Jeremiah 38:14

Jeremiah 38:14 says, Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took Jeremiah the prophet unto him into the third entry that is in the house of the LORD: and the king said unto Jeremiah, I will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from me.  Zedekiah once more sent for Jeremiah and told him that he would ask him one thing.  He met Jeremiah in what Matthew Henry said would have been the main entrance to the house of the LORD.  Verse fifteen asks, Then Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, If I declare it unto thee, wilt thou not surely put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, wilt thou not hearken unto me?  Jeremiah asked if he told Zedekiah what God had to say would Zedekiah not then kill him.  Jeremiah did not say that he would change what God had to say though.  Even if we were to knew that the outcome was to be death, we cannot change the word of God simply to avoid it.  Verse sixteen states, So Zedekiah the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, As the LORD liveth, that made us this soul, I will not put thee to death, neither will I give thee into the hand of these men that seek thy life. this is the word that the LORD hath shewed me:  Zedekiah took an oath to God that he would not kill Jeremiah nor give him over to those who sought to kill him.  Verse seventeen declares, Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon’s princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house:  Jeremiah told Zedekiah that if he would surrender to the princes of Babylon that his life would be spared and the city of Jerusalem would not be burned.  I believe this would have required a lot of humility on the part of Zedekiah, and we today as followers of Christ will have to swallow our self pride in order to be saved.  We cannot save ourselves, but can only be saved by surrendering to Jesus Christ by faith.  Verse eighteen adds, But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand.  Jeremiah told Zedekiah that if he did not surrender then the city would be burned and he would not escape from the Babylonians.  Likewise, if a person continues to refuse to surrender to God today, he or she will not escape everlasting punishment.  Verse nineteen says, And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.  Zedekiah said that he was afraid of the Jews that had already been taken captive by the Chaldeans and that they would ridicule him.  He was more concerned about how he would appear to others than he was about how he appeared to God.  Many people today are reluctant to come to Christ because of how they think others will view them.  Verse twenty states, But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the LORD, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live.  Jeremiah told Zedekiah to not worry about being delivered up by others, but instead to listen to the word of God so that things would be well with him and he should live.  This is the choice every person faces today, whether we will listen to the world or to God.  Verse twenty-one adds, But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the LORD hath showed me:  There was a warning to Zedekiah if he did not obey God, just as there is a warning to those today who will not accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.  Verse twenty-two declares, And, behold, all the women that are left in the king of Judah’s house shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon’s princes, and those women shall say, Thy friends have set thee on, and have prevailed against thee: thy feet are sunk in the mire, and they are turned away back. Jeremiah said that if the king did not listen to God, then even the women would blame him for the captivity and destruction.  Verse twenty-three adds, So they shall bring out all thy wives and thy children to the Chaldeans: and thou shalt not escape out of their hand, but shalt be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon: and thou shalt cause this city to be burned with fire.  Jeremiah told Zedekiah if he didn't surrender that all the women and children would be taken captive and the city would be burned.  Zedekiah had a choice of listening to God or facing defeat and destruction for the people of Jerusalem and Judah.  Verse twenty four states, Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these words, and thou shalt not die.  Zedekiah then told Jeremiah to not tell anyone what they had discussed and what God had said and then he would not die.  Verse twenty-five adds, But if the princes hear that I have talked with thee, and they come unto thee, and say unto thee, Declare unto us now what thou hast said unto the king, hide it not from us, and we will not put thee to death; also what the king said unto thee:  Verse twenty-six continues, Then thou shalt say unto them, I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan’s house, to die there.  Zedekiah told Jeremiah that if the princes questioned him to tell them that he had come to the king asking Zedekiah to not return Jeremiah to the Jonathan's house to die. It would seem that the king was more worried about the princes, who should have been under his authority, than he was about God.  We should never let the fear of what others may do or say keep us from believing. obeying and proclaiming God's word.  Verse twenty-seven says, Then came all the princes unto Jeremiah, and asked him: and he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So they left off speaking with him; for the matter was not perceived.  When the princes came and asked Jeremiah what Zedekiah and he had talked about, he told them what the king had asked him to say.  Matthew Henry says that this was not a lie, but that it wasn't telling the whole reason that Jeremiah was there.  Verse twenty-eight declares, So Jeremiah abode in the court of the prison until the day that Jerusalem was taken: and he was there when Jerusalem was taken.  Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison until Jerusalem fell.  It was a better place than he had been recently.  We may not always escape being punished by the powers of the world, but if we are followers of Christ we know that ultimately we will be set free.

Jeremiah 38:1

 Jeremiah 38:1 says, Then Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son of Malchiah, heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken unto all the people, saying,  We are told Shephatiah heard the word of Jeremiah.  Then verse two tells us what that word was, stating. Thus saith the LORD, He that remaineth in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live; for he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live.  Jeremiah continued to preach that those who remained in the city would die, and those that went out to the Chaldeans would live.  Verse three adds, Thus saith the LORD, This city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army, which shall take it.  Jeremiah told them that God said that Jerusalem would be given to the king Babylon.  No matter how many supposed priests of God said otherwise, this was still God's word.  Even if it is unpopular in the religious community, we must always proclaim God's truth.  Verse four says, Therefore the princes said unto the king, We beseech thee, let this man be put to death: for thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the welfare of this people, but the hurt.  The princes told the king that Jeremiah was not looking for the welfare of the people of Judah, but for their hurt.  It was not what Jeremiah had wanted that he was proclaiming, but what God had said was the only way the people could avoid death and destruction.  Many people who profess to believe in God today are upset with those who proclaim the gospel, that faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation, even though that s God's word.  Verse five states, Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand: for the king is not he that can do any thing against you.  Zedekiah told the princes that Jeremiah was in their hands.  The king basically tried to renounce his responsibility for making the decision about Jeremiah.  People today may attempt to deny a personal responsibility for making a decision about Jesus Christ, but it will always be each individual's decision to make.  Verse six declares, Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.  The princes put Jeremiah in a dungeon that was full of mire.  He had to be let down on ropes to get there.  Matthew Henry says that Jeremiah was basically put there so that he would die a miserable death.  Verse seven states, Now when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs which was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon; the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin;  Verse eight adds, Ebedmelech went forth out of the king’s house, and spake to the king, saying,  Then verse nine continues, My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon; and he is like to die for hunger in the place where he is: for there is no more bread in the city.  When Ebedmelech, an Ethiopian eunuch in the kings service, heard what had happened, he went to the king.  I believe this took a lot of courage on his part, since he would be reporting on what the princes had done, and he was but a foreign servant.  He told the king that the princes had placed Jeremiah in a place where he would die of hunger and said that it was an evil thing that they did.  Verse ten declares,Then the king commanded Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Take from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.  The king told Ebedmelech to take thirty men and bring Jeremiah the prophet out of he dungeon.  The king may have been willing to allow Jeremiah to die unless he had been told specifically what was being done to him, but he was afraid to allow someone who said he was a prophet to die such a death.  There are people who may not truly believe in God and His authority today, but they are still unwilling to directly harm those who represent Him.  Verse eleven adds, So Ebedmelech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence old cast clouts and old rotten rags, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.  Verse twelve continues, And Ebedmelech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, Put now these old cast clouts and rotten rags under thine armholes under the cords. And Jeremiah did so.  Ebedimelech and those with him let down old cast clouts and rotten rags to Jeremiah and told him to put them under his arms.  Jeremiah did what they told him to do.  Matthew Henry says that the rescue was done with compassion for Jeremiah, and we should have compassion for those who need rescuing from sin today, and we should especially have compassion for and do everything we can for those who are suffering for proclaiming the gospel.  Verse thirteen concludes, So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the dungeon: and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.  Jeremiah was freed from the dungeon, but he was still kept in the court of the prison.  When God frees us from sin through faith in Jessus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we are freed from the power of all sin.

Jeremiah 37:11

 Jeremiah 37:11 says, And it came to pass, that when the army of the Chaldeans was broken up from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh’s army,  The Chaldean army broke away from Jerusalem for fear of the Pharaoh's army.  Things appeared to be going better for Jerusalem to not be defeated by the Chaldeans as Jeremiah had prophesied that they would.  It may appear to someone that their life is going very well without God, but that person can be certain that it will not end well.  Verse twelve adds, Then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to separate himself thence in the midst of the people.  Jeremiah decided at this time to get out of Jerusalem and away from the people there.  We are not told that God instructed him to do so.  Verse thirteen states, And when he was in the gate of Benjamin, a captain of the ward was there, whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he took Jeremiah the prophet, saying, Thou fallest away to the Chaldeans.  As he was leaving, Jeremiah was arrested and accused of having been going over to the Chaldeans and leaving with them or to go to them.  Since Jeremiah had been predicting their victory and they were leaving, this would have been the possible motive for his actions.  We should not be surprised if people today misinterpret our actions as we proclaim God's word and live for Him, but we must always make sure that our actions are in obedience to God's word.  Verse fourteen declares, Then said Jeremiah, It is false; I fall not away to the Chaldeans. But he hearkened not to him: so Irijah took Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.  Jeremiah denied the charge, but Iriiah would not believe him and brought him before the princes, or those who ruled Judah and Jerusalem.  Verse fifteen adds, Wherefore the princes were wroth with Jeremiah, and smote him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe: for they had made that the prison.  The princes were angry with Jeremiah, beat him and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan, which had been turned into a prison.  The princes were already upset with Jeremiah for his prophesy from God, and may have seen this as an opportunity to silence him forever.  Even though Jeremiah was not prophesying at the time he was arrested, he was still known for his prophesies by the princes.  We should not be surprised if those who oppose the word of God and God Himself use every opportunity they get to attempt to silence and discredit those who are speaking the truth of God.  Verse sixteen says, When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon, and into the cabins, and Jeremiah had remained there many days;  Then verse seventeen adds, Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took him out: and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, Is there any word from the LORD? And Jeremiah said, There is: for, said he, thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.  After Jeremiah had  been in the prison for several days, Zedekiah the king sent for him.  This was probably after the Chaldean army had returned, and now Zedekiah desired a private meeting with Jeremiah and asked him if he had had a word from God.  Zedekiah seemed to value the truth of Jeremiah being a prophet of God.  Jeremiah once more told Zedekiah that the land would be delivered to the hand of the Chaldeans.  No matter how successful we may seem to be in this life, if we do not believe the word of God, then we will ultimately face everlasting destruction.  Verse eighteen asks, Moreover Jeremiah said unto king Zedekiah, What have I offended against thee, or against thy servants, or against this people, that ye have put me in prison?  Jeremiah asked the king what he had done to deserve being put in prison.  It was a fair question, and if we are falsely accused and imprisoned today, we must never quit proclaiming God's word.  Verse nineteen adds, Where are now your prophets which prophesied unto you, saying, The king of Babylon shall not come against you, nor against this land?  Jeremiah wanted to know why the false prophets had not been imprisoned as he had been, since they were both guilty only of prophesying.  Time would prove which was the true prophet.  Verse twenty states, Therefore hear now, I pray thee, O my lord the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be accepted before thee; that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.  Jeremiah very humbly asked the king to not return him to prison, since if he did, Jeremiah said he could die there.  Even though he was God's prophet, he did not demand that the king not return him to prison.  I don't believe that we should use our relationship with God as followers of Christ to attempt to make personal demands on people of the world.  Verse twenty-one adds, Then Zedekiah the king commanded that they should commit Jeremiah into the court of the prison, and that they should give him daily a piece of bread out of the bakers’ street, until all the bread in the city were spent. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.  Jeremiah was not returned to the dungeon, but was held in the court of the prison and was fed a piece of bread each day.  When we hear someone say that God would not want us unhappy if we are a follower of Christ, we need to look back to those who were doing God's work in the Bible and how they were often treated to realize that this is not true, at least based on having or not having material wealth.  We can also look to the life of Jesus to realize that being happy and materially successful in this world is not the key to having a relationship with God.

Jeremiah 37:1

Jeremiah 37:1 says, And king Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah.  Zedekiah had become king in place of Coniah, whom Nebuchadrezzar had appointed king.  We aren't told how.  Verse two adds, But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did hearken unto the words of the LORD, which he spake by the prophet Jeremiah.  We are told that Zedekiah nor any of the people of Judah listened to and obeyed the word of God given by Jeremiah.  No matter if all the people in charge refuse to listen to God, we must never stop doing so.  Verse threes states, And Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, Pray now unto the LORD our God for us.  Zedekiah sent some people, one the son of a priest, to Jeremiah and asked that Jeremiah pray to the LORD for them, even though thy were not willing to hear what God had already said to them through Jeremiah.  There is no sense in praying or asking anyone else to pray for something if we aren't willing to listen to God when He has already given us the answer.  The king was wanting Jeremiah to have God tell him what he wanted to hear.  Verse four declares, Now Jeremiah came in and went out among the people: for they had not put him into prison.  Jeremiah had been in prison for proclaiming God's word, but he was let out at least for this time.  The king had imprisoned Jeremiah for speaking God's truth, but now he freed him asking for a different answer.  Verse five states, Then Pharaoh’s army was come forth out of Egypt: and when the Chaldeans that besieged Jerusalem heard tidings of them, they departed from Jerusalem.  During this time, the army of the Chaldeans left Jerusalem to go and meet the pharaoh of Egypt.  The people of Jerusalem may have felt that they were saved.  If we are delivered out of a bad situation today, especially one that is a result of disobedience to God, we can be certain that it is only a temporary deliverance, just as it was for Jerusalem.  Verse six declares, Then came the word of the LORD unto the prophet Jeremiah, saying,  Verse seven adds, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me to inquire of me; Behold, Pharaoh’s army, which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land.  God's word for Zedekiah was that Pharaoh's army. which Zedekiah thought was there to help him, would return to Egypt.  Zedekiah had called for Jeremiah to pray for the people of Judah that what God had said was going to happen might not, and it appeared that the people were going to be spared defeat, but God's message for them had not changed.  Verse eight continues, And the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city, and take it, and burn it with fire.  God told Jeremiah to tell the king that the Chaldeans would return again and burn the city of Jerusalem.  Even if lost people see what they think is success without God. God's word tells them that it is only temporary.  Verse nine declares, Thus saith the LORD; Deceive not yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us: for they shall not depart.  God said for Jeremiah to tell the people of Jerusalem to not be deceived by saying that the Chaldeans would depart, because they certainly would not.  People should not fool themselves today by thinking that God's judgment is not going to come, because it certainly will.  Verse ten adds, For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet should they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.  God said that even if the people of Judah were to have defeated all but a few of the army of the Chaldeans, that those who were left would rise up and defeat them.  We may think that we have defeated sin in our life today, but if we stray away from God and doing His will, then even the smallest sin will rise up again and defeat us.  Once more, this does not mean that we will lose our salvation, but we will certainly lose our effectiveness for God.

Jeremiah 36:21

 Jeremiah 36:21 says, So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll: and he took it out of Elishama the scribe’s chamber. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes which stood beside the king.  The king had Jehudi to get the scroll and read it to all the princes and him.  He did not have Baruch to come and read it, though he would have been better able to read it and even explain it if asked.  Matthew Henry says that Jehudi was a page of the king.  Verse twenty-two states,, Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month: and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him.  The king was in his  winter home with a fire burning.  Verse twenty-three adds,  And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.  Jehudi had only read a part of the book before the king cut part of it off and began burning it.  He obviously did not like what was being said.  The king cut it and threw it piece by piece into the fire.  People may think that they can destroy God's word by physically burning His written word, the Bible, but it will never be destroyed.  Verse twenty-four declares, Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words.  None of his princes nor the king were affected by what they heard.  God's word should have caused them to repent and turn away from their sins in true remorse, but they were not afraid of what His word had to say, nor were they afraid for having destroyed it.  God's word today has no impact on more people than it has impact on, but it is the truth none the less.  Verse twenty-five adds, Nevertheless Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the roll: but he would not hear them.  Three of the princes tried to stop the king from burning the book or scroll, but the king would not listen to them.  Whether they believed what was being read or not is not clear, but they at least recognized that the written word of God should not be destroyed.  Verse twenty-six says, But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet: but the LORD hid them.  The king was going to have Baruch and Jeremiah arrested, but God hid them.  The king maty have burned the scroll, but he was not allowed to seize those who God had used to write His word down.  As long as we are doing God's work and following His will we will always be secure in His hands.  Verse twenty-seven declares, Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, after that the king had burned the roll, and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of Jeremiah, saying,  Then verse twenty-eight adds, Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath burned.  The word of God came to Jeremiah telling him to write the scroll again.  God's word cannot be destroyed by man.  Verse twenty-nine states, And thou shalt say to Jehoiakim king of Judah, Thus saith the LORD; Thou hast burned this roll, saying, Why hast thou written therein, saying, The king of Babylon shall certainly come and destroy this land, and shall cause to cease from thence man and beast?  Not only was Jeremiah to write the scroll again, but he was to go to the king and answer his question as to why Jeremiah had said that Judah was going to be defeated by Babylon.  The king did not want to hear God's word, but he could not stop it from being proclaimed.  People today may not want to her the word of God, but they cannot stop it from being the truth no matter how hard they try.  Verse thirty declares, Therefore thus saith the LORD of Jehoiakim king of Judah; He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost.  God said that Jehoiakim would have no descendant to sit on the throne and that he himself would die and his body would be left in the street.  Verse thirty-one adds, And I will punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring upon them, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and upon the men of Judah, all the evil that I have pronounced against them; but they hearkened not.  God said that He was going to bring the judgment for their sins upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judah, as well as upon the king.  Verse thirty-two states, Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah; who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire: and there were added besides unto them many like words.  Jeremiah with Baruch not only rewrote the scroll, but even more was added to it.  These added words were not Jeremiah's but were additions made by God.  We cannot add to or take away from God's written word today.

Jeremiah 36:11

Jeremiah 36:11 says, When Michaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard out of the book all the words of the LORD,  Michaiah heard the word of the LORD that Baruch had read.  Verse twelve adds, Then he went down into the king’s house, into the scribe’s chamber: and, lo, all the princes sat there, even Elishama the scribe, and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, and Elnathan the son of Achbor, and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the princes.  Michaiah then went to the king's house to the scribe's chamber.  Matthew Henry points out that even though a fast had been declared, that the princes and scribes, or at least some of them, did not participate in it, which would indicate that it was more for show than from real conviction.  Religious ceremonies that are just for show have very little significance, and if we are at a worship service just for show, then it is of little spiritual significance.  Verse thirteen states, Then Michaiah declared unto them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the book in the ears of the people.  Michaiah must have at least been listening to Baruch, because we are told that he declared all the words that Baruch had spoken to these princes and scribes.  In order to share God's word. we must first receive His word, and the Bible is the best source.  We may share what a preacher says, but we must make sure that it is consistent with the Bible. Verse fourteen declares, Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, unto Baruch, saying, Take in thine hand the roll wherein thou hast read in the ears of the people, and come. So Baruch the son of Neriah took the roll in his hand, and came unto them.  The princes and scribes gathered there sent for Baruch and told him to bring the scroll with him.  Michaiah may have told them what Baruch had read, but they were going to the source.  We today must go to the source, God's written word, if we want to be certain about what God has to say.  These princes and scribes could have already heard what God had to say through what Jeremiah had written and Baruch had read, but they did not go to hear it, but had Baruch brought to them instead.  Some people will always feel that it is beneath them to go to where God's word is being proclaimed.  Verse fifteen adds, And they said unto him, Sit down now, and read it in our ears. So Baruch read it in their ears.  After Baruch got there, they told him to read the scroll to them so that they might hear it with their own ears.  Baruch did not argue or say that he had already read it if they had only shown up to hear, but he read it again.  No matter how many times we share the gospel, we must always be ready to share it again, without any complaint.  Verse sixteen states, Now it came to pass, when they had heard all the words, they were afraid both one and other, and said unto Baruch, We will surely tell the king of all these words.  When the princes and scribes heard what God had to say, they were afraid, but they said that they would surely share it all with the king.  I believe they were more afraid of what the king's reaction would be than they were of what God had to say,  We cannot let fear of what the people in power may say prevent us from proclaiming the truth of God.  Verse seventeen asks, And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou write all these words at his mouth?  They then asked Baruch how he had come to know these words to write.  People will always question the source of the scripture, especially if it does not agree with what they want to believe or even if it may go against what those in power would claim to be the truth.  Verse eighteen states, Then Baruch answered them, He pronounced all these words unto me with his mouth, and I wrote them with ink in the book.  Baruch said that Jeremiah pronounced all the words with his mouth, and that Baruch simply wrote them down.  Still, God was the source of these words, just as He is the source of the Bible.  Verse nineteen declares, Then said the princes unto Baruch, Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah; and let no man know where ye be.  They told Baruch that Jeremiah and he should go and hide.  This was not a message that the king would want to hear.  They at least did not keep Baruch there for the king, but told him to go to Jeremiah and then go hide.  Verse twenty states, And they went in to the king into the court, but they laid up the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and told all the words in the ears of the king.  They went to the king and told him what the scroll had to say.  They did not take Baruch to read it, though he or even Jeremiah himself would have been the best one to do so.

Jeremiah 36:1

 Jeremiah 36:1 says, And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,  Verse two adds, Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day.  God's word came to Jeremiah telling him to write a scroll of everything that God had spoken to him against Israel, Judah and all the nations.  We today have God's word that He has spoken through the centuries preserved for us, and it is the Bible.  Verse three states, It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.  God said that when Jeremiah wrote it all down that maybe the people of Judah would read it and learn what God proposed to do to them because of their sin and would return to Him.  We as followers of Christ should hope that people would read the Bible today, or even hear someone share it with them, and would learn what fate awaits them if they do not accept Christ as their Savior and Lord and turn to Him for forgiveness.  Verse four says, Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah: and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD, which he had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book.  Jeremiah had Baruch do the actual writing of the scroll, but it was the word of God that Jeremiah had received that he gave to Baruch to write.  Verse five declares, And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I am shut up; I cannot go into the house of the LORD:  Jeremiah told Baruch that he was shut up, or imprisoned, and could not go to God's house.  Even though he was God's faithful prophet, Jeremiah was still imprisoned.  We must continue to do what God calls on us to do, no matter our situation in this world.  Verse six adds, Therefore go thou, and read in the roll, which thou hast written from my mouth, the words of the LORD in the ears of the people in the LORD’s house upon the fasting day: and also thou shalt read them in the ears of all Judah that come out of their cities.  Jeremiah sent Baruch to read the scroll to the people of Judah who came out of their houses on the fasting day.  Jeremiah may not have been able to be there, but God's word still could.  We need to spread God's word however we can today, even if we cannot do so in person.  Verse seven continues, It may be they will present their supplication before the LORD, and will return every one from his evil way: for great is the anger and the fury that the LORD hath pronounced against this people.  Jeremiah said that after hearing the anger of God that was pronounced against them that maybe the people of God would return to God.  If people today do not respond to God's words of love, we would hope that they would respond and come to salvation through Christ simply to avoid His wrath, but we know that is too often not the case.  Still we should present God's word in the hope that people will listen.  Verse eight states, And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of the LORD in the LORD’s house.  Baruch did as Jeremiah instructed him to do.  Verse nine adds, And it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, in the ninth month, that they proclaimed a fast before the LORD to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all the people that came from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem.  The next year a fast was declared before the Lord and the people of Judah and Jerusalem came to the house of the LORD.  The reading of the scroll was not immediate, but it was done at the time God had designated.  Verse ten concludes, Then read Baruch in the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the LORD, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the higher court, at the entry of the new gate of the LORD’s house, in the ears of all the people.  Baruch read the scroll where all the people would hear.  We must likewise proclaim God's word for all the people to hear, especially those who are still in need of salvation.  God will provide us with the opportunity to do so if we only listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Jeremiah 35:12

 Jeremiah 35:12 says, Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying, Verse thirteen adds, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the LORD.  This time, the word of the LORD was a question for Jeremiah to ask the people of Judah and Jerusalem.  God once again identified Himself, stating that He was the LORD of hosts and the God of Israel.  God is the God of all creation, but the people of Israel of which Judah and Jerusalem were a part whether they were acknowledging it or not, were those who were supposedly in a covenant relationship with God.  God asked if they would not receive His instruction and hear His word.  We need to live in obedience to God as followers of Christ so that He never has to ask us the same question.  Verse fourteen states, The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father’s commandment: notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me.  God then held the Rechabites up as an example.  He said that Jonadab, the son of Rechab commanded his sons to not drink wine, and they still continued to obey his command, but that God had spoken to those who were called His people from early in the morning to late at night and they did not obey His command.  We need to never be more faithful to some man or man made tradition than we are to the word of God and His commandments.  Verse fifteen adds, I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me.  God then says that He had sent prophets calling on His people to turn from their idolatry and wicked ways and to return to Him and He would keep them safe in the land that He had given them, but that they would not listen to the prophets.  We need to listen to God's word today as Christians if we are to be successful in our spiritual life.  Verse sixteen declares, Because the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father, which he commanded them; but this people hath not hearkened unto me:  God once again cited the obedience of the sons of Jonadab and the lack of obedience of the people of Judah and Jerusalem.  Verse seventeen adds, Therefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them: because I have spoken unto them, but they have not heard; and I have called unto them, but they have not answered.  God said that He was going to bring punishment to the people of Judah and Jerusalem because they would not listen to His word and live in obedience to Him.  Being a part of a Christian family or even what is called a Christian nation will never save anyone.  We must individually listen to God's call to salvation and personally respond to it to be saved and become a part of His family.  Verse eighteen states, And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he hath commanded you:  Then verse nineteen adds, Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever.  God said that the obedience of the people of Rechab would be rewarded by always having someone to stand before Him.  I believe that this had to do with more than just following Jonadab's rules, but obeying God Who Jonadab represented.  We cannot be saved simply by obeying man made rules, but must live under the leadership of the Holy Spirit if we are truly God's people, and if we do we will be rewarded with everlasting life with God.

Jeremiah 35:1

Jeremiah 35:1  says,  The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying, Jeremiah prophesied during the reign of different kings we will note.  Verse two adds, Go unto the house of the Rechabites, and speak unto them, and bring them into the house of the LORD, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink.  God instructed Jeremiah to go to the Rechabites and invite them into the house of the LORD and to give them wine to drink.  Matthew Henry said that the Rechabites separated themselves from the rest of Israel, lived in tents and did not drink wine.  They were already living in houses instead of tents because of necessity, so this would be a test to see if they would break their other vow when it was not of necessity.  It is one thing to do something out of necessity and another to do it simply because we may have found it necessary to give in to a certain religious practice just because we have failed in another.  Verse three states, Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, the son of Habaziniah, and his brethren, and all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites;  Verse four adds, And I brought them into the house of the LORD, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan, the son of Igdaliah, a man of God, which was by the chamber of the princes, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the door:  Jeremiah brought the Rechabites into the temple as God had commanded him to do.  Verse five declares, And I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine, and cups, and I said unto them, Drink ye wine.  Jeremiah said he set pots full of wine and cups before them.  This was in the house of God and would have been at no cost to them.  Yet, it would have broken their vow to God to drink it.  Not everything that happens in the church building today may agree with our own personal vow to God, and if it doesn't, even if other believers do it, we must refrain from dong so.  Verse six adds, But they said, We will drink no wine: for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons for ever:  The Rechabites declined to drink the wine because of the vow to their father.  Verse seven continues, Neither shall ye build house, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any: but all your days ye shall dwell in tents; that ye may live many days in the land where ye be strangers.  They also brought up the fact that they were not to build houses or plant vineyards according to the command of Rechab.  Verse eight states, Thus have we obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab our father in all that he hath charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, nor our daughters;  They said that they had obeyed the commands of Rechab.  Verse nine adds, Nor to build houses for us to dwell in: neither have we vineyard, nor field, nor seed:  They repeated the vow to not build houses or plant vineyards.  They may have been living in houses at this time, but they had not built them and did not consider them a permanent home.  Verse ten continues, But we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed, and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us. Then verse eleven concludes, But it came to pass, when Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came up into the land, that we said, Come, and let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans, and for fear of the army of the Syrians: so we dwell at Jerusalem.  The Rechabites said that they came to Jerusalem out of fear of the army of the Chaldeans.  Again, they weren't there to establish permanent homes.  We should never allow anything to come between God and us, but if we have made a vow to God we should do our best to keep it, even if everything seems to be going wrong around us.

Jeremiah 34:12

 Jeremiah 34:12 says, Therefore the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,  Verse thirteen adds, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondmen, saying,  God told Jeremiah that He had made a covenant with the people of Israel when he brought hem out of the land of Egypt.  The covenant went both ways.  He was to be their God and they were to be his people, and they had failed to keep the covenant.  Verse fourteen states, At the end of seven years let ye go every man his brother an Hebrew, which hath been sold unto thee; and when he hath served thee six years, thou shalt let him go free from thee: but your fathers hearkened not unto me, neither inclined their ear.  God said that the covenant required that any Hebrew who was a servant or slave of another Hebrew would be released from servitude after seven years, but the people of Israel or Judah had failed to follow God's command in the past and the present.  When we enter a covenant relationship with God through our faith in Jesus Christ, then all His laws apply to us and we are to live guided by them.  Verse fifteen declares, And ye were now turned, and had done right in my sight in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbour; and ye had made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name:  God said that the people of Judah turned to Him again and declared the servants free while they thought they were in danger.  Verse sixteen adds, But ye turned and polluted my name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom ye had set at liberty at their pleasure, to return, and brought them into subjection, to be unto you for servants and for handmaids.  God said that as soon as they thought they were safe that they once again enslaved those who had been set free.  God said that this polluted His name.  We cannot call on God in times of trouble and turn away from Him if He brings us out of the trouble without polluting His name.  Verse seventeen declares, Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbour: behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the LORD, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.  God said that he was proclaiming liberty to the people of Judah to find the sword, pestilence and famine and to be removed from the face of the earth.  This is what being free from obeying God will bring us today.  We may be the richest person in the world, but if we have not entered into a covenant relationship with God through the salvation of Christ, this is our ultimate fate.  Verse eighteen adds, And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, which have not performed the words of the covenant which they had made before me, when they cut  the calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof,  God then had a warning to those who had professed to obey His word and had not.  Simply claiming to be a follower of Christ today without following God's law through a persnal relationship with Jesus Christ is not enough to save anyone.  Verse nineteen continues, The princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land, which passed between the parts of the calf;  God said that all the people professed to follow God by participating in worshipping Him.  Again, this was an empty ritual that had no spiritual meaning to them.  Verse twenty says, I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life: and their dead bodies shall be for meat unto the fowls of the heaven, and to the beasts of the earth.  God said because of their sins, He was going to give them over to their enemies and they would be  killed.  If we do not accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we will ultimately be given over to a everlasting spiritual death, which will be to be forever separated from God and His loving kindness.  Verse twenty-one adds, And Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes will I give into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army, which are gone up from you.  God said that he was going to give the rulers of Judah over to their enemies.  When we do not follow God's word in faith, we are spiritually under the power of sin.  Verse twenty-two concludes, Behold, I will command, saith the LORD, and cause them to return to this city; and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire: and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without an inhabitant.  God said that the people of Judah were going to be defeated and Jerusalem was going to be burned.  This was a result of their continued rebellion against God.  If God is against us, it does not matter who is for us.

Jeremiah 34:1

 Jeremiah 34:1 says, The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the earth of his dominion, and all the people, fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities thereof, saying,  God's word came to Jeremiah as Nebuchadnezzar was fighting against the city with all his army.  Verse two states, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire:  God had a message for Jeremiah to carry to Zedekiah, king of Judah, and it wasn't one that he would want to hear.  God said that he was going to give Zedekiah over to Nebuchadnezzar and that Jerusalem would be burned.  The message we have for people today may not always be what they want to hear, but if it is God's message, we must proclaim it.  Verse three adds, And thou shalt not escape out of his hand, but shalt surely be taken, and delivered into his hand; and thine eyes shall behold the eyes of the king of Babylon, and he shall speak with thee mouth to mouth, and thou shalt go to Babylon.  God said that Zedekiah was not going to escape because of his turning away from God, in spite of what the other prophets had been saying.  Our message today is that people are not going to escape punishment for their sins if they do not accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.  Verse four declares, Yet hear the word of the LORD, O Zedekiah king of Judah; Thus saith the LORD of thee, Thou shalt not die by the sword:  God also said that Zedekiah would not die by the sword.  Verse five adds, But thou shalt die in peace: and with the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings which were before thee, so shall they burn odours for thee; and they will lament thee, saying, Ah lord! for I have pronounced the word, saith the LORD.  God said that Zedekiah would die in peace.  Verse six declares, Then Jeremiah the prophet spake all these words unto Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem,  Jeremiah proclaimed the word of God to Zedekiah, just as we must proclaim His word to the world today, even if they do not want to hear it.  Verse seven says, When the king of Babylon’s army fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish, and against Azekah: for these defenced cities remained of the cities of Judah.  The army's of Nebuchadnezzar then came against Jerusalem, as God had said thy would.  Verse eight states, This is the word that came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people which were at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty unto them;  God's word once again came to Jeremiah, after Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people of Judah.  God said that liberty would come again.  Verse nine adds, That every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, being an Hebrew or an Hebrewess, go free; that none should serve himself of them, to wit, of a Jew his brother.  God said that all the Hebrews should set their servants free, and that no Hebrew should serve his or her brother.  God's law had said that they should be set free after seven years, but the people of Judah were not obeying His law.  We as followers of Christ should never attempt to have any other Christian in servitude to us.  Verse ten declares, Now when all the princes, and all the people, which had entered into the covenant, heard that every one should let his manservant, and every one his maidservant, go free, that none should serve themselves of them any more, then they obeyed, and let them go.  Jeremiah said that when the princes and all the people heard God's command, they let their servants go.  When we hear God's word, we need to obey it no matter what it may cost us in material terms.  Verse eleven adds, But afterward they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go free, to return, and brought them into subjection for servants and for handmaids.  The obedience of the people did not last, as they once again brought the servants that they had freed back into servitude.  Temporarily doing what God commands but then rebelling against Him again is never enough.  We must obey God's word at all times.

Jeremiah 33:19

 Jeremiah 33:19 says, And the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, saying,  Verse twenty adds, Thus saith the LORD; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season;  God said that the covenant of the day and night would not be broken.  God established the daytime and the nighttime, and man cannot change it, and neither can they change any of God's covenants.  We may light up the night with artificial ight, but it is still night.  Verse twenty-one declares, Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers.  God said that just as certain as the day and night continuing as He ordained them, so was the fact that His laws and His Redeemer, the everlasting descendant of David, Jesus Christ the Messiah, would never change.  Just as God is in charge of the coming of the day and night, He is in charge of the redemption on mankind, and there is only one way to redemption, and that is through faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse twenty-two adds,  As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me.  Even though at that time the seed of David, God's chosen people, seemed to be defeated and destroyed, God said that His promise to make them as numerous as the stars or the sands of the sea, was still in effect.  No matter what our situation may be in the world, if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, then our salvation can never be taken from us.  We are a part of the seed of David, because it isn't being a physical descendent, but a spiritual one that one that counts.  Verse twenty-three states, Moreover the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying,  Verse twenty-four adds, Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying, The two families which the LORD hath chosen, he hath even cast them off? thus they have despised my people, that they should be no more a nation before them.  God basically told Jeremiah to not worry about what people were saying about the nation of Judah or Israel.  The world may have seen them as two families and have claimed that God had cast them off, but to God they were always one family and He definitely had not cast them off.  The world may say that the church is defeated today, but as long as we remain true to God, He tells us we never will be.  Verse twenty-five declares, Thus saith the LORD; If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth;  Verse twenty-six adds, Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.  God's promise was that as sure is there is day and night, the descendants of those who He had made the promise of an everlasting covenant with, would not pass away.  The promise had been made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob based on their faith in God, and the promise applies to everyone who accepts Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

Jeremiah 33:10

 Jeremiah 33:10 says, Thus saith the LORD; Again there shall be heard in this place, which ye say shall be desolate without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate, without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast,  God said that the land of Judah would be bare, but that it wouldn't stay that way. even if the people gave up hope of the land being occupied again, God gave them assurance that it would be.  No matter how bad things may seem, we as Christians need to keep our faith in God.  Verse eleven adds, The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD.  God said that they would once again praise Him, because He would return them to the land.  God had given them the land to begin with, and they had only lost it due to a lack of faith.  If our life seems to be hopeless as followers of Christ, we need to simply return to Him in faith once again and we will find the joy of our salvation once more.  Verse twelve states, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Again in this place, which is desolate without man and without beast, and in all the cities thereof, shall be an habitation of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down.  God said that the land would once again be full of shepherds who would tend their flocks in peace.  God did not promise a land of military might, but a land of shepherds filled with His peace.  Verse thirteen adds, In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the vale, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks pass again under the hands of him that telleth them, saith the LORD.  God said that the land would be filled with cities and people throughout.  The sheep would be under the authority of the shepherds, just as the people would be under the authority of God.  Verse fourteen says, Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.  God told Jeremiah and the people of Judah that the day was coming when He would restore them.  The day is coming when we as God's people will be called home to heaven, God's promised land for us.  Verse fifteen adds, In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.  God then gave the promise if the coming Messiah.  This is where the only hope of salvation lies.  Just as the people of Judah and Israel failed to live up to God's standards and therefore earned all the destruction that came to them, so does everyone at any time in history.  Yet, God provides a way of redemption through faith in Jesus Christ. Verse sixteen states, In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness.  God said that Jerusalem and Judah would be saved, and that it would be done for glory of God.  We must always give God the glory in our lives if we are followers of Christ.  Verse seventeen adds,  For thus saith the LORD; David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel;  This was not a promise of a descendant of David being on the throne physically forever, but of the coming Messiah Who would be spiritually on the throne forever.  Verse eighteen continues, Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.  There would never be a lack of a Priest, but this was not an earthly priest, because they once again became corrupt, but a heavenly Priest, Jesus Christ, the Messiah.  He is still our Priest today, standing in our place before God if we put our faith in Him.

Jeremiah 33:1

 Jeremiah 33:1 says, Moreover the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the court of the prison, saying, God didn't quit speaking to Jeremiah while he was imprisoned, and if we were to find our self imprisoned for speaking God's word today, that does not mean that He will no longer be able to use us.  We cannot be locked away from God and His word to us.  Verse two declares, Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name;  Jeremiah once more identified the God Who spoke to him as the only true God.  We need o always remember Who God is.  He is the Creator of all things.  Verse three adds, Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.  Jeremiah said that God instructed him to call on Him and that He would show Jeremiah great and mighty things that Jeremiah did not know.  God will give to us an understanding of life that we cannot know without putting our faith in Him.  Verse four states, For thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are thrown down by the mounts, and by the sword;  God said that He was going to tell Jeremiah things about Jerusalem and Judah that he could not see, or know, on his own.  If we would have a true understanding of the world today, then we must look to God to give us that understanding, and not to the situation that we may find ourselves in.  Verse five adds, They come to fight with the Chaldeans, but it is to fill them with the dead bodies of men, whom I have slain in mine anger and in my fury, and for all whose wickedness I have hid my face from this city.  God said that the people of Judah were going to fight against the Chaldeans, but that they were going to lose, because God was not with them because of their sin.  If we have sin in our life, especially if we claim that the sin is God's will, we will suffer defeat in the world today.  Verse six declares, Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.  God said that those who remained true to Him or returned to Him in repentance would be restored to the land that He had given them once more.  If we have strayed away into sin, God waits ready to restore us once more if we return to Him in faith.  As stated many times, if we are truly a born again believer in God, I do not believe that we will ever lose our salvation, but we can certainly lose the joy of our salvation and our effectiveness as servants of God.  Verse seven adds, And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first.  God said that He would return the people of Judah and Israel to the land and restore them once more.  We cannot defeat the sin of the world on our own today, but if we put our faith in God, He will keep us safe.  Verse eight continues, And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.  God said that he would cleanse the people of Israel of all their iniquity and heal them.  Forgiveness of sin and restoration to a right relationship with God can come only from putting our faith in Him.  We cannot earn forgiveness by our own ability.  Verse nine concludes, And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.  God said that He would be glorified by what He was going to do for the people of Judah, just as He should be glorified by our salvation today.

Jeremiah 32:34

Jeremiah 32:34 says, But they set their abominations in the house, which is called by my name, to defile it.  God continues to list the sins of the people of Judah, saying they set an abomination, or idols, in His house.  We need to be creful that we do not bring any kind of idol into the church today.  Verse thirty-five adds, And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.  They worshipped Baal, and allowed their daughters to be sacrificed to Molech, which God said He had prohibited them to do, and leading the people of Judah to sin.  If we are allowing idolatry into the church today, we may be guilty of leading others to sin.  Verse thirty-six declares, And now therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence;  Once more, God made it clear that the city of Jerusalem was going to be destroyed, and that this was the result of the sins of the people.  Verse thirty-seven adds, Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:  God also gave His promise that the people of Judah, and Israel, would once again return to Jerusalem.  These would be the people who continued to put their faith in God, or returned to Him in faith.  Those who worshipped idols would not be restored. but would die in exile.  Verse thirty-eight states, And they shall be my people, and I will be their God:  Those restored to Jerusalem would be God's people in truth and not just in name, because He would really be their God.  It is not enough to just claim to be God's people, but we must truly accept Him by faith in Jesus Christ and live under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  Verse thirty-nine adds, And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:  God said that He would unite the people in their obedience to Him for their good and the good of their children.  If we are followers of Christ, we must be united as His people and in obedience to Him.  Verse forty declares, And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.  This everlasting covenant came through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.  God said that when people accept this everlasting covenant that he would not turn away from them.  Verse forty-one adds, Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.  God said that those who returned, those who had remained faithful to Him, would be planted in the land that he had given them.  As followers of Christ, one day we are planted forever in the kingdom of God.  Verse forty-two states, For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them.  Just as God was going to punish those who refused to be obedient to Him, and they were supposed to be His people, He was going to restore those who really were His people.  We have the choice today of either suffering everlasting punishment because we refuse to accept Christ as our Savior and Lord or having everlasting life with God because we do.  Verse forty-three adds, And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.  Then verse forty-four concludes, Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south: for I will cause their captivity to return, saith the LORD.  God said that though the land was desolate that it would be restored once again.  The land would once more have value.  If we have not accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and lord our life is desolate, but if we accept Him then our life will be filled with the value that God intends for us to have.

Jeremiah 32:26

Jeremiah 32:26 says, Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying,  Verse twenty-seven adds, Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?  Jeremiah said that the word of the LORD once again came to him, declaring that He was the God of all flesh and asking if anything was too hard for Him.  God is indeed the Creator of all flesh, and everything else, so we should never question His ability to meet all our needs if we pit our faith in Him.  Verse twenty-eight states, Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it:  God said that He was going to give the city of Jerusalem over to the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that he would take the city.  If we fail to remain faithful to God, then He may allow us to be defeated spiritually.  Verse twenty-nine adds, And the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger.  God said that the Chaldeans were going to burn Jerusalem to the ground because the people who were supposed to be His people had offered sacrifices to Baal there, and poured out offerings to other gods.  I believe that anything that we do that worships any thing other than God as followers of Christ will one day be burned away.  Verse thirty continues,  For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have only done evil before me from their youth: for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith the LORD.  God told Jeremiah that the people of Israel and the people of Judah had been rebellious against Him since they were a young nation.  Israel was singled out more than Judah, but it wasn't a comparison to justify Judah.  The Bible tells us that we have all sinned and that the only hope of salvation is to come to God through faith in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord.  It doesn't matter if we are better than someone else.  Verse thirty-one declares, For this city hath been to me as a provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face,  God said that Jerusalem had been a provocation to Him since the day that was built, and that He was going to remove it from before His face.  We think of Jerusalem as the holy city of God, but God said this was not true.  We may think that we are building great works for God, but He may see them as something to destroy.  Verse thirty-two adds, Because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.  God said that the governmental and spiritual leaders and all the people of Israel and Judah and the people of Jerusalem had provoked His anger.  This would be all of those who were called His people.  As Christians, we need to make sure that our actions do not provoke the wrath of God.  Just claiming to be a child of God is not enough, but our actions must be consistent with His word.  Verse thirty-three concludes, And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction.  God said that He had taught the people of Israel and Judah His word from early on, but that they had turned their backs on Him.  They would not listen to His instruction.  God calls everyone to Himself through faith in Jesus Christ, but too many people of the world turn their back on His call.  We as followers of Christ should never be guilty of doing so.

Jeremiah 32:16

Jeremiah 32:16 says, Now when I had delivered the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed unto the LORD, saying,  After Jeremiah had done as God instructed him to do, then he prayed to God again.  Once we have done what God tells us to do, we still need to pray to Him for guidance.  Verse seventeen states, Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:  Jeremiah began by acknowledging the greatness and power of God.  We need to acknowledge the same thing today.  Even as our heavenly Father, He is still the all powerful Creator of the universe.  Verse eighteen adds, Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is his name,  Jeremiah continued by acknowledging the lovingkindness of God, and His punishment of sin.  Verse nineteen continues, Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings:  Jeremiah said that God's eye was on every individual, and that every person was judged individually by his or her own works.  This has always been and always will be the case.  Verse twenty declares, Which hast set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, even unto this day, and in Israel, and among other men; and hast made thee a name, as at this day;  Jeremiah acknowledged what God had done in Egypt, all the signs and wonders He gave to the Pharaoh so that the people of Israel would be freed from bondage.  The sign and wonder that we need to behold today is the sign of Jesus Christ dying for our sins that by faith in Him we might be set free from the bondage of sin.  Verse twenty-one adds, And hast brought forth thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with great terror;  Jeremiah acknowledged the power of God that had been displayed in Egypt, and we should never forget the awesome power of God.  Verse twenty-two continues, And hast given them this land, which thou didst swear to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey;  Jeremiah said that God fulfilled His promise to the people of Israel when He gave them a land flowing with milk and honey.  Verse twenty-three states, And they came in, and possessed it; but they obeyed not thy voice, neither walked in thy law; they have done nothing of all that thou commandedst them to do: therefore thou hast caused all this evil to come upon them:  Jeremiah said that even though God was faithful in keeping His covenant with Israel, they were not faithful in keeping theirs with Him.  As followers of Christ, God's people, we need to be faithful in our obedience to His word.  Jeremiah said it was because of the evil of the people that God was punishing them.  Verse twenty-four adds, Behold the mounts, they are come unto the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans, that fight against it, because of the sword, and of the famine, and of the pestilence: and what thou hast spoken is come to pass; and, behold, thou seest it.  Jeremiah said that what God had said was going to happen had happened.  God's word will always come true.  Verse twenty-five concludes, And thou hast said unto me, O Lord GOD, Buy thee the field for money, and take witnesses; for the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans. Jeremiah said that God had instructed him to buy a field and he had done so, even though the city was currently under the power of the Chaldeans.  We don't need to worry about what God asks us to do even if it may not make sense at the time.  We simply need to act in faith.

Jeremiah 32:1

 Jeremiah 32:1 says, The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar.  God's word once again came to Jeremiah.  It is now closer to the time of the desolation of Judah.  Verse two states, For then the king of Babylon’s army besieged Jerusalem: and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah’s house.  Judah had been besieged, and Jeremiah was imprisoned in the king of Judah's house for prophesying the destruction of Judah,  Verse three adds, For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Wherefore dost thou prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it;  Zedekiah had imprisoned Jeremiah for his proclaiming the word that came from God, but Zedekiah asked him why he did so.  People today may question our proclaiming God's word, and some may even be imprisoned for doing so, but if we are followers of Christ, we must never cease to proclaim or compromise His word.  Verse four continues, And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes;  Zedekiah especially questioned the part of Jeremiah's prophesy that said that Zedekiah was going to be taken away captive and come face to face with Nebuchadnezzar.  Verse five concludes, And he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there shall he be until I visit him, saith the LORD: though ye fight with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper?  The rest of the prophets were still prophesying victory, and Zedekiah questioned whether what Jeremiah was saying was really God's word.  God said that Zedekiah would serve in Babylon for the rest of his life.  No matter how many people may proclaim something that does not agree with God's word, we must never believe it.  Verse six declares, And Jeremiah said, The word of the LORD came unto me, saying,  Verse seven adds, Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum thine uncle shall come unto thee, saying, Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth: for the right of redemption is thine to buy it.  While Jeremiah was imprisoned, God's word came to him once more, instructing him to buy a field from his uncle by right of redemption.  He was told that Hanameel would come to him with the offer.  God was still at work in the life of Jeremiah.  Verse eight says, So Hanameel mine uncle’s son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the LORD, and said unto me, Buy my field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin: for the right of inheritance is thine, and the redemption is thine; buy it for thyself. Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD.  When Hanameel came to Jeremiah at the prison offering to sell him the field, he knew that it was God's word that had told him to do so.  Even if we do not see the immediate purpose behind doing what God tells us to do, we must do it anyway.  Jeremiah may have wondered if he would ever receive any benefit from buying the land, but he knew that God had told him to do so.  Verse nine adds, And I bought the field of Hanameel my uncle’s son, that was in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver.  Jeremiah bought the land, and I assume it was for the price that he was asked to pay.  Matthew Henry has a long discussion about the small price, but I think we can only conclude that Jeremiah paid what was asked.  Verse ten states, And I subscribed the evidence, and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances.  Jeremiah said that he had the transaction recorded and that he paid the price asked for the land.  The whole nation was about to fall captive to Babylon, but Jeremiah still had faith that one day the land would be his again.  We have God's promise today of a heavenly home, and we must live by that belief.  Verse eleven adds, So I took the evidence of the purchase, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open:  Verse twelve continues, And I gave the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, in the sight of Hanameel mine uncle’s son, and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the book of the purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the prison.  Jeremiah had the Jews that were imprisoned with him witness the transaction.  They may have felt that it was a wasted thing to do so, but Jeremiah was only doing what God had told him to do.  Verse thirteen states, And I charged Baruch before them, saying,  Verse fourteen adds, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Take these evidences, this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which is open; and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days.  Jeremiah called for Baruch to take the evidence and seal it in an earthen vessel according to God's direction.  Verse fifteen concludes, For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land.  Jeremiah said this was to be done because of God's promise that Jeremiah would one day return to Judah.  We need to stand firm in God's promise even if the world seems to be coming apart around us.

Jeremiah 31:27

Jeremiah 31:27 says, Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast.  God said that the day was coming when he would reestablish the kingdom of Judah and of Israel.  The people may have divided into two kingdoms physically, but they were still all God's chosen people.  Verse twenty-eight adds, And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the LORD.  God said that He had watched over them while they were being destroyed, because of their own rebellion, and that He would watch over them while they were restored, after they turned to Him in faith again.  If we are being destroyed in the world today, as long as we remain faithful to God, He will one day restore us, even if it isn't in this lifetime.  Verse twenty-nine states,. In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.  God said that there was coming a day when people would no longer say that children were being punished for the sins of their fathers. Verse thirty adds, But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.  God told them and tells us that each individual is responsible for his or her own sins and not for those of any other.  Verse thirty-one declares, Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:  This promised new covenant was made with the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  It would apply not only to the people of Judah and Israel but to all who would believe.  Verse thirty-two adds, Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:  God said it would not be the same as the old covenant that they broke.  We are not under the covenant of the Law, but of grace.  Verse thirty-three declares, But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.  God said that instead of being written on stone tablets that the new covenant would be written in the hearts of the people.  We, like the people then, fail to live up to all of God's law, but if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, then we are saved forever.  Verse thirty-four adds, And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.  Before, the people had relied on the priests and prophets to know God's word, but under the new covenant every person would be able to know God's will for them self.  We do not have to go to anyone else to know God and what He would have us to do in life.  In fact, we must go individually and establish a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  Verse thirty-five states, Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name:  God said that He was the Creator and Sustainer of all creation, and we must acknowledge Him as such.  Verse thirty-six adds, If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.  God said that if those seed, the ones who had established a personal relationship with Him departed, then the nation of Israel would cease to exist forever.  Verse thirty-seven declares, Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD.  God said that the vastness of the universe could not be measured, and that He as Creator would cast off the people of Israel if they failed to live up to the new covenant.  Verse thirty-eight says, Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the city shall be built to the LORD from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner.  Verse thirty-nine adds, And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath.  Then verse forty concludes, And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, shall be holy unto the LORD; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever.  These verses spoke of the physical rebuilding of Jerusalem, but the real promise is not of a physical city, but of a spiritual relationship with God that can never be plucked up or thrown down if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.

Jeremiah 31:15

 Jeremiah 31:15 says, Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.  God spoke of the mourning. or lamentation, and weeping for the children that was coming to the people of Judah.  Verse sixteen adds, Thus saith the LORD; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.  God told the women to dry their tears after they had mourned.  They were not forbidden to mourn Matthew Henry states, but their mourning was not to go on forever.  Our mourning cannot keep us from going on with life.  Verse seventeen declares, And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that thy children shall come again to their own border.  Even though the people thought their children that had been taken from them were no more, God said that there was still hope that in the end they would be returned to them  Even if we lose a child in death, there is hope that we will see them again when God's kingdom comes.  Verse eighteen adds, I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God.  God said that the people of Ephraim, the other ten tribes Matthew Henry says, would acknowledge their sin and return to God.  They had not accepted His yoke, or lived up to their part in the covenant relationship.  If we are God's people, we will accept His yoke, or be guided by His word in other words.  Verse nineteen states, Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.  The people of Ephraim would repent and turn, away from the sin that had ruled them and to God.  It is not enough to just turn away from one sin if we turn to another.  We must turn to God in repentance and ask for His forgiveness.  Verse twenty asks, Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD.  God acknowledges that Ephraim is still His child, and that it troubles Him that He had to chastise him, but that He would have mercy on Ephraim again.  Verse twenty-one declares, Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps: set thine heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities.  God called on the people of Ephraim to return to His standards, the landmarks He had set.  If we have allowed sin to come into our life as a child of God, we must repent and return to Him.  He has set the landmarks  or guide stones for us to follow.  Verse twenty-two asks, How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the LORD hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man.  God asked how long they would go about in sin.  God said He had created a new thing, and many think this is a reference to Christ.  Whether it is or not, we do know that God created a new work through Christ, Who was born of a woman and came to offer the peace of God to the world.  Verse twenty-three declares, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity; The LORD bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness.  God said they would speak of these things in the land of Judah after He restored them.  The nation would no longer be seen as a source of shame.  Verse twenty-four adds, And there shall dwell in Judah itself, and in all the cities thereof together, husbandmen, and they that go forth with flocks.  God said that they would one day once again live a normal life in Judah, just as we will one day live a normal life in the promised land of God if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse twenty-five continues,  For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.  God said that He would replenish every sorrowful soul, and He still will today.  Verse twenty-six concludes, Upon this I awaked, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet unto me.  When we, who are His people, are obedient to His word we are a source of happiness to Him.

Jeremiah 31:1

Jeremiah 31:1 says,  At the same time, saith the LORD, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.  God said that when He had restored the people to the land that He had give them that He would be their God and they would be His people.  He would restore those who had remained faithful to Him.  There would once again only be one people, not Israel and Judah.  Verse two declares, Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.  God reminded them of the people who came out of Egypt.  God said those who were spared the sword found grace in the wilderness.  They would once again be the same because of God's grace.  No matter how separated we may be as followers of Christ, we are still one people because of God's grace.  Verse three adds, The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.  God reminded them that He had appeared to their forefathers in the past, and that He declared His everlasting lovingkindness for them and when He called them into a covenant relationship with Him.  Verse four continues, Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.  God said that He was going to once again build Israel and that their joy would be restored.  As followers of Christ, we should live in the joy of our salvation.  Verse five says, Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things.  All was not lost forever, because God was still in control.  Even if we find ourselves in the worst of situations today, if we keep our faith in God all will never be lost.  Verse six adds, For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the LORD our God. God said the day was coming when the watchmen would once again be on Mount Ephraim and would look out and see nothing but peace, just as the day is coming when we are in our heavenly home and will look out and see nothing but peace.  Verse seven states, For thus saith the LORD; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O LORD, save thy people, the remnant of Israel.  God said that they were to sing out in praise and to ask Him to restore the remnant of Israel.  They were to sing out in praise even before they were restored, just as we are to sing out in praise today even before we are called home to glory.  Verse eight declares, Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither.  God said that He was going to bring all His remnant back to the land He had given them, no matter how they were doing physically.  Physical condition will never keep anyone from coming to God and being a part of His kingdom.  Verse nine adds, They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.  God said that they would return with weeping and supplication, but that He would lead them by rivers of water in a straight way so that they would not stumble, not because of who they were , but because of Who He was.  We can walk by the Living Water today in a path that is straight if we walk by faith in God.  Verse ten states, Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.  God called on the rest of the nations to acknowledge that it was God Who had gathered the people of Israel together again.  One day, when Christ returns and all of God's people are gathered together, the rest of the world will acknowledge that God is God.  Verse eleven adds, For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.  Just as God said He had redeemed and ransomed Jacob. or the people of Israel, He has redeemed and ransomed those who put their faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse twelve continues, Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.  God said that the people of Israel would rejoice and sorrow no more.  We as Christians should rejoice in the Lord and sorrow no more.  Verse thirteen declares, Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.  God's promise was that He would return joy to the people of Israel, from the old to the young.  Verse fourteen adds, And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the LORD.  The priests would once again be full of God's word and the people would be satisfied with the goodness of God.  Preachers today need to be filled with God's word, and we as followers of Christ need to be satisfied with His goodness,