Jeremiah 23:20 - Exposition

The anger of the Lord . The prophet's interpretation of the image. It is the judicial anger of Jehovah, personified as Divine manifestations so often are (hence "shall not return"). The form of the verse reminds us of Isaiah 55:11 . In the latter days ; rather, in future days , as Dr. Henderson rightly renders. It seems better to restrict the term "latter days" to the Messianic period ("the coming age," Matthew 12:32 ), to which, in fact, it is often applied (e.g. Isaiah 2:2 ; Hosea 3:5 ). The phrase in itself simply means "in the sequel of the days," i.e. in the future; its Messianic reference, when this exists, is inferred solely from the context. In the passage before us, and in Deuteronomy 4:30 , Deuteronomy 4:30 :29, there can be no intention of pointing to the Messianic age. Precisely the same phrase occurs in an Assyrian inscription, where its meaning is clear from the context ( aria akhrat yumi irib , "For a sequel of days—i.e; for a future time—I deposited"). In the present case it is no distant period to which the prophet refers, for he continues, Ye shall consider it , etc; or rather, ye shall understand it clearly , viz. that the calamities which will have come upon you are the Divine judgment upon your sins.