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"The Valley of Slaughter"

Text: Jeremiah 7:32

A TERRIBLE NAME

If ever there was a bad name for any location in ancient Israel, it would probably be “Tophet, or the Valley of the Son of Hinnom.” This was a place outside the city of Jerusalem. It was associated with the sacrifice of children. King Manasseh did many wicked things (2 Kings 21:1-7).

“‘Therefore behold, the days are coming,’ says the LORD,
‘when it will no more be called Tophet, or the Valley of the Son of Hinnom,
but the Valley of Slaughter; for they will bury in Tophet until there is no room.
The corpses of this people will be food for the birds of the heaven
and for the beasts of the earth. And no one will frighten them away.
Then I will cause to cease from the cities of Judah
and from the streets of Jerusalem the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness,
the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride.
For the land shall be desolate.'”
Jeremiah 7:32-34

1. “‘Therefore behold, the days are coming,’ says the LORD”

a) This was a prophetic warning.

b) Judgment had been pronounced.

2. “When it will no more be called Tophet, or the Valley of the Son of Hinnom”

a) At face value, this was just the name of a valley.

b) The unsuspecting foreigner would not associate this place with evil.

c) It was simply a valley associated with an unknown person called Hinnom.

3. “But the Valley of Slaughter; for they will bury in Tophet until there is no room.”

a) When the Babylonians attack Jerusalem, many would die.

b) Some would flee to this Valley, where many shrines were set up.

c) But no protection would be given by the gods and goddesses worshipped here.

d) Tophet would be called, “The Valley of Slaughter”.

e) The refugees would be shown no mercy at all!

4. “For they will bury in Tophet until there is no room.”

a) So many would die and be buried at Tophet.

b) There would be no room for more to be buried in this valley.

5. “The corpses of this people will be food for the birds of the heaven and for the beasts of the earth. And no one will frighten them away.”

a) The corpses that are not buried would become food:

i) For winged scavengers.

ii) For land scavengers too.

b) No one would frighten these birds and animals away. Nobody would come to the Valley of the Son of Hinnom.

6. “Then I will cause to cease from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride. For the land shall be desolate.”

a) The cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem:

i) They were once filled with the voice of mirth.

ii) The voice of gladness was heard audibly.

b) There was much happiness in the air.

i) Wedding parties were held frequently.

ii) These would be things of the past.

c) The land would become desolate.

i) Defeated

ii) Devastated

iii) Death would reign in the land.