Thomas Aquinas Commentary Jeremiah 4:7-10

"A lion is gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations; he is on his way, he is gone forth from his place, to make thy land desolate, that thy cities be laid waste, without inhabitant. For this gird you with sackcloth, lament and wail; for the fierce anger of Jehovah is not turned back from us. And it shall come to pass at that day, saith Jehovah, that the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the princes; and the priests shall be astonished, and the prophets shall wonder. Then said I, Ah, Lord Jehovah! surely thou hast greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall have peace; whereas the sword reacheth unto the life." — Jeremiah 4:7-10 (ASV)

1. Here, he discusses the arrival of the enemy:

1. Regarding their departure from their own land.
2. Regarding the progress of their route, at that time (Jeremiah 4:11).
3. Regarding the end of their journey: behold, he shall arise as a cloud (Jeremiah 4:13).

Regarding the first point, there are two aspects to consider:

1. He describes the condition of the approaching enemy:
   • Regarding its strength: the lion, that is, Nebuchadnezzar, from his den, from Babylon. The lion is the strongest of beasts; he fears meeting no one (Proverbs 30:30). As we see below: behold, as a lion ascends from the swelling of the Jordan, against the strong and beautiful (Jeremiah 49:19).This verse, according to the Hebrew, reads, as a lion comes up from the thickets of Jordan, to a rich pastureland.
   • Regarding their cruelty: the robber of the nations. The lion takes enough for his cubs, and kills for his lionesses (Nahum 2:12).
   • Regarding their intention: that he may make your land a wilderness. His heart will be for destruction, and for the slaying of many nations (Isaiah 10:7).
   • Regarding the execution of his intention: your cities. Your land is desolate, your cities have been destroyed (Isaiah 1:7).
2. He discusses the astonishment of the Jews:
   1. Collectively, as if speaking for everyone: for this gird yourselves with sackcloth. As it says below: gird on sackcloth, and sprinkle yourself with ashes (Jeremiah 6:26).
   2. Specifically concerning the princes: And it shall be in that day, says the LORD, the heart of the king shall fail, and the heart of the princes, so that when they gather, they will not be able to devise a plan of resistance. The heart of Egypt will melt in her midst (Isaiah 19:1).
   3. Specifically concerning his own astonishment: and I said: alas . . . saying, ‘You shall have peace.’ As it says above: in that time, they will call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all nations shall be gathered together in her in the name of the LORD in Jerusalem (Jeremiah 3:17). He does not realize that the first statement was said about what must soon happen, while the latter refers to what will happen in the distant future. As it says below: we waited for peace, and there was no good; a time of healing, and behold, fear (Jeremiah 8:15).