August 30, 2010 Jeremiah 28-31:20

There was a prophet named Hananiah who went up to Jeremiah in the temple in front of everyone and said that God would smash the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar and bring the people back within 2 years. Jeremiah said that he hoped that would happen, but that they would just have to wait and see what the Lord does. Then Hananiah grabbed the yoke and smashed it! Later, after they had left the temple, God told Jeremiah to go to Hananiah with a message: the wooden yoke he had smashed would be replaced with an iron yoke on all the nations and they would have to do whatever Nebuchadnezzar said. And God would even let him rule the wild animals! Also that God had never sent Hananiah to speak for Him. That Hananiah had lied, and that he would die before the year was over. Two months later, Hananiah died.

Jeremiah had been left behind when king Nebuchadnezzar had taken many to Babylon as prisoners, including king Jehoiachin of Judah. Jeremiah wrote a letter to them and sent it by way of two ambassadors of the new king, Zedekiah. In it he related what God had told him about what He wanted them to do in Babylon. He told them to settle there and build houses and plant food and eat it, get married and have children and help them find spouses and so on. God wanted the people of Judah to grow in number. But not to listen to the prophets there with them because they had not been sent by God. After 70 years they would return to Jerusalem, strong and healthy. The people who had been left behind would be tormented with war, hunger and disease until they were useless and left the land.

God told Jeremiah to get a scroll and write down what He said. He told Jeremiah that someday he would bring the people from Judah and Israel back to the land. God told the people that he heard their suffering. They were slaves and they needed to be punished. They would come back to God as servants. God told them not to be afraid, because they belong to Him. Someday they would return. The people would suffer for their sins, but God would protect them from enemies while they healed. God promised them they would come home to Jerusalem and rebuild it. It would be just as it was when the people obeyed God and He protected them. God was furious! He wouldn't calm down until He finished what He had decided to do.

Someday all the tribes would return to God. The Lord would rebuild Israel and once again they would dance for joy and celebrate worshiping God. The Lord would bring the people back from Babylon and everywhere else they were. God would protect His flock as a shepherd. Israel would once again be prosperous and happy. God would bless them with comfort and joy. And not to lose hope because someday the people would return. God told the people they belonged to Him and He would show them mercy.

Tomorrow read Jeremiah 31:21-33:26