Jeremiah 25:1

 Jeremiah 25:1 says, The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that was the first year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon;  Durig the fourth year of the reign of Jehoiakin, Nebuchadrezzar began his first year of reigning alone.  God's word came to Jeremiah at this time concerning the people of Judah.  No matter who is in power, God's word will still come to His people.  Verse two adds, The which Jeremiah the prophet spake unto all the people of Judah, and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying,  Jeremiah spoke God's word to the people of Judah and Jerusalem, just as we must speak God's word to the world today.  Verse three declares, From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, even unto this day, that is the three and twentieth year, the word of the LORD hath come unto me, and I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye have not hearkened.  Jeremiah said that he had been proclaiming God's word for years and that the people had not listened to him.  We may proclaim God's word all of our life and still have most of the people not listen to us, but that does not relieve us of the responsibility of proclaiming it.  Verse four adds, And the LORD hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising early and sending them; but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear.  Jeremiah said that he wasn't alone in proclaiming God's word, but that God had sent other prophets that they did not listen to as well.  God works through all His people who will obey Him to get His message of redemption out.  Verse five continues, They said, Turn ye again now every one from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that the LORD hath given unto you and to your fathers for ever and ever:  Jeremiah said that all these prophets called on the people of Judah to turn from their evil ways and to follow God once more.  We must proclaim the same message today, calling on people to turn from their evil life and come to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse six states, And go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt.  Jeremiah said that the people of Judah had been warned for years to quit following after other gods, just as we must today, especially if we claim to be God's people.  Verse seven declares, Yet ye have not hearkened unto me, saith the LORD; that ye might provoke me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt.  Jeremiah said that God said that they would not listen to Him, even though they were called His people.  We cannot be God's people if we do not listen to Him and expect everything to continue to be okay as many who were called God's prophets were proclaiming in that day.  Verse eight proclaims, Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Because ye have not heard my words,  Verse nine adds, Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations.  When God says therefore, we need to beware.  God said that because of the disobedience that He was going to use the king of Babylon to punish them, and that they would become a people who were an astonishment to the world because of their failure.  Verse ten continues, Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle.  God said that He was going to remove from the people of Judah all the things that normally brought joy, and when God's judgment comes one day, we can be certain that those who have not accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord will find no joy in their everlasting destination.  Verse eleven concludes, And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.  God said that the people of Judah would serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.  Those who do not accept God's word today will have a much longer time of suffering.  It will be an everlasting punishment.