THE LESSON FROM THE FILLED BOTTLES

SIGN OF THE WINE BOTTLES

 

Jeremiah 13:12-27
New International Version (NIV)

12 “Say to them: ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Every wineskin should be filled with wine.’ And if they say to you, ‘Don’t we know that every wineskin should be filled with wine?’ 13 then tell them, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to fill with drunkenness all who live in this land, including the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets and all those living in Jerusalem. 14 I will smash them one against the other, parents and children alike, declares the Lord. I will allow no pity or mercy or compassion to keep me from destroying them.’”

Threat of Captivity

15 Hear and pay attention,

do not be arrogant,

for the Lord has spoken.

16 Give glory to the Lord your God

before he brings the darkness,

before your feet stumble

on the darkening hills.

You hope for light,

but he will turn it to utter darkness

and change it to deep gloom.

17 If you do not listen,

I will weep in secret

because of your pride;

my eyes will weep bitterly,

overflowing with tears,

because the Lord’s flock will be taken captive.

18 Say to the king and to the queen mother,

“Come down from your thrones,

for your glorious crowns

will fall from your heads.”

19 The cities in the Negev will be shut up,

and there will be no one to open them.

All Judah will be carried into exile,

carried completely away.

20 Look up and see

those who are coming from the north.

Where is the flock that was entrusted to you,

the sheep of which you boasted?

21 What will you say when the Lord sets over you

those you cultivated as your special allies?

Will not pain grip you

like that of a woman in labor?

22 And if you ask yourself,

“Why has this happened to me?”—

it is because of your many sins

that your skirts have been torn off

and your body mistreated.

23 Can an Ethiopian[a] change his skin

or a leopard its spots?

Neither can you do good

who are accustomed to doing evil.

24 “I will scatter you like chaff

driven by the desert wind.

25 This is your lot,

the portion I have decreed for you,”

declares the Lord,

“because you have forgotten me

and trusted in false gods.

26 I will pull up your skirts over your face

that your shame may be seen—

27 your adulteries and lustful neighings,

your shameless prostitution!

I have seen your detestable acts

on the hills and in the fields.

Woe to you, Jerusalem!

How long will you be unclean?”

                                                                                   

     

KING DYNAMICS

13:12-14 Jeremiah uses a familiar saying (v.12) and the imagery of drunkenness (v.13) to describe divine punishment for Jerusalem. Drunkenness will rob them of their ability to act, and then God will smash them like the bottles.

13:18 The king is probably Jehoiachin, and the queen is Nehushta (2 Kin. 24:8, 15).

13:20-27 Jeremiah describes the events relating to the invasion (vv. 20-23), and God states the reason for the action (vv.24-27). Jerusalem is personified as a woman, and because of her shamelessness (iniquity, v.22) she will experience sham (skirts discovered and heels made bare).

13:23 A rhetorical question demanding a negative answer.

In Christ,
Janet Irene Thomas
Playwright/Screen Writer/Director
Published Author/Gospel Lyricist &Producer
FOUNDER/CEO
Bible Stories Theatre of
Fine & Performing Arts
www.biblestoriestheatre.org.