The message of Jeremiah in this portion of the Scriptures concerns the judgment of Damascus. This capital city of Aram was later known as Syria and was captured by the Assyrians. Jeremiah saw the city undergoing divine judgment. She would be wrecked by war, defeated, and made to suffer at the hand of Babylon who was about to conquer the Assyrians.
Just like the Ammonites and the Edomites, Damascus was earmarked for
destruction. Jeremiah 49:23-27 described what would happen to Damascus and her people.
Verses 23-24 said that on learning of the approaching Babylonian force, her
people became filled with fear and driven into a deep sense of helplessness. They were petrified and rendered incapable of
fleeing. So distressed by the situation that they had to travail in pain like pregnant
women in labor. The ruthless attack of the Babylonians left the streets filled
with the victims of the great slaughters and devastated the city.
The Prophet Amos had the most severe message for Syria and Damascus.
The main reason for her judgment was her unrestrained cruelty. No specific reason was given for the divine judgment
here in this Jeremiah’s passage. But Damascus' past dealing with Judah was not
flattering. 2 Kings 16 and Isaiah 7 narrated an incidence where King Rezin of
Damascus and King Pekah of Israel combined to attack Jerusalem in the time of
King Ahaz. Damascus was conquered by the Assyrians whom Ahaz solicited help
from. Here we are told that She would be destroyed by the Babylonians.
How nations treated God’s covenant people matters to Him. If there
is a lesson to learn it is the lesson of respect. How we treat people especially
God’s people matter. In the New Testament, we are called to treat
all people with respect. So Paul admonished us in his letter to the Galatians
that we are “to do good to all men, especially those in the household of God.”
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