And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond-tree.
Jeremiah has just been called to be a prophet, and he is afraid. Before God sends him out, He asks him a question and points him to a branch — and that small sight sums up his whole commission.
God gives him two pictures in this chapter: a branch and a pot.
The two visions in Jeremiah 1:11, 13 were given to Jeremiah to encourage him — the rod of an almond tree and the boiling pot. Both spoke with striking eloquence. The first, like Aaron's rod that budded, implied the watchfulness and wakefulness which were always active for the true interests of the Lord.
The two visions also told Jeremiah in advance what his work would be.
The Lord shows him two visions. They sum up the prophetic charge He gave him, and they announce that the kingdoms of the north will soon strike Jerusalem.
The choice of tree matters. Its name and its early blossom both carry the message.
One word stands for both the tree and its fruit. It comes from a root meaning 'to hasten.' That fits, since it is the first tree to break into blossom, a forerunner of spring. Jeremiah 1:11-12 confirms the meaning: the prophet saw an almond tree, and the LORD said, "You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it."
Older translations read the Lord's reply in verse 12 as "I will hasten my word to perform it." That older wording is the link this writer draws to the root meaning "to hasten."
The point rests on two Hebrew words that sound almost alike. Commentators differ over the best English word for the Lord's reply. They agree that the almond's name is the key.
The word used here for the almond tree (shaqed) is unusual and poetic. So in the next verse, the word translated 'hasten' should really read 'wakeful'. That word (shaqad) comes from the same root. This use of words, given by God, is full of meaning.
God's wakefulness here has a timetable.
The Hebrew word for almond is "Shakad," which means to watch, to wake early... It denotes the early fulfilment of the judgment purposes of the Lord.
Notice how God teaches. He asks a question; the prophet answers; God confirms what he saw. Pictures, not lectures, carry the message.
Next, God teaches him in symbols what was in store for him (verses 11-16). The almond rod showed how God would hurry to perform His word. The pot boiling with its face northwards pointed to the evil brewing in the north for Jerusalem and Judah, because of their idolatries.
These writers call it a rod, not just a branch — a cut stick. Israel had seen a rod like that before, and the memory adds hope to the warning.
To encourage His servant, the Lord shows him the rod of an almond tree. This tree blossoms around the middle of winter. In Hebrew this tree is called the "watchful" or "vigilant" tree. It reminds us of God who watches over His Word... The almond tree also reminds us of Aaron's staff. That dead stick, in one night, "had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms" (Numbers 17). This is a picture of the living power which was in Christ and which raised Him from the dead.
History has now tested the promise God made at the branch.
The exactness with which they came true fully proves that the words of Jeremiah — or better, the words of the Lord through him — are of divine origin. They came true with such precision, in public, private and personal detail, that no honest person can question it. And what still waits to be accomplished will no doubt be carried out with the same perfection.
- Watchful. The almond is the "wakeful" tree. Its name comes from a root meaning to hasten, and it is the first tree to blossom.
- Word. God's reply is a promise about His own words. He stays awake over what He has said until He performs it.
- Warning. The boiling pot puts a date on that wakefulness: judgment from the north, coming early.
- Wakened. An almond rod once budded overnight for Aaron — a dead stick in blossom, a picture of the power that raised Christ from the dead.
- Witnessed. What God said through Jeremiah came true exactly. That is the ground for trusting the part still unfulfilled.
And Jehovah said unto me, Thou hast well seen; for I am watchful over my word to perform it.
God's answer to Jeremiah rests on a play on words. In Hebrew, the branch the young prophet saw and God's promise about His own word sound almost the same. That one word answers the two questions hanging over the whole book: will God do what He says, and when?
The link between the tree and the promise lies in the sound of the words. Translation loses it.
The tree was not chosen at random. Its name and its habit both say the same thing.
The tree and its fruit are represented by the same word. It comes from a root meaning 'to hasten.' That fits, since it is the first tree to blossom, a forerunner of spring. Jeremiah 1:11-12 confirms this, where the prophet saw an almond tree, and Jehovah said, "You have seen well: for I will hasten My word to perform it."
Commentators differ over how to translate the second half of the verse. Some keep the older word "hasten." Others bring out the idea of being awake that lies in the root.
Here an unusual word (shaqed), a poetical expression, stands for the almond tree. So in the next verse, 'hasten' should rather read 'wakeful.' That word (shaqad) comes from the same root. This use of words, inspired by God, is extremely expressive.
Jeremiah had just protested that he was only a youth. The vision was medicine for that fear.
To encourage His servant, the Lord shows him the rod of an almond tree. This tree blossoms around the middle of winter. In Hebrew it is called the "watchful" or "vigilant" tree. It reminds us of God, who watches over His Word and has it proclaimed "early" — as the word "arise," used so often in the book of Jeremiah, suggests.
Verse 12 is only half of the lesson. A second vision follows, and the two are meant to be read as a pair.
Next, he is taught in symbols what was in store for him (verses 11-16). The almond rod set out how God would hasten the performance of His word; the pot boiling with its face northwards signalled the evil brewing from that direction for Jerusalem and Judah because of their idolatries.
At the time, God gave no startling or miraculous signs to prove Jeremiah's words right in public. Yet his words came true exactly. The fulfilment seemed delayed, and that made it all the more striking afterwards. Nothing was immediate or sudden. Jeremiah spoke the word of the Lord and suffered for it. God in His long-suffering mercy waited, looking for the people to repent. That did not happen, and meanwhile people insulted and mistreated the prophet. Then the hearts of the people, the princes, the priests, the prophets and the pastors grew wholly hard, and God carried out Jeremiah's words swiftly.
This verse stands in a message of judgment. But what God guards reaches further: everything He has purposed.
God has been watching over His word to do what He purposed for His own pleasure in blessing people, "according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself." Christ, risen from among the dead, has secured it all and made it good.
The same tree appears elsewhere in Scripture as a picture of resurrection.
Aaron's rod budded, blossomed, and yielded almonds in one night (Numbers 17:8) — a beautiful picture of the Lord Jesus coming out of His grave, perfect for His priestly work.
This has a practical result. God keeps watch over His own word, so the work of fulfilling it is not ours.
The Bible does not encourage believers to try to 'make prophecy happen.' God Himself watches over His Word and makes sure that it comes to pass (Jeremiah 1:12). In most cases there is nothing Christians could do to bring about the fulfilment of prophecy. Even if they could, it would only take away from God's glory and make the fulfilment mean less.
- Awake — the almond is the "waking" tree, the first to blossom. God takes its name and says He is awake over His own word.
- Awake for His servant — the Lord gave this vision to encourage Jeremiah. God's wakefulness carries the message, not the messenger.
- Awake through delay — God waited for the people to repent, so His word looked slow. Then it came true fast, and exactly as spoken.
- Awake over blessing too — what He guards is not only judgment but His whole purpose, made good in the risen Christ.
- Awake without our help — God watches over His word to perform it, so we rest in it instead of trying to force it.