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.

Jeremiah 29:1

 Jeremiah 29:1 says, Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon;  Jeremiah sent a letter to all the remaining elders, priests, and prophets and all the people who were carried away as captives by Nebuchadnezzar.  Verse two adds, (After that Jeconiah the king, and the queen, and the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem;)  The king, queen and the craftsmen had also been carried away.  This would be after Jeremiah's prophesy had come to pass.  Verse three states, By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon) saying,  Jeremiah sent the message by the same messenger that Zedekiah had sent a message to Nebuchadnezzar by.  This was a more important message than a message from an earthly king, though, because it was a message from God.  Verse four declares, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon;  God said that the message was for all who had been taken away captive into Babylon, just as the gospel is for all who have been taken away captive by sin today.  Of course, this was written to those who were supposed to be God's people already.  God said that He had caused them to be carried away and that He was still with them.  Verse five adds, Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them;  Jeremiah said that God told them to go ahead and build houses and plant gardens and live there.  Their captivity was not going to be a short one.  After we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, though this world is not our permanent dwelling place, we are still to live here under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Wherever we are or whatever our status, God will be with us.  Verse six continues, Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished.  God told the people of Judah to continue to marry and have children, so that their numbers might increase even in captivity.  Life goes on after we accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord, and God expects us to continue to live our lives.  Verse seven states, And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.  God said that they were to seek peace in the land where they were and that they were to pray for it.  We may not like everything that goes on in the world today, but as followers of Christ we are to seek peace in the world and pray for it.  Verse eight warns, For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.  God through Jeremiah warned them not to be deceived by false prophets and those who claimed to have a dream sent by God.  We today need to be just as careful about who we listen to that claim to speak for God.  Verse nine adds, For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD.  Just as many false prophets said that the people of Judah would not be carried away captive, there were still those false prophets who would claim to speak for God while the people were in captivity.  We need to make sure that those who claim to speak for God today speak a message that is consistent with God's word and also rely on the Holy Spirit to enable us to know what is truly God's word.

Jeremiah 28:10

Jeremiah 28:10 says, Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck, and brake it.  Hananiah broke the yoke that Jeremiah was wearing at God's command.  Hananiah called himself a prophet, but he was not acting under God's command or authority.   This was supposed to be a sign that he had defeated Jeremiah's prophesy.  No matter what someone does to attempt to change God's prophesy or any of His word, it may look like it did, but it never will.  Verse eleven adds, And Hananiah spake in the presence of all the people, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all nations within the space of two full years. And the prophet Jeremiah went his way.  Hananiah said that he spoke for God when he said that the yoke of King Nebuchadnezzar would likewise be broken within two years.  Jeremiah did not argue with Hananiah, but simply went on his way.  There is little profit in arguing with those who claim to speak for God when what they say does not agree with what we say.  All we can do is make sure that what we say is indeed God's word, and continue to proclaim it to those who will hear it.  Verse twelve declares, Then the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the prophet, after that Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying,  After Hananiah broke the yoke that Jeremiah was wearing, God's word came to Jeremiah again.  Verse thirteen adds, Go and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Thou hast broken the yokes of wood; but thou shalt make for them yokes of iron.  God sent Jeremiah to Hananiah with a massage from God.  If there is a dispute with someone over what God says, we should not argue with them on our own, but if God sends us a message to share with them, then we must go.  God told Jeremiah to tell Hananiah that he had broken the wooden yoke, but that an iron yoke would be placed on the people of Judah.  Verse fourteen states,  For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; I have put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him: and I have given him the beasts of the field also.  Jeremiah was to tell Hananiah that God had placed the yoke of iron on the people and that they would serve Nebuchadnezzar and that he would also own all the beasts of the field.  Verse fifteen declares, Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.  Jeremiah told Hananiah that God had not sent Hananiah, but that he caused the people to trust a lie.  Jeremiah still was not getting into a big argument with Hananiah, but was simply telling him God's word.  Verse sixteen adds, Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against the LORD.  Jeremiah said the proof of what he was saying was that Hananiah would die that year for proclaiming lies in the name of God.  It may not be within a year, but eventually everyone will be held accountable for their actions and will suffer a spiritual death if they do not accept God's word.  Verse seventeen concludes, So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.  Jeremiah's prophesy came true, and Hananiah died the seventh month of that year.  We can be certain that God's prophesies either have or will come true.  The question is whether or not we will believe them.

Jeremiah 28:1

 Jeremiah 28:1 says, And it came to pass the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, and in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, which was of Gibeon, spake unto me in the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,  A supposed prophet of God came to Jeremiah in the fourth year of the reign of Zedekiah and said that Jeremiah was wrong as we see in the next verse.  Verse two states, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.  This priest, Hananiah, told the king that God had spoken to him and that God said He had broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.  He directly contradicted what Jeremiah said God was saying.  Sometimes, people claim to be speaking for God when they say things that are in direct opposition to His word.  We must know enough to recognize God's truth, and the Bible and the Holy Spirit will help us to do so.  Verse three adds, Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of the LORD’s house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried them to Babylon:  Hananiah said that within two years that all the vessels of the temple that Nebuchadnezzar had taken into Babylon  would be returned to the temple in Jerusalem.  He was prophesying what would make him popular with the king, but it was not God's word.  Today, people may say things that are supposedly God's word to make them popular with people, but often it is not.  Verse four continues, And I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, that went into Babylon, saith the LORD: for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.  Hananiah also said that Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim would be returned to Jerusalem from captivity in Babylon.  This also was in opposition to what Jeremiah had said that God said.  Verse five declares, Then the prophet Jeremiah said unto the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people that stood in the house of the LORD,  Then verse six adds, Even the prophet Jeremiah said, thy words which thou hast prophesied, to bring again the vessels of the LORD’s house, and all that is carried away captive, from Babylon into this place.  Jeremiah did not stop Hananiah from saying what he had to say, but once he finished, in front of all the leaders, he then disputed what Hananiah had said.  We don't need to get in to shouting matches with other people when what they say is not consistent with God's word, but we do need to make sure that God's truth is told, even with the biggest. most powerful audience around us.  Verse seven continues, Nevertheless hear thou now this word that I speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people;  Jeremiah called on the priests, the people of Judah, and Hananiah himself to listen to his words.  They had listened to Hananiah, and now it was time to listen to Jeremiah.  We can only call on people to listen to us today when we proclaim the word of God.  Verse eight states, The prophets that have been before me and before thee of old prophesied both against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence.  Jeremiah said that prophets in the past had prophesied against many countries of coming war, evil and pestilence.  Jeremiah said basically that he was not the first prophet to prophesy of coming doom in God's name, so why should he be viewed differently.  We must proclaim God's word faithfully, no matter how the world may view us.  Verse nine proclaims, The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the LORD hath truly sent him. Amen: the LORD do so: the LORD perform.  Jeremiah said that the truth of the prophesy of Hananiah who prophesied that peace would come in two years would be proven by whether peace came at that time or not.  Many people today do not accept the fact of the coming judgment of God, and the only way that it will be proven is when it occurs, but anyone claiming that it is not coming will be proven wrong in that day.  Loud arguments will not win them over to accepting God's word, and there is really no reason for us to be angry with them.  We are to reach out to them with the love of God, not so we can be proven right, but so that they might know the truth of God.