Jeremiah 49:23-39
Q.1. Who was responsible for the destruction of Damascus, Kedar and Hazor? How would God punish these nations? – (Jer.49:23-33)
The unseen hand of God is behind the rise and fall of all nations. Because He uses other nations to exact His judgment, people fail to recognize that God keeps an accurate account of all that is done under the sun – For Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has formed a plan against you and devised a scheme against you (Jer.49:30). Damascus was the capital of Syria. Hamath and Arpad were sister cities (Jer.49:23). They would be utterly destroyed (Jer.49:23-27). Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor were the nomadic Arabian descendants of Ishmael (Jer.49:28). Jeremiah described the plan of Nebuchadnezzar to destroy them (Jer.49:28-33). It is God Who ultimately plans, foretells, and describes the rise and fall of nations.
What would happen to the inhabitants of Elam? Did the prophet offer Elam any hope? – (Jer.49:34-39)
Elam was the Persian cities beyond the Euphrates River (Jer.49:34). The prophet Jeremiah predicted that God – … will bring upon Elam the four winds from the four ends of heaven and will scatter them to all these winds; and there will be no nation to which the outcasts of Elam will not go (Jer.49:36). Nevertheless, there is a future for Elam – But it will come about in the last days that I will restore the fortunes of Elam, declares the Lord (Jer.49:39). In judgment, God still remembers mercy.