Jeremiah 21:11-14--Message to the House of David

Jeremiah 21:11-14
English Standard Version

Message to the House of David
11 “And to the house of the king of Judah say, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, 12 O house of David! Thus says the LORD:

“‘Execute justice in the morning,
    and deliver from the hand of the oppressor
    him who has been robbed,
lest my wrath go forth like fire,
    and burn with none to quench it,
    because of your evil deeds.’”

13 “Behold, I am against you, O inhabitant of the valley,
    O rock of the plain,
declares the LORD;
you who say, ‘Who shall come down against us,
    or who shall enter our habitations?’
14 I will punish you according to the fruit of your deeds,
declares the LORD;
    I will kindle a fire in her forest,
    and it shall devour all that is around her.”

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God now has a special message to the royal family.  They were the ones that were to shepherd God's flock (along with the priests and the prophets, but they had responsibilities to execute the LORD's Law and justice.  In fact that is is where the LORD starts His message to them.  They are to execute justice not just early in the day, but early in their lives.  The phrase "in the morning" may not just refer to a 24-hour day, but may refer metaphorically to the early part of one's life--morning being early in life, afternoon being the middle years and evening being the years when a person is elderly and looking forward to death which would metaphorically be the night time.  The king is supposed to stop the victimization of the people by the robbers.  Instead they are facilitating it for their own profit and robbing people themselves.

For this and more (for it was the kings that helped turn the hearts of the people to idols), the LORD says that He is now against the house of David.  They thought that they would always have the LORD's protection and favor because of their father David, but that favoritism has come to an end.  They will be judged according to their deeds--not the deeds of David.  The LORD lets them know that there will be nowhere for them to run.  They will not be able to escape or hide for them judgment as David fled and hid from Saul in the wilderness and in the caves.  They cannot even run into the forest to hide them, because the LORD is going to send His fire to consume it.  Every hiding place will be exposed and vulnerable.  The Land will give up all the people great and small to the Babylonians for either execution or exile.