Jeremiah 23:19Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

To those who previously declared, "The Lord said to us: Peace be with you," and who were reprimanded for their inability to foresee the future and discern God's judgment, His words now reveal their profound ignorance. Instead of the tranquility they anticipated, they are warned that the storm of Babylon approaches, directed specifically against the wicked. The divine wrath and fury of God will no longer be calmed as in days gone by; rather, what God has foretold and threatened will be manifest, demonstrating that His purpose and judgment will be realized through the punishment of the unrighteous. He foretells that when the final era of captivity arrives and the victorious one seizes you, binding you with jingling chains, you will comprehend His counsel, the understanding of which you now mistakenly boast about.

Look, the storm is from the Lord, and His wrath arises with great noise. This represents ongoing trials and indicates that they are ordained by God, as He Himself administers discipline upon us. Furthermore, He declares to those who will endure hardship: ‘It shall come upon the wicked,’ (Jeremiah 23:20) ’the anger of the Lord shall not turn back until He has fulfilled the intentions of His heart.’ What He has predicted will inevitably occur. ‘In the last days’ they will grasp these truths with understanding. When they witness the deeds, they will recall His sayings. He also warns that those who falsely prophesy, acting without divine guidance, present the people with misleading messages. For God states: