One Righteous Man Standing Between the Living and the Damned (Jeremiah 5)

Scripture reading – Jeremiah 5

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* Please note that words and phrases in brackets are the author’s amplification.

From a human, temporal perspective, the prophet Jeremiah was a failure. Scorned by Judah’s leaders and reviled by the people, he was rejected, persecuted, and eventually imprisoned. Yet, Jeremiah searched Jerusalem in vain, seeking a righteous man who might stand in the gap between God’s judgment and destruction.

Jeremiah 5

Jeremiah Appeals to the Common People of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 5:1-4)

Understanding that the LORD would spare Jerusalem if He could find one righteous man, Jeremiah searched the city in vain (Jeremiah 5:1). Imagine, one righteous man could have been the salvation of a city! Just one judicious, truth-seeking man, and God promised, “I will pardon it [Jerusalem]” (Jeremiah 5:1).

Many claimed, “The Lord liveth,” but their lives showed they were deceivers (Jeremiah 5:2). All the people were guilty of wickedness. None were righteous (Jeremiah 5:2). Even though the LORD corrected them, no one repented or turned to Him (Jeremiah 5:3). They were stubborn, and their faces, like their hearts, were as hard as stone (Jeremiah 5:3). They were a poor, spiritually ignorant people who did not know the way of the LORD or His judgment (Jeremiah 5:4).

Jeremiah Appealed to the Leaders, the “Great Men” of the City (Jeremiah 5:5-9)

Having failed to find a righteous man among the “poor” (for they were foolish, Jeremiah 5:4), Jeremiah decided to look for such a man among the “great men” of Jerusalem.

The prophet reasoned, “They have known the way of the Lord, and the judgment of their God” (Jeremiah 5:5a). Sadly, Jeremiah discovered that the leaders of Judah were rebellious and had “altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds” [the yoke representing the Covenant, and the bonds the Law and Commandments]. (Jeremiah 5:5b)

When he failed to find a righteous man among the “great men,” Jeremiah warned that they would be ravaged by their enemies and become prey. (Note that “a lion…a wolf…and a leopard” were images of Nebuchadnezzar and his army, Jeremiah 5:6). Declaring His vengeance, the LORD asked, “Shall I not visit [to judge] for these things? saith the Lord: and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?” (Jeremiah 5:9). 

The Summoning of Babylon to Punish Unfaithful Jerusalem and Judah (Jeremiah 5:10-18)

Throughout history, pagan nations and wicked men have been the tools God used to discipline His disobedient people. So, we see the LORD calling Babylon to lay siege to Jerusalem and stating about that city, “they are not the LORD’s” (Jeremiah 5:10). Leaving no doubt about the city’s destined fate, the LORD declared, “the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me” (5:11), for the people lied, denied the LORD, and mocked His prophets (Jeremiah 5:12-13).

Affirming Jeremiah, the LORD challenged the prophet that if he spoke the word of the LORD, his words would come out of his mouth like a fire, convicting and “devouring” the people (Jeremiah 5:14). Describing Babylon, the LORD declared He would bring upon Judah “a mighty nation… an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say” (Jeremiah 5:15).

Jeremiah predicted how the arrows of Babylon would fly true to their mark (Jeremiah 5:16), and the “mighty men” would ravage their lands, destroy their gardens, and leave Judah impoverished (Jeremiah 5:17). Yet, in His mercy and faithfulness to His promises, the LORD would leave a remnant (Jeremiah 5:18).

A Day of Judgment and the Character of the Spiritually Foolish (Jeremiah 5:19-31)

The LORD foreknew that some would claim He was unjust when He allowed Babylon to overrun Judah and Jerusalem (5:19a). Therefore, Jeremiah was instructed to respond to their complaints and declare on behalf of the LORD: “Ye have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers [Babylon]in a land that is not yours” (5:19b). 

Imagine hearing Jeremiah raise his voice (5:20) as he rebukes the people for their pretentious attitude and calls them “foolish people, and without understanding” (5:21a). They were spiritually blind and deaf. They did not fear or revere the LORD, even though He was their Creator, who set the boundaries of the sea and holds the waters in place by the sandy shore (5:22).

The people of Judah were backslidden, spiritually indifferent (5:23), and unthankful (5:24). They lacked discernment (5:25). Their leaders preyed on the poor and weak and deceived them the way a fowler traps his prey (5:26-27). They exploited the people and grew rich themselves (5:28). They were unjust, blind to wrongdoings, and failed to defend the poor and needy (5:28b).

Therefore, the LORD promised to take vengeance on Jerusalem and Judah. He believed He had no choice but to punish the wrongs of His people. There was no hope, for the liars had corrupted the nation, the false prophets prophesied lies, and the “people [loved] to have it so” (5:31). In other words, the people reflected the failed, immoral character of their leaders.

Closing thoughts – 

If Jeremiah had found even one righteous man who spoke the truth, demanded justice, and remained faithful to God’s Word, Jerusalem would not have faced the LORD’s judgment. However, no such man was found among the poor and illiterate or among the wealthy and powerful. 

Consider this… recognizing that the world we live in mirrors the days of Jeremiah before God’s judgment; I wonder if you’re willing to be that man or woman who will remain faithful to the LORD and true to His Word. Will you be the one righteous soul who could make a difference in others’ lives between the LORD’s blessings and His judgment? 

I conclude with the words of Ezekiel, who said: “I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none” (Ezekiel 22:30). 

By God’s grace, I will be that man. Will you join me?

Copyright © 2026 – Travis D. Smith 

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