Jeremiah 23:20
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What's easy to miss here is that God's "anger" isn't just an emotional outburst; it's a purposeful execution of His heart's deepest thoughts and plans. This divine anger won't cease until it has accomplished its mission, and only in the future will people truly grasp its profound meaning and divine intent.
The anger of the LORD will not turn back until he has executed and accomplished the intents of his heart. In the latter days you will understand it clearly.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah is addressing the false prophets and the people who are being misled by them. He's just described the severe judgment coming upon these deceivers and their followers. This verse emphasizes that God's divine judgment, once set in motion against this specific unfaithfulness, will run its course completely until His purposes are fulfilled, and that the full understanding of these events will become clear in the future.
Have you ever felt anger that just wouldn't let go until a job was finished? God's anger is like that, but with perfect intention.
Jeremiah 23:20 tells us that the Lord's anger "will not turn back until he has executed and accomplished the intents of his heart." This isn't a wild, uncontrolled rage. It's a purposeful, judicial anger directed by God's perfect will.
God's Heart and His Word
Think of it like this: when God speaks a word of judgment, it's not just talk. It's an expression of His inner counsel – the "thoughts of his heart." This anger isn't capricious; it's the necessary outworking of His righteous character against sin. It pursues its goal until it's fully completed, leaving no room for doubt or escape for those under its decree.
The future holds clarity about God's actions, even when they seem harsh in the present. What does 'latter days' truly mean here?
The verse concludes with a promise: "In the latter days you will understand it clearly." This phrase, "latter days," can be a bit tricky. While it sometimes points to the Messianic age or the very end of time, in this context, it primarily refers to a future perspective, likely the time of exile and return, or even the post-exilic period.
Clarity Through Consequences
The people would only truly grasp the justice and purpose behind the coming judgments after they had experienced them. Adversity and discipline would eventually bring a clear-eyed understanding that these calamities were not random but were the direct, intended results of their sin, orchestrated by God. It's a profound truth: sometimes, we only fully comprehend God's actions when we look back from a future vantage point, having seen the full outworking of His plans.
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Understand the original words
aph · Hebrew Noun
The intense, divine indignation or emotional displeasure of God against sin, which compels Him to take corrective or punitive action.
acharith yamim · Hebrew Phrase
A prophetic designation for the end of the current age or the final stage of history, when God’s plan is fully realized and judged.
This verse was spoken during a period of intense judgment against Judah. The 'latter days' here refer to the future time when the people, having experienced the destruction of Jerusalem and exile, would finally understand the depth and justice of God's actions against their sin.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern Kingdom of Israel, leading to the exile of its population. This event serves as a stark warning to the southern Kingdom of Judah about the consequences of disobedience.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Under Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon begins its conquest of Judah, starting with the first wave of exiles, including young nobles like Daniel. This marks the beginning of Judah's decline.
c. 597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Another significant group of Judeans, including the prophet Ezekiel and King Jehoiachin, are exiled to Babylon following a revolt against Babylonian rule. This intensifies the sense of impending doom.
c. 586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians finally conquer Jerusalem, destroy the Temple, and carry off most of the remaining population into exile. This is the catastrophic fulfillment of God's judgment.
c. 539 BC
Fall of Babylon to Persia
Cyrus the Great conquers the Babylonian Empire. This event paves the way for the eventual return of the Jewish exiles to their homeland.
516 BC
Completion of the Second Temple
Under the leadership of Zerubbabel, the Jewish exiles return to Jerusalem and complete the rebuilding of the Temple, symbolizing a restoration of worship and community.
This passage shares a similar structure and theme, highlighting that God's word, once spoken, will not return void but will accomplish His purpose, just as Jeremiah's prophecy of judgment will be fully executed.
Ezekiel 14:22-23Like Jeremiah's message, Ezekiel speaks of God's judgment, assuring that even a remnant of survivors will understand and remember that the devastation was a direct consequence of God's actions and His people's sins.
Romans 8:28This verse offers a comforting parallel, stating that God works all things for good for those who love Him. While Jeremiah focuses on the certainty of God's judgment, Romans 8 assures believers that even difficult circumstances are part of God's sovereign plan, leading to ultimate good.
Hebrews 10:36-37These verses speak to the faithful endurance required while awaiting God's promises and judgment, echoing Jeremiah's assurance that God's plan will be fully accomplished and understood in 'the latter days' or 'the end of days'.
pulpitJeremiah 23:20: "The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly."
Verse 20. - The anger of the Lord. The prophet's interpretation of the image. It is the judicial anger of Jehovah, personified as Divine manifestations so often are (hence "shall not return"). The form of the verse reminds us of Isaiah 55:11. In the latter days; rather, in future days, as Dr. Henderson rightly…
ellicottJeremiah 23:20: "The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly."
(20) Shall not return . . . —i.e., shall not turn back from its purpose. Men should look back on it in the “latter days”—literally, the end of the days ( Genesis 49:1 ; Numbers 24:14 ; Deuteronomy 4:30 ; Deuteronomy 31:29 ), i.e., in the then distant future of the exile and the return—and should see that it had…
What's easy to miss here is that God's "anger" isn't just an emotional outburst; it's a purposeful execution of His heart's deepest thoughts and plans. This divine anger won't cease until it has accomplished its mission, and only in the future will people truly grasp its profound meaning and divine intent.
Jeremiah is addressing the false prophets and the people who are being misled by them. He's just described the severe judgment coming upon these deceivers and their followers. This verse emphasizes that God's divine judgment, once set in motion against this specific unfaithfulness, will run its course completely until His purposes are fulfilled, and that the full understanding of these events will become clear in the future.
Jeremiah is addressing the false prophets and the people who are being misled by them. He's just described the severe judgment coming upon these deceivers and their followers. This verse emphasizes that God's divine judgment, once set in motion against this specific unfaithfulness, will run its course completely until His purposes are fulfilled, and that the full understanding of these events will become clear in the future.
"The anger of the LORD will not turn back until he has executed and accomplished the intents of his heart. In the latter days you will understand it clearly." — What's easy to miss here is that God's "anger" isn't just an emotional outburst; it's a purposeful execution of His heart's deepest thoughts and plans. This divine anger won't cease until it has acco…
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Last reviewed October 2026
