Let the Prophets Speak

Again accused of being a traitor by the King's advisors, the King allows them to throw the prophet into a pit of mud to die. Another sympathetic servant of the King, begs for permission to rescue Jeremiah. The King grants him permission to take him out of the pit. In a secret meeting, the King Zedekiah asks Jeremiah for advice and regarding his fate. Zedekiah is too much of a coward to act against...

This chapter begins Jeremiah's description of the final days of the Kingdom of Judah. The siege of Jerusalem is at its' height, and the King and the people have rejected Jeremiah's admonitions. The Egyptian Army marches north to help relieve Jerusalem, but they are quickly repulsed by the Chaldeans. Jeremiah is accused of being a traitor, and is placed in in a horrific jail cell. The King interven...

Jeremiah dictates his prophecies to his trusted scribe Baruch, who reads it to the people. The King's council then hears the scroll, and many of the leaders are rifghtened by what they hear. Hoping for a movement of true repentance, they bring it to the King's attention. However the king is enraged and he burns the scroll. Instead of heeding God's word, he orders the arrest of Jeremiah and Baruch.

God asks Jeremiah to offer wine to the family of the Rechabites, descendants of Jethro, and they refuse. They are faithful to their family traditions, but the people of Israel are not faithful to God.

The battle rages on, and Jeremiah informs King Zedekiah that although the city will fall, he will not be executed by Nebuchadnezzar. He will die in exile peacefully and receive honors befitting a king. Zedekiah declares freedom to all enslaved Judeans, and the people willingly comply. God sees this righteous act, and the Babylonians retreat. The moment there is a reprieve, the wealthy slaveowners...

Jeremiah is still captive in the prison yard, and the city is falling to the enemy. Surrounded by destruction, the people think that the destruction of Jerusalem means the end of their relationship with God. However, the prophet teaches that the special covenant is forever. The covenant is between God and his people, not the buildings or the temple. The people must do their part, and act justly an...

God answers Jeremiah's prayer. Yes, i am the almighty, but today I will not intervene and save the people. They deserve to be destroyed due to their own corruption. However, one day i will bring them back, and the exiles will return. On that day, an everlasting bond will be made between God and His people. The purchase you just made, is simply a message to the people that one day they will return...

The siege of Jerusalem is under way, and the Kingdom is about to fall. King Zedekiah throws the prophet into jail for his "subsversive" prophecies which are now unfolding before their very eyes. God asks Jeremiah to perform a very unusual transaction, and Jeremiah turns to God for an explanation.

On that day, in the wonderous future, God will no longer appear to us from a distance. His Torah and His teachings will be engraved on our very hearts. No longer will teachers of God's word call out to teach people, as the people themselves will have God within them. Unlike Jeremiah's Israel, the people will not only listen, they themselves will know God.

After reassuring the exiles that the Ten Tribes of Israel are not lost forever, God tells the people of Judah that they will return as well. Judah will remain the home of the Temple of God. In the future days, the cycle of corruption will no longer be passed from generation to generation. Instead, the wicked will perish, the people will be united, and justice will prevail.

The Northern kingdom is lost forever! Rachel is crying for her children, as they seem to be gone forever, will Judah suffer the same fate? NO! Jeremiah reassures us that even the people of Israel, though they may seem lost, they are crying to God as well, and they will be heard. They will return to their land as well.

Jeremiah continues to write the scroll in which God desribes the wonderful day of redemption. God reminds the people of when He formed a bond of forever love with them. A bond meant to last from the time they were refugees from Egypt, all the way until the day they come back to their land after a long long exile. pronounce this message to the nations of the world, let them all see that God's love...

Jeremiah lifts his eyes and looks to the future, the end of days when God's Justice will reign, and the wicked will be punished. God asks him to write this down for generations to come. Jacob and Israel will return to their land, but when they look to me for salvation. One day, we will understand.

The Jews in exile in Babylon recieve Jeremiah's message, but their own prophets encourage them to ignore the prophets instructions. Twi such prophets are punished with death immediately, but a third remains steadfast in his evil ways. Shamayah the Nechelamite sneds a defiant letter back to Jerusalem, encouraging the high priest to punish Jeremiah. However, God stans behind His prophet and punishes...

Life is not over in exile, build your homes and families, go in the way of God and seek Him. Work and pray for the safety and success of your host nation. God has a bright future in store for you, of only you seek Him with a full heart. This was Jeremiah's message, but the people would rather listen to the false prophets.

A false prophet named Hananiah ben Azzur stands up and challenges Jeremiah and tells the people what they want to hear. Jeremiah wins the duel, but the people don't seem to get the message.

Jeremiah begs the people to be humble and accept their fate. Their stubbornness and unwillingness to recognize their corruption and change their ways, has led to the inevitable dominion of Babylon. Jeremiah beseeches the people to accept their fate. If not, the destruction will be much more complete, and all will be lost.

God asks Jeremiah to preach his message in the courtyard of the Temple. The corrupt religious leadership incites the mob to kill Jeremiah for daring to prophecy in the name of God that punishment was coming. Some righteous officers defend Jeremiah, and they quote other prophets who have delivered the same message in the name of God. Ultimately, Jeremiah's life was spared, but his message went igno...

The cycle continues, nations respond to violence with violence, and no one learns the lessons that God is trying to teach. God tells Jeremiah, "Take this cup of wine, the wine that represents my wrath, and give it to the nations of the world to drink." Justice will come to all, there is going to be no escape from the anger of God.

"I have been saying these prophecies for 23 years and you still aren't listening!" says Jeremiah. Since you still won't change your ways, Babylon will come and destroy you and all your friends and allies. However, the cycle of history will go on. Babylon's cruelty will also be repaid. After 70 years they will get punished too. Until all the nations of the world learn to stop the cycle of violence,...

God shows Jeremiah two baskets of figs, one basket is full of fresh juicy figs, and the other are shriveled and rotten. The people of Judah who go into exile in babylon, and return to God with full hearts, will one day come back and reestablish their kingdom in Jerusalem under God. The one's who still loook to themselves, and to other nations for help and refuse to mend their ways, will end up lik...

Don't think that God doesn't concern Himself with the affairs of mankind. The creator of everything also knows everything, and He expects that we behave appropriately. Don't call God's expectations a burden! He is asking for truth and justice. These are not a burden, they are our mission upon this world.

God lashes out against the leadership who failed to lead the people justly. the Kings, the false "prophets" and the priests, all led the people astray. One day, God declares, I will appoint leaders to lead my flock back to their land. Leaders who will rule with justice and righteousness.

The Kings of Judah won't listen to Jeremiah and the message of God. Thus God declares that this will be the end of the dynasty of David. These Kings will not have descendents worthy of the throne of David.

Jeremiah preaches to the King of Judah. It is only by establishing justice, ending oppression, protecting the widow and the orphan, this is how to ensure the future of the Kingdom of Judah. Do this, and the Kingdom will be saved. Continue your corruption, and prayer will not save you.