Jeremiah 9:10-12 - Who is wise enough to understand this?

9:10

Verse 10 is Jeremiah’s response to God’s judgement upon Judah. He laments what will happen. This does not mean he thinks that God has got it wrong in bringing judgement, on the contrary he sees the rightness of God’s action, but he is sorrowful that it has come to this, that Judah has got in such a bad state that God’s judgement was the only answer. He is sorrowful at the effect there will be on the people and the land. This teaches us something of the response we should have in our own land. Our own society is heading away from God and His ways as fast as it can. If this brings judgement then one can only say that we fully deserve it, but at the same time it is entirely right for us to mourn for our land and the state it has got itself into.

9:11,12

Verse 11 reiterates what is going to happen.The land will be laid waste, and Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins. Jeremiah then asks “who can understand this?” “who can explain this?” The religious and civic leaders were unable to explain this. They were either oblivious to the sin, or participants in it. Today there are even religious leaders who are all in favour of the land’s rebellion against God. Moreover, there are many who do see it as that serious really. There are few with any real understanding.