Jeremiah

Jeremiah Chapter 28

• Jeremiah 28:1 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,
• 2 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.
• 3 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:
• 4 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.

We see here that Hananiah prophesies good things that the people love to hear. I don't know where he dreamed up this prophecy. I doubt that he made it up, rather he was deceived in himself and actually thought this was from God. Our imaginations can really fool us. This is why I believe our wonderful God gave to us the bible in a book form so that we can properly study and discern what God's word really is. We have this word to check everything we hear and everything we imagine. If it doesn't line up with the bible we can reject it.

Jesus also said that His sheep shall hear His voice so I believe God has in place His spirit and His word available to keep us from being deceived. We just need to learn to listen and have the right motives.

Sometimes deep within our hearts is a wrong motive. We want to say what people want to hear because we want people to like us. We want their favor. Sometimes those we think are friendly and loving just may be someone who wants us to like them so they say just what we want to hear. A popular, friendly personality is not always in favor with God. It is impossible to please God and man at the same time. Yet to truly walk in love is to tell people the truth, not just what they want to hear.

We live in a day when the big thing is to boost up self-esteem. And people do need to feel that they count and they are loved but they also need the truth. If bad times are coming, we need to be prepared. We need truth. Truth.....what a beautiful word.

You might ask, How do we know the bible is true?

1. For one thing it has survived many years of those trying to burn it and destroy it. 
2. Many have been persecuted and killed trying to preserve it and translate it into language we can understand. 
3. It has stood the test of time. 
4. Bible prophecies that have come to pass. 
5. Re-birth of Israel in 1948 which had to happen first before the prophecies in Revelation       could be fulfilled. 
6. When we pick up that book, we know deep inside of us that it is not an ordinary book. For some reason we know it is true. It is something I can't explain. 
7. It is a book that is inspired by the Holy Spirit. You just know it is a holy book when you open the pages.

I can read a book by Shakespeare and any other author and it is just a book, but the bible is one that is different. It is God's word. It is something we know, we feel and we accept by faith. One reason we can't argue with unbelievers and agnostics on the subject is because this is a faith message. The Holy Spirit imparts faith to us. The Holy Spirit quickens our hearts to believe. When we believe, the Holy Spirit confirms what we believe with His presence and His Spirit dwelling within us.

Sometimes after that we may not feel a thing and other times God allows us to actually feel His presence. However, we must not ever trust our feelings but check everything by the Word of God that was provided for us. If you really want to know God and want to understand His word you can. It's only those who do not want anything to do with God and do not want to repent of sin or admit that they have sinned who continually believe in the modern day lie of evolution, atheism or false religion. There is too much evidence of God in creation to be blind unless one wants to be blind.

• Jeremiah 28:5 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,
• 6 Even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: the LORD do so: the LORD perform 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 would not have been jealous if Hananiah's word was the truth. He certainly would have rejoiced for these events grieved his heart. He did not rejoice in the fact that he (Jeremiah) was right. These things grieved his heart. A true servant of God will not enjoy seeing prophecy come to pass that is prophecy of destruction. He will grieve over the loss of life and more so the loss of a soul being lost forever without any hope for salvation. A true prophet of God will avoid gloating and saying, "I told you so."

• Jeremiah 28:7 Nevertheless hear thou now this word that I speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people;
• 8 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.
• 9 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.
• 10 Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from off the prophet Jeremiah's neck, and brake it.
• 11 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.

That is really all one can do when they bring forth the word God gives them. If it is rejected, we must leave and go our own way. We can't force truth upon anyone. We give the word and then leave if it is rejected always praying for those that refused to believe that somewhere down the line they will receive the truth and be saved. If God sends us back like He does Jeremiah in the verses following, then we go back otherwise once we deliver the word and it is rejected, we could be giving pearls to swine.

• Jeremiah 28:12 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,
• 13 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.
• 14 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, in order to make a point to those who were listening, wore a yoke of wood to demonstrate bondage to Babylon. Hananiah broke that yoke saying that the bondage would be broken within two years. Jeremiah then prophesied that the yoke would not be wood but iron. That is how strong the bondage would be and it would not be broken in two years. Actually it was 70 years before that bondage was broken and they who were alive at that time, returned to the land of Israel.

• Jeremiah 28:15 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.
• 16 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.
• 17 So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.

God allowed Hananiah to live until the 7th month of that same year of Jeremiah's prophecy and then he died. God gave him every chance to repent. He could have allowed him to die, then and there. So we see then to live only to please men and gain favor does not pay in the long run. Eternity with God is our ultimate goal. Living in pleasure here and having favor of people with loads of friends is only temporary.

It is not God's will that any should perish. God wants to save, not destroy. Like I've said before, sin has to be stopped and cannot continue. Sin cannot enter the coming kingdom of God. Sin has to be repented of and forsaken. We have no strength in ourselves to keep from sinning. We can't just read the law of Moses and determine to keep the commandments. Human nature is too weak. At some point we would break one of those commandments. If we break just one, we would sin and deserve the judgment for sin. That is why Jesus came and brought us the gospel or good news. That news is that all can be saved. We can be saved by repenting or turning from our own sin and believing in Jesus Christ as our savior from that sin. The blood He shed when death came upon Him will cover the sins of all who receive Him.

• Matthew 18:11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. 
• 12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? 
• 13 And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. 
• 14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

That is symbolic of how God feels about just one soul. Like a faithful shepherd that leaves 99 sheep to search for just one that is lost.

• John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 
• 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 
• 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 
• 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

The law shows us what sin is and how wicked sin is. It shows us the penalty for sin and that sin had to be forsaken or judged. We had no power in ourselves to stop sinning. This is why we needed a savior to pay the penalty for sin and give us power to overcome sin and live after God's righteousness.

• Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 
• 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 
• 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 
• 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 
• 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 
• 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 
• 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 
• 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 
• 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 
• 10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 
• 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 
• 12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 
• 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 
• 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

God loved us so much that He enabled us to become one of His sons. Faith in Jesus Christ made that possible. Jesus was the bridge that brought us back to God. We were without God because of sin that entered the world when Adam and Eve disobeyed God. Jesus is the way back to God. DC

Study of Jeremiah 29