Thomas Aquinas Commentary Jeremiah 25:1-7

"The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah (the same was the first year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon,) which Jeremiah the prophet spake unto all the people of Judah, and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying: From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even unto this day, these three and twenty years, the word of Jehovah hath come unto me, and I have spoken unto you, rising up early and speaking; but ye have not hearkened. And Jehovah hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, (but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear,) saying, Return ye now every one from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that Jehovah hath given unto you and to your fathers, from of old and even for evermore; and go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the work of your hands; and I will do you no hurt. Yet ye have not hearkened unto me, saith Jehovah; that ye may provoke me to anger with the work of your hands to your own hurt." — Jeremiah 25:1-7 (ASV)

Here, he gives the universal threat against the princes of all the nations, and it is divided into two parts.

In the first part, he speaks of the threat. In the second, he speaks of the revelation of the threat, beginning at for thus says the LORD (Jeremiah 25:15).

Concerning the threat itself, there are two points.

First, he gives the title of the prophecy: the word which came to Jeremiah. From this, we gather that the prophecy precedes the previous vision in time.

Second is the prophecy of the threat, which begins at from the thirteenth year of Josiah (Jeremiah 25:3). This prophecy first gives the cause of the threat, and second, it delivers the threat of punishment, beginning at therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts (Jeremiah 25:8).

He attributes the cause to their disobedience, and for this reason, they are included with the other nations in punishment. Their disobedience is made worse in three ways:

1. From the perspective of the preaching prophet himself, because he was steadfast in his preaching. From that point until the end of Josiah’s life and reign is eighteen years, since he reigned for thirty-one years. To these are added the four years of Jehoiakim and the three months which Jehoahaz reigned. This makes it the twenty-third year of Jeremiah’s preaching at the time these things were done. The phrase rising at night is used in the manner of one who is eager to finish a task, as in, Run, make haste, rouse your friend (Proverbs 6:3).
2. From the perspective of the One who sends, whose concern is shown by the number of messengers sent: and the LORD sent. As it says above: I sent all my servants the prophets to you daily, rising early and sending them: but they did not listen to me (Jeremiah 7:25–26). To clearly signify the divine concern, he uses the word early and also the word night, for God shines in the darkness. This is the same darkness about which it is said in John 3 that Nicodemus came to Jesus at night.
3. From the perspective of the warning, which is honorable in itself and beneficial regarding the promised favor.

   Here, he first sets forth the punishment for their past evils when he gives the command: return each one from his evil way. As Isaiah says, Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unjust man his thoughts, and let him return to the LORD, and he shall have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he is bountiful to forgive (Isaiah 55:7). Then comes the promise: and you shall dwell in the land. As it is also written, If you are willing, and will listen to me, you shall eat the good things of the land (Isaiah 1:19).

   Second, he cautions them against future evils when he gives the command: do not go after strange gods, which regards idolatry, and neither provoke me to anger, which regards sins of morality. As it is written, You shall not have other gods before me (Exodus 20:3).

   Finally, he notes their contempt for the command: and you did not listen. As Deuteronomy says, They provoked me by that which was no god, and they incited me with their vanities (Deuteronomy 32:16).