Jeremiah 25:17
So I took the cup from the LORD's hand and made all the nations drink from it, each one to whom the LORD had sent me,
So I took the cup from the LORD’s hand
This phrase signifies Jeremiah's role as a prophet and intermediary between God and the nations. The "cup" symbolizes God's wrath and judgment, a common biblical metaphor (Psalm 75:8, Isaiah 51:17). Jeremiah's action of taking the cup indicates his obedience and submission to God's will, reflecting the seriousness of the prophetic message. The imagery of the cup is also seen in the New Testament, where Jesus speaks of the cup of suffering He must drink (Matthew 26:39), drawing a parallel between Jeremiah's mission and Christ's redemptive work.

and made all the nations drink from it,
The act of making the nations drink from the cup represents the execution of divine judgment. This is not a literal drinking but a symbolic act of experiencing God's wrath. The nations mentioned later in the chapter (Jeremiah 25:18-26) were historical entities that faced judgment due to their sins and rebellion against God. This reflects the universal scope of God's sovereignty and justice, emphasizing that no nation is exempt from accountability. The concept of nations drinking from the cup is echoed in Revelation 14:10, where those who oppose God face His wrath.

each one to whom the LORD had sent me,
This phrase underscores Jeremiah's divine commission and the specificity of his prophetic mission. God directed Jeremiah to particular nations, highlighting the intentionality of divine judgment. It also reflects the broader theme of prophetic responsibility, where prophets are sent to deliver God's message regardless of the audience's response. This mirrors the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19, where Jesus sends His disciples to all nations, emphasizing the continuity of God's plan for salvation and judgment throughout Scripture.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jeremiah
A prophet called by God to deliver messages of judgment and hope to the people of Judah and the surrounding nations. He is known for his perseverance in the face of opposition.

2. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant God of Israel, who is sovereign over all nations and uses Jeremiah as His mouthpiece to communicate His will.

3. The Cup
Symbolic of God's wrath and judgment. In ancient Near Eastern culture, a cup often represented one's fate or destiny, particularly in the context of divine judgment.

4. The Nations
Refers to the various kingdoms surrounding Judah, including Babylon, Egypt, and others, who are recipients of God's impending judgment.

5. Judgment
The event of divine retribution that God is about to bring upon the nations due to their sins and rebellion against Him.
Teaching Points
Understanding God's Sovereignty
Recognize that God is sovereign over all nations and uses His prophets to communicate His will. This should lead us to trust in His ultimate plan and purpose.

The Seriousness of Sin
The imagery of the cup of wrath serves as a stark reminder of the seriousness of sin and the reality of divine judgment. It calls us to repentance and a renewed commitment to holiness.

The Role of a Prophet
Jeremiah's obedience in delivering God's message, despite its difficulty, challenges us to be faithful in our own callings, even when faced with opposition.

God's Justice and Mercy
While the passage emphasizes judgment, it also points to God's desire for repentance and restoration, reminding us of His mercy and grace.

Global Perspective
The inclusion of all nations in God's judgment highlights the universal scope of His justice, encouraging us to pray for and engage with the world around us.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the imagery of the cup in Jeremiah 25:17 deepen your understanding of God's judgment?

2. In what ways can we see the sovereignty of God at work in the world today, similar to how He directed Jeremiah?

3. How does the concept of divine judgment in Jeremiah 25:17 connect with the New Testament teachings on God's justice?

4. What can we learn from Jeremiah's obedience and perseverance in delivering God's message, and how can we apply this to our own lives?

5. How does understanding the seriousness of sin and God's judgment influence your daily walk with Christ?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Isaiah 51:17
This passage also uses the imagery of a cup to describe God's wrath, emphasizing the theme of divine judgment.

Revelation 14:10
The imagery of drinking the cup of God's wrath is echoed in the New Testament, highlighting the continuity of God's justice.

Psalm 75:8
Describes God as holding a cup of foaming wine, which He pours out in judgment, reinforcing the symbolism of the cup as divine retribution.
Judgment Plainly DeclaredA.F. Muir
People
Amon, Babylonians, Buz, Dedan, Elam, Jehoiakim, Jeremiah, Josiah, Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadrezzar, Pharaoh, Tema, Zidon, Zimri
Places
Ammon, Arabia, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Babylon, Buz, Dedan, Edom, Egypt, Ekron, Elam, Gaza, Jerusalem, Media, Moab, Sidon, Tema, Tyre, Uz, Zimri
Topics
Cause, Cup, Drink, Lord's, Nations
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Jeremiah 25:15-17

     1265   hand of God
     5283   cup

Jeremiah 25:15-29

     5602   vomit

Jeremiah 25:17-27

     1310   God, as judge

Library
Appendix ii. Philo of Alexandria and Rabbinic Theology.
(Ad. vol. i. p. 42, note 4.) In comparing the allegorical Canons of Philo with those of Jewish traditionalism, we think first of all of the seven exegetical canons which are ascribed to Hillel. These bear chiefly the character of logical deductions, and as such were largely applied in the Halakhah. These seven canons were next expanded by R. Ishmael (in the first century) into thirteen, by the analysis of one of them (the 5th) into six, and the addition of this sound exegetical rule, that where two
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Appendix 2 Extracts from the Babylon Talmud
Massecheth Berachoth, or Tractate on Benedictions [76] Mishnah--From what time is the "Shema" said in the evening? From the hour that the priests entered to eat of their therumah [77] until the end of the first night watch. [78] These are the words of Rabbi Eliezer. But the sages say: Till midnight. Rabban Gamaliel says: Until the column of the morning (the dawn) rises. It happened, that his sons came back from a banquet. They said to him: "We have not said the Shema.'" He said to them, "If the column
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

The Man and the Book.
In this and the following lectures I attempt an account and estimate of the Prophet Jeremiah, of his life and teaching, and of the Book which contains them--but especially of the man himself, his personality and his tempers (there were more than one), his religious experience and its achievements, with the various high styles of their expression; as well as his influence on the subsequent religion of his people. It has often been asserted that in Jeremiah's ministry more than in any other of the
George Adam Smith—Jeremiah

The Cavils of the Pharisees Concerning Purification, and the Teaching of the Lord Concerning Purity - the Traditions Concerning Hand-Washing' and Vows. '
As we follow the narrative, confirmatory evidence of what had preceded springs up at almost every step. It is quite in accordance with the abrupt departure of Jesus from Capernaum, and its motives, that when, so far from finding rest and privacy at Bethsaida (east of the Jordan), a greater multitude than ever had there gathered around Him, which would fain have proclaimed Him King, He resolved on immediate return to the western shore, with the view of seeking a quieter retreat, even though it were
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal
The Medes and Cimmerians: Lydia--The conquest of Egypt, of Arabia, and of Elam. As we have already seen, Sennacherib reigned for eight years after his triumph; eight years of tranquillity at home, and of peace with all his neighbours abroad. If we examine the contemporary monuments or the documents of a later period, and attempt to glean from them some details concerning the close of his career, we find that there is a complete absence of any record of national movement on the part of either Elam,
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 8

The Medes and the Second Chaldaean Empire
THE FALL OF NINEVEH AND THE RISE OF THE CHALDAEAN AND MEDIAN EMPIRES--THE XXVIth EGYPTIAN DYNASTY: CYAXARES, ALYATTES, AND NEBUCHADREZZAR. The legendary history of the kings of Media and the first contact of the Medes with the Assyrians: the alleged Iranian migrations of the Avesta--Media-proper, its fauna and flora; Phraortes and the beginning of the Median empire--Persia proper and the Persians; conquest of Persia by the Medes--The last monuments of Assur-bani-pal: the library of Kouyunjik--Phraortes
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 8

Ci. Foretelling his Passion. Rebuking Ambition.
(Peræa, or Judæa, Near the Jordan.) ^A Matt. XX. 17-28; ^B Mark X. 32-45; ^C Luke XVIII. 31-34. ^b 32 And they were on the way, going up to Jerusalem [Dean Mansel sees in these words an evidence that Jesus had just crossed the Jordan and was beginning the actual ascent up to Jerusalem. If so, he was in Judæa. But such a construction strains the language. Jesus had been going up to Jerusalem ever since he started in Galilee, and he may now have still be in Peræa. The parable
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

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

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