Jeremiah 48:1 Study Bible: Of Moab. "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: 'Woe to Nebo. for it is laid waste; Kiriathaim is disappointed, it is taken; Misgab is put to shame and broken down.

◄ Jeremiah 48:1 ►

Concerning Moab, this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: "Woe to Nebo, for it will be devastated. Kiriathaim will be captured and disgraced; the fortress will be shattered and dismantled.

Study Bible

Concerning Moab,
Moab was a nation located east of the Dead Sea, often in conflict with Israel. The Moabites were descendants of Lot, Abraham's nephew, through an incestuous relationship with his daughter (Genesis 19:37). Moab had a complex relationship with Israel, sometimes allies, often enemies. This prophecy against Moab reflects the broader biblical theme of God's judgment on nations that oppose His people.

this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says:
The title "LORD of Hosts" emphasizes God's sovereignty and power over all armies, both heavenly and earthly. "The God of Israel" underscores His covenant relationship with Israel, highlighting that the judgment on Moab is not just a political maneuver but a divine decree. This phrase establishes the authority and seriousness of the prophecy.

“Woe to Nebo, for it will be devastated.
Nebo was a city in Moab, not to be confused with Mount Nebo where Moses viewed the Promised Land. The pronouncement of "woe" is a common prophetic expression of impending doom. The devastation of Nebo signifies the comprehensive nature of God's judgment. This aligns with other biblical prophecies where specific cities are targeted as representative of a nation's downfall (e.g., Isaiah 13:19 concerning Babylon).

Kiriathaim will be captured and disgraced;
Kiriathaim was another significant city in Moab. Its capture and disgrace symbolize the humiliation and defeat of Moab. The mention of specific cities highlights the thoroughness of the coming judgment. This reflects the biblical principle that pride and opposition to God lead to downfall, as seen in other prophetic books like Obadiah's prophecy against Edom.

the fortress will be shattered and dismantled.
Fortresses were symbols of strength and security. The shattering and dismantling of Moab's fortress indicate the complete removal of their defenses and the futility of relying on human strength against divine judgment. This echoes the biblical theme that true security is found only in God, as seen in Psalms and Proverbs. The destruction of physical strongholds often serves as a metaphor for spiritual realities, pointing to the ultimate victory of God's kingdom over all earthly powers.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Moab
An ancient kingdom located east of the Dead Sea, often in conflict with Israel. Moab is frequently mentioned in the Bible as an adversary of Israel.

2. Nebo
A city in Moab, possibly named after the Babylonian god Nabu. It is prophesied to be laid waste, indicating divine judgment.

3. Kiriathaim
Another city in Moab, known for its strongholds. Its capture and disgrace signify the downfall of Moab's defenses.

4. The LORD of Hosts
A title for God emphasizing His sovereignty and command over the heavenly armies, underscoring His power to execute judgment.

5. Jeremiah
The prophet through whom God delivers this message of judgment against Moab, highlighting his role as a mouthpiece for divine pronouncements.

Teaching Points

God's Sovereignty in Judgment
The prophecy against Moab demonstrates God's control over nations and His ability to bring about their rise and fall according to His will.

The Consequences of Pride and Idolatry
Moab's downfall serves as a warning against pride and reliance on false gods, reminding believers to place their trust solely in the Lord.

The Certainty of God's Word
The fulfillment of prophecies like this one assures us of the reliability and truth of God's Word, encouraging us to trust in His promises.

The Role of Prophets
Jeremiah's role as a prophet highlights the importance of listening to God's messengers and heeding their warnings.

God's Justice and Mercy
While the passage focuses on judgment, it also invites reflection on God's justice and the opportunity for repentance and restoration.

Bible Study Questions

1. What historical and spiritual significance does Moab hold in the context of Israel's history, and how does this shape our understanding of Jeremiah 48:1?

2. How does the prophecy against Moab in Jeremiah 48:1 reflect God's sovereignty over nations, and what implications does this have for our view of current world events?

3. In what ways can the downfall of Moab serve as a warning against pride and idolatry in our own lives?

4. How does the role of Jeremiah as a prophet inform our understanding of the importance of listening to God's Word today?

5. Considering the themes of judgment and mercy, how can we apply the lessons from Jeremiah 48:1 to our personal walk with God and our interactions with others?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Isaiah 15-16
These chapters also contain prophecies against Moab, providing a broader context for understanding God's judgment on this nation.

Numbers 21:26-30
This passage recounts Israel's earlier conflicts with Moab, offering historical background to the tensions between the two nations.

Psalm 60:8
Moab is referred to as a "washbasin," symbolizing its subjugation and the low regard in which it is held by God.

Sermons

The Sword that Cannot be Quiet

S. Conway

People

Chemosh, Gamul, Jeremiah, Sihon, Zoar

Places

Arnon, Aroer, Beth-diblathaim, Bethel, Beth-gamul, Beth-meon, Bozrah, Dibon, Elealeh, Heshbon, Holon, Horonaim, Jahaz, Jahzah, Jazer, Kerioth, Kir-hareseth, Kiriathaim, Luhith, Madmen, Mephaath, Moab, Nebo, Nimrim, Sea of Jazer, Sibmah, Zoar

Topics

Almighty, Armies, Broken, Captured, Confounded, Destroyed, Disappointed, Disgraced, Dismayed, Fortress, Hosts, Kiriathaim, Kiriatha'im, Kirjathaim, Laid, Lofty, Misgab, Moab, Nebo, Ruined, Says, Shame, Shattered, Sorrow, Spoiled, Strong, Stronghold, Thus, Tower, Waste, Wo, Woe, Yea

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Jeremiah 48:1

     5316   fortress
     5508   ruins
     8739   evil, examples of

Jeremiah 48:1-2

9250 woe

Library

August 8. "Be Like the Dove" (Jer. Xlviii. 28).
"Be like the dove" (Jer. xlviii. 28). Harmless as a dove, is Christ's interpretation of the beautiful emblem. And so the Spirit of God is purity itself. He cannot dwell in an unclean heart. He cannot abide in the natural mind. It was said of the anointing of old, "On man's flesh it shall not be poured." The purity which the Holy Spirit brings is like the white and spotless little plant which grows up out of the heap of manure, or the black soil, without one grain of impurity adhering to its crystalline …
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

How those are to be Admonished who Decline the Office of Preaching Out of Too Great Humility, and those who Seize on it with Precipitate Haste.
(Admonition 26.) Differently to be admonished are those who, though able to preach worthily, are afraid by reason of excessive humility, and those whom imperfection or age forbids to preach, and yet precipitancy impells. For those who, though able to preach with profit, still shrink back through excessive humility are to be admonished to gather from consideration of a lesser matter how faulty they are in a greater one. For, if they were to hide from their indigent neighbours money which they possessed …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

Balaam's Prophecy. (Numb. xxiv. 17-19. )
Carried by the Spirit into the far distant future, Balaam sees here how a star goeth out of Jacob and a sceptre riseth out of Israel, and how this sceptre smiteth Moab, by whose enmity the Seer had been brought from a distant region for the destruction of Israel. And not Moab only shall be smitten, but its southern neighbour, Edom, too shall be subdued, whose hatred against Israel had already been prefigured in its ancestor, and had now begun to display Itself; and In general, all the enemies of …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Meditations for the Sick.
Whilst thy sickness remains, use often, for thy comfort, these few meditations, taken from the ends wherefore God sendeth afflictions to his children. Those are ten. 1. That by afflictions God may not only correct our sins past, but also work in us a deeper loathing of our natural corruptions, and so prevent us from falling into many other sins, which otherwise we would commit; like a good father, who suffers his tender babe to scorch his finger in a candle, that he may the rather learn to beware …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

The Section Chap. I. -iii.
The question which here above all engages our attention, and requires to be answered, is this: Whether that which is reported in these chapters did, or did not, actually and outwardly take place. The history of the inquiries connected with this question is found most fully in Marckius's "Diatribe de uxore fornicationum," Leyden, 1696, reprinted in the Commentary on the Minor Prophets by the same author. The various views may be divided into three classes. 1. It is maintained by very many interpreters, …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

The Prophet Joel.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS. The position which has been assigned to Joel in the collection of the Minor Prophets, furnishes an external argument for the determination of the time at which Joel wrote. There cannot be any doubt that the Collectors were guided by a consideration of the chronology. The circumstance, that they placed the prophecies of Joel just between the two prophets who, according to the inscriptions and contents of their prophecies, belonged to the time of Jeroboam and Uzziah, is …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

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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