What is it about?
It’s about the strongest people in Jerusalem, the men of Judah, leaving the city. They fled their enemies into the wilderness… they ended up slaves. The people are described as the “splendor” of the city.
What did it mean to the original readers?
You can imagine being a common person in those days. While it was a Theocracy, there were rich people… those whom everyone admired. They were looked at as “better than you” in many ways. Sure, they had flaws, but they were mighty! They were the leaders of the army. They protected your family and your city from attackers.
Imagine the disappointment to see these “young bucks” fleeing the city? Imagine the despair to see them defenseless and taken to captivity? The people then probably never imagined that their guardians, their righteous ones, those whom they admired, would cower and be led away.
Yet Jeremiah paints the emotions of just that scene. You can feel the emotions.
What does it mean to me?
It seems every couple of weeks I hear of a leader that falls. I wonder when I make mistakes if people think this way about me? Moreover, I wonder if this points to the reason we keep people human in the first place?
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