The passage started with the image of the Lord as a lion, and it returns to that image at the close. The final verse (Jeremiah 25:30) is closely linked to the two before it. The predator that is laying waste to the shepherds’ flocks is indeed the Lord, the lion who has left his lair,
and is out prowling and hunting his prey. They experience the Lord’s fierce anger as the mighty Babylonian army invades and destroys.
The impact of Jeremiah 25:1–38 on the message of the book is twofold. First, it makes clear who the Lord is. The one who rescued Israel and made his covenant with them, is the Lord of creation. He made and rules over the whole world and he will judge all the earth for its rebellion against him. Secondly, it reveals the failure of Israel. They have lost their special place as the Lord’s covenant people because they have chosen to be like all the other nations instead of being the Lord’s holy priests representing the Lord to his world. They therefore face the same judgment the world faces. It is a dark and tragic moment in the Lord’s plan of redemption. How will the Lord’s blessing be restored to his world if his chosen people are unable to be faithful to him? Fortunately, Judah’s failure and judgment is not the end of the story. We have already seen the hint of hope in Jeremiah 24:7 where the Lord says that he will give the exiles a a heart to know that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people. And I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart.
This holds out hope not just to the people of Israel, but to people in every nation. This hope will be described more fully in Jeremiah 31:1–40.
38 Il a abandonné sa demeure comme un lionceau sa tanière; Car leur pays est réduit en désert Par la fureur du destructeur Et par son ardente colère.