They have sown wheat but harvested thorns. They have exhausted themselves to no avail. Bear the shame of your harvest because of the fierce anger of the LORD." They have sown wheatThis phrase begins with the imagery of sowing wheat, a staple crop in ancient Israel, symbolizing the people's efforts and expectations for a fruitful outcome. The Hebrew root for "sown" is "zara," which conveys the act of planting with hope for growth and prosperity. Wheat, in biblical times, was a symbol of sustenance and blessing. The act of sowing wheat reflects the people's desire for stability and abundance, yet it also sets the stage for the contrast that follows. but harvested thorns
The contrast between sowing wheat and harvesting thorns is stark and poignant. The Hebrew word for "thorns" is "qots," often used in Scripture to symbolize desolation and judgment. This imagery suggests that despite their efforts, the people reap only disappointment and hardship. Thorns are a result of the curse in Genesis 3:18, representing the futility and frustration of human labor apart from God's blessing. This serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of disobedience and the futility of efforts without divine favor. they have exhausted themselves to no avail
The phrase highlights the futility of the people's labor. The Hebrew root "yaga" for "exhausted" implies weariness and toil. Despite their hard work, their efforts are fruitless, underscoring the theme of vanity without God's blessing. This reflects the broader biblical principle found in Psalm 127:1, "Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain." It serves as a cautionary reminder that human effort, apart from God's guidance and blessing, leads to exhaustion and emptiness. They will be ashamed of your harvest
Shame in the biblical context often relates to public disgrace and the realization of failure. The Hebrew word "bosh" for "ashamed" conveys a deep sense of disappointment and humiliation. The harvest, which should have been a time of joy and celebration, becomes a source of shame. This reflects the broader biblical narrative where turning away from God leads to disgrace and loss. It serves as a call to repentance and a return to reliance on God for true prosperity and honor. because of the fierce anger of the LORD
The phrase underscores the reason for the people's plight: the fierce anger of the LORD. The Hebrew word "charon" for "fierce anger" conveys a burning wrath, emphasizing the seriousness of God's response to sin and disobedience. This reflects the covenant relationship between God and His people, where blessings are contingent upon obedience. The fierce anger of the LORD serves as both a warning and a call to repentance, highlighting God's holiness and justice. It reminds believers of the importance of aligning with God's will to experience His favor and avoid His righteous judgment. Persons / Places / Events 1. JeremiahA prophet called by God to deliver messages of warning and hope to the people of Judah. He is known for his lamentations and deep emotional connection to the fate of his people. 2. JudahThe southern kingdom of Israel, which was facing impending judgment due to its persistent disobedience and idolatry. 3. The LORD's AngerRepresents God's righteous indignation against the sin and rebellion of His people, leading to their judgment. Teaching Points The Principle of Sowing and ReapingOur actions have consequences. Just as the people of Judah sowed wheat but reaped thorns, our spiritual and moral choices determine the outcomes we experience. The Futility of Labor Without GodEfforts made apart from God's guidance and blessing can lead to exhaustion and disappointment. True fulfillment comes from aligning our work with God's purposes. The Reality of Divine JudgmentGod's anger is a response to persistent sin and rebellion. Understanding His righteous judgment should lead us to repentance and a renewed commitment to His ways. The Call to Examine Our HarvestReflect on the "harvest" of our lives. Are we seeing the fruits of the Spirit, or are we reaping thorns due to neglecting God's commands? Hope in Repentance and RestorationWhile this verse speaks of judgment, the broader context of Jeremiah includes promises of restoration for those who turn back to God. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the principle of sowing and reaping in Jeremiah 12:13 apply to your current life situation? 2. In what ways might you be "exhausting yourself to no avail," and how can you realign your efforts with God's will? 3. Reflect on a time when you experienced the consequences of actions not aligned with God's guidance. What did you learn from that experience? 4. How can the imagery of sowing wheat but harvesting thorns serve as a warning in your spiritual journey? 5. Considering the broader message of Jeremiah, how can you find hope and encouragement in God's promises of restoration despite past failures? Connections to Other Scriptures Galatians 6:7-8This passage speaks about sowing and reaping, emphasizing that one reaps what they sow, whether to the flesh or the Spirit. It connects to Jeremiah 12:13 by illustrating the principle of divine justice and consequences for actions. Hosea 8:7This verse also uses the imagery of sowing and reaping, warning that those who sow the wind will reap the whirlwind, highlighting the futility of actions not aligned with God's will. Isaiah 5:1-7The parable of the vineyard, where God expected justice but found bloodshed, parallels the disappointment expressed in Jeremiah 12:13 regarding the unfruitful harvest. People JeremiahPlaces Anathoth, Jerusalem, Jordan RiverTopics Account, Anger, Ashamed, Bear, Burning, Fierce, Fierceness, Fruits, Gain, Got, Grain, Harvest, Harvests, Increase, Increases, Lord's, Nothing, Pain, Planted, Produce, Profit, Reap, Reaped, Revenues, Shame, Shamed, Sick, Sowed, Sown, Strained, Themselves, Thorns, Though, Tired, Wear, Wheat, WrathDictionary of Bible Themes Jeremiah 12:13 4464 harvest
4510 sowing and reaping
4520 thorns
4542 wheat
5465 profit
5582 tiredness
6024 sin, effects of Library Calms and Crises
'If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and though in a land of peace thou art secure, yet how wilt thou do in the pride of Jordan?'--JER. xii. 5, R.V. The prophet has been complaining of his persecutors. The divine answer is here, reproving his impatience, and giving him to understand that harder trials are in store for him. Both clauses mean substantially the same thing, and are of a parabolic nature. The one adduces the metaphor …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureAre You Prepared to Die?
"There is a land of pure delight, Where saints immortal reign; Infinite day excludes the night, And pleasures banish pain." There everlasting spring abides, And never-withering flowers; Death, like a narrow sea, divides This heavenly land from ours." Taking "the swelling of Jordan" to represent the precise time of death, the question really is, what shall we do when we come to die? "How wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?" I. We notice, in the first place, that this is an EXCEEDINGLY PRACTICAL …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 11: 1865 Synagogues: their Origin, Structure and Outward Arrangements
It was a beautiful saying of Rabbi Jochanan (Jer. Ber. v. 1), that he who prays in his house surrounds and fortifies it, so to speak, with a wall of iron. Nevertheless, it seems immediately contradicted by what follows. For it is explained that this only holds good where a man is alone, but that where there is a community prayer should be offered in the synagogue. We can readily understand how, after the destruction of the Temple, and the cessation of its symbolical worship, the excessive value attached …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life The Roman Pilgrimage: the Miracles which were Wrought in It.
[Sidenote: 1139] 33. (20). It seemed to him, however, that one could not go on doing these things with sufficient security without the authority of the Apostolic See; and for that reason he determined to set out for Rome, and most of all because the metropolitan see still lacked, and from the beginning had lacked, the use of the pall, which is the fullness of honour.[507] And it seemed good in his eyes[508] that the church for which he had laboured so much[509] should acquire, by his zeal and labour, …
H. J. Lawlor—St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh Of the Trinity and a Christian, and of the Law and a Christian.
EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. These two short treatises were found among Mr. Bunyan's papers after his decease. They probably were intended for publication, like his 'Prison Meditations' and his 'Map of Salvation,' on a single page each, in the form of a broadside, or handbill. This was the popular mode in which tracts were distributed; and when posted against a wall, or framed and hung up in a room, they excited notice, and were extensively read. They might also have afforded some trifling profit to aid …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Jeremiah, a Lesson for the Disappointed.
"Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord."--Jeremiah i. 8. The Prophets were ever ungratefully treated by the Israelites, they were resisted, their warnings neglected, their good services forgotten. But there was this difference between the earlier and the later Prophets; the earlier lived and died in honour among their people,--in outward honour; though hated and thwarted by the wicked, they were exalted to high places, and ruled in the congregation. …
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VIII The Justice of God
The next attribute is God's justice. All God's attributes are identical, and are the same with his essence. Though he has several attributes whereby he is made known to us, yet he has but one essence. A cedar tree may have several branches, yet it is but one cedar. So there are several attributes of God whereby we conceive of him, but only one entire essence. Well, then, concerning God's justice. Deut 32:4. Just and right is he.' Job 37:23. Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity Jeremiah
The interest of the book of Jeremiah is unique. On the one hand, it is our most reliable and elaborate source for the long period of history which it covers; on the other, it presents us with prophecy in its most intensely human phase, manifesting itself through a strangely attractive personality that was subject to like doubts and passions with ourselves. At his call, in 626 B.C., he was young and inexperienced, i. 6, so that he cannot have been born earlier than 650. The political and religious …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Jeremiah 12:13 NIVJeremiah 12:13 NLTJeremiah 12:13 ESVJeremiah 12:13 NASBJeremiah 12:13 KJV
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