{"id":70726,"date":"2020-02-26T13:00:22","date_gmt":"2020-02-26T11:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=70726"},"modified":"2023-10-18T13:38:27","modified_gmt":"2023-10-18T10:38:27","slug":"nebuchadnezzar-my-servant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/nebuchadnezzar-my-servant\/","title":{"rendered":"Nebuchadnezzar My Servant"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[948,946],"acf":{"old_id":"70726","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":38552,"related_cahpter":"425","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"But despite the endearment, Jeremiah is not pro-Babylonian\u00a0\r\n\r\n","content":"

Jeremiah no longer portends the emergence of a nation in the north \u2014 that would not be a prophecy, but current events. His role is now to articulate the religious significance of Nebuchadnezzar’s rise. Jeremiah is very clear on this; for the first time, he sets forth his political stance, which will remain with him until after the destruction of the Temple.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jeremiah declares Nebuchadnezzar “My servant” \u2014 an unusual epithet. Throughout Scripture, this expression is reserved for those whose lives demonstrate God’s presence on earth: Abraham, Moses, David, and the prophets of Israel. When Isaiah wishes to say that Cyrus will act as God’s agent, he calls him “His anointed one” (Is. 45:1) or “My shepherd” (44:28).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In contrast, Jeremiah calls Nebuchadnezzar by a term of endearment, not merely agency. Some view this expression \u2014 as well as other allusions \u2014 as proof that Jeremiah supported Babylonia. However, his subsequent prophecies undermine this evidence. Rather, Jeremiah recognizes Babylonia’s temporary role and prays for the nation’s punishment in due time. He is not pro-Babylonian \u2014 he is faithful to God’s word, and therefore he acknowledges Babylonia’s role in the fulfillment of God’s will. The prophet’s job is not to tell the future, but to open the eyes of the people and their leaders to the emergent reality and to cogently and soberly sketch what will unfold. The prophet participates in real life, but from a vantage point that allows him to discern what others cannot.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jeremiah now symbolically illustrates his warning of the Babylonian conquest by taking a “wine cup of wrath” and “give drink” to all the surrounding nations. This drinking party “celebrates” Nebuchadnezzar’s expected victory over all the kingdoms mentioned \u2014 this in only the first year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign. Before the conqueror even sets his sights on Judah, the prophet is already pouring drafts that symbolize God’s wrath via the Babylonian sword. Jerusalem will be the first to drink from the cup, followed by powerful Egypt, Philistia, and many more. But the last to partake of the cup will be “the king of Sheshach” \u2014 an allusion to Babylonia itself (using the <\/span>atbash<\/span><\/i> cipher). Indeed, Nebuchadnezzar will have his moment; none will be able to defy him as long as God shows him favor. But Babylon’s time will come, too, and the nation will drain the foul cup to its dregs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Lau, Binyamin. <\/span>Jeremiah: The Fate of a Prophet<\/span><\/em>. Maggid Books, 2013. \u201cDrinking to Nebuchadnezzar\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","image":{"ID":69252,"id":69252,"title":"jer-lau2","filename":"jer-lau2.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/jer-lau2.jpg","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/running-a-gauntlet-of-pain\/jer-lau2\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"jer-lau2","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":69251,"date":"2020-01-27 21:59:05","modified":"2020-01-27 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