Although the sentence of doom had been clearly pronounced, its awful import could scarcely be understood by the multitudes who heard. That deeper impressions might be made, the Lord sought to illustrate the meaning of the words spoken. He bade Jeremiah liken the fate of the nation to the draining of a cup filled with the wine of divine wrath. Among the first to drink of this cup of woe was to be "Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof." Others were to partake of the same cup--"Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people," and many other nations of earth--until God's purpose should have been fulfilled. See Jeremiah 25.

Skønt dommen var blevet forkyndt klart og tydeligt, forstod det brede folk næppe dens fulde alvor. Herren søgte at illustrere, hvad meningen var med de ord, som var talt, for at gøre dybere indtryk på folket. Han sagde til Jeremias, at han skulle benytte det billede, at folket skulle tømme et bæger, som var fyldt med Guds vrede. "Jerusalem og Judas byer og dets konger" skulle være blandt de første, som drak af dette vredesbæger. Det skulle også rækkes til andre Farao, ægypterkongen, med alle hans tjenere og fyrster og alt hans folk" og mange andre af jordens nationer indtil Guds vilje var fuldbyrdet. Se Jer. 25.