Jeremiah 5:12-13
They have spoken falsely of the LORD and have said, ‘He will do nothing; no disaster will come upon us, nor shall we see sword or famine. The prophets will become wind; the word is not in them. Thus shall it be done to them!’”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's easily missed here is the depth of their denial: they didn't just disbelieve Jeremiah's words; they actively lied against the LORD by claiming He wouldn't act. Their false assurance ("He will do nothing") was a direct insult to God's power and justice, revealing a heart that had grown practically atheistic.
Jeremiah has just been recounting the sins of Judah, a nation that claims to follow the Lord but lives in practical disbelief and rebellion. These words come from the mouths of those who are dismissing the prophet's warnings of impending disaster, essentially saying that God won't intervene or that the threats of invasion, famine, and sword aren't truly His word or His doing. They’re choosing a comfortable lie over the hard truth that their unfaithfulness has dire consequences coming their way.
Have you ever heard someone dismiss a warning from God with a casual, 'Nah, that won't happen'? This verse hits that attitude head-on.
Jeremiah's people weren't just ignoring a potential threat; they were actively 'believing falsely' of the LORD. This means they were denying the truth of His Word and His authority.
What 'Belied the LORD' Means:
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We all want to believe that bad things won't happen to us. But when does that hope become a dangerous delusion?
The people of Judah had convinced themselves that disaster – specifically, the sword of war and the famine that followed – would never touch them. This was a self-deceptive belief born from ignoring God's persistent warnings.
The 'No Disaster' Mentality:
Understand the original words
kachash · Hebrew Verb
The act of speaking untruths or deceptive words; in a biblical context, it often refers to bearing false witness or claiming something about God that is contrary to His revealed character.
ra'ah · Hebrew Noun
Calamity, ruin, or severe judgment; used in the prophets to describe the divine consequences for covenant disobedience, often manifested through war or natural catastrophe.
nabiy' · Hebrew Noun
Individuals called by God to convey His messages to His people; true prophets speak only what God commands, whereas false prophets speak from their own hearts, resulting in words that lack divine authority.
ruwach · Hebrew Noun
A metaphor for something insubstantial, empty, or fleeting; it implies that the prophets’ words have no divine substance, power, or truth behind them.
dabar · Hebrew Noun
The authoritative communication from God to humanity, serving as the instrument of His power, judgment, and revelation; it is enduring and sovereign.
The people's denial of impending disaster stemmed from a deep-seated disbelief in the LORD's power and justice, especially in the face of overwhelming empires like Assyria and Babylon. This verse captures their defiant scorn just before the catastrophic destruction of Jerusalem.
Late 8th Century BC
Assyrian Empire Dominance
The powerful Assyrian Empire exerted significant influence over Judah, leading to fears of deportation and destruction. This era saw a rising sense of vulnerability among the people.
626 BC
Babylonian Uprising Against Assyria
Nabopolassar of Babylon rebelled against Assyria, initiating a period of shifting power dynamics in the Near East. This created an atmosphere of instability and prophetic pronouncements.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon conquered Judah, initiating the first wave of exiles to Babylon. This event served as a stark warning of God's judgment.
c. 597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Another major deportation occurred, including King Jehoiachin and many prominent citizens. This intensified the sense of impending doom and God's displeasure.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the remaining population. This marked the culmination of prophetic warnings and the people's disbelief.
This passage echoes the sentiment of Jeremiah 5:12, describing people who are complacent and inwardly thinking, 'The LORD will not do good, nor will he do evil,' highlighting a similar dangerous disregard for God's warnings.
Luke 12:16-21The parable of the rich fool illustrates the folly of self-assured security against future disaster, mirroring the false confidence of those in Jeremiah who believed no 'disaster would come upon them'.
2 Peter 3:3-4Peter warns against scoffers in the last days who will deny the promised return of Christ by saying, 'Where is the promise of his coming?', reflecting the same spirit of disbelief in God's future actions seen in Jeremiah 5:12.
Psalm 14:1This psalm's declaration that 'The fool says in his heart, “There is no God”' captures the underlying atheistic sentiment of those who 'have spoken falsely of the LORD' and deny His power to bring judgment.
barnesJeremiah 5:12: "They have belied the LORD, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:"
It is not he - i. e., Who speaks by the prophets.
pooleJeremiah 5:12: "They have belied the LORD, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:"
They have belied the Lord: this may signify either a denying, viz. a renouncing, making little or nothing of him, as some; or a denying, i.e. not believing, that these words of the prophet were God’s words, or God did not say so; he gave not the prophet, nor any other, any such commission; and possibly their atheism might grow to so high a degree as to deny…
What's easily missed here is the depth of their denial: they didn't just disbelieve Jeremiah's words; they actively lied against the LORD by claiming He wouldn't act. Their false assurance ("He will do nothing") was a direct insult to God's power and justice, revealing a heart that had grown practically atheistic.
Jeremiah has just been recounting the sins of Judah, a nation that claims to follow the Lord but lives in practical disbelief and rebellion. These words come from the mouths of those who are dismissing the prophet's warnings of impending disaster, essentially saying that God won't intervene or that the threats of invasion, famine, and sword aren't truly His word or His doing. They’re choosing a comfortable lie over the hard truth that their unfaithfulness has dire consequences coming their way.
Jeremiah has just been recounting the sins of Judah, a nation that claims to follow the Lord but lives in practical disbelief and rebellion. These words come from the mouths of those who are dismissing the prophet's warnings of impending disaster, essentially saying that God won't intervene or that the threats of invasion, famine, and sword aren't truly His word or His doing. They’re choosing a comfortable lie over the hard truth that their unfaithfulness has dire consequences coming their way.
"They have spoken falsely of the LORD and have said, ‘He will do nothing; no disaster will come upon us, nor shall we see sword or famine. The prophets will become wind; the word is not in them. Thus shall it…" — What's easily missed here is the depth of their denial: they didn't just disbelieve Jeremiah's words; they actively lied against the LORD by claiming He wouldn't act. Their false assurance ("He wil…
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