The letter and book from Jeremiah

 

 

Jeremiah wrote a letter to the people who were in exile and also wrote a book to Jacob’s decedents (Jeremiah chapter 29 and 30).

The letter was addressed to the following people in Babylon; elders, priests, prophets, to king Jeconiah, the queen mother, eunuchs, rulers, craftsmen and smiths – Jeremiah 29:1-2.

The letter was sent through Elasah (Jeremiah 29:3).

The letter said the following to the exiles.

 

Jeremiah 29:4-7 Build houses and live, and plant gardens, and eat their fruit.Take wives, and father sons and daughters. And take wives for your sons; and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters, and multiply there, and do not become few. And seek the peace of the city, there where I have caused you to be exiled. And pray to Yahuah for it; for in its peace, you shall have peace.

Reason for this statement was because they would be exiled for a long time. As I asked before in my previous message, was it to 70 years or is it 70 years x 1000. I believe the answer is found in Jeremiah chapter 30.

Next in the letter it warns the people not to listen to the prophets/priests in their midst as they are speaking falsely.

Jeremiah 29:8-9 For so says Yahuah of Hosts, the Elohim of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your divining ones in your midst deceive you. And do not listen to your dreams which you dream. For they prophesy falsely to you in My name. I have not sent them, says Yahuah.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have heard many say the 70 years is over and some say it’s not over but hear what Yahuah says in the next verse 10.

For so says Yahuah, when according to My mouth seventy years have been fulfilled for Babylon, I will visit you and confirm My good Word to you, to bring you back to this place.

Yahuah’s time is different to what we know time, so we need to relook at what people say about His time. You see verse 11 says Yahuah has peace for us in mind, not evil. The plan is a bright future. The question I ask is if 70 years are over then where is the peace and the great future, it’s not happened.

In Jeremiah 29:16-19 it is addressed to the people of Judah who did not go into exile as what Yahuah said must happen. Punishment will come on them for not listening.

 

 

 

 

The next part is again addressed to those in exile of some people in their midst who were prophesying lies – Jeremiah 29:20-21.

Because the people listened to the false prophesy a curse would come on them- Jeremiah 29:22-23.

Jeremiah 29:28 says the exile will be long, therefore build houses, gardens and live.

 

 

 

 

Yahuah instructed Jeremiah to write a book on all the words He has spoken through him (Jeremiah) to the people – Jeremiah 30:2.

What is interesting of chapter 30 is Jeremiah is speaking to both tribes of Israel and Judah, known as Jacob (children of Jacob = 12 tribes of Jacob (Israel)).

In Jeremiah 30:3 Yahuah says the days will come when He will turn the captivity for both Israel and Judah and cause them to return to the land to possess it.

Further on, Yahuah addresses both Israel and Judah about the time of Jacob’s trouble and how both groups will be saved from it.

 

Jeremiah 30:4-7 And these are the Words that Yahuah spoke concerning Israel and concerning Judah: For so says Yahuah, we have heard a sound of trembling, of dread, and not of peace. Ask now and see whether a male is giving birth? Why do I see every man with his hands on his loins, like a woman giving birth, and all faces are turned to paleness? Alas! For that day is great, for none is like it. And it is a time of Jacob's trouble, but he will be saved out of it.

This is related to the latter days or end time days.

In Jeremiah 30:8-9 Yahuah speaks of the yoke been broken off Israel and Judah’s neck and never to be enslaved again.

Has this happened? No!

Israel and Judah are depended on foreign powers for security. It tells me they are still in captivity.

Jeremiah 30:10  says, O My servant Jacob (all 12 tribes of Israel), do not fear for I Yahuah will save you from afar, and your seed from the land of captivity. Jacob will return and no trouble will come upon them again.

 

Jeremiah 30:11-22, speaking of Israel and Judah’s many sins, the punishments and how they will return with health and healing, to be His people again.

Did adding chapter 30 to 29 give an answer to the 70 years? If I look today, I do not see this peace and a bright future therefore must question if Judah had returned from Babylon. Revelation speaks about end time destruction of Babylon therefore Babylon was not destroyed after 70 years. Chapter 30 speaks about Israel and Judah in captivity until after Jacob’ trouble. Jacob’s trouble is for all the decedents of Jacob (Israel). This period has not happened yet.

This is something to pray about.

 

 

Seek and find Me

 

 

Yahuah says to those who are in captivity that there is a plan of peace, to give us a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11).

Jeremiah 29:12 Then you shall call on Me, and you shall go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.

Jeremiah 29:13 And you shall seek and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

 

Deuteronomy 4:29 “But from there you shall seek Yahuah your Elohim, and shall find, when you search for Him with all your heart and with all your being. See Deuteronomy 4:30 as it is speaking about the latter (last or end-time) days where His people will find and obey Him.

Jeremiah 29:14 And I will be found by you, says Yahuah. And I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places where I have driven you, says Yahuah. And I will bring you again into the place from which I sent you into exile, from there.

All to happen in the latter days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many are seeking Him today with a heart of obedience and as His says He will find us. I believe presently He is calling those who are seeking the truth of Him. They are tired of hearing all the falsehood and lies been spread by man, just wanting the truth.

The gathering out of captivity will still come to pass but for now spiritually those who are seeking Him are finding Him in truth and in spirit.

Don’t stop seeking Him as He will find you when your heart is true.

 

 

Hear a false prophet

 

 

 

 

 

In the same period when Jeremiah prophesied about the yoke that will come upon the nations, including Babylon and Judah, a person named Hananiah from the temple spoke of another prophesy that was to be a false prophesy.

Hananiah was the son of Azur a prophet in the temple – Jeremiah 28:1.

Hananiah said Yahuah told him that within 2 years the yoke on the king of Babylon will be broken and all vessels that were taken out of temple will be returned. He further said that the king of Judah that was exiled to Babylon will return within 2 years – Jeremiah 28:2-4 and in Jeremiah 28:11.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeremiah said to Hananiah that he trusts he is correct in what he is saying as it would be great news – Jeremiah 28:5-6.

Jeremiah then says “hear now this word that I speak in your ears and all the people” – Jeremiah 28:7.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeremiah explains about the prophesy spoken from past prophets and how they are true from the Almighty Yahuah – Jeremiah 28:8-9.

Then Hananiah took the yoke of Jeremiah and broke it – Jeremiah 28:10. Jeremiah was wearing a wooden yoke all the time since Yahuah spoke to him about the nations that would be under the yoke.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then Yahuah tells Jeremiah to go to Hananiah and tell him that the wooden yoke that he took off Jeremiah would be replaced with a yoke of iron, including Babylon, Judah and nations – Jeremiah 28:13-14.

The punishment became worse (from wood to iron).

Read below the punishment that came upon Hananiah for prophesying falsely.

Jeremiah 28:15-17 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, hear now, Hananiah, Yahuah has not sent you, but you have made this people trust in a lie. So, Yahuah says this, behold, I send you away from the face of the earth. You shall die this year, because you have spoken apostasy against Yahuah. And Hananiah died the same year in the seventh month.

Can we learn something from this chapter? This is what I notice and can help me to see falsehood around me and when some person says, I dreamt this and Yahuah told me this and this or when I listen to someone saying that this is what is going to happen.

1)      Hananiah was from Judah, therefore knew Yahuah and His word – people within fellowship can be false.

2)      Hananiah seems to be a priest or a leader within the temple – some priests/pastors can be false.

3)      Hananiah was the son of a prophet from Judah and a priest in the temple.

4)      Hananiah said Yahuah spoke to him that the punishment will be over within 2 years where Jeremiah did not say anything of 2 years. Two different prophesies – we need to confirm and test everything said and the best way is to read the words from the past prophets of Yahuah and also to prayer for the Ruach to guide us.

5)      Test everything said no manner who it is. But we need to be careful as someone can say something false and him/her will not know it is false. We must correct these people through His Word taken from scripture.

6)      We must never forget what the Messiah said in Matthew 24:4-5 when the disciples asked Him of the end times: And answering, Yahusha said to them, see that no man deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, I am the Messiah. And they will cause many to be deceived.

 

Yahudah part exiled

 

 

 

 

 

Was all of Judah exiled to Babylon? Jeremiah Chapter 27 tells us who was exiled to Babylon.

Yahuah told Jeremiah to make bands and yokes for the following nations who will serve Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.

Jeremiah 27:2-3 So says Yahuah to me, make bonds and yokes for yourself, and put them on your neck. And send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the sons of Ammon, and to the king of Tyre, and to the king of Sidon, by the hand of the messengers who came to Jerusalem to Zedekiah, king of Judah.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yahuah says He has made the earth, the man and the animals and He will decide what is to be done in His eyes – Jeremiah 27:5.

Jeremiah 27:6-7 ‘And now, I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the sovereign of Babylon, My servant. And the beasts of the field I have also given him to serve him. ‘And all nations shall serve him and his son and his son’s son, until the time of his land comes. And then many nations and great sovereigns shall make him serve them.

All the nations in verse 3 shall serve Babylon for many years – serve Nebuchadnezzar, his son and his son’s son.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yahuah says in Jeremiah 27:8 that if these nations (verse 3) do not serve Babylon as He instructed, then Yahuah will punish them with the sword, famine and plaques.

Yahuah also says not to listen to your prophets, or to those divining to you, or to your dreams, or to your soothsayers, or to your sorcerers, those who speak to you, saying, you shall not serve the king of Babylon. For they prophesy a lie to you, to remove you far from your land, that I should drive you out, and you should perish – Jeremiah 27:9-10.

 

 

Now the next part I find very interesting.

Jeremiah 27:11 But the nation that will bring its neck into the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him, says Yahuah, I will leave it on its own land, and it may work it and live in it.

The nations that except to serve Babylon will be allowed to stay on their own land and live in it.

But hear the next verse.

Jeremiah 27:12-13 I also spoke to Zedekiah, king of Judah according to all these words, saying, bring your necks into the king of Babylon's yoke, and serve him and his people, and live. Why will you die, you and your people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the plague, as Yahuah has spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?

Yahuah is saying if the King of Judah and his people serve Babylon as He instructed then they will stay in the land of Judah and live.

So according to my understanding part of Judah was exiled to the land of Babylon and another part of the people stayed in the land of Judah and served Babylon. These words were spoken to Jeremiah at the start of King Jehoiakim’s reign (Jeremiah 27:1). Some translation says King Zedekiah.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Jeremiah 27:20 it states who of Judah was exiled to Babylon; which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take (speaking of the temple equipment) when he exiled Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king ofJudah, from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah andJerusalem.

If I understand correctly, Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah was exiled out of the land of Judah and King Zedekiah or King Jehoiakim stayed in the land of Judah. The question, was these two different periods of Judah or did the remainder of people in Judah later also been exiled to Babylon.

We will get the answer when reading on in the next chapters of Jeremiah.