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Commentary on Jeremiah 19 verses 1–9
The corruption of man having made it necessary that precept should be upon precept, and line upon line (so unapt are we to receive, and so very apt to let slip, the things of God), the grace of God has provided that there shall be, accordingly, precept upon precept, and line upon line, that those who are irreclaimable may be inexcusable. For this reason the prophet is here sent with a message to the same purport with what he had often delivered, but with some circumstances that might make it the more taken notice of, a thing which ministers should study, for a little circumstance may sometimes be a great advantage, and those that would win souls must be wise.
I. He must take of the elders and chief men, both in church and state, to be his auditors and witnesses to what he said - the ancients of the people and the ancients of the priests, the most eminent men both in the magistracy and in the ministry, that they might be faithful witnesses to record, as those Isa 8:2. It is strange that these great men should be at the beck of a poor prophet, and obey his summons to attend him out of the city, they know not whither and they knew not why. But, though the generality of the elders were disaffected to him, yet it is likely that there were some few among them who looked upon him as a prophet of the Lord, and would pay this respect to the heavenly vision. Note, Persons of rank and figure have an opportunity of honouring God, by a diligent attendance on the ministry of the word and other divine institutions; and they ought to think it an honour, and no disparagement to themselves, yea, though the circumstances be mean and despicable. It is certain that the greatest of men is less than the least of the ordinances of God.
II. He must go to the valley of the son of Hinnom, and deliver this message there; for the word of the Lord is not bound to any one place; as good a sermon may be preached in the valley of Tophet as in the gate of the temple. Christ preached on a mountain and out of a ship. This valley lay partly on the south side of Jerusalem, but the prophet's way to it was by the entry on the east gate - the sun gate (Jer 19:2), so some render it, and suppose it to look not towards the sun-rising, but the noon sun - the potter's gate, so some. This sermon must be preached in that place, in the valley of the son of Hinnom, 1. Because there they had been guilty of the vilest of their idolatries, the sacrificing of their children to Moloch, a horrid piece of impiety, which the sight of the place might serve to remind them of and upbraid them with. 2. Because there they should feel the sorest of their calamities; there the greatest slaughter should be made among them; and, it being the common sink of the city, let them look upon it and see what a miserable spectacle this magnificent city would be when it should be all like the valley of Tophet. God bids him go thither, and proclaim there the words that I shall tell thee, when thou comest thither; whereby it appears (as Mr. Gataker well observed) that God's messages were frequently not revealed to the prophets before the very instant of time wherein they were to deliver them.
III. He must give general notice of a general ruin now shortly coming upon Judah and Jerusalem, Jer 19:3. He must, as those that make proclamation, begin with an Oyes: Hear you the word of the Lord, though it be a terrible word, for you may thank yourselves if it be so. Both rulers and ruled must attend to it, at their peril; the kings of Judah, the king and his sons, the king and his princes and privy-counsellors, must hear the word of the King of kings, for, high as they are, he is above them. The inhabitants of Jerusalem also must hear what God has to say to them. Both princes and people have contributed to the national guilt and must concur in the national repentance, or they will both share in the national ruin. Let them all know that the Lord of hosts, who is therefore able to do what he threatens, though he is the God of Israel, nay, because he is so, will therefore punish them in the first place for their iniquities (Amo 3:2): He will bring evil upon this place (upon Judah and Jerusalem) so surprising, and so dreadful, that whosoever hears it, his ears shall tingle; whosoever hears the prediction of it, hears the report and representation of it, it shall make such an impression of terror upon him that he shall still think he hears it sounding in his ears and shall not be able to get it out of his mind. The ruin of Eli's house is thus described (Sa1 3:11), and of Jerusalem, Kg2 21:12.
IV. He must plainly tell them what their sins were for which God had this controversy with them, Jer 19:4, Jer 19:5. They are charged with apostasy from God (They have forsaken me) and abuse of the privileges of the visible church, and which they had been dignified - They have estranged this place. Jerusalem (the holy city), the temple (the holy house), which was designed for the honour of God and the support of his kingdom among men, they had alienated from those purposes, and (as some render the word) they had strangely abused. They had so polluted both with their wickedness that God had disowned both, and abandoned them to ruin. He charges them with an affection for and the adoration of false gods, such as neither they nor their fathers have known, such as never had recommended themselves to their belief and esteem by any acts of power or goodness done for them or their ancestors, as that God had abundantly done whom they forsook; yet they took them at a venture for their gods; nay, being fond of change and novelty, they liked them the better for their being upstarts, and new fashions in religion were as grateful to their fancies as in other things. They also stand charged with murder, wilful murder, from malice prepense: They have filled this place with the blood of innocents. It was Manasseh's sin (Kg2 24:4), which the Lord would not pardon. Nay, as if idolatry and murder, committed separately, were not bad enough and affront enough to God and man, they have put them together, have consolidated them into one complicated crime, that of burning their children in the fire to Baal (Jer 19:5), which was the most insolent defiance to all the laws both of natural and revealed religion that ever mankind was guilty of; and by it they openly declared that they loved their new gods better than ever they loved the true God, though they were such cruel task-masters that they required human sacrifices (inhuman I should call them), which the Lord Jehovah, whose all lives and souls are, never demanded from his worshippers; he never spoke of such a thing, nor came it into his mind. See Jer 7:31.
V. He must endeavour to affect them with the greatness of the desolation that was coming upon them. He must tell them (as he had done before, Jer 7:32) that this valley of the son of Hinnom shall acquire a new name, the valley of slaughter (Jer 19:6), for (Jer 19:7) multitudes shall fall there by the sword, when either they sally out upon the besiegers and are repulsed or attempt to make their escape and are seized: They shall fall before their enemies, who not only endeavour to make themselves masters of their houses and estates, but have such an implacable enmity to them that they seek their lives; they thirst after their blood, and, when they are dead, will not allow a cartel for the burying of the slain, but their carcases shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven and beasts of the earth. What a dismal place will the valley of Tophet be then! And as for those that remain within the city, and will not capitulate with the besiegers, they shall perish for want of food, when first they have eaten the flesh of their sons and daughters, and dearest friends, through the straitness wherewith their enemies shall straiten them, Jer 19:9. This was threatened in the law as an instance of the extremity to which the judgments of God should reduce them (Lev 26:29, Deu 28:53) and was accomplished, Lam 4:10. And, lastly, the whole city shall be desolate, the houses laid in ashes, the inhabitants slain or taken prisoners; there shall be no resort to it, nor any thing in it but what looks rueful and horrid; so that every one that passes by shall be astonished (Jer 19:8), as he had said before, Jer 18:16. That place which holiness had made the joy of the whole earth sin had made the reproach and shame of the whole earth.
VI. He must assure them that all their attempts to prevent and avoid this ruin, so long as they continued impenitent and unreformed, would be fruitless and vain (Jer 19:7): I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem (of the princes and senators of Judah and Jerusalem) in this place, in the royal palace, which lay on the south side of the city, not far from the place where the prophet now stood. Note, There is no fleeing from God's justice but by fleeing to his mercy. Those that will not make good God's counsel, by humbling themselves under his mighty hand, shall find that God will make void their counsel and blast their projects, which they think ever so well concerted for their own preservation. There is no counsel or strength against the Lord.
(Verses 4-6.) Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring calamity (or evil) upon this place, such that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle, because they have forsaken me and have made this place a foreign land, and have burned incense in it to foreign gods, whom they and their fathers and the kings of Judah did not know. And they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent, and have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal, something that I did not command (or think), nor did it come into my mind. And certain individuals foolishly refer this place to the heavenly Jerusalem. Lest we always remind, it suffices to have said this only: that this kind of explanation is to be avoided, indeed it is heresy, which clearly subverts and attempts to introduce certain deceits to the Churches of Christ. But there is no doubt that they placed the idol Baal in the Temple of God, whether in the shrine that was in the valley of the son of Hinnom, where the grove of Baal and his altar were located, on which they sacrificed and burned their children. What the Lord neither thought nor spoke, nor did they ascend into his heart. Not that God does not know the future, but because he says that he chooses not to know unworthy things, according to the words of the Gospel: Depart from me, workers of iniquity, I do not know you (Luke 13:27). For the Lord knows those who are his (2 Timothy). And, Whoever is ignorant, let him be ignorant (1 Corinthians 14:38). Or certainly in a human way, and these things must be understood about God, as well as others. But every heretic forsakes God and makes room for the dwelling of God, whom he has defiled by his deceit and offers sacrifices to foreign gods, whom neither he nor his fathers knew, namely the Apostles and apostolic men; but the kings of Judah, that is, the patriarchs of heretics, fill the place of God once with the blood of deceivers and the innocent. For unless he is foolish and simple, he is not quickly overthrown. And they build high places for Baal, while claiming to debate lofty matters. And they burn their sons as an offering to idols, whom they have begotten in their heresy. The Lord says that he is unaware of all these things and that they have never entered his mind.
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SUMMARY
Jeremiah 19:5 serves as a profound divine indictment against the people of Judah, exposing the horrific depths of their apostasy through the practice of child sacrifice to the pagan deity Baal. This verse vividly illustrates their complete spiritual rebellion, revealing that they not only constructed "high places" for idolatrous worship but also engaged in the abhorrent ritual of burning their own children as offerings. God's emphatic declaration that such practices were neither commanded nor even conceived in His mind underscores the vast chasm between His holy, life-affirming character and the detestable actions of His covenant people, signaling the severe judgment that their profound rebellion would inevitably incur.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 19:5 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message with maximum impact. The most striking is Anthropomorphism, where God is described as having a "mind" into which certain thoughts or actions could or could not "come." This human-like expression ("neither came [it] into my mind") serves to emphasize the profound distance between God's holy character and the detestable practice of child sacrifice, making His revulsion relatable and powerfully clear to a human audience. The verse also utilizes Irony by applying the term "burnt offerings" (Hebrew: ʻôlâh), which was a legitimate and sacred form of worship offered to Yahweh, to the abhorrent act of child sacrifice to Baal. This highlights the profound perversion of true worship and the depths of Judah's spiritual depravity. Furthermore, the triple negation—"commanded not, nor spake [it], neither came [it] into my mind"—is a powerful form of Climax or Emphasis, building from a simple prohibition to an ultimate declaration of utter foreignness to God's nature, thereby magnifying His righteous indignation and the severity of the sin.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 19:5 stands as a stark testament to the profound depravity of idolatry and God's absolute intolerance for practices that violate the sanctity of human life, particularly the innocent. Theologically, it underscores the unique nature of Yahweh as a God who values life, demands ethical purity, and is inherently good, just, and compassionate, in stark contrast to the cruel and destructive deities of the surrounding nations. It reveals that God's commands are not arbitrary rules but flow directly from His holy character, which is inherently life-affirming and righteous. The act of child sacrifice, therefore, was not merely a breach of law but a direct assault on God's nature, His covenant relationship with His people, and His very image in humanity, demonstrating a complete spiritual blindness and moral corruption that warranted severe and inevitable judgment.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
While the literal practice of child sacrifice is, thankfully, largely absent in contemporary societies, Jeremiah 19:5 remains profoundly relevant, serving as a powerful and timeless warning against modern forms of idolatry and the compromise of divine truth. This verse challenges us to deeply examine what we prioritize above God in our lives—whether it be career advancement, financial security, personal comfort, social acceptance, political power, or even the unbridled pursuit of pleasure. Anything that demands our ultimate allegiance, our deepest trust, or causes us to sacrifice our moral integrity, our spiritual convictions, or the well-being of others for its sake, can become a modern "Baal" in our hearts. This passage calls us to an uncompromising and exclusive devotion to the one true God, reminding us that His commands are not burdensome restrictions but are, in fact, expressions of His good, perfect, and life-giving will for our flourishing. It also underscores the profound sanctity of human life, particularly the vulnerable and innocent, urging us to advocate for and protect those who cannot protect themselves, thereby reflecting God's own heart and character. Ultimately, Jeremiah 19:5 is a call to radical spiritual discernment, to reject cultural norms that contradict God's revealed truth, and to live lives of unwavering obedience and worship that are truly pleasing to Him alone.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What were "high places" and why were they associated with Baal?
Answer: "High places" (Hebrew: bâmâh) were elevated sites, often natural hills or constructed platforms, used for religious worship. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, including Canaanite, it was common practice to worship deities at such elevated locations, as they were believed to be closer to the heavens where the gods resided. While some early Israelite "high places" might have initially been dedicated to Yahweh, many became corrupted through syncretism or were explicitly built for foreign deities. By Jeremiah's time, "high places of Baal" specifically referred to cultic sites where the Canaanite storm and fertility god Baal was worshipped. This worship often involved practices directly contrary to God's law, including ritual prostitution and, as tragically highlighted in Jeremiah 19:5, child sacrifice. These sites thus became potent symbols of Judah's profound apostasy and spiritual rebellion against the Lord.
Why was child sacrifice so offensive to God?
Answer: Child sacrifice was an abomination to God for several fundamental reasons, all rooted in His holy and loving character. Firstly, it directly violated the sanctity of human life, which God Himself created in His image and declared good. Children, in particular, are seen as a blessing and a heritage from the Lord (Psalm 127:3). To offer them in such a horrific manner was a profound perversion of God's design and an act of extreme cruelty. Secondly, it was a direct challenge to God's exclusive sovereignty and holiness. God had commanded Israel to worship Him alone and had explicitly forbidden the detestable practices of the surrounding nations, including child sacrifice (Deuteronomy 12:31). Engaging in such a ritual meant rejecting their covenant with Yahweh and embracing the demonic practices of paganism (Psalm 106:37-38). Finally, God states emphatically that this practice "came [it] into my mind," highlighting that such depravity was utterly alien to His nature, His will, and His loving character. It represented the ultimate spiritual and moral degradation of His people.
What is the significance of God saying, "neither came [it] into my mind"?
Answer: This phrase is a powerful anthropomorphism, where God uses human language to express His absolute revulsion and complete dissociation from the practice of child sacrifice. It goes beyond merely stating a prohibition ("commanded not, nor spake it") to convey that such an act was utterly foreign to His thoughts, His character, and His divine being. It was never conceived, never desired, and never part of His plan or will for humanity. This emphatic declaration underscores that this horrific practice was a purely human invention, born out of deep spiritual rebellion and moral corruption, and stands in stark contrast to God's holy, life-affirming nature. It serves to magnify the severity of Judah's sin by highlighting that their actions were not merely disobedient but fundamentally antithetical to the very essence of who God is.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 19:5, with its graphic depiction of child sacrifice and God's emphatic repudiation of it, powerfully foreshadows the ultimate, unique, and divinely sanctioned sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The abhorrent offerings to Baal were a perversion of worship, a human attempt to appease false gods through unspeakable cruelty, completely alien to God's mind and character. In stark contrast, God Himself, out of His boundless love and sovereign will, provided the perfect and final "burnt offering" in His Son, Jesus. Jesus is identified as "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29), a willing sacrifice for humanity. While the people of Judah offered their innocent children in a futile and detestable attempt to gain favor, God, in His infinite grace, offered His innocent Son as a willing sacrifice to secure humanity's salvation (John 3:16). The death of Christ on the cross was not a horrific ritual demanded by a capricious deity, but a redemptive act of divine love and justice, fulfilling the true meaning of a "burnt offering"—complete devotion and atonement—in a way that the Old Testament sacrifices could only foreshadow (Hebrews 9:26-28). Thus, Jeremiah's condemnation of a sacrifice God never commanded points forward to the one sacrifice God did provide, which truly cleanses from sin and brings reconciliation, perfectly aligning with His holy character and loving heart (Romans 5:8).