“Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.“ (Jeremiah 4:6)

The prophet Jeremiah had a two-fold message, as does any Gospel preacher of our day. One of warning and the other of comfort. In the same Spirit of our LORD Jesus Christ Who warned sinners of God’s wrath to come, speaking more of hell than heaven, so His true servants, like Jeremiah, warned sinners in his day of the impending judgment from the nations of the north and the coming great destruction of the temple and Jerusalem. So where is the comfort?

1.) “Set up the standard toward Zion:” The "standard" was a tall pole with a flag pointing in the direction of Zion, for the guidance of refugees. Notice it is singular, as is the Gospel of the LORD Jesus Christ, pointing sinners to the LORD Jesus Christ, represented by Zion, the mount on which stood the temple, and the priesthood and the sacrifices. Such was the brazen serpent on a pole to the children of Israel who were bitten by the fiery serpents, Numbers 21:8. The same word translated ‘pole’ there is the word ‘standard’ in Jeremiah 4:6. The clear connection with the LORD Jesus is made in John 3:14, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” Works religion preaches up standards, but the Gospel is THE STANDARD, directing otherwise guilty, condemnable sinners to the LORD Jesus Christ and His blood and righteousness alone as our only Hope.

2.) “Retire, stay not:” The word ‘retire’ could best be pictured in Noah gathering his family, few though they were, into the ark at God’s command, Genesis 7:1 (the ark a type of salvation in the LORD Jesus) or of Rahab gathering her family into the house on the wall where the scarlet rope hung, Joshua 2:18 (a type of refuge in Christ’s shed blood). The command is to flee to Christ, as did the guilty running to the cities of refuge where was a high priest to hear their case and represent them, Joshua 20 (a type of Christ’s intercession on behalf of His people). The command is stay not; or, ‘stand not’. Don’t stand in the place you are in now, but move from it in all haste, because of present danger.