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Commentary on Jeremiah 25 verses 15–29
Under the similitude of a cup going round, which all the company must drink of, is here represented the universal desolation that was now coming upon that part of the world which Nebuchadrezzar, who just now began to reign and act, was to be the instrument of, and which should at length recoil upon his own country. The cup in the vision is to be a sword in the accomplishment of it: so it is explained, Jer 25:16. It is the sword that I will send among them, the sword of war, that should be irresistibly strong and implacably cruel.
I. As to the circumstances of this judgment, observe,
1.Whence this destroying sword should come - from the hand of God. It is the sword of the Lord (Jer 47:6), bathed in heaven, Isa 34:5. Wicked men are made use of as his sword, Psa 17:13. It is the wine-cup of his fury. It is the just anger of God that sends this judgment. The nations have provoked him by their sins, and they must fall under the tokens of his wrath. These are compared to some intoxicating liquor, which they shall be forced to drink of, as, formerly, condemned malefactors were sometimes executed by being compelled to drink poison. The wicked are said to drink the wrath of the Almighty, Job 21:20; Rev 14:10. Their share of troubles in his world is represented by the dregs of a cup of red wine full of mixture, Psa 75:8. See Psa 11:6. The wrath of God in this world is but as a cup, in comparison of the full streams of it in the other world.
2.By whose hand it should be sent to them - by the hand of Jeremiah as the judge set over the nations (Jer 1:10), to pass his sentence upon them, and by the hand of Nebuchadrezzar as the executioner. What a much greater figure then does the poor prophet make than what the potent prince makes, if we look upon their relation to God, though in the eye of the world it was the reverse of it! Jeremiah must take the cup at God's hand, and compel the nations to drink it. He foretells no hurt to them but what God appoints him to foretell; and what is foretold by a divine authority will certainly be fulfilled by a divine power.
3.On whom it should be sent - on all the nations within the verge of Israel's acquaintance and the lines of their communication. Jeremiah took the cup, and made all the nations to drink of it, that is, he prophesied concerning each of the nations here mentioned that they should share in this great desolation that was coming. Jerusalem and the cities of Judah are put first (Jer 25:18); for judgment begins at the house of God (Pe1 4:17), at the sanctuary, Eze 9:6. Whether Nebuchadrezzar had his eye principally upon Jerusalem and Judah in this expedition or no does not appear; probably he had; for it was as considerable as any of the nations here mentioned. However God had his eye principally to them. And this part of the prophecy was already begun to be accomplished; this is denoted by that melancholy parenthesis (as it is this day), for in the fourth year of Jehoiakim things had come into a very bad posture, and all the foundations were out of course. Pharaoh king of Egypt comes next, because the Jews trusted to that broken reed (v. 19); the remains of them fled to Egypt, and there Jeremiah particularly foretold the destruction of that country, Jer 43:10, Jer 43:11. All the other nations that bordered upon Canaan must pledge Jerusalem in this bitter cup, this cup of trembling. The mingled people, the Arabians (so some), some rovers of divers nations that lived by rapine (so others); the kings of the land of Uz, joined to the country of the Edomites. The Philistines had been vexatious to Israel, but now their cities and their lords become a prey to this mighty conqueror. Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Zidon, are places well known to border upon Israel; the Isles beyond, or beside, the sea, are supposed to be those parts of Phoenicia and Syria that lay upon the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Dedan and the other countries mentioned (Jer 25:23, Jer 25:24) seem to have lain upon the confines of Idumea and Arabia the desert. Those of Elam are the Persians, with whom the Medes are joined, now looked upon as inconsiderable and yet afterwards able to make reprisals upon Babylon for themselves and all their neighbours. The kings of the north, that lay nearer to Babylon, and others that lay at some distance, will be sure to be seized on and made a prey of by the victorious sword of Nebuchadrezzar. Nay, he shall push on his victories with such incredible fury and success that all the kingdoms of the world that were then and there known should become sacrifices to his ambition. Thus Alexander is said to have conquered the world, and the Roman empire is called the world, Luk 2:1. Or it may be taken as reading the doom of all the kingdoms of the earth; one time or other, they shall feel the dreadful effects of war. The world has been, and will be, a great cockpit, while men's lusts war as they do in their members, Jam 4:1. But, that the conquerors may see their fate with the conquered, it concludes, The king of Sheshach shall drink after them, that is, the king of Babylon himself, who has given his neighbours all this trouble and vexation, shall at length have it return upon his own head. That by Sheshach is meant Babylon is plain from Jer 51:41; but whether it was another name of the same city or the name of another city of the same kingdom is uncertain. Babylon's ruin was foretold, Jer 25:12, Jer 25:13. Upon this prophecy of its being the author of the ruin of so many nations it is very fitly repeated here again.
4.What should be the effect of it. The desolations which the sword should make in all these kingdoms are represented by the consequences of excessive drinking (Jer 25:16): They shall drink, and be moved, and be mad. They shall be drunken, and spue, and fall and rise no more, Jer 25:27. Now this may serve, (1.) To make us loathe the sin of drunkenness, that the consequences of it are made use of to set forth a most woeful and miserable condition. Drunkenness deprives men, for the present, of the use of their reason, makes them mad. It takes from them likewise that which, next to reason, is the most valuable blessing, and that is health; it makes them sick, and endangers the bones and the life. Men in drink often fall and rise no more; it is a sin that is its own punishment. How wretchedly are those intoxicated and besotted that suffer themselves at any time to be intoxicated, especially to be by the frequent commission of the sin besotted with wine or strong drink! (2.) To make us dread the judgments of war. When God sends the sword upon a nation, with warrant to make it desolate, it soon becomes like a drunken man, filled with confusion at the alarms of war, put into a hurry; its counsellors mad, and at their wits' end, staggering in all the measures they take, all the motions they make, sick at heart with continual vexation, vomiting up the riches they have greedily swallowed down (Job 20:15), falling down before the enemy, and as unable to get up again, or do any thing to help themselves, as a man dead drunk is, Hab 2:16.
5.The undoubted certainty of it, with the reason given for it, Jer 25:28, Jer 25:29. They will refuse to take the cup at thy hand; not only they will be loth that the judgment should come, but they will be loth to believe that ever it will come; they will not give credit to the prediction of so despicable a man as Jeremiah. But he must tell them that it is the word of the Lord of hosts, he hath said it; and it is in vain for them to struggle with Omnipotence: You shall certainly drink. And he must give them this reason, It is a time of visitation, it is a reckoning day, and Jerusalem has been called to an account already: I begin to bring evil on the city that is called by my name; its relation to me will not exempt it from punishment, and should you be utterly unpunished? No; If this be done in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry? If those who have some good in them smart so severely for the evil that is found in them, can those expect to escape who have worse evils, and no good, found among them? If Jerusalem be punished for learning idolatry of the nations, shall not the nations be punished, of whom they learned it? No doubt they shall: I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, for they have helped to debauch the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
II. Upon this whole matter we may observe, 1. That there is a God that judges in the earth, to whom all the nations of the earth are accountable, and by whose judgment they must abide. 2. That God can easily bring to ruin the greatest nations, the most numerous and powerful, and such as have been most secure. 3. That those who have been vexatious and mischievous to the people of God will be reckoned with for it at last. Many of these nations had in their turns given disturbance to Israel, but now comes destruction on them. The year of the redeemer will come, even the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion. 4. That the burden of the word of the Lord will at last become the burden of his judgments. Isaiah had prophesied long since against most of these nations (ch. 13, etc.) and now at length all his prophecies will have their complete fulfilling. 5. That those who are ambitious of power and dominion commonly become the troublers of the earth and the plagues of their generation. Nebuchadrezzar was so proud of his might that he had no sense of right. These are the men that turn the world upside down, and yet expect to be admired and adored. Alexander thought himself a great prince when others thought him no better than a great pirate. 6. That the greatest pomp and power in this world are of very uncertain continuance. Before Nebuchadrezzar's greater force kings themselves must yield and become captives.
In the same way in which physicians apply remedies to the sick, in order that by careful treatment they may recover their health, God so deals toward those who have lapsed and fallen into sin, is proved by this, that the cup of God’s fury is ordered, through the agency of the prophet Jeremiah, to be offered to all nations, that they may drink it, and be in a state of madness and vomit it forth. In doing which, God threatens them, saying that if anyone refuses to drink, he shall not be cleansed. By this certainly it is understood that the fury of God’s vengeance is profitable for the purgation of souls.
Know that it was foretold that wars would continue frequently to prevail, death and famine accumulate anxiety, health would be shattered by raging diseases and the human race be wasted by the desolation of pestilence. It was predicted that evils should be multiplied in the last times and that misfortunes should be varied and that as the day of judgment is now drawing near, the censure of an indignant God should be more and more aroused for the scourging of the human race. For these things do not happen, as your false complaining and ignorant inexperience of the truth asserts and repeats, because your gods are not worshiped by us, but because God is not worshiped by you. For since he is Lord and Ruler of the world and all things are carried on by his will and direction, nor can anything be done save what he has done or allowed to be done, certainly when those things occur that show the anger of an offended God, they happen not on account of us by whom God is worshiped, but they are called down by your sins and by what you deserve, by whom God is neither in any way sought or feared, because your vain superstitions are not forsaken, nor is the true religion known in such a way that he who is the one God over all might alone be worshiped and petitioned. Finally, listen to himself speaking with a divine voice at once instructing and warning us: “You will worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.” And again, “You will have no other gods but me.” And again, “Do not go after other gods to serve them, and do not worship them, and do not provoke me to anger with the works of your hands to destroy you.”
Consider and observe, my hearer, that if God had provided hope for Sodom and its companions, he would not have overthrown them with fire and brimstone, the sign of the last day of the world. Instead, he would have delivered them over to one of the kingdoms to be chastised. This is what was written, for instance, when Jeremiah caused the nations and kingdoms to drink the cup of wrath. Concerning each one of the cities, he said that after they shall “drink the cup, I will turn back the captivity of Elam, of Tyre, of Sidon, of the children of Ammon, and of Moab and of Edom.” Concerning each one of these kingdoms he said, “In the last days I will turn back its captivity.” Now we see that Tyre was inhabited and was opulent after it had wandered seventy years, and after it had received the reward of its harlotries and after it had committed fornication with all the kingdoms. And Tyre took the harp, and played it sweetly and multiplied its music. And also the region of Elam is inhabited and opulent. And with regard to Babylon Jeremiah said, “Babylon shall fall and shall not rise.” And look! Up to the present day it continues in desolation and will do so forever. And also about Jerusalem he said, “The virgin of Israel shall fall and shall not rise again. She is forsaken on the ground, and there is none to raise her up.” For if the prophecy is true that Jeremiah spoke about Babylon, also that about Jerusalem is true and worthy of faith. And Isaiah said to Jerusalem, “I will not again be angry with you, nor will I reprove you.” He truly will not be angry with Jerusalem ever again, nor will he reprove her forever; for that which is in desolation he will not reprove, nor will she provoke him to wrath.
The pouring out of the cup—and that a cup of pure or unmixed wine (which is called akratos in Greek)—is a sign of the Lord’s wrath so that all the nations who have waged war against the people of God will drink from the cup of the wrath of the Lord. Also, Isaiah writes concerning this cup against Jerusalem, “You have drunk and emptied the drinking cup of wrath, the cup of destruction; therefore, arise!” But that cup is being drunk by all nations so that they can vomit and be maddened. To be sure, an unsound interpretation understands this cup in a good sense, so that like a purgative it forces out whatever bile or phlegm or noxious humor is in the chest and restores pristine health. This interpretation understands the Savior instead of Jeremiah as the one who would make all the nations drink it, to whom also he was sent, so that when they had rejected idolatry they might dedicate themselves to the worship of God. But the words that follow will show that this is contrary to the Holy Scripture, for they are made to drink of the cup of pure wine not as a remedy (as this interpretation wants to understand it) but as a punishment.
(Verse 15 and following) For thus says the Lord God of Israel to me (Vulgate adds 'of hosts, and is silent to me'): take the cup of wine of fury (or strong drink) from my hand, and give it to all the nations to which I send you, and they shall drink it, and become intoxicated (Vulgate says 'disorderly') (or vomit); and they shall become mad because of the sword that I will send among them. And I took the cup from the hand of the Lord, and gave it to all the nations to which the Lord sent me. The drinking of the cup, and the cup of wine, whether unmixed or mixed, which is called ἀκράτου in Greek, is an indication of the Lord's furious wrath, so that all nations who have waged war against God's people may drink from the cup of the Lord's fury, about which Isaiah writes against Jerusalem: 'You have drunk the cup of fury, the chalice of ruin, and have drained it out, therefore arise' (Isa. 51:17). This cup, however, is drunk by all nations so that they may vomit and become insane. That which a certain corrupt interpreter takes in a good sense: so that, like a cathartic potion, it compels whatever bile and phlegm and harmful humor is in the chest to exit and restores its original health. It also takes the Savior for Jeremiah, in that he offered himself to all nations to which he was sent, so that they would abandon idolatry and devote themselves to the worship of God. The following will show that this is contrary to Holy Scripture. For they are offered not for remedy, as he wishes, but for punishment, deservedly served in a bitter cup.
He gives the name drinking cup to punishment, as also in another psalm, “In the hand of the Lord there is a cup of wine, full of a strong mixture,” and a little later, “all the sinners of the earth will drink it.” This drinking cup blessed Jeremiah was ordered to offer to the nations.
And he calls God’s punishment the “cup of unmixed wine.” … By “drinking” and “vomiting” Jeremiah implies they have had enough, and in their “raving,” he alludes to the terrible nature of their punishment. Then the prophet further relates how Jerusalem and the cities that paid tribute to it, along with their kings and rulers, were made to drink this cup.
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SUMMARY
Jeremiah 25:17 vividly portrays the prophet Jeremiah's immediate and obedient response to a divine mandate: he takes a symbolic cup from the hand of the LORD and compels all the nations, to whom the LORD had sent him, to drink from it. This powerful prophetic drama encapsulates the universal scope of God's impending judgment, signifying that the "cup of His fury" (Jeremiah 25:15) would be poured out not only upon rebellious Judah but also upon the surrounding Gentile nations that had engaged in wickedness, idolatry, and opposition to God's sovereign purposes. Jeremiah, in this act, serves as the direct, tangible instrument of God's righteous and inescapable will in executing this widespread divine reckoning.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 25:17 is exceptionally rich in Symbolism and Metaphor, which are central to its powerful communication of divine truth. The primary symbol is the "cup," which functions as a profound metaphor for divine wrath, judgment, and the decreed destiny of suffering. This imagery is a consistent motif in biblical literature, where drinking from a cup signifies experiencing a predetermined fate, often one of severe punishment or affliction. The entire scene of Jeremiah taking the cup and making the nations drink is a prime example of prophetic drama or acted prophecy. In this literary technique, the prophet's physical actions embody and communicate God's message more vividly and viscerally than mere verbal pronouncements could. This dramatic performance serves to impress upon the audience the certainty, severity, and inescapable nature of the impending judgment. Furthermore, the phrase "at the LORD'S hand" employs Anthropomorphism, attributing a human characteristic (having a hand) to God. This device serves to emphasize God's direct agency, active involvement, and tangible presence in the events, making the divine command feel immediate and concrete to the prophet and, by extension, to the original audience.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 25:17 powerfully illustrates God's absolute sovereignty over all nations and His unwavering commitment to justice. The "cup of wrath" imagery is a profound theological statement, signifying that sin, whether committed by God's covenant people or by pagan nations, will inevitably incur divine judgment. This passage underscores that God is not merely the God of Israel but the Lord of all creation, holding all humanity accountable to His moral standards. The prophet's obedient act highlights the principle that God often uses human instruments, even in difficult and unpopular tasks, to execute His divine will on earth. This universal judgment serves to vindicate God's righteousness and demonstrate that no nation, regardless of its power or perceived autonomy, can defy Him with impunity. It is a testament to God's cosmic authority and His ultimate control over the course of human history.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 25:17 serves as a stark and enduring reminder of God's impeccable justice and His ultimate, sovereign control over all human history. In a world frequently characterized by geopolitical turmoil, the rise and fall of empires, and the disheartening apparent triumph of injustice, this verse offers profound reassurance that God remains sovereign over all nations and will meticulously hold them accountable for their actions. It challenges us to critically examine our own lives and the moral trajectory of our nations in light of God's immutable righteous standards. While the immediate context is one of ancient judgment, the underlying principle of divine accountability remains timeless and universally applicable. For believers, this passage calls for a deep, unwavering trust in God's perfect justice, even when circumstances appear chaotic, unjust, or beyond human comprehension. It also compels us to live in radical obedience to His commands, recognizing that disobedience, whether individual or national, inevitably carries profound consequences. Furthermore, it encourages us to earnestly pray for our nations, that they might turn from wickedness and embrace righteousness, and to actively participate in God's redemptive work in the world, knowing with certainty that His righteous kingdom will ultimately prevail over all earthly powers.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does the "cup" symbolize in Jeremiah 25:17?
Answer: In Jeremiah 25:17, the "cup" is a powerful and recurring biblical metaphor symbolizing the outpouring of God's wrath and judgment. It represents the decreed destiny of suffering, punishment, and destruction that the nations must endure because of their wickedness, idolatry, and opposition to God's purposes. This imagery is common throughout the Old Testament, signifying an inescapable and overwhelming experience of divine indignation, as seen in passages like Isaiah 51:17 and Psalm 75:8. It signifies a full measure of divine justice that must be consumed.
Why does Jeremiah make "all the nations" drink from the cup?
Answer: Jeremiah makes "all the nations" drink from the cup because the LORD's judgment extends beyond Judah to encompass the entire known world of that time. This emphasizes God's universal sovereignty; He is not just the God of Israel but the supreme ruler over all peoples and kingdoms. The nations listed in Jeremiah 25:18-26 had engaged in various forms of idolatry, injustice, and often oppressed God's people, making them accountable for their actions. Jeremiah's act signifies that no nation, regardless of its power or perceived autonomy, is exempt from God's righteous and inescapable judgment.
How does Jeremiah's action relate to his role as a prophet?
Answer: Jeremiah's action in verse 17 is a classic example of "acted prophecy" or "prophetic drama." Rather than merely speaking God's words, Jeremiah physically performs a symbolic act that vividly and tangibly communicates the divine message. By taking the cup "at the LORD'S hand" and making the nations drink, he demonstrates his faithful obedience to God's difficult commission and serves as a tangible instrument of God's will. This reinforces his role as God's chosen messenger, whose actions carry divine authority and signify the certainty and inevitability of the prophesied events, as established in his initial call in Jeremiah 1:10.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Jeremiah 25:17 speaks of a terrifying cup of judgment for the nations, its profound Christ-centered fulfillment points to the ultimate and redemptive turning of this cup in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The terrifying cup of God's wrath, which fallen humanity justly deserved to drink in its entirety due to sin, was instead willingly taken and fully drained by the sinless Son of God. In the agonizing hours in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt" (Matthew 26:39). This was not a physical cup, but the full, bitter measure of divine fury against human sin, the very wrath symbolized in Jeremiah. Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God, became the recipient of this ultimate judgment, thereby absorbing the wrath that was due to all who would believe in Him. His crucifixion was the supreme act of drinking that cup, allowing those who trust in Him to receive instead a cup of salvation and blessing (Psalm 116:13). Through Christ's atoning sacrifice, the universal judgment prophesied for the nations in Jeremiah is transformed into an offer of universal grace, reconciliation, and eternal life for all who turn to Him, fulfilling God's grand redemptive plan to gather a multitude from "every nation, and all kindreds, and people, and tongues" (Revelation 7:9) into His eternal kingdom.