Questions for thought:
1. Have you noticed when things are going smoothly for some people, they never give a thought about what God wants them to do, but when things start looking bad, they begin to cry out for help?
2. God gave Judah a way of life and a way of death. They chose death. He gives us that choice every day we are living. What is my choice?
3. Sometimes when people hear preaching that does not make them happy, they want to take it out on the messenger rather than change their ways. How is this like the people Jeremiah prophesied to?
Between Jeremiah 20 and Jeremiah 21 there is most likely a period of some 20 years that has taken place. During this time, Jehoiakim and his son Jehoiachin had reigned on the throne of Israel and Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had come against Jerusalem and taken control of the city. He had made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, the king and changed his name to Zedekiah. You can read about all these kings in 2 Kings 23-24. Historians say Zedekiah came to the throne in abut 597 BC, but in the 11th year of his reign, we read in 2 Kings 25, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon again besieged the city.
Beginning about the time of this besiege, is when the events of Jeremiah 21 took place. Note we have Pashur coming to speak to Jeremiah in 21:1, but this Pashur is not the same Pashur we encountered in Jeremiah 20. That Pashur was the son of Immer, the priest, while this one is the son of Melchiah and he was coming on behalf of King Zedekiah. Note also how instead of disavowing any words from Jeremiah, they are now asking Jeremiah to enquire of the Lord for them so they would know of God’s plans. Those things Jeremiah had warned the people of before had taken place and they knew he was prophesying truth.
Jeremiah sent them back to tell Zedekiah God Himself was preparing to fight against the people. Zedekiah and his servants and those people who were still in the city would be delivered to Babylonian King Nebuchadrezzar and they would be killed. God again gave the people a way out. He said in verse 8: “I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.” The way of life was to surrender to the Chaldeans. The way of death was to remain in the city.
In chapter 22 God told Jeremiah to go to the king of Judah and tell him to straighten up and follow God’s command. If he chose to do so, he would be delivered, but if he chose to continue in his evil ways, Judah would be destroyed. In verse 7 God sent Zedekiah word concerning how He would prepare destroyers against him because Judah had forsaken their God and worshipped other gods (verse 9).
In the rest of chapter 22 are prophecies against King Shallum, King Jehoiakim, and King Coniah also known as Jeconiah. They would all be punished for their evils with the promise made no one from the seed of Coniah would ever sit upon the throne of David and rule in Judah. This prophecy prohibits Christ who was of the seed of Coniah from ever being a ruler on this earth in Jerusalem. This goes contrary to the premillennialism doctrine which has Christ reigning on earth for 1000 years.
In chapter 23 we have a definite Messianic prophecy in verses 5-8 and then Jeremiah’s prophecy against the false prophets of Judah. Through Jeremiah, God promised the days would come when He would raise unto David a righteous Branch, a King that would execute judgment and justice upon the earth. Of course, the children of Israel would have been expecting this prophecy to be fulfilled in an earthly king on the throne of David, but we know that was not the case as this was fulfilled in our Savior, Jesus Christ. After this prophecy, Jeremiah went on to give God’s words concerning those who prophesied falsely. In verses 31-33 God let it be known He was against these false prophets.
Jeremiah had another sign from God in chapter 24 where he was shown two baskets of figs. Bible scholars say the time of this vision is shortly after Jeconiah had been deported to Babylon in 597 B.C. God showed Jeremiah a basket of very good figs and a basket of very bad figs. God explained to Jeremiah the bad figs represented those of Judah who had refused to obey God’s instructions to yield to King Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon. The good figs were those who had been carried away as captives and who would eventually be allowed to return to their land.
A warning concerning the upcoming 70-year captivity is presented in chapter 25. Jeremiah told the people how long he had been speaking to them and they refused to hear. Beginning in verses 8 Jeremiah described for them what was going to take place. He told them in verse 12 when they had served the king of Babylon for 70 years, God would then punish the king of Babylon and bring upon the Chaldeans all the things He had previously pronounced against them through Jeremiah. History proved this prophecy to be fulfilled when you count the captivity from the first year of Jehoiakim in 606 B.C. till the first year of King Cyrus over Babylon in 536 B.C. Israel had to serve 70 years in this captivity to make up for their failure to follow God’s command for the land to have a sabbath every seven years. In the 490 years that took place from King Saul to the Babylonian captivity, they did not observe the command; thus, according to 2 Chronicles 36:21, God required Israel to be in captivity one year for each of the 70 sabbath years they had not observed.
In chapters 26-28, Jeremiah found himself in various difficulties. In chapter 26, the word of God came to Jeremiah at the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim. Jeremiah was to tell the people if they would turn from their evil, God would repent of His planned evil toward them, but if they chose not to listen, He would make their house like Shiloh and make the city a curse to all nations. When the priests and prophets heard Jeremiah, they decided he needed to die. Jeremiah told them to do as they saw fit but to know for certain if they put him to death, they would bring innocent blood upon themselves. The people did not like this idea and began to recall previous prophets such as Micah and Urijah who had prophesied such and how the people had repented. So, Jeremiah escaped death.
Then in chapter 27, Jeremiah was given another sign charge by God. He was to wear a yoke about his neck and go prophesy before kings of nations and before Zedekiah king of Judah. He was to tell them how all nations would be serving Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon and if they refused, their necks would be put under the yoke of the king of Babylon and they would be punished. Those nations who chose to put their necks under the yoke to Babylon would be allowed to remain in their own land.
Shortly after Jeremiah prophesying to King Zedekiah of Judah, a false prophet, Hananiah showed up in chapter 28. He told the people God had said He had broken the yoke of the king of Babylon and within two years, He would bring all the vessels Nebuchadnezzar had taken by force back to the Lord’s house. He would also bring back all the captives and break Babylon’s yoke from off them. Jeremiah made a reply and Hananiah removed the yoke from Jeremiah’s neck and broke it up. Jeremiah left, but afterwards, God sent him back to tell Hananiah even though he had broken the yoke of wood, God would be setting up a yoke of iron and Hananiah would be dying that year. According to verse 17, Hananiah died the same year in the 7th month. It seems that should have made an impression upon any who had heard what Jeremiah had to say.
Next time we will look at the letters to the exiles and prophecy concerning restoration of the land of Israel.
Christian Women's Responsibility in Sharing God's Word 