The Book of Jeremiah

Lesson 14

Jeremiah 27 – 28

Introduction

What we saw last time is that the prophecies concerning Babylon brought a shift in the way that Israel understood who God is. Israel understood God as their God. This is symbolized by the ark in the temple; but with the destruction of the temple and the removal of the ark, the people would have believed that God had been taken away from them. Jeremiah wants them to understand that God is bigger than what was contained in the temple, God is the God of all nations, and God can use these nations to either punish or bless Israel.

I. What is the sign of the yoke?

a) Let’s begin in v. 21 where it says, “concerning the vessels left in the house of the LORD.” In 2 Kings 24:11-16, Nebuchadnezzar come to Jerusalem and overruns it, taking away the king, his family, the treasures of the temple (this included the ark) and thousands of captives (20:4-5). This is the new understanding of God that we talked about last week, and it is in this that we need to look at the lesson/scriptures for this week. The ark, which symbolized God’s presence, is gone; now Jeremiah is bringing the people a new understanding.

b) In vs. 2-3, God tells Jeremiah to put a yoke around his neck, and to send one to the kings of Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, Tyre, and Sidon. These are nations outside of Israel and whom would have been considered enemies. Yet, in this new understanding, God is showing that God controls these nations too. “It is I who by my great power and my outstretched arm have made the earth, with the people and animals that are on the earth, and I give it to whomever I please (27:5).” Not just Israel, but God controls all nations.

c) “Now I have given all these lands into the hand of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, my servant, and I have given him even the wild animals of the field to serve him (27:6).” The yoke is not just for Israel, but all of the nations of the region, they will all serve Nebuchadnezzar, his son and his grandson (v. 7). All of the nations are to place their necks under Babylon and if they do so, they will live on their own land and till it (v. 11). If they do not, God will punish them, and the nation will be destroyed (v. 8).

II. What is the result of lies?

a) We have spoken of all the lying prophets and the culture of lies that had been built in Jerusalem for several weeks. Again this week, God speaks to the prophets who tell lies, but God’s word is given directly to king Zedekiah (27:14).

b) We started with v. 21 concerning the vessels lift in the temple. The prophets were telling the people that vessels would be brought back from Babylon and returned to the temple (27:16), and that they would not serve the king of Babylon (27:14).

c) Jeremiah tells the king, do not listen to the prophets who are telling you that you will not serve Babylon, “I have not sent them, says the LORD, but they are prophesying falsely in my name, with the result that I will drive you out and you will perish, you and the prophets who are prophesying to you (27:15).”

d) Then Jeremiah spoke to all the priests and the people, telling them not to listen to the prophets “The vessels of the LORD's house will soon be brought back from Babylon, for they are prophesying a lie to you. (27:16).” Jeremiah warns them to serve the king of Babylon and live, otherwise the city (nation) will become a desolation. And, concerning the vessels which the prophets are saying will be returned, “They shall be carried to Babylon, and there they shall stay, until the day when I give attention to them, says the LORD. Then I will bring them up and restore them to this place (27:22).”

III. Who was Hananiah and what happened to him?

a) Hananiah was a prophet from the city of Gibeon. He spoke to Jeremiah saying, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. Within two years I will bring back to this place all the vessels of the LORD's house, which King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon (28:3).” These are the prophecies that God called lies, so Hananiah is only of the prophets that God spoke of in the previous chapter.

b) Jeremiah then reminds Hananiah that previous prophets had prophesied war and pestilence, but if one prophesies peace and the word comes true, then one will know that the prophet was truly sent (28:8-9). Then, Hananiah broke the yoke around Jeremiah’s neck and said, “Thus says the LORD: This is how I will break the yoke of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon from the neck of all the nations within two years (28:11).”

c) Laster, the Lord came to Jeremiah and said, “You have broken wooden bars only to forge iron bars in place of them! For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: I have put an iron yoke on the neck of all these nations so that they may serve King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and they shall indeed serve him; I have even given him the wild animals (28:14).” Jeremiah told him that because of his lies, he would be dead within a year. Hananiah died within 7 months (vs.16-17).

d) What is the result of lies? Jeremiah says to Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah, the LORD has not sent you, and you made this people trust in a lie (28:15). The people trusted in the lies of Hananiah (and the other prophets) and therefore, did not listen to Jeremiah (or Amos, or Isaiah). The result was that the nation became a desolation. Thousands died by the sword, famine, or pestilence; those who serviced were carried off into exile.

Next Week: Jeremiah 29 – 30

Questions for the week:

1. How does Jeremiah confront lies?

2. Who is Shemaiah and what does he do?

3. What is God’s promise to the exiles?