jeremiah 27 through 29

Read Jeremiah 27 through 29 at Bible Gateway.

The Hebrew paragraph divisions:

Jer 27:1-22 {p} The object lesson of the yokes/ serve the yoke of the king of Babylon, and live
Jer 28:1-11 {p} Hananiah’s prophecy contrary to Jeremiah’s, that the LORD will break the yoke of Babylon in 2 years
Jer 28:12-17 {p} YHVH to Hananiah: I have made Babylon’s yoke of iron/ you will die this year for your false word
Jer 29:1-9 {s} Captives in Babylon: dwell there + seek peace/ beware of the false prophets whom I have not sent
Jer 29:10-15 {s} After 70 years, you will seek Me + I will visit you + you shall return from your captivity
Jer 29:16-20 {s} Jerusalem will be devoured by sword, famine, pestilence, for you have not heeded the word of YHVH
Jer 29:21-23 {s} The false prophets among you delivered to Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, for death
Jer 29:24-29 {p} The letter sent from Shemaiah asking why Jeremiah has not been put in prison for prophesying
Jer 29:30-32 {s} YHVH will punish Shemaiah for prophesying falsely when YHVH has not sent him

Jer 29 reverse parallelism:

1a) Jer 29:1-3, The true prophet Jeremiah in Jerusalem + his letter to the captives;

1b) Jer 29:4-14 {s} The good future of the captives/ what they shall do + what YHVH will do to secure it;

1a) Jer 29:4, The word of YHVH to the captives, who He caused to be taken captive to Babylon;
1b) Jer 29:5-7, The good the captives shall do: build your future in Babylon/ seek the city’s peace;
central axis) Jer 29:8-9 {s} Do not be deceived by false prophets, for I have not sent them;
2b) Jer 29:10-14a, The good YHVH shall do: after 70 years they will return/ His plans of peace for His people;
2a) Jer 29:14b, Their return to the land from which He caused them to be carried away captive;

2b) Jer 29:15-23 {s} The evil future of Jerusalem/ what YHVH will do + what they did to secure it;

1a) Jer 29:15 {s} For you have said, “The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon;”
1b) Jer 29:16, The word of YHVH concerning those who remain in Jerusalem, who did not go captive;
central axis) Jer 29:17-19, YHVH will send sword, famine, pestilence on them because they did not heed His words;
2b) Jer 29:20 {s} Hear the word of YHVH, all you of the captivity, whom I have sent to Babylon;
2a) Jer 29:21-23 {s} The false prophets with the captives in Babylon + their fate;

1a) Jer 29:21a, Thus says YHVH concerning Ahab + Zedekiah who prophesy a lie to you in My name;
1b) Jer 29:21b, I will deliver them to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon + he shall slay them before your eyes;
central axis) Jer 29:22, Because of them a curse shall be taken up by all the captives in Babylon, saying;
2b) Jer 29:22b, YHVH make you like Zedekiah + Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire;”
2a) Jer 29:23 {s} For they have done disgracefully + spoken lying words in My name/ I am a witness says YHVH;

2a) Jer 29:24-32 {p+s} The false prophet Shemaiah in Babylon + his letter to Jerusalem + his fate.

It is amazing, that even after the first two sets of captives were taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, that the LORD desired the remnant who was left to remain in Jerusalem, to build houses, and till fields, and dwell there. He did not desire the destruction of the city or the temple, nor did He desire the captivity of His people. He did not desire the cessation of the son of David as king on the throne of Jerusalem.

But even after a partial destruction had come upon them, He encouraged them through Jeremiah the prophet, what they needed to do to remain in their land and avoid anything worse coming upon them.

The battle that Jeremiah was fighting, was being believed that he was speaking the word of the LORD, when other prophets abounded who spoke something opposite. Who then do the king and the people believe? The LORD helped them, by saying, “Thus and so prophet is a false prophet, and to prove that I did not send him, he will die this year,” or, “He will be arrested by the king of Babylon.”

But sometimes, it can be hard for us to believe that the LORD could have decreed what seems like calamity to us, from our perspective, such as serving the king of Babylon. It can be hard for us to believe that the LORD would say, the one who rebels against the king of Babylon is rebelling against the LORD.

The king of Babylon was appointed for them as the instrument of the LORD’s correction, because they would not be corrected any other way, either by Torah or by prophet. Even at this late date, there were prophets (a representative of the LORD’s authority in Israel, with fathers, priests, judges, and kings) who were in adultery with their neighbor’s wives (Jer 29:23)! So of course, repentance had not yet taken place!

And yet, the purpose of the calamity is for correction, not destruction. When we have learned repentance, when we have learned to submit our necks to the LORD and not rebel, His word to us is:

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” Jer 29:11-13