to go along the streets. The cry of Jerusalem has gone up; that is, of the citizens (for the city is served by the field), or of people from all parts of the country met at Jerusalem to pray for rain; so some. But I fear it was rather the cry of their trouble, and the cry of their prayer.
2.The great men of the land felt from this judgment (Jer 14:3): The nobles sent their little ones to the water, perhaps their own children, having been forced to part with their servants because they had not wherewithal to keep them, and being willing to train up their children, when they were little, to labour, especially in a case of necessity, as this was. We find Ahab and Obadiah, the king and the lord chamberlain of his household, in their own persons, seeking for water in such a time of distress as this was, Kg1 18:5, Kg1 18:6. Or, rather, their meaner ones, their servants and inferior officers; these they sent to seek for water, which there is no living without; but there was none to be found: They returned with their vessels empty; the springs were dried up when there was no rain to feed them; and then they (their masters that sent them) were ashamed and confounded at the disappointment. They would not be ashamed of their sins, nor confounded at the sense of them, but were unhumbled under the reproofs of the word, thinking their wealth and dignity set them above repentance; but God took a course to make them ashamed of that which they were so proud of, when they found that even on this side hell their nobility would not purchase them a drop of water to cool their tongue. Let our reading the account of this calamity make us thankful for the mercy of water, that we may not by the feeling of the calamity be taught to value it. What is most needful is most plentiful.
3.The husbandmen felt most sensibly and immediately from it (Jer 14:4): The ploughmen were ashamed, for the ground was so parched and hard that it would not admit the plough even when it was so chapt and cleft that it seemed as if it did not need the plough. They were ashamed to be idle, for there was nothing to be done, and therefore nothing to be expected. The sluggard, that will not plough by reason of cold, is not ashamed of his own folly; but the diligent husbandman, that cannot plough by reason of heat, is ashamed of his own affliction. See what an immediate dependence husbandmen have upon the divine Providence, which therefore they should always have an eye to, for they cannot plough nor sow in hope unless God water their furrows, Psa 65:10.
4.The case even of the wild beasts was very pitiable, Jer 14:5, Jer 14:6. Man's sin brings those judgments upon the earth which make even the inferior creatures groan: and the prophet takes notice of this as a plea with God for mercy. Judah and Jerusalem have sinned, but the hinds and the wild asses, what have they done? The hinds are pleasant creatures, lovely and loving, and particularly tender of their young; and yet such is the extremity of the case that, contrary to the instinct of their nature, they leave their young, even when they are newly calved and most need them, to seek for grass elsewhere; and, if they can find none, they abandon them, because not able to suckle them. It grieved not the hind so much that she had no grass herself as that she had none for her young, which will shame those who spend that upon their lusts which they should preserve for their families. The hind, when she has brought forth her young, is said to have cast forth her sorrows (Job 39:3), and yet she continues her cares; but, as it follows there, she soon sees the good effect of them, for her young ones in a little while grow up, and trouble her no more, Jer 14:4. But here the great trouble of all is that she has nothing for them. Nay, one would be sorry even for the wild asses (though they are creatures that none have any great affection for); for, though the barren land is made their dwelling at the best (Job 39:5, Job 39:6), yet even that is now made too hot for them, so hot that they cannot breathe in it, but they get to the highest places they can reach, where the air is coolest, and snuff up the wind like dragons, like those creatures which, being very hot, are continually panting for breath. Their eyes fail, and so does their strength, because there is no grass to support them. The tame ass, that serves her owner, is welcome to his crib (Isa 1:3) and has her keeping for her labour, when the wild ass, that scorns the crying of the driver, is forced to live upon air, and is well enough served for not serving. He that will not labour, let him not eat.
II.Here is the language of grace, lamenting the iniquity, and complaining to God of the calamity.
The people are not forward to pray, but the prophet here prays for them, and so excites them to pray for themselves, and puts words into their mouths, which they may make use of, in hopes to speed, Jer 14:7-9. In this prayer, 1. Sin is humbly confessed. When we come to pray for the preventing or removing of any judgment we must always acknowledge that our iniquities testify against us. Our sins are witnesses against us, and true penitents see them to be such. They testify, for they are plain and evident; we cannot deny the charge. They testify against us, for our conviction, which tends to our present shame and confusion, and our future condemnation. They disprove and overthrow all our pleas for ourselves; and so not only accuse us, but answer against us. If we boast of our own excellencies, and trust to our own righteousness, our iniquities testify against us, and prove us perverse. If we quarrel with God as dealing unjustly or unkindly with us in afflicting us, our iniquities testify against us that we do him wrong; "for our backslidings are many and our revolts are great, whereby we have sinned against thee - too numerous to be concealed, for they are many, too heinous to be excused, for they are against thee." 2. Mercy is earnestly begged: "Though our iniquities testify against us, and against the granting of the favour which the necessity of our case calls for, yet do thou it." They do not say particularly what they would have done; but, as becomes penitents and beggars, they refer the matter to God: "Do with us as thou thinkest fit," Jdg 10:15. Not, Do thou it in this way or at this time, but "Do thou it for thy name's sake; do that which will be most for the glory of thy name." Note, Our best pleas in prayer are those that are fetched from the glory of God's own name. "Lord, do it, that they mercy may be magnified, thy promise fulfilled, and thy interest in the world kept up; we have nothing to plead in ourselves, but every thing in thee." There is another petition in this prayer, and it is a very modest one (Jer 14:9): "Leave us not, withdraw not thy favour and presence." Note, We should dread and deprecate God's departure from us more than the removal of any or all our creature-comforts. 3. Their relation to God, their interest in him, and their expectations from him grounded thereupon, are most pathetically pleaded with him, Jer 14:8, Jer 14:9. (1.) They look upon him as one they have reason to think should deliver them when they are in distress, yea, though their iniquities testify against them; for in him mercy has often rejoiced against judgment. The prophet, like Moses of old, is willing to make the best he can of the case of his people, and therefore, though he must own that they have sinned many a great sin (Exo 32:31), yet he pleads, Thou art the hope of Israel. God has encouraged his people to hope in him; in calling himself so often the God of Israel, the rock of Israel, and the Holy One of Israel, he has made himself the hope of Israel. He has given Israel his word to hope in, and caused them to hope in it; and there are those yet in Israel that make God alone their hope, and expect he will be their Saviour in time of trouble, and they look not for salvation in any other; "Thou hast many a time been such, in the time of their extremity." Note, Since God is his people's all-sufficient Saviour, they ought to hope in him in their greatest straits; and, since he is their only Saviour, they ought to hope in him alone. They plead likewise, "Thou art in the midst of us; we have the special tokens of thy presence with us, thy temple, thy ark, thy oracles, and we are called by the name, the Israel of God; and therefore we have reason to hope thou wilt not leave us; we are thine, save us. Thy name is called upon us, and therefore what evils we are under reflect dishonour upon thee, as if thou wert not able to relieve thy own." The prophet had often told the people that their profession of religion would not protect them from the judgments of God; yet here he pleads it with God, as Moses, Exo 32:11. Even this may go far as to temporal punishments with a God of mercy. Valeat quantum valere potest - Let the plea avail as far as is proper. (2.) It therefore grieves them to think that he does not appear for their deliverance; and, though they do not charge it upon him as unrighteous, they humbly plead it with him why he should be gracious, for the glory of his own name. For otherwise he will seem, [1.] Unconcerned for his own people: What will the Egyptians say? they will say, "Israel's hope and Saviour does not mind them; he has become as a stranger in the land, that does not at all interest himself in its interests; his temple, which he called his rest for ever, is no more so, but he is in it as a wayfaring man, that turns aside to tarry but for a night in an inn, which he never enquires into the affairs of, nor is in any care about." Though God never is, yet he sometimes seems to be, as if he cared not what became of his church: Christ slept when his disciples were in storm. [2.] Incapable of giving them any relief. The enemies once said, Because the Lord was not able to bring his people to Canaan, he let them perish in the wilderness (Num 14:16); so now they will say, "Either his wisdom or his power fails him; either he is as a man astonished (who, though he has the reason of a man, yet, being astonished, is quite at a loss and at his wits' end) or as a mighty man who is overpowered by such as are more mighty, and therefore cannot save; though mighty, yet a man, and therefore having his power limited." Either of these would be a most insufferable reproach to the divine perfections; and therefore, why has the God that we are sure is in the midst of us become as a stranger? Why does the almighty God seem as if he were no more than a mighty man, who, when he is astonished, though he would, yet cannot save? It becomes us in prayer to show ourselves concerned more for God's glory than for our own comfort. Lord, what wilt thou do unto thy great name?
Historical interpretation
Two Centuries of Reception
4 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
It will serve us to remember that what is called the Word came to certain persons, as “the word of the Lord which came to Hosea, the son of Beeri,” and “the word which came to Isaiah, the son of Amoz, concerning Judah and concerning Jerusalem,” and “the word that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought.” We must inquire how this Word came to Hosea, and how it came also to Isaiah the son of Amoz, and again to Jeremiah concerning the drought. The comparison may enable us to find out how the Word was with God. We will generalize by simply looking at what the prophets said, as if that were the Word of the Lord or the Word that came to them. May it not be … that … the Son, the Word, of whom we are now theologizing, came to Hosea, sent to him by the Father, historically, that is to say, to the son of Beeri, the prophet Hosea.… Similarly the Word comes also to Isaiah, teaching the things that are coming on Judea and Jerusalem in the last days. So also it comes to Jeremiah lifted up by a divine elation.… Thus to find out what is meant by the phrase “the Word was with God,” we have adduced the words used about the prophets, how he came to Hosea, to Isaiah, to Jeremiah.… We have to add that in his coming to the prophets he illuminates the prophets with the light of knowledge, causing them to see things that had been before them but that they had not understood until then.
Again, the Scriptures speak of God as asleep when the psalmist says, “Arise! Why do you sleep, O Lord?” He does not say this to make us suspect that God sleeps. This would be the utmost madness. By the word sleep the psalm shows God’s patience and forbearance toward us. Another prophet has said, “You will not be like a person who sleeps, will you?” Do you not see that we need much help from our understanding and reason when we are searching into the treasure house of the divine Scriptures? If we listen to the words only, if we do not think but take the words as they come, not only will those absurdities follow, but many a conflict will be seen in what has been said.
After many and various thoughts, he returns to the prophecy’s title, in which it is written, “What the word of the Lord gave to Jeremiah concerning the drought.” This is why he says, in effect: “Because the idols of demons are unable to make it rain, and the heavens are unable to give showers in and of themselves, therefore give us rain, O Lord our God, on whom we always wait and toward whom we have turned our hope and devotion. For everything is yours, and whatever is good cannot be given without you, to whom it belongs.” Let us speak this word also against the heretics who are unable to grant rain showers of doctrine. Although they prefer themselves to be the heavens and thus glory in themselves, concerning what is written, “the heavens tell forth the glory of God,” they are nonetheless incapable of providing rain showers of doctrine. For it is God alone who instructs people and grants a diversity of graces to those who wait on him.
(Versedio 2 and the following verses.) Judah (or Judea) lamented and its gates collapsed (or became empty), and it was darkened (or obscured) over the land, and the cry of Jerusalem went up. Its elders sent their young ones (or younger ones) to the water: they came to draw (or to the wells) and found no water, they brought back their empty vessels, they were confused and distressed (or ashamed), and they covered their heads because of the desolation of the land (or the works of the land, for they failed), because there was no rain upon the land: the farmers were confused, they covered their heads. In times of drought, when the multitude suffers from hunger for hearing and learning the word of God, Judea mourns, boasting of having the worship of God first, and the confession of true faith, and its gates are either emptied or fall down, which we should attribute to the senses, through which discipline is conceived by souls. Then everything is obscured and wrapped in darkness; and reason and the teaching of doctrine do not reign in Jerusalem, but there is clamor and confusion. Moreover, those who should themselves go to fetch water send the younger ones, in whom there is no wisdom, and therefore they come to the wells and do not find water, which the history narrates that the patriarchs found (Genesis 26). They return with their vessels empty, namely the younger ones: not because there was no water, but because they could not find it. They are confused and afflicted, or they blush and cover their heads; because they could not say with the Apostle: But we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord (1 Corinthians 3:18). Because of the desolation of the land, or rather, because the works of the land have failed, through which we come to know God. And the reason is clear: because, he says, rain has not come upon the earth. For it was commanded to the clouds not to rain down rain upon it. (Isai. V). Also, farmers, of whom one speaks, you are the agriculture of God, you are the building of God. (II Cor. III, 9). And in another place: we are the co-workers of God, they cover their heads, and they are confused, understanding that without the grace and assistance of God, they strive in vain.
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Summary
Jeremiah 14:4 vividly portrays the devastating effects of a severe drought on the land of Judah, depicting cracked earth and the profound despair of the farmers. This physical desolation, marked by the ground's inability to yield sustenance, leads to deep shame and humiliation among the plowmen, who express their hopelessness by covering their heads. The verse serves as a powerful illustration of the tangible consequences of covenant unfaithfulness, underscoring humanity's absolute reliance on divine provision and the catastrophic impact when God's sustaining hand is withdrawn due to sin.
Context
Literary Context
Jeremiah 14:4 is embedded within a significant lament and prophetic oracle concerning a "great drought" that grips Judah, as introduced in Jeremiah 14:1. The preceding verses (Jeremiah 14:2-3) describe the widespread suffering across the land, affecting people, animals, and even the natural environment. Verse 4 specifically zooms in on the plight of the agricultural workers, offering a poignant human perspective on the widespread calamity. This detailed description of physical suffering sets the stage for the subsequent dialogue in the chapter, where the people lament their condition (Jeremiah 14:7-9) and God responds with a stern declaration of judgment due to their persistent sin (Jeremiah 14:10-12). Thus, this verse grounds the theological message of divine judgment in the harsh, undeniable realities of daily life in an agrarian society.
Historical & Cultural Context
Jeremiah's prophetic ministry unfolded during a period of intense political instability and spiritual decline in Judah, leading up to the Babylonian exile. As an agrarian society, ancient Israel's survival was entirely dependent on consistent rainfall. The Mosaic Covenant established a clear connection between national obedience to Yahweh and agricultural prosperity, while disobedience was explicitly linked to curses such as drought and famine, as detailed in passages like Deuteronomy 28:23-24. Therefore, a severe drought was not merely a natural disaster but was understood as a direct manifestation of divine displeasure and a sign of God's judgment for covenant unfaithfulness and widespread idolatry. The cultural act of "covering their heads" was a widely recognized gesture in the ancient Near East, symbolizing deep mourning, profound shame, or overwhelming distress, as exemplified by David's lament in 2 Samuel 15:30.
Key Themes
This verse profoundly contributes to several overarching theological and narrative themes within the book of Jeremiah and biblical theology. Firstly, it powerfully illustrates the consequences of disobedience to God's covenant, showing how spiritual rebellion can lead to tangible, physical suffering. The drought serves as a stark reminder of God's absolute sovereignty over creation and His use of natural phenomena as instruments of discipline or blessing. Secondly, it highlights human dependence on divine provision; the futility of the plowmen's efforts without God's sustaining rain underscores that human labor and skill are insufficient without divine favor. Thirdly, the deep shame and despair experienced by the plowmen emphasize the theme of humiliation and hopelessness that arises when people face circumstances beyond their control, particularly when these circumstances are perceived as divine judgment. This theme often precedes a prophetic call for genuine repentance and a return to God, a recurring message throughout Jeremiah's prophecies.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
Meaning "soil (from its general redness); country, earth, ground, husband(-man) (-ry), land." In this context, it refers specifically to the cultivated earth, the very source of livelihood for the people. Its "chapt" state signifies not just dryness, but a fundamental brokenness that renders it useless for its intended purpose, mirroring the broken covenant relationship.
Meaning "to prostrate; hence, to break down, either (literally) by violence, or (figuratively) by confusion and fear." This word vividly describes the physical condition of the soil—cracked, fissured, and utterly parched due to extreme desiccation. It conveys a sense of utter devastation and an inability to support life, symbolically reflecting the spiritual "brokenness" and despair of the nation.
Meaning "to pale, i.e. by implication to be ashamed; also (by implication) to be disappointed or delayed." The plowmen's shame is profound, stemming from their inability to perform their essential role as cultivators and providers. Their identity and livelihood were inextricably linked to the land's fruitfulness, and its barrenness brought not merely disappointment, but deep public and personal humiliation, a sense of failure in their God-given vocation.
Meaning "to cover; by implication, to veil, to encase, protect." The act of covering their heads is a powerful, culturally significant gesture indicating deep mourning, grief, or overwhelming shame and despair. It signifies a public display of profound distress, a withdrawal from the gaze of others, and an admission of utter powerlessness in the face of an unbearable calamity.
Verse Breakdown
"Because the ground is chapt,"
This opening clause immediately establishes the dire physical condition of the land. The term "chapt" (cracked, broken) paints a stark picture of extreme aridity, where the earth's surface has split open, rendering it utterly unfit for cultivation. This is the primary, visible manifestation of the drought's devastating severity.
"for there was no rain in the earth,"
This explanatory clause provides the direct, underlying cause for the ground's chapped state. The explicit statement of "no rain" highlights the complete absence of the life-sustaining element for an agrarian society. It underscores the direct link between divine provision (or its withholding) and the land's productivity, emphasizing Judah's absolute dependence on meteorological conditions beyond human control.
"the plowmen were ashamed,"
This clause shifts focus from the desolate land to the profound human impact. The "plowmen" (farmers), whose identity and purpose were tied to cultivating the earth, are depicted as experiencing deep shame. This shame arises from their inability to perform their essential work—to plow, sow, and harvest—due to the land's barrenness, leading to a sense of vocational failure and humiliation.
"they covered their heads."
This final clause describes a powerful non-verbal expression of their despair and humiliation. Covering one's head was a common ancient Near Eastern gesture signifying deep mourning, grief, or overwhelming sorrow and shame. It conveys a sense of utter hopelessness, a public acknowledgment of their powerlessness in the face of such a devastating calamity, and perhaps even a symbolic withdrawal from society in their profound distress.
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 14:4 is rich in Imagery, painting a vivid and distressing picture of both the physical environment and the emotional state of the people. The phrase "the ground is chapt" evokes a strong visual of cracked, barren earth, while the "plowmen" covering their "heads" creates a poignant image of human suffering and humiliation. The verse effectively employs Cause and Effect, directly linking the absence of rain to the chapped ground, and subsequently, connecting this physical desolation to the shame and despair of the plowmen. This logical progression underscores the severity of the drought and its cascading impact on life. The act of "covering their heads" functions as powerful Symbolism for profound grief, shame, and hopelessness, a culturally understood gesture that immediately conveys the emotional weight and depth of the situation. The overall effect is one of deep Pathos, evoking pity and sorrow for the afflicted, and highlighting the tragic consequences of a broken relationship with God.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Jeremiah 14:4 profoundly illustrates God's absolute sovereignty over creation and His use of natural phenomena as instruments of divine discipline. The drought is not a random occurrence but a direct consequence of Judah's persistent covenant unfaithfulness, echoing the explicit warnings of the Mosaic Law where agricultural prosperity was contingent upon obedience (e.g., Deuteronomy 28). This verse underscores humanity's complete dependence on God for even the most basic provisions, challenging any notion of self-sufficiency or human control. The deep shame of the plowmen reflects the spiritual barrenness of the nation, unable to produce fruit for God, leading to spiritual humiliation and despair. It serves as a stark reminder that departure from God's ways can lead to tangible, often painful, consequences, ultimately calling for genuine repentance and a renewed reliance on the Creator.
Reflection and Application
Jeremiah 14:4 serves as a timeless and potent reminder of our profound dependence on God, not only for spiritual sustenance but also for the very fabric of our physical existence. In a world that often prides itself on technological advancement, human ingenuity, and self-sufficiency, this verse calls us back to the foundational truth that all provision ultimately flows from the Creator. It challenges us to consider how our spiritual posture—our obedience, faithfulness, and worship—might impact the tangible realities of our lives and communities. When we face "droughts" in our own lives, whether physical, emotional, relational, or spiritual, this passage invites us to humble ourselves, acknowledge our limitations, and turn to God in repentance and desperate hope, rather than succumbing to shame or despair. It prompts us to examine whether our own "ground" is chapped due to a lack of "rain" from God's presence, and to seek Him earnestly for renewal and restoration, trusting that He is the ultimate source of life and flourishing.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why were the plowmen "ashamed" and why did they "cover their heads"?
The plowmen were "ashamed" because their livelihood, identity, and purpose were inextricably linked to the land's fruitfulness. In an agrarian society, the inability to cultivate the land and produce food due to severe drought meant they could not fulfill their essential role or provide for their families and community. This failure, brought about by circumstances beyond their control but understood as divine judgment, led to profound humiliation and a sense of worthlessness. The act of "covering their heads" was a common cultural gesture in the ancient Near East, signifying deep mourning, grief, or overwhelming shame and despair. It was a public display of their utter helplessness and sorrow, a symbolic withdrawal from the world in the face of an unbearable calamity. This gesture underscores the depth of their emotional distress and the catastrophic impact of the drought on their lives and dignity, as seen in other biblical contexts like 2 Samuel 15:30.
Was this drought literally God's judgment on Judah?
Yes, within the biblical narrative and the prophetic understanding of Jeremiah, this drought is presented as a direct consequence of Judah's unfaithfulness to God's covenant. The Mosaic Law explicitly warned that disobedience would lead to curses, including drought and famine (e.g., Deuteronomy 28:23-24). Jeremiah's ministry consistently highlights Judah's widespread idolatry, moral corruption, and rejection of God's commands as the reason for the calamities befalling them. Therefore, while a drought is a natural phenomenon, its severity and timing were interpreted by the prophet as an act of divine discipline, a call for the nation to repent and return to the Lord. It served as a tangible manifestation of God's righteous judgment against their persistent sin.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Jeremiah 14:4, with its vivid portrayal of a parched land and despairing people, finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment in several ways. The "chapt ground" and the absence of "rain" symbolize humanity's spiritual barrenness and the lack of true life apart from God, a condition that the law and prophets could highlight but not ultimately remedy. The shame and despair of the plowmen mirror humanity's inability to produce spiritual fruit or secure its own salvation, leading to a profound sense of spiritual futility and a need for divine intervention. However, Jesus Christ enters this scene of spiritual drought as the ultimate source of "living water," offering refreshment and eternal life to all who are spiritually thirsty, as He declared in John 4:10-14 and John 7:37-38. He is the one who bore the curse of the law, including the curse of barrenness and judgment, on the cross, thereby redeeming us from its power and its devastating effects (Galatians 3:13). Through His atoning sacrifice and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the spiritual "ground" of our hearts, once chapped and unproductive due to sin, is made fertile, enabling us to bear the fruit of righteousness. Christ's suffering, which involved bearing the shame and despair of humanity, ultimately transforms our spiritual barrenness into flourishing life and our profound shame into eternal glory, fulfilling the promise that God will wipe away every tear and banish all sorrow in the new creation (Revelation 21:4). He is the true Husbandman who cultivates our souls, ensuring that we will never again experience the ultimate spiritual drought.