What is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the nations?

The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations. This opening sentence of Jeremiah 46:1–28 provides a heading for the next major section of the book which ends in Jeremiah 51:64. This section is commonly referred to as the Oracles Against the Nations (OAN). It contains a series of oracles of judgment against nations in the region surrounding Judah. These kinds of oracles are not unique to Jeremiah. The Lord gave other prophets similar messages concerning the nations (see Isaiah 13:1–23:18; Ezekiel 25:1–32:32; Amos 1:1–2:16; Nahum; Obadiah). The Lord also made it very clear to Jeremiah at his consecration that his prophetic ministry was not only aimed at Judah but at the nations as well (Jeremiah 1:10).

There is value in thinking about how these oracles in Jeremiah were produced and included as we have them today in the book. In the notes on Jeremiah 25:1–38, mention has been made of the fact that the OAN in Jeremiah reflect one of the biggest differences between the LXX and the MT. The LXX is the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament produced in the third and second century BC. The MT is the Masoretic Text, the Hebrew text of the Old Testament that was finalized in the tenth century by the Masoretes, Jewish scribes who carefully preserved the ancient Hebrew texts of the Old Testament. English translations of the Old Testament are based on the Masoretic Text.

The differences between the Septuagint and MT do not undermine the reliability of the original Hebrew text of the Old Testament or any of its theological teaching. The two versions, the LXX and the MT, are simply based on different, legitimate Hebrew texts that were in circulation throughout the Old Testament period. As mentioned above, one of the biggest differences between the LXX and the MT is in the book of Jeremiah. These differences reflect the fact that the book of Jeremiah was produced in its final form through a process of editing and rearranging. The most obvious sign of this process is the fact that Jeremiah is not arranged according to strict chronology, but according to themes. Mention has been made in these notes that this process was probably done, mainly by Baruch, during Jeremiah’s lifetime and under the prophet’s guidance. Jeremiah 45:1–5 in the MT comes in Jeremiah 51:31–35 of the LXX. This supports the view that Baruch was involved in the final ordering and editing of these oracles during Jeremiah’s time in Egypt¹. In the LXX Jeremiah is also significantly shorter, but the biggest difference is where the OAN are placed. In the LXX the OAN are placed between Jeremiah 25:13 and Jeremiah 25:15–38, which indicates the original context for the OAN. This means Jeremiah originally pronounced these oracles during the fourth year of Jehoiakim’s reign (Jeremiah 25:1) which was the year 605 BC. The proclamation of the oracles was accompanied by the prophetic act in which Jeremiah was to Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it (Jeremiah 25:15). In the MT version of Jeremiah, the OAN have been moved to Jeremiah 46:1–51:64. The order of the oracles was also changed. In the MT the order appears to reflect the geographical location of the nations from east to west, while in the LXX they appear to be in order of political importance.

The question that could be asked is why the OAN were moved from their original context to later in the book? It is most likely that the final version and placement of these oracles was produced while Jeremiah and Baruch were in Egypt after the fall of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 43:6–7). We must always remember that the intended recipients of the book of Jeremiah were primarily the exiles in Babylon. The reshaping of the book was therefore probably done to encourage the exiles who were grappling with Nebuchadnezzar’s overwhelming dominance, and questioning how that impacted their own fate.² By placing the OAN at the end of the book the exiles would have been reminded that the Lord is sovereign over all the nations, including Babylon, and the fate of the exiles was firmly in his hands and not those of any earthly ruler or kingdom. As will be seen in the notes that follow, this theme of hope for exiled Judah, and Israel, comes through consistently in the oracles. In fact, it becomes clear in the oracles that the fate of the Lord’s people lies ultimately within the Lord’s eschatological plans for his world. In the original setting for the oracles in Jeremiah 25:1–38 the reader is told that Nebuchadnezzar had just begun his reign in Babylon (Jeremiah 25:1). The date is therefore 605 BC, the year that Nebuchadnezzar defeated Egypt and Assyria in a decisive battle at Carchemish. It marked the beginning of Nebuchadnezzar’s rise to supremacy in the region. Through Jeremiah, the Lord makes it clear, however, that Nebuchadnezzar is his servant, his instrument for judgment, not just of Judah, but of all the nations. However, even Babylon would ultimately face the Lord’s judgment (Jeremiah 25:1–14). About 11 years later (594 BC), at the start of Zedekiah’s reign, there is a meeting of nations in Jerusalem (Jeremiah 27:1–22). The purpose of this meeting appears to be an attempt to plan the overthrow of Babylon. Nothing comes from these plans, but Jeremiah is sent into the meeting by the Lord wearing a yoke around his neck. The message from the Lord to Judah and all the nations is that resisting Babylon is futile, because it is the Lord who has sent Nebuchadnezzar. This rebellion against Babylon also features in the oracles that Jeremiah speaks against the nations. One of the major reasons the Lord’s judgment comes against the nations is because they have resisted him as the Lord who rules over all the world. In the end, the redemption of the Lord’s people will come about through the Lord’s judgment of a world that opposes his rule as Creator. Placing the oracles at the end of Jeremiah means the book ends with this focus on the sovereignty of the Lord over his world.