Jeremiah 47:1

 Jeremiah 47:1 says, The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Philistines, before that Pharaoh smote Gaza.  Jeremiah now heard God's word against the Philistines.  The Philistines had always been enemies of the people of Judah, and the Pharaoh of Egypt would evidently defeat them.  Verse two adds, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, waters rise up out of the north, and shall be an overflowing flood, and shall overflow the land, and all that is therein; the city, and them that dwell therein: then the men shall cry, and all the inhabitants of the land shall howl.  Still, Matthew Henry says this word from God came while the Philistines were still at full strength and probably before Jerusalem fell.  The Philistines were told that there was a great power to the north, the Chaldeans, who were coming to destroy them.   Sometimes God's enemies destroy themselves even today.   Verse three continues, At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong horses, at the rushing of his chariots, and at the rumbling of his wheels, the fathers shall not look back to their children for feebleness of hands;  God warned them that fathers would abandon their children out of fear.  Matthew Henry says this means that the men would cry like children, but also that they would abandon their children without even looking back at them.  Some people today put self preservation above everything and everyone, even family.  Verse four declares, Because of the day that cometh to spoil all the Philistines, and to cut off from Tyrus and Zidon every helper that remaineth: for the LORD will spoil the Philistines, the remnant of the country of Caphtor.  Jeremiah was to tell the Philistines that their coming defeat was a judgment of God.  Just because God punishes and destroys one of His enemies doesn't mean that others are safe.  Even if God works through some of His enemies to punish and destroy others, that does not mean that they will escape His judgment forever.  Verse  five adds, Baldness is come upon Gaza; Ashkelon is cut off with the remnant of their valley: how long wilt thou cut thyself?  God said the great cities of the Philistines would be laid bare.  God asked how long would they cut themselves, which showed great sorrow.  No matter how much sorrow we may have nor how extreme our way of showing it may be, if we have not put our faith in Jesus Christ it will be of no use.  Verse six  asks,  O thou sword of the LORD, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put up thyself into thy scabbard, rest, and be still.  Jeremiah asks how long God is going to send His sword against people.  Jeremiah still has compassion for them, and even as God punishes His enemies today, we as followers of Christ should still have compassion on them.  We should want them to come to salvation and not want their everlasting punishment.   Verse seven concludes, How can it be quiet, seeing the LORD hath given it a charge against Ashkelon, and against the sea shore? there hath he appointed it.  Jeremiah still recognized the certainty of God's punishment of the Philistines, just as we must acknowledge the certainty of His punishment of those who do not put their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. 

Jeremiah 46:13

 Jeremiah 46:13 says, The word that the LORD spake to Jeremiah the prophet, how Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon should come and smite the land of Egypt.  God revealed to Jeremiah that Nebuchadrezzar was going to defeat Egypt.  Verse fourteen adds, Declare ye in Egypt, and publish in Migdol, and publish in Noph and in Tahpanhes: say ye, Stand fast, and prepare thee; for the sword shall devour round about thee.  Egypt had quit going into other countries to be make war according to Matthew Henry,  but war was coming to them, and the cities named were those where the people of Judah had fled.  Verse fifteen asks, Why are thy valiant men swept away? they stood not, because the LORD did drive them.  The people might ask why the valiant men of Egypt were being driven away, and Jeremiah was to tell them that it was because God was behind their defeat.  People may be valiant in defiance of God, but they will never be victorious when His judgment comes.   Verse sixteen adds, He made many to fall, yea, one fell upon another: and they said, Arise, and let us go again to our own people, and to the land of our nativity, from the oppressing sword.  Matthew Henry says these were the mercenary soldiers who were hired by Egypt now saying that it was time to go back to their own country.  Verse  seventeen states, They did cry there, Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise; he hath passed the time appointed.  These troops said that the Pharaoh was full of talk, but he couldn't back up that talk.  People today may be full of talk against God and declare Him to be powerless,  but one day they will realize that it was all empty words.  Verse eighteen declares,  As I live, saith the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts, Surely as Tabor is among the mountains, and as Carmel by the sea, so shall he come.  God said that He gave His word that Nebuchadrezzar was to come and defeat Egypt.  We have God's word today that one day Christ is going to return and defeat all the enemies of God.  Verse nineteen adds, O thou daughter dwelling in Egypt, furnish thyself to go into captivity: for Noph shall be waste and desolate without an inhabitant.  The women who had been living in luxury were warned to prepare for life in captivity.  Verse  twenty says, Egypt is like a very fair heifer, but destruction cometh; it cometh out of the north.  Egypt was compared to a fair heifer, but God said that destruction was coming to Egypt from the north.  They may have felt safe and content, just as many people who deny God are today, but they were not going to remain that way, and neither will those who reject God today.  Verse twenty-one continues, Also her hired men are in the midst of her like fatted bullocks; for they also are turned back, and are fled away together: they did not stand, because the day of their calamity was come upon them, and the time of their visitation.  God once again said those hired by Egypt to help protect them were going to flee.  No one can save anyone else who refuses to accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and anyone or anything that they put their faith in will fail them.  Verse twenty-two states, The voice thereof shall go like a serpent; for they shall march with an army, and come against her with axes, as hewers of wood.  Verse twenty-three adds, They shall cut down her forest, saith the LORD, though it cannot be searched; because they are more than the grasshoppers, and are innumerable.  God said the coming force would be powerful and unstoppable, just as God's judgment will be one day.  Verse twenty-four says, The daughter of Egypt shall be confounded; she shall be delivered into the hand of the people of the north.  The women would not be spared.  Verse twenty-five declares, The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saith; Behold, I will punish the multitude of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with their gods, and their kings; even Pharaoh, and all them that trust in him:  Jeremiah was to tell them that God was punishing them for their idolatry.  Those who serve false gods will ultimately face the one true God.  Verse twenty-six adds, And I will deliver them into the hand of those that seek their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants: and afterward it shall be inhabited, as in the days of old, saith the LORD.  God said that He was giving over the land of Egypt to Nebuchadrezzar.   We may not always understand how God works, but we can be certain that He will always fulfill His promises.  Verse twenty-seven continues, But fear not thou, O my servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel: for, behold, I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be in rest and at ease, and none shall make him afraid.  God also promised to save the people of Israel who were living in Egypt.  I believe that these were the ones who still put their faith in God.  Verse twenty-eight concludes, Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the LORD: for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished. God told the people of Israel to not be afraid.  He said that He would not make and end to them, even though He had punished them for their disobedience.  As followers of Christ, we have assurance of everlasting salvation, but that does not mean that we can sin without being held accountable. 

Jeremiah 46:1

 Jeremiah 46:1 says, The word of the LORD which came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Gentiles;  God's word now came concerning the gentiles and not the Jews.  God judges all people.  Verse two adds, Against Egypt, against the army of Pharaohnecho king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon smote in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah.  The first  people that God spoke to Jeremiah about were the Egyptians.  Even though many of the people xof Judah had gone there for protection, they had long been enemies of the people of Judah and Israel.  Verse three states, Order ye the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle.  Verse four adds, Harness the horses; and get up, ye horsemen, and stand forth with your helmets; furbish the spears, and put on the brigandines.  God told the Egyptians to go ahead and get ready for war with all that they had.  No matter how much military might a country may have today they will never win the battle against God, no matter how long it takes for them to fail.  Verse five asks, Wherefore have I seen them dismayed and turned away back? and their mighty ones are beaten down, and are fled apace, and look not back: for fear was round about, saith the LORD.  God said that in spite of their power and preparations for war, He saw the Egyptians defeated and in flight.  Verse six adds, Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; they shall stumble, and fall toward the north by the river Euphrates.  God said that they would not be able to run away fast enough to escape.  No one will ever outrun God's judgment.  Verse seven asks, Who is this that cometh up as a flood, whose waters are moved as the rivers?  God compares Egypt's view of their military might with a flood that no one can stand against.   They viewd themselves as unbeatable.  Verse eight adds, Egypt riseth up like a flood, and his waters are moved like the rivers; and he saith, I will go up, and will cover the earth; I will destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof.  God said the people of Egypt thought that they would defeat all who stood in their way.  No matter how strong the people who come against God's people may think they are today, they will ultimately fall.  Verse nine declares, Come up, ye horses; and rage, ye chariots; and let the mighty men come forth; the Ethiopians and the Libyans, that handle the shield; and the Lydians, that handle and bend the bow.  God also adds all of Egypt's allies to the call to war.  All those who ally themselves against God will never be powerful enough to defeat Him.  Verse ten adds, For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord GOD of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.  God said that Egypt and her allies were about to face His judgment.  Nations may live in defiance of God today, and may ally themselves against Him, but He has already declared that His judgment is coming.  Verse eleven continues,  Go up into Gilead, and take balm, O virgin, the daughter of Egypt: in vain shalt thou use many medicines; for thou shalt not be cured.  God said that there would be no cure for the people of Egypt, just as there is no spiritual cure for those who do not believe in God and accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord.  Verse twelve concludes, The nations have heard of thy shame, and thy cry hath filled the land: for the mighty man hath stumbled against the mighty, and they are fallen both together.  God said that the  nations would hear of the defeat of Egypt and their shame.   This wasn't just something that might happen, but was something that was going to happen.

Jeremiah 45:1

 Jeremiah 45:1 says, The word that Jeremiah the prophet spake unto Baruch the son of Neriah, when he had written these words in a book at the mouth of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying,  This goes back in time to when Jeremiah had Baruch write the scroll for him and read it ro the people of Judah.  Verse two adds, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, unto thee, O Baruch;  This was God's message specifically for Baruch.  Though we have God's general word, the Bible, it is not until we hear God call us specifically by name and respond to that call that we truly begin to know God and His will for our life.  God's calling is not the same for every person, but we are all called for our unique purpose in God's kingdom, and unlike Baruch, we need no one else to reveal God's purpose to us.  God speaks to us personally, and we only have to listen and obey.  Verse three declares,  Thou didst say, Woe is me now! for the LORD hath added grief to my sorrow; I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest.  God said thatBaruch had said that God had asked more of him than he could do and that what God was asking was adding to his grief and trouble.  Like Baruch, we may sometimes feel that God is asking too much of us and start to feel sorry for our self, but instead we need to put our faith in God even more.  Verse four adds, Thus shalt thou say unto him, The LORD saith thus; Behold, that which I have built will I break down, and that which I have planted I will pluck up, even this whole land.  God told Baruch that destruction was certainly coming to  Judah, and by the time this was written or placed in the book, it had already come, but God was telling Baruch not to worry or be afraid to proclaim His word.  God's destruction is coming to all those who refuse to listen to His call to repentance, but we as followers of Christ never have to fear His judgment and should never allow fear to keep us from doing what He calls usto do.  Verse five concludes, And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the LORD: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest.  Baruch was asked if he sought great things for himself and was told not to.  I believe that God tells us today to not seek great things in this world for ourselves, because the things of this world will pass away.  God's assurance to Baruch was that he would have people angry with him and trying to kill him, but his life would be spared.  We today should not chase after the things of this world, but must do what God calls on us to do, even if it puts our life in danger.  As Christians,  God assures us of an everlasting victory. 

Jeremiah 44:20

 Jeremiah 44:20 says, Then Jeremiah said unto all the people, to the men, and to the women, and to all the people which had given him that answer, saying,   Verse twenty-one adds, The incense that ye burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, ye, and your fathers, your kings, and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the LORD remember them, and came it not into his mind?  In answering the people of Judah’s claim that they were being punished for not worshipping the queen of heaven enough, Jeremiah asked them if they did not know that God had seen their idolatry and had been long-suffering in giving them time to repent.   Though God will give us time to repent today, there is coming a day when we will run out of time to do so.  Verse twenty-two continues, So that the LORD could no longer bear, because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations which ye have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day.  Jeremiah said that because of God's punishment of their sin and idolatry that their land was desolate.  We cannot blame God if we end up suffering His punishment.  Verse twenty-three, concludes, Because ye have burned incense, and because ye have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, nor walked in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies; therefore this evil is happened unto you, as at this day.  Jeremiah told the people of Judah that the blame for their destruction was their sin and idolatry, just as each individual today is responsible for the results of their own sin and idolatry.  God called them to repentance and they would not listen, and those who will not listen to God's call to repentance today through faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord can be certain of His everlasting punishment.  Verse twenty-four declares, Moreover Jeremiah said unto all the people, and to all the women, Hear the word of the LORD, all Judah that are in the land of Egypt:  Jeremiah once again called on all the people of Judah that had fled to Egypt to hear God's word.  No matter where we may go to look for safety and security in the world today, if it isn't by faith in God, we will never find it.  Verse twenty-five adds, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying; Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hand, saying, We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her: ye will surely accomplish your vows, and surely perform your vows.  Jeremiah said that God recognized their determination to continue in their idolatry.  Verse twenty-six continues, Therefore hear ye the word of the LORD, all Judah that dwell in the land of Egypt; Behold, I have sworn by my great name, saith the LORD, that my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, The Lord GOD liveth.  God said that He had sworn by His own name that none of the people in Judah would ever again use His name.  They were worshipping other gods, but still at times mentioning God with the false gods, and God said that they would do it no more.  We cannot attempt to make God just one of many gods and find forgiveness from Him.  There is but one God and there is but one way to salvation, and that is through faith in Jesus Christ.   Verse twenty-seven states, Behold, I will watch over them for evil, and not for good: and all the men of Judah that are in the land of Egypt shall be consumed by the sword and by the famine, until there be an end of them.  God said that He was no longer going to look over those of Judah who were in Egypt with good, but with evil.  They had lost God's protection because of their own disobedience and were now going to face His punishment instead.   Verse twenty-eight adds, Yet a small number that escape the sword shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah, and all the remnant of Judah, that are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall know whose words shall stand, mine, or theirs.  God said that a very small remnant would return to Judah, which would be proof of who was right, the false gods or the one true God.  Verse twenty-nine continues, And this shall be a sign unto you, saith the LORD, that I will punish you in this place, that ye may know that my words shall surely stand against you for evil:  God said that the sign that they would get was that they would be punished where they were.  We may think that we have safety outside of a relationship with Jesus Christ, but we never will. Verse thirty concludes, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give Pharaohhophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of them that seek his life; as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, his enemy, and that sought his life.  God said that the Pharoah of Egypt was going to be destroyed just as Zedekiah was. 

Jeremiah 44:11

 Jeremiah 44:11 says, Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will set my face against you for evil, and to cut off all Judah. The people of Judah had fled to Egypt and continued in their defiance of God.  God said that since they would not listen to His warnings and return to Him that He was going to utterly destroy them.  No matter where people go today,  if they refuse to listen to God's call to repentance and instead continue to worship false gods, they will one day face His judgment.   Verse twelve adds, And I will take the remnant of Judah, that have set their faces to go into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and they shall all be consumed, and fall in the land of Egypt; they shall even be consumed by the sword and by the famine: they shall die, from the least even unto the greatest, by the sword and by the famine: and they shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach.  God said that all who fled to Egypt for protection instead of obeying Him would die by the sword or pestilence.  If people look for safety anywhere today other than in God, they will one day face the utter destruction of all that they put their faith in.  Instead of being a blessing to God, the people of Judah were going to become a reproach.   Verse thirteen continues, For I will punish them that dwell in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence:  God said that His punishment of them had not been escaped by fleeing to Egypt.  They were still guilty of the same sins and would face the same punishment.   There is nowhere that we can go that God's law does not apply.  Verse fourteen concludes,  So that none of the remnant of Judah, which are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall escape or remain, that they should return into the land of Judah, to the which they have a desire to return to dwell there: for none shall return but such as shall escape.  God said that even though those who had escaped to Egypt had a desire to return to Judah, none would.  No matter what people may hope today, if they do not come to God through faith in Jesus Christ they will not be going to live in Heaven one day.  Verse fifteen states, Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying,  All those who dwelt in Egypt, men and women, answered Jeremiah.  Verse sixteen adds, As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee.  They said that they would not obey the word of God that Jeremiah had spoken to them, just as many people will not obey to the gospel today.  Verse seventeen continues, But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.  The people said they would continue to worship the queen of heaven as their fathers, kings and princes had done, and that everything went well for them.  They were in Egypt where they had fled for their lives,  but were still putting their faith in false gods that they credited with bringing them peace and prosperity in the past.  Some people will never give up worshipping false gods no matter how badly things go.  Verse eighteen declares, But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine.  They credited not worshipping the queen of heaven as being the source of their suffering.  Verse nineteen adds, And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?  The women asked if they had worshipped the queen of heaven without the knowledge of the men.  No matter who is responsible for the worship or false gods, and even if everyone joins in, it will never be right.

Jeremiah 44:1

 Jeremiah 44:1 says, The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in the land of Egypt, which dwell at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Noph, and in the country of Pathros, saying,  Verse two adds, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Ye have seen all the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon all the cities of Judah; and, behold, this day they are a desolation, and no man dwelleth therein,  God's word came to Jeremiah concerning the Jews who had fled to Egypt and were dispensed throughout Egypt.  Jeremiah was to go to them and remind them of the desolation that God had brought on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah.  Verse three continues, Because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke me to anger, in that they went to burn incense, and to serve other gods, whom they knew not, neither they, ye, nor your fathers.  Jeremiah was to also remind them that it was because of their idolatry that this had happened.  Like them, people today cannot follow false gods, especially those who claim to be His people, and expect to not suffer God's punishment for it.  Verse four states, Howbeit I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate.  God said that He sent them prophets who rose up early to call on the people of Judah, a part of God's chosen people, to not commit this abomination of idolatry.  God still sends people today, those who are followers of Christ, to call on others to follow Him and to not chase after other false gods.  Verse five adds, But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense unto other gods.  God said that they did not listen, just as many people today refuse to listen to the gospel when it is presented to them.  Verse six continues, Wherefore my fury and mine anger was poured forth, and was kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they are wasted and desolate, as at this day.  God said 8t was because the people of Judah refused to obey Him that He destroyed their land.  God gives everyone plenty of opportunities to accept salvation, and if they don't, it is their responsibility for facing His punishment, which will be an everlasting punishment.  Verse seven declares, Therefore now thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; Wherefore commit ye this great evil against your souls, to cut off from you man and woman, child and suckling, out of Judah, to leave you none to remain;  God said that since they committed these sins that they were cut off from Judah, and especially the prosperous Judah that had been when they obeyed God.   Verse eight adds, In that ye provoke me unto wrath with the works of your hands, burning incense unto other gods in the land of Egypt, whithser ye be gone to dwell, that ye might cut yourselves off, and that ye might be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth?  God said that even in Egypt that the people of Judah still worshipped false gods and had become a reproach among the nations.  If we profess to be Christians and allow idolatry to come into our lives, we are also a reproach to the world.  Verse nine asks, Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, and the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickedness of their wives, and your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives, which they have committed in the land of Judah, and in the streets of especially Jerusalem?  God asked these remaining Jews if they  had forgotten the sins committed by the kings and people of Judah that God had destroyed for their wickedness.  We should learn from the examples of God's dealing with sin in the past.  Sin has not changed, nor has God's punishment of sin.  Still, we have Someone even greater than a prophet to call us to repentance and provide us with forgiveness, and that is Jesus Christ.   Verse ten continues, They are not humbled even unto this day, neither have they feared, nor walked in my law, nor in my statutes, that I set before you and before your fathers.  God said the people of Judah and those who were now scattered throughout Egypt refused to listen to and obey His word.  This will always be the choice that every individual must ultimately make.