He that Flees

Jeremiah 48:42-47 And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he had magnified himself against the LORD. Fear, and the pit, and the snare, shall be upon thee, O inhabitant of Moab, said the LORD. He that flees from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that gets up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for I will bring upon it, even upon Moab, the year of their visitation, said the LORD. They that fled stood under the shadow of Heshbon because of the force: but a fire shall come forth out of Heshbon, and a flame from the midst of Sihon, and shall devour the corner of Moab, and the crown of the head of the tumultuous ones. Woe be unto thee, O Moab! the people of Chemosh perished: for thy sons are taken captives, and thy daughters captives. Yet will I bring again the captivity of Moab in the latter days, said the LORD. Thus far is the judgment of Moab. 

‘Shall be destroyed from being a people.’ Moab shall be destroyed from being a people. This has been literally fulfilled from that time until now. The Moabites were taken captive by the Babylonians, and perhaps only a few came back, not enough to establish the nation again. Their captivity is spoken of as being brought again “in the latter days” (48:47). Just how and to what extent this will be done remains to be seen.

‘He that flees from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that gets up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare.’ This verse simply teaches that Moab would be destroyed in various ways – by flight, falling into a pit, or being taken in a snare.

‘Come forth out of Heshbon.’ This verse refers to the fact that the headquarters of Nebuchadnezzar was at Heshbon; from there the invaders scattered out destroying the whole of Moab (cp. Jer. 48:2).

‘Yet will I bring again the captivity of Moab in the latter days.’ In the whole 47 verses concerning Moab, this is the only prediction regarding the future from our time. It foretells the regathering of Moab in the latter days, which suggests that the children of Lot – Moab and Ammon – will be blessed together under the Messiah (49:6).