1 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2 Thus saith the LORD to me; Make thee bonds and yokes, and put them upon thy neck,
3 And send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the Ammonites, and to the king of Tyrus, and to the king of Zidon, by the hand of the messengers which come to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah king of Judah;
4 And command them to say unto their masters, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say unto your masters;
5 I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me.
6 And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him.
7 And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son's son, until the very time of his land come: and then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him.
8 And it shall come to pass, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, saith the LORD, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.
9 Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon:
10 For they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your land; and that I should drive you out, and ye should perish.
11 But the nations that bring their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him, those will I let remain still in their own land, saith the LORD; and they shall till it, and dwell therein.
12 I spake also to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live.
13 Why will ye die, thou and thy people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the LORD hath spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?
14 Therefore hearken not unto the words of the prophets that speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you.
15 For I have not sent them, saith the LORD, yet they prophesy a lie in my name; that I might drive you out, and that ye might perish, ye, and the prophets that prophesy unto you.
16 Also I spake to the priests and to all this people, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Hearken not to the words of your prophets that prophesy unto you, saying, Behold, the vessels of the LORD's house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you.
17 Hearken not unto them; serve the king of Babylon, and live: wherefore should this city be laid waste?
18 But if they be prophets, and if the word of the LORD be with them, let them now make intercession to the LORD of hosts, that the vessels which are left in the house of the LORD, and in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, go not to Babylon.
19 For thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the pillars, and concerning the sea, and concerning the bases, and concerning the residue of the vessels that remain in this city.
20 Which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took not, when he carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem;
21 Yea, thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that remain in the house of the LORD, and in the house of the king of Judah and of Jerusalem;
22 They shall be carried to Babylon, and there shall they be until the day that I visit them, saith the LORD; then will I bring them up, and restore them to this place.
Jeremiah 27, nestled within the heart of the Book of Jeremiah, is a chapter that presents a significant turning point in the narrative of the Old Testament. The chapter is dedicated to the prophet Jeremiah's prophetic warning to the nations of Judah and its neighbors against rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. This chapter serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty over all nations and the consequences of disobedience to His divine instructions.
The chapter begins with God instructing Jeremiah to make yokes and send them to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon through their messengers who have come to Jerusalem to meet King Zedekiah of Judah. This symbolic action is a clear message to these nations that they will be subjected to the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar. Here, the yoke symbolizes the burden of servitude that these nations will have to bear under the Babylonian rule.
One of the significant themes that emerge from this chapter is the concept of divine sovereignty. God, through Jeremiah, asserts His control over the nations by granting Nebuchadnezzar authority over them. This assertion is not just over humans, but even over the animals, "The beasts of the field also have I given him" (Jeremiah 27:6). This statement brings to light the absolute authority of God over all creation, a theme consistent throughout the Old Testament.
God warns these nations, through Jeremiah, that any nation or kingdom that refuses to serve Nebuchadnezzar, or to put their neck under his yoke, will be punished "with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence" (Jeremiah 27:8). This vivid imagery of punishment underscores another key theme of this chapter: the consequences of disobedience to God's command.
In this context, the chapter also serves as a caution against false prophecy. Jeremiah warns the people not to listen to their prophets, diviners, dreamers, soothsayers, or sorcerers who tell them they will not serve the king of Babylon. He stresses the danger of these false prophets who prophesy a lie, leading people into exile and destruction. This is a potent reminder that disobedience to God's commands, influenced by false prophecy, leads to dire consequences.
Despite the impending servitude and punishment, Jeremiah 27 also offers a ray of hope. God promises that nations that willingly put their necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, He will let them remain in their own land, farming it and living there (Jeremiah 27:11). This promise of restoration is a recurring theme in the prophetic books of the Bible, where God, despite punishing His people for their sins, also promises eventual restoration and peace.
Jeremiah also delivers a specific message to King Zedekiah of Judah, urging him to serve the king of Babylon and live. The king is advised not to listen to the words of the prophets who say, "You will not serve the king of Babylon," for they prophesy a lie. Jeremiah warns Zedekiah that if he does not obey these instructions, he will cause the destruction of Judah, the fall of Jerusalem, and the desolation of the holy Temple. This direct and stern warning to the king underscores the gravity of the situation and the imminent danger if the divine command is not obeyed.
Jeremiah 27, therefore, stands as a powerful testament to the themes of divine sovereignty, obedience, the consequences of disobedience, and the promise of restoration. The chapter serves as a reminder that God, in His wisdom and power, can use even pagan kings like Nebuchadnezzar to accomplish His purposes. It also cautions against false prophecy, emphasizing the importance of discernment and obedience to God's word. Despite the harsh reality of servitude and punishment, the chapter also offers hope, promising restoration for those who obey God's command.
In today's context, Jeremiah 27 serves as a reminder that God's plans and purposes are at work, even in situations that seem bleak and hopeless. It underscores the importance of obedience to God's commands and the dire consequences of disobedience. It also offers hope, reminding believers of God's promise of restoration and peace, even in the midst of trials and tribulations. Thus, the enduring message of Jeremiah 27 is one of faith, obedience, discernment, and hope in God's sovereign plan.
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