Jeremiah (1-31) 8:15 Commentary and Bible Study

The people looked for peace and healing of the nation, because that was what the priests and the false prophets had promised them, and they had to some extent believed it. They expected freedom from hostility and the possibility of prospering materially. The false prophets would also have promised them peace with God – healing may signify pardon from sin. But It all led to massive disappointment, and instead of peace and healing came the opposite: conflict and trouble.‘The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan’ – this is the sound of the Chaldean war horses as they enter the land from the north to which territory the tribe of Dan had migrated during the time of the Judges. Those who hear the sound know what must follow, and therefore it is a sound that strikes terror into the heart. These are men that know nothing of justice, or kindness or mercy or proportionate use of force. They destroy all in their path, and these are the ones that God has assigned to judge his people. If anyone thought the cities were safe, they would soon find out that nothing could stop these invading hordes.But that is not the end of it. ‘For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the LORD.’ How can there be any doubt that the Chaldean invasion is a judgment of the Lord when he turns even the brute beasts against Judah, and uses them to scourge Judah? This is like the punishments which Israel suffered in the wilderness: ‘And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. ⁶ And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died’ (Numbers 21:5-6).