Your Redemption is Drawing Near

“This is the Word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations: concerning Egypt: this is the message against the army of Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt, which was defeated at Carchemish on the Euphrates River by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah: ‘Prepare your shields, both large and small, and march out for battle! Harness the horses, mount the steeds! Take your positions with helmets on! Polish your spears, put on your armor!” Jeremiah 46:1-4

The Lord now turns His attention from the people of Judea to the nations. In this chapter, He gives Egypt a word. Romans 3:29 asks, “Is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also.” Yes, is the God is the Creator and Sustainer of all people.

As I read Jeremiah 46, Revelation 15:4 came to my mind: “Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your Name? For You alone are holy. All nations shall come and worship before You, For Your judgments have been revealed.” The Egyptians should have looked to the God who did great miracles in their land during the days of Moses. They should have feared the Creator of heaven and earth rather than talk to “gods” made by human hands. If the Egyptians had lived to glorify God, they would have known His presence and power to save them.

In Jeremiah 1:5, the Lord revealed to Jeremiah that before he was even born, God had appointed him to prophesy to the nations. Now, the Lord begins to him words for the nations. He begins with a word for the army of Pharaoh Necho, king of Egypt. Pharaoh’s army was by the River Euphrates in Carchemish. Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon was going to defeat Pharaoh Necho. The Lord revealed to Jeremiah the outcome of the battle before it began.

The Lord prodded the Egyptians to prepare for war. To grab their armor and weapons! Egypt’s government had spent a lot of its income on helmets, shields, swords, spears, chariots and horses. All for nothing! Why? Because they relied on themselves instead of on the Lord.

“Why have I seen them dismayed and turned back? Their mighty one’s are beaten down; they have speedily fled, and did not look back, for fear was all around, says the Lord.” Jeremiah 46:5

The Lord revealed to Jeremiah Egypt’s defeat in a prophetic vision. He saw the mighty Egyptian army retreating. He saw them running from the battle as fast as they could. The mighty among them were beaten down (dead). Those who fled didn’t look back. They were filled with fear.

Revelation 6:15-17 speaks of similar scenario in the end times. “The kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?’” In this passage, the people realize that all the preceding disasters mentioned in this chapter are due to God’s wrath upon them for not serving Him and honoring Him.

“Do not let the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; they will stumble and fall toward the north, by the River Euphrates.” Jeremiah 46:6

Egypt’s swift horses and strong legs would not rescue them. Psalm 147:10-11, “He [the Lord] does not delight in the strength of the horse. He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man. The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy.” They should have turned to the Lord in repentance and sought His forgiveness.

“Who is this coming up like a flood, whose waters move like the rivers? Egypt rises up like a flood, and its waters move like the rivers; and he says, ‘I will go up and cover the earth, I will destroy the city and its inhabitants.’” Jeremiah 46:6-8

The metaphor of an overflowing river is an appropriate word-picture for the Egyptians because their largest river, the Nile River tends to overflow its banks. Egypt’s proud army, swelling with arrogance, would overflow their nation’s borders towards the Babylonians, but like the Nile River, after swelling it retracts, so they too would retreat just as fast as they advanced.

In Revelation 12:15-17, the Lord uses a metaphor of a serpent spewing out a flood of water to destroy a woman. The woman represents those who keep God’s commandments and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. God causes the earth to open its mouth and to swallow the flood. The flood represents an advancing army. The swallowing up of the flood by the earth represents the army’s defeat and death. God saves those who honor His Word and His Son Jesus Christ.

“Come up, O horses, and rage, O chariots! And let the mighty men come forth: the Ethiopians and the Libyans who handle the shield, and the Lydians who handle and bend the bow. For this is the day of the Lord God of hosts, a day of vengeance, that He may avenge Himself on His adversaries. The sword shall devour; it shall be satiated and made drunk with their blood; for the Lord God of hosts has a sacrifice in the north country by the River Euphrates.” Jeremiah 46:8-10

The Lord urges Egypt to bring her horses, chariots, and her mercenary troops from Africa including from Ethiopia, Libya and Lydia. Bring them all to the place of slaughter so the sword can drink their blood. They shall be defeated because God fights against them.

In Deuteronomy 32:42, the Lord uses a metaphor of weapons drinking blood. He said, “I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh.” Then, Psalm 2:3-4 says that God sits in the heavens and laughs at the rebellion of nations. The increase of pride among them is like the increase of fat on cattle before the slaughter. 1 Peter 5:5 says, ““God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” The term for “resists” in the original text “αντιτάσσεται” comes from the word “antitassó” which is an old military term for arranging or drawing up soldiers in battle formation against an opponent. God sets up military against proud nations.

The Lord reveals to us via Bible prophecy that He uses proud nations to punish each other.

And in Deuteronomy 28:26, Isaiah 56:9, Jeremiah 7:33, Ezekiel 39:17-20, and Revelation 19:17-21, the Lord reveals to us that the birds of the air are His cleanup crew after a great slaughter to consume the corpses from the battlefield.

“Go up to Gilead and take balm, O virgin, the daughter of Egypt; in vain you will use many medicines; you shall not be cured.” Jeremiah 46:11

The balm of Gilead was known for curing wounds. “The irony is that during these days the Egyptians were world leaders in medicine. On the day of judgment, however, they would find themselves without medicine and without remedy, their wounds incurable.” [1] No vaccine to prevent defeat! The Lord tells the young people of Egypt, “You shall not be no cured.” No salve or medicine can heal when God wounds. Egypt would never recover its former strength.

“The nations have heard of your shame, and your cry has filled the land; for the mighty man has stumbled against the mighty; they both have fallen together.” Jeremiah 46:12

The huge army they assembled shall be a liability and not an asset. Like a massive exodus of coastal people evacuating a coastline before a hurricane strikes, they will be unable to depart fast enough due to overcrowding on the escape route. They will fall over each other.

“The Word that the Lord spoke to Jeremiah the prophet, how Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon would come and strike the land of Egypt. Declare in Egypt and proclaim in Migdol; proclaim in Noph and in Tahpanhes; say, ‘Stand fast and prepare yourselves, for the sword devours all around you. Why are your valiant men swept away? They did not stand because the Lord drove them away. He made many fall; yes, one fell upon another.’ And they said, ‘Arise! Let us go back to our own people and to the land of our nativity from the oppressing sword.’ They cried there, ‘Pharaoh, king of Egypt, is but a noise. He has passed by the appointed time!’” Jeremiah 46:13-17

“Declare” as if giving sentence from a tribunal. The Lord mentions Migdol (east), Noph (south) and Tahpanhes (north), but omits the west, because Nebuchadnezzar did not attack there.

“They said, ‘Let us go again to our own people.” The mercenary soldiers deserted Egypt. They returned to their respective homes to escape the bloodthirsty sword of Babylon. They said to one another, “Pharaoh, king of Egypt, is but a noise” meaning he threatens great things, but does nothing. His boasts of what he would do never happened. He did not show up.

“As I live, says the King, whose Name is the Lord of hosts, surely as Tabor is among the mountains and as Carmel by the sea, so he shall come.” Jeremiah 46:18

As mount Tabor and Carmel tower high above other hills, so Nebuchadnezzar will tower above Egypt. Babylon’s army will be easy to see because their mighty army is great like a mountain.

“O you daughter dwelling in Egypt, prepare yourself to go into captivity! For Noph shall be waste and desolate, without inhabitant.” Jeremiah 46:19

The unprepared for battle, should prepare for captivity.

“Egypt is a very pretty heifer, but destruction comes, it comes from the north. Also her mercenaries are in her midst like fat bulls, for they also are turned back, they have fled away together. They did not stand, for the day of their calamity had come upon them, the time of their punishment.” Jeremiah 46:20-21

Egypt and her mercenaries are compared to a pretty heifer. Pretty heifers are unaccustomed to wearing work yokes. Some think a pretty heifer is an allusion to the calf idol Apis which the Egyptians worshipped. Remember the children of Israel made a golden calf idol after they left Egypt and arrived at Mount Sinai. The pretty heifer is about to be slaughtered.

“Her noise shall go like a serpent, for they shall march with an army and come against her with axes, like those who chop wood. They shall cut down her forest, says the Lord, though it cannot be searched, because they are innumerable, and more numerous than grasshoppers.” Jeremiah 46:22-23

At first Egypt was like a noisy heifer, but when the Babylonians arrived, they hid themselves like snakes. They slithered around stealthily. The snake was an emblem of Egyptian pride but here is mocked as an emblem of her weakness. The Babylonians struck the trees with axes. Egypt’s defenses were like soft trees. Babylon’s weapons were metal battleaxes. Babylon’s troops were numerous like a great swarm of locusts. Consuming locusts symbolize God’s judgment

Revelation 9:2-10 reveals a bottomless pit from which smoke comes forth and from that smoke appears creatures with tails like scorpions. These creatures sting people with their tails. Their sting enflames their victims’ bodies with pain. This plague lasts for five months. These creatures are likely metaphors for demon spirits that lead people to attack and destroy one another.

“The daughter of Egypt shall be ashamed. She shall be delivered into the hand of the people of the north. The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, says: behold, I will bring punishment on Amon of No, and Pharaoh and Egypt, with their gods and their kings—Pharaoh and those who trust in him. And I will deliver them into the hand of those who seek their lives, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and the hand of his servants. Afterward it shall be inhabited as in the days of old, says the Lord.” Jeremiah 46:24-26

“Amon of No” is the same as Thebes in Upper Egypt where Jupiter Ammon had his famous temple. Pharaoh and those that trusted in false gods shall be humbled. They shall be delivered into the hands of the northern nations (Babylon and her allies). They shall serve servants.

“But do not fear, O My servant Jacob, and do not be dismayed, O Israel! For behold, I will save you from afar, and your offspring from the land of their captivity; Jacob shall return, have rest and be at ease; no one shall make him afraid. Do not fear, O Jacob My servant, says the Lord, for I am with you; for I will make a complete end of all the nations to which I have driven you, but I will not make a complete end of you. I will rightly correct you, for I will not leave you wholly unpunished.” Jeremiah 46:27-28

God closed out His prophecy to Egypt with a promise to His people. Some of God’s faithful people were living in Egypt. He told them not to fear or be dismayed. He would save them from the lands of their captivity. Yes, they would be in exile for a season, but afterwards, the Lord would bring them back to the Promised Land.

What should do as we see a similar scenario as Jeremiah 46 taking place among the nations of our day? We have proud nations that refuse to honor and serve God. They overflow their borders causing harm to their neighbors. They have become fat like cattle before the slaughter. After our Lord Jesus revealed to His disciples some of the signs of His second coming, He said to them in Luke 21:28, “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”


[1] Jamieson Fausset Brown Commentary