But I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, saith the LORD: and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall devour all things round about it.
I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings - (Proverbs 1:31; Isaiah 3:10-11).
Forest thereof - namely, of your city, taken from Jeremiah 21:13. "Forest" refers to the dense mass of houses built of cedar, etc., from Lebanon, and "burned with fire" by Nebuzaradan at the taking of the city (Jeremiah 22:7; Jeremiah 52:13; 2 Kings 25:9).
Remarks:
(1) In times of calamity the ungodly are glad to apply to the servants of God, as Zedekiah did to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 21:2), to counsel and pray for them, though in times of prosperity they had neglected and disregarded the godly. What they really seek is escape from punishment, not deliverance from sin. Zedekiah's conscience told him that the prophet was in the right, but he was too weak and vacillating, in the face of the determined opposition of his nobles, to act on his convictions. There are multitudes like him, who know the truth intellectually, but who want the moral courage to do what they know. Too late-like the five foolish virgins-they shall apply to the godly for a share in that grace which is to be obtained by direct application, in repentance and faith, to God alone; and that in good time, not when the lamp of life is all but gone out.
(2) There is no promise of "the God of Israel" (Jeremiah 21:4) available to those who persevere in impenitence and (2) There is no promise of "the God of Israel" (Jeremiah 21:4) available to those who persevere in impenitence and disobedience. His promises belong to the true Israel of God alone. God's omnipotent arm, which is engaged to be stretched out in defense of His people, is "outstretched in anger, fury, and wrath" (Jeremiah 21:4) against hollow professors who presume upon their outward privileges. Their earthly confidences, the arms in which they trust, will be turned against the sinners themselves.
(3) If the great and noble, as King Zedekiah, will not hearken to God's message (Jeremiah 21:3), it must be addressed to the masses of the people, the poor and humble (Jeremiah 21:8). The sinner must make an unconditional, unreserved surrender of himself, body, soul, and spirit, to the will of God, if he is to live spiritually and eternally: he must accept salvation on terms which cut to the root all pride; "his life shall be to him for a prey" (Jeremiah 21:9). His danger is imminent-his escape must be an escape for his life-a narrow escape-in which he is stripped of every rag of fancied merit, and receives life as a mere act of grace. At the same time he must be willing henceforth to "execute judgment" (Jeremiah 21:12) - that is, "to bring forth fruits meet for repentance" (Matthew 3:8). On the other hand lies the awful alternative, "death" (Jeremiah 21:8) to the unhumbled sinner, the necessary "fruit of his own doings" (Jeremiah 21:14). May each reader and hearer of God's message have grace given to "choose life" and its "way," rather than "death" and its "way," that so he may live everlastingly!