Jeremiah 12:13
“They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns. They have exhausted themselves, and profit nothing. You will be ashamed of your fruits, because of Yahweh’s fierce anger.””
What does Jeremiah 12:13 mean?
Jeremiah is describing the consequences of turning away from God using the image of a failed harvest. When people plant wheat expecting grain to eat, but thorns grow instead, all their labor becomes pointless, and they're left with nothing to show for their hard work. The prophet is saying that when nations and individuals reject God's ways, their efforts eventually crumble, no matter how much energy they invest in them. The "fierce anger" mentioned isn't arbitrary punishment, but the natural result of building your life on a foundation that can't hold, like trying to construct something on sand.