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, 

Jeremiah 30:12

 Jeremiah 30:12 says, For thus saith the LORD, Thy bruise is incurable, and thy wound is grievous.  God said that the bruise of Judah was incurable.  I believe this is because their attitude toward God was not changeable, therefore His judgment was certain.  Verse thirteen adds, There is none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up: thou hast no healing medicines.  God said that those who had been their friends during prosperity would no longer speak for them, and we know that the priests had been speaking out against God's warning.  Verse fourteen continues, All thy lovers have forgotten thee; they seek thee not; for I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity; because thy sins were increased.  God said that the people of Judah had been forsaken by their friends because of His punishment of them, which occurred because of their increasingly sinful nature which they would not change.  No matter how many so called friends we have today if we rebel against God, they will be of no comfort to us when God's judgment comes.  Verse fifteen asks, Why criest thou for thine affliction? thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity: because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee.  God asked them why thy were crying out now, since they were responsible for their condition.  We can not cry out to God believing that He is responsible for our suffering when we are guilty of not only sinning but falling deeper into sin.  Verse sixteen declares, Therefore all they that devour thee shall be devoured; and all thine adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; and they that spoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey.  God said that the enemies of Judah would also fall into captivity.  Those who oppose God's people or attempt to profit from them will also be held accountable for their actions.  Verse seventeen adds, For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.  God said that one day He would heal the wounds of His people, when they returned to Him.  Our sins are incurable until we turn to God through faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse eighteen states, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob’s tents, and have mercy on his dwelling places; and the city shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof.  God gave the people assurance that He would restore them, just as we have God's assurance today that He will restore us to a right relationship with Him through faith in Christ, and then we will have an everlasting home with Him.  Verse nineteen adds, And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.  God said that His restored people would rejoice and that they would not be small in number.  Verse twenty continues, Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them.  God said that when He restored His people, which would be those who had not lost faith in Him, that they would be happy and so would their children.  Verse twenty-one says, And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the LORD.  God said that their rulers would draw close to Him.  If we expect to be a Christian nation, then we as individuals and our rulers as well must draw near to God.  Verse twenty-two declares, And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.  This is how it should have been all along with the nation of Judah, and it is the way we must be today if we are truly followers of Christ.  We are His people and He is our God.  Verse twenty-three adds, Behold, the whirlwind of the LORD goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked.  God said that His fury was like a whirlwind on the head of the wicked, and His fury at sin will never change.  God gives us every opportunity to come to Him, and if we don't, we can expect to reap the rewards of our sinfulness.  Verse twenty-four concludes, The fierce anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it.  God's punishment will be the result of our sins, and it will accomplish His purpose.  We can only find forgiveness through faith in Christ, and if we do not accept His gift of salvation, in the latter days, or coming judgment, it will be too late.

Jeremiah 30:1

 Jeremiah 30:1 says, The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,  Verse two adds, Thus speaketh the LORD God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book.  God's word came to Jeremiah telling him to write everything that God had told him in a book.  God is the source of all scripture, even if we do not find it stated so directly that He is.  Verse three declares, For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.  God said that Jeremiah was to write His words down because He was going to cause he people to one day be restored to the land that He had given their fathers.  God's word is written down for us today because He is one day going to bring us to the land that He has promised us, our heavenly home.  Verse four adds, And these are the words that the LORD spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah.  God's words applied to both Israel and Judah, which were a divided kingdom at that time.  God's word applies to all Christians today.  His promises are true to all, but they also apply to all who will not believe Him, but with bad results instead of good.  Verse five declares, For thus saith the LORD; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace.  God said that He had heard His people suffering instead of living in peace. Verse six asks, Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?  God asked why everyone was moaning like a woman giving birth.  God's people had been given a good and prosperous land, but they failed to live up to their covenant relationship with Him, and now they were once again in bondage.  We will not lose our salvation if we fail to live up to our covenant relationship with God through being born again by faith in Christ, but we may find ourselves suffering unnecessarily if we do.  Verse seven states, Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.  God said that their suffering was going to be great, but that they would be saved out of it.  No matter how much we may suffer in the world today because of our faith in Christ, the suffering will come to an end so we must simply remain faithful to Him.  Verse eight adds, For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him:  God said that in His time that He would break the yoke off their necks.  We cannot save ourselves, or break the yoke of sin off our necks by our own power, but must rely on God to do so.  Verse nine declares, But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.  God said that they were to once again serve the leader that He would raise up.  When God delivered them once more, they were to serve the man that God put in place over them.  Verse ten adds, Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall make him afraid.  God told them to not be afraid or dismayed, because He was going to restore them to the land.  We should never be afraid or dismayed in the world today, because God is going to restore us to an everlasting relationship with Him in the promised land of heaven if we put our faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse eleven concludes, For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.  God said that He would make an end to all the nations that opposed Israel and Judah, but that He would not make an end to them, but they would be held accountable for their sins still.  We have forgiveness through faith in Christ, but that does not give us a license to sin. 

Jeremiah 29:20

Jeremiah 29:20 says, Hear ye therefore the word of the LORD, all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon:  God called on all the captives in Babylon to hear Him, just as He calls on all who are captive to sin to hear Him today.  Of course, He does not send us into captivity to sin as He said He set them into captivity in Babylon.  Verse twenty-one declares, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, of Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and of Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, which prophesy a lie unto you in my name; Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall slay them before your eyes;  God said that Ahab and Zedekiah prophesied lies to the people and would be delivered to Nebuchadnezzar to be put to death before their eyes.  Verse twenty-two adds, And of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah which are in Babylon, saying, The LORD make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire;  They may have claimed to speak for God, but God said they did not and would meet a terrible fate for claiming to do so.  It is bad enough to sin, but to do so and claim to represent God while doing so is even worse.  Verse twenty-three continues, Because they have committed villany in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbours’ wives, and have spoken lying words in my name, which I have not commanded them; even I know, and am a witness, saith the LORD.  God said that they had committed villiany by committing adultery with their neighbors' wives and by lying against Him, which was even worse.  Verse twenty-four states.  Thus shalt thou also speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying,  Verse twenty-five adds. Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying,  Shemaiah was singled out because he took issue with the letters that Jeremiah had sent to the priests, so he sent one of his own.  Verse twenty-six continues, The LORD hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that ye should be officers in the house of the LORD, for every man that is mad, and maketh himself a prophet, that thou shouldest put him in prison, and in the stocks.  God said that Shemaiah was calling on the false priests to exert their power over the people.  Verse twenty-seven continues, Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth, which maketh himself a prophet to you?  Shemaiah asked why these priests had not reproved Jeremiah.  It is really bad when those who claim to represent God call on people to reprove those who really do.  Verse twenty-eight declares, For therefore he sent unto us in Babylon, saying, This captivity is long: build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.  Shemaiah said that Jeremiah had sent the people of Judah into captivity and told them to live there, not that God had done so.  Verse twenty-nine adds, And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.  Zephaniah the priest read the letter to Jeremiah.  Verse thirty states, Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying,  God's word once again came to Jeremiah.  What the letter said was of no importance to Jeremiah, but what God said was all that mattered.  We do not need to be concerned what the world says today, especially those who claim to speak for God but proclaim things that are not in accordance with His written word, but we need to be concerned only with what God says.  It will never be in opposition to His written word.  Verse thirty-one proclaims, Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus saith the LORD concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite; Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you, and I sent him not, and he caused you to trust in a lie:  God told Jeremiah to send word to the captives concerning Shemaiah, who had prophesied to the people and had not been sent by God.  He had caused the people to believe a lie.  Verse thirty-two adds, Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed: he shall not have a man to dwell among this people; neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people, saith the LORD; because he hath taught rebellion against the LORD.  God said that Shemaiah would not see the good that He would do among His people, because he had taught rebellion against God.  Shemaiah's name would not be carried on.  Those who will not accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord will likewise be cut out of God's kingdom.

Jeremiah 29:10

 Jeremiah 29:10 says, For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.  God assured the people of Judah that after seventy years He would once again restore their land to them.  We don't have a specific time, but we have God's assurance that He will bring us to our everlasting home in glory.  Verse eleven adds, For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.  God said that His thoughts toward Judah were of peace and not evil.  It was not God's thoughts that had caused the people to be defeated, but heir own thoughts.  Those who were restored would be those who continued to believe in God even while in captivity.  It is our acceptance of Christ because of our belief in God's word that assures us of our heavenly home.  Verse twelve declares, Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.  God said that at this time that the people would once again call on Him in prayer and He would hear them.  I don't believe that this means that He didn't hear them during this time, but that He was not going to change their circumstances until it was in His time frame to do so.  Verse thirteen adds, And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.  God said that when they sought Him with all their heart that they would find Him.  We cannot be half-hearted in our relationship with God, but must seek Him with all our heart.  Verse fourteen continues, And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.  God said that when the people once again began to earnestly pray that He would hear them and return them to their land.  Verse fifteen states, Because ye have said, The LORD hath raised us up prophets in Babylon;  God said that the people would say that He had raised up prophets in Babylon and would not accept the letter from Jeremiah.  Verse sixteen adds, Know that thus saith the LORD of the king that sitteth upon the throne of David, and of all the people that dwelleth in this city, and of your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity;  God once again had a warning for the people, and that was that they not listen to the false prophets who were declaring peace.  No matter how many people may claim that God's word is not true and that His judgment is not coming, we must believe God's word.  Verse seventeen declares, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.  God said that defeat and destruction were coming, and that the people of Judah needed to accept that fact.  Verse eighteen adds, And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them:  God said that their defeat would cause the nations to marvel.  Verse nineteen concludes, Because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the LORD, which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but ye would not hear, saith the LORD.  God said this was going to happen because those who were supposed to be His people would not listen to His word.  If we face everlasting punishment today. it will be because we have not listened to God's word and accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  The fault will be ours and not God's.