Subject: Cities of Judah or Cities of Demons? |
Bible Note: Greetings Heir of God! I really appreciate your attitude. I was kind of surprized by the responses I've been getting about Benny Hinn. But, you have been a gentleman. To answer your question, the earth referred to in Jer. 4:23 is prophetic. This is an example of what is called apocalypic symbolism. Jeremiah is drawing from the imagery of creation and describing the devastation brought upon Judah by the wrath of God as a complete undoing of creation. It is similar to God's wrath as described in Rev. 6:12-17: 12 I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13 and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. 14 The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, ‘‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”" Notice that this text says that the text says that stars fell from the heavens and that the sky receded like a scroll. Yet, throughout the rest of Revelation there are still stars and a sky. This is another example of apocalyptic symbolism. It was a common and sympolic method used to describe earth shattering events, like God's judgement. So, in Jer. 4:23-26, Jeremiah is simply using apocalypic symbolism to say that when God gets done with Judah, it will be as if creation itself has been undone. Regarding the "no man" phrase, it is simply another way of saying that no one will live there anymore. In fact, look at Jer. 4:29 which actually says that the towns are deserted. It would be profitable to read all of the prophecy in it's context. The whole passage extends from Jeremiah 2 through Jeremiah 6. It gives a very complete description of why God is bringing judgement upon Judah and a promise that He will not destroy them completly. Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |