Tanak Foundations-Concepts in Jeremiah-Chapter 29

Jer 29.1-32 tells us about a letter to the exiles in Babylon and to the false prophets who are making false predictions. They were saying that the dominion of Nebuchadnezzar and the Chaldeans would soon be over and they would be returning back to the land soon. However, Jeremiah tells them to submit to the lot God has given them and to prepare for a long stay in Babylon. They were to pray for the welfare of whatever city they were living in and don’t be deceived by the false prophets. This letter was for the most part rejected.

v 1…Now these are the words of the letter which Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the rest of the elders of the exile, the priests, the prophets (the false ones), and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon (this was about 12 years before the last deportation).

v 2…This was after King Yeconiah and the queen mother ( Nechushta-2 Kings 24.8), the court officials, the princes of Judah (noblemen) and Jerusalem; the craftsmen (carpenters) and the smiths had departed from Jerusalem (these were taken to deprive those remaining in Judah from making weapons and fortifying their cities).

v 3…The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah (God has made) the son of Shaphan (rock badger) and Gemariah (Yehovah has done) the son of Hilkiah (my portion is Yehovah) whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying,

v 4…”Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon,

v 5…’Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens, and eat their produce (in Babylon and prepare for a long stay).

v 6…Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters (establish families), and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands (don’t disregard your family duties), that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease (not go extinct during the exile).

v 7…And seek the welfare (peace) of the city where I have sent you into exile (promote its best interests), and pray to the Lord (Yehovah) on its behalf; for in its welfare (peace) you will have welfare (peace-in other words, submit to the government unless it is in conflict with the Scriptures-Prov 11.11, 14.34, 29.2, 34.21).’

v 8…For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Do not let your prophets (false ones) who are in your midst and your diviners (taught/foretold things using different methods) deceive you (starting with the first “yod” in deceive” and going every 77 letters it spells “Yeshua.” They didn’t listen to the Torah-Deut 34.4), and do not listen to the dreams which they dream (saying they would soon return back to the land, etc).

v 9…For they prophesy falsely to you in my name; I have not sent them,’ declares the Lord (they were not gifted to do this).

v 10…For thus says the Lord, ‘When seventy years have been completed for Babylon (Babylon’s kings remembered this in Dan 5.2), I will visit you and fulfill my good word to you, to bring you back to this place (based on Lev 26.40-41).

v 11…For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare (Jer 31.27-34) and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope (hope is not “wishing” but it is based on what God has already said; Daniel will base his prayer in Dan 9.3-19 on this concept).

v 12…Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you (the remnant will do this).

v 13…And you will seek me and find me, when you search for me with all your heart (casual seekers need not apply).

v 14…And I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will restore your fortunes (captivity) and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.’

v 15…Because you have said, ‘The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon (literally “as far as Babylon” so they did not need to listen to prophets like Jeremiah in Judah, or listen to them)’-

v 16…for thus says the Lord concerning the king (Zedekiah) who sits on the throne of David, and concerning all the people who dwell in this city, your brothers who did not go with you into exile-

v 17…for thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Behold, I am sending upon them the sword, with famine and with pestilence, and I will make them like split-open figs that cannot be eaten due to rottenness (and will be cast away into exile-Jer 24.1-5; Mark 11.12-14).

v 18…And I will pursue them with the sword, with famine and with pestilence, and I will make them a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse and a horror (astonishment), and a hissing (mockery) and a reproach (disgrace) among all the nations where I have driven them (this was partially done with Babylon, but ultimately in 70 AD with Rome),

v 19…because they have not listened to my words,’ declares the Lord, ‘which I sent to them again and again by my servants the prophets, but you did not listen,’ declares the Lord (refused).

v 20…You, therefore, hear the word of the Lord, all you exiles, whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.

v 21…Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab (father’s brother) the son of Kolaiah (voice of Yehovah) and concerning Zedekiah (Yehovah is righteous) the son of Maaseiah (work of Yehovah) who are prophesying to you falsely in my name, ‘Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall slay them before your eyes.

v 22…And because of them a curse shall be used by all the exiles from Judah who are in Babylon, saying, “May the Lord make you like Zedekiah and Ahab whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire,

v 23…because they have acted foolishly in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbors wives, and have spoken words in my name falsely, which I did not command them; and I am he who knows, and am a witness,” declares the Lord.'”

v 24…And to Shemaiah (heard of Yehovah and a false prophet) the Nehelamite (he of the dream) you shall speak, saying,

v 25…”Thus says the lord of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Because you have sent letters in your own name to all the people who are in Jerusalem (without permission and to set the people against Jeremiah), and to Zephaniah (Yehovah hides) the son of Maaseiah (work of Yehovah), the priest, and to all the priests, saying,

v 26…The Lord has made you priest instead of Yehoiada (Yehovah knows) the priest, to be an overseer in the house of the Lord over every madman who prophesies (Shemaiah sent letters to Zephaniah telling him to stop and punish every person who is “crazy” and thinks they are a prophet, meaning Jeremiah), to put him in the stocks and in the iron collar,

v 27…now then, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anatoth who prophesies to you?

v 28…For he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, “The exile will be long; build houses and live in them and plant gardens and eat their produce.'”

v 29…And Zephaniah the priest read this letter to Jeremiah the prophet (why we don’t know, but he seems to be friendly with Jeremiah-Jer 21.1, 37.3).

v 30…Then came the word of the Lord to Jeremiah, saying,

v 31…Send to all the exiles, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite, “Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, although I did not send him, he has made you trust in a lie,’

v 32…therefore thus says the Lord, “Behold, I am about to punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants (who partnered with their father); he shall not have anyone living among this people, and he shall not see the good that I am about to do to my people (by returning them after the 70 years to the land to enjoy their freedom),” declares the Lord, “because he has preached rebellion against the Lord.”

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, Prophecy/Eschatology, The Festivals of the Lord, The Tanak, Tying into the New Testament

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