Sunday after VaYakhel

Sunday after VaYakhel

Weekday Reading

Jeremiah chapter 45 & 46

Jer 45:1 The message that Yirmeyahu the prophet spoke to Barukh the son of Neriyah, when he wrote these words in a book at the mouth of Yirmeyahu, in the fourth year of Yehoiakim the son of Yoshiyahu, king of Yehudah, saying,

Jer 45:2 Thus says YHWH, the Elohim of Yisra’el, to you, Barukh:

Jer 45:3 You did say, Woe is me now! for YHWH has added sorrow to my pain; I am weary with my groaning, and I find no rest.

Jer 45:4 Thus shall you tell him, Thus says YHWH: Behold, that which I have built will I break down, and that which I have planted I will pluck up; and this in the whole land.

Jer 45:5 Seek you great things for yourself? Don’t seek them; for, behold, I will bring evil on all flesh, says YHWH; but your life will I give to you for a prey in all places where you go.

There are times in world history where the best plan is to keep a low profile – even Elohim’s servants.

Jeremiah, continued:

Jer 46:1 The word of YHWH which came to Yirmeyahu the prophet concerning the nations.

As we have seen previously, these ancient place names have modern counterparts, to which these prophecies apply. Some have a “spiritual” counterpart as well as a physical one (such as Babylon, for example).

Jeremiah, continued:

Jer 46:2 Of Egypt: concerning the army of Par`oh-Nekho king of Egypt, which was by the river Perat in Karkemish, which Nevukhadnetzar king of Bavel struck in the fourth year of Yehoiakim the son of Yoshiyahu, king of Yehudah.

Jer 46:3 Prepare you the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle.

Jer 46:4 Harness the horses, and get up, you horsemen, and stand forth with your helmets; furbish the spears, put on the coats of mail.

Jer 46:5 Why have I seen it? they are dismayed and are turned backward; and their mighty ones are beaten down, and have fled apace, and don’t look back: terror is on every side, says YHWH.

Jer 46:6 Don’t let the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; in the north by the river Perat have they stumbled and fallen.

Jer 46:7 Who is this who rises up like the Nile, whose waters toss themselves like the rivers?

Jer 46:8 Egypt rises up like the Nile, and his waters toss themselves like the rivers: and he says, I will rise up, I will cover the land; I will destroy cities and the inhabitants of it.

Sometimes translated as “earth” the word “land” here is Eretz. Egypt plans to occupy all or part of Israel, and perhaps other countries of the middle east.

Jeremiah, continued:

Jer 46:9 Go up, you horses; and rage, you chariots; and let the mighty men go forth: Kush and Put, who handle the shield; and the Ludim, who handle and bend the bow.

Ethipia and Eretria, most likely, will be allies of Egypt – and of course we’re referring to the Arab/Muslim leadership of these countries, not the oppressed Christian and nativist religious minorities.

Jeremiah, continued:

Jer 46:10 For that day is [a day] of Adonai, YHWH Tzeva’ot, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour and be satiate, and shall drink its fill of their blood; for Adonai, YHWH Tzeva’ot, has a sacrifice in the north country by the river Perat.

This tells us the timing of this prophecy – the last days, and into the Tribulation.

Jeremiah, continued:

Jer 46:11 Go up into Gil`ad, and take balm, virgin daughter of Egypt: in vain do you use many medicines; there is no healing for you.

Jer 46:12 The nations have heard of your shame, and the land is full of your cry; for the mighty man has stumbled against the mighty, they are fallen both of them together.

Egypt is called a “virgin daughter” here becaues in the Messianic Kingdom, after a span of 40 years in which the land will be uninhabitable, Egypt will be restored to favor by Elohim, and will be a productive land once again.

Jeremiah, continued:

Jer 46:13 The word that YHWH spoke to Yirmeyahu the prophet, how that Nevukhadnetzar king of Bavel should come and strike the land of Egypt.

For the last days, this prophecy probably refers to the False Messiah, who will, in spite of treaties and promises to the contrary, invade and occupy the Middle East in the last days and not give them back their sovereignty as he promised (possibly after “saving” them from Russia).

Jeremiah, continued:

Jer 46:14 Declare you in Egypt, and publish in Migdol, and publish in Mof and in Tachpanches: say you, Stand forth, and prepare you; for the sword has devoured round about you.

Recall in last weeks readings, we speculated that Taphanes might refer to Jews living in the Diaspora who refuse to return to Eretz Israel. There are communities of Jews in most middle eastern lands (except Saudi Arabia) even now. They believe they are safer where they are, and are afraid of the economic dislocation that making Aliyah might incur. They believe they are being prudent by staying put. Unfortunately, they are mistaken.

Jeremiah, continued:

Jer 46:15 Why are your strong ones swept away? they didn’t stand, because YHWH did drive them.

Jer 46:16 He made many to stumble, yes, they fell one on another: and they said, Arise, and let us go again to our own people, and to the land of our birth, from the oppressing sword.

Jer 46:17 They cried there, Par`oh king of Egypt is but a noise; he has let the appointed time pass by.

Jer 46:18 As I live, says the King, whose name is YHWH Tzeva’ot, surely like Tavor among the mountains, and like Karmel by the sea, so shall he come.

Jer 46:19 You daughter who dwell in Egypt, furnish yourself to go into captivity; for Mof shall become a desolation, and shall be burnt up, without inhabitant.

Jer 46:20 Egypt is a very beautiful heifer; [but] destruction out of the north is come, it is come.

Jer 46:21 Also her hired men in the midst of her are like calves of the stall; for they also are turned back, they are fled away together, they didn’t stand: for the day of their calamity is come on them, the time of their visitation.

Jer 46:22 The sound of it shall go like the serpent; for they shall march with an army, and come against her with axes, as wood cutters.

Jer 46:23 They shall cut down her forest, says YHWH, though it can’t be searched; because they are more than the locusts, and are innumerable.

Jer 46:24 The daughter of Egypt shall be disappointed; she shall be delivered into the hand of the people of the north.

Egypt will fall to the False Messiah’s forces, possibly after having already fallen to Russia’s forces – and the promised and hoped for freedom will not be delivered to them. The Beast will reneg on his assurances.

Jeremiah, continued:

Jer 46:25 YHWH Tzeva’ot, the Elohim of Yisra’el, says: Behold, I will punish Amon of No, and Par`oh, and Egypt, with her gods, and her kings; even Par`oh, and those who trust in him:

Jer 46:26 and I will deliver them into the hand of those who seek their lives, and into the hand of Nevukhadnetzar king of Bavel, and into the hand of his servants; and afterwards it shall be inhabited, as in the days of old, says YHWH.

After the 40 years are completed.

Jeremiah, continued:

Jer 46:27 But don’t be afraid you, Ya`akov my servant, neither be dismayed, Yisra’el: for, behold, I will save you from afar, and your seed from the land of their captivity; and Ya`akov shall return, and shall be quiet and at ease, and none shall make him afraid.

Jer 46:28 Don’t be afraid you, O Ya`akov my servant, says YHWH; for I am with you: for I will make a full end of all the nations where I have driven you; but I will not make a full end of you, but I will correct you in measure, and will in no way leave you unpunished.

The Diaspora communities cannot expect to not be affected by the turmoil around them – nor will they escape punishment for their refusal to make Aliyah. But a remnant will survive and be included in the Ingathering at Sukkot, just as Elohim has always promised.