Jeremiah 43:1

 Jeremiah 43:1 says, And it came to pass, that when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking unto all the people all the words of the LORD their God, for which the LORD their God had sent him to them, even all these words,  Verse two adds, Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely: the LORD our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there:  After Jeremiah finished telling the people what God had said, which they had asked him to do, Azariah, Johanan and those referred to as the proud men said that he was lying about what God had said.  They said God had not sent Jeremiah to tell them not to go Egypt.  People today will often make up their mind about what they want to do and deny the word of God is true if it doesn't agree with them.  Veree three adds, But Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us, for to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they might put us to death, and carry us away captives into Babylon.  They said that Baruch was the one who told Jeremiah what to say and that he did this so that the Chaldeans could kill them or take them away captive.  People today may claim that when we proclaim God's word that we are doing it for our own benefit, even if there is nothing to even remotely support this claim.  Jeremiah and Baruch were getting nothing out of proclaiming God's word.  Verse four proclaims, So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, obeyed not the voice of the LORD, to dwell in the land of Judah.  Johanan, the captains and all the people refused to obey God's word, just as the majority may refuse to today.  Verse five adds, But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, took all the remnant of Judah, that were returned from all nations, whither they had been driven, to dwell in the land of Judah;  Verse six continues, Even men, and women, and children, and the king’s daughters, and every person that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah.  Johanan took all the people left with Gedaliah with him.  Of course, they had to be willing to listen to him instead of Jeremiah.   People willing follow after those who deny God's word more often than they are forced to do so.  Verse seven concludes, So they came into the land of Egypt: for they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: thus came they even to Tahpanhes.  Instead of obeying God, they went to Egypt.  Verse eight declares, Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying, Jeremiah went with them to Egypt, because they were the people that God had sent him to prophesy to.  God was still with him, though.  Even if we end up somewhere that we feel that God really may not have wanted us to be, we still need to listen for His word to come to us.  Verse nine adds, Take great stones in thine hand, and hide them in the clay in the brickkiln, which is at the entry of Pharaoh’s house in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of Judah;  God told Jeremiah to take  great stones and hide them in  the  brickkiln at the entry of Pharaoh’s house in Tahpanhes.  He was to do this in the sight of the men of Judah.  Verse ten continues, And say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will send and take Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will set his throne upon these stones that I have hid; and he shall spread his royal pavilion over them.  God said for Jeremiah to tell the people of Judah that Nebuchadrezzar was going to set his throne on these stones.  There was to be no safety in Egypt, just as there is no safety for us today outside of the will of  God.  Verse eleven declares, And when he cometh, he shall smite the land of Egypt, and deliver such as are for death to death; and such as are for captivity to captivity; and such as are for the sword to the sword.  God said that Nebuchadrezzar would defeat the Egyptians.  Verse twelve adds, And I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt; and he shall burn them, and carry them away captives: and he shall array himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd putteth on his garment; and he shall go forth from thence in peace.  God said that Nebuchadrezzar would destroy the cities and the gods of Egypt.  The people of Judah would find no escape from God's word in Egypt and its gods, just as people today will find no escape from the truth of God's word, no matter where they look.  Verse thirteen concludes, He shall break also the images of Bethshemesh, that is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire.  God told Jeremiah that Nebuchadrezzar would destroy the gods of Egypt in Bethshemesh as well.  There is no place to escape from God's judgment when we refuse to believe His word.