JEREMIAH LESSON 47
We will begin this lesson in Jeremiah 44:1 "The word that came to
Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in the land of Egypt,
which dwell at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Noph, and in the
country of Pathros, saying,"
In the last lessons Jeremiah had warned them not to go to Egypt,
or the wrath of God would descend upon them . We see they have defied
the warnings and went to Egypt anyhow. The names above are just some
of the cities in Egypt where they are living. I want to say, one more
time, Egypt is a type of the world. The message for Christians in this
is to stay in the city of God. Do not go back into the world after you
are saved.
Jeremiah 44:2 "Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel;
Ye have seen all the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon
all the cities of Judah; and, behold, this day they [are] a
desolation, and no man dwelleth therein,"
There was no doubt from even the Chaldeans that this was a
judgement of God. God had warned them over and over through Jeremiah
to stop worshipping false gods, but they continued their evil ways.
God finally poured his wrath out upon his people. Really God was not
at fault for this. The people brought it on themselves because of
their unfaithfulness.
Jeremiah 44:3 "Because of their wickedness which they have
committed to provoke me to anger, in that they went to burn incense,
[and] to serve other gods, whom they knew not, [neither] they, ye, nor
your fathers."
We have spoken so many times in these lessons about the Jews
being the wife of God symbolically. The worship of other gods is like
an unfaithful wife. This is spiritual adultery. Just as a jealous
husband will not tolerate and unfaithful wife, God will not tolerate
unfaithfulness from his chosen. The burning of incense in the temple
of God symbolized the rising of the prayers of saints to heaven. You
can see why burning incense to false gods would be so bad.
Jeremiah 44:4 "Howbeit I sent unto you all my servants the
prophets, rising early and sending [them], saying, Oh, do not this
abominable thing that I hate."
Jeremiah had not been the only prophet that God had sent to warn
them. Jeremiah was one that stayed and prophesied to them for about 40
years. They could not say they were not warned. They did not accept
Jeremiah's message, because it was not a message of prosperity. They
did not want the truth. They wanted to hear something that would
tickle their ears.
Jeremiah 44:5 "But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to
turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense unto other gods."
They had ears to hear, but they did not hear. They heard words
and did not accept Jeremiah's warning to them.
Jeremiah 44:6 "Wherefore my fury and mine anger was poured forth,
and was kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of
Jerusalem; and they are wasted [and] desolate, as at this day."
They should have learned from the very recent destruction of
Jerusalem and Judah. This is another warning to learn from the past. I
personally believe that is why it is so important to read the Old
Testament as well as the New. The modern Christian can find signs we
need to heed. This Scripture says it well. I Corinthians 10:11 "Now
all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are
written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."
Jeremiah 44:7 "Therefore now thus saith the LORD, the God of
hosts, the God of Israel; Wherefore commit ye [this] great evil
against your souls, to cut off from you man and woman, child and
suckling, out of Judah, to leave you none to remain;"
Therefore, connects this verse to the verse before. Because of
their great sin, they have willfully committed, God has destroyed
Judah. This remnant could have been saved, if they would have obeyed
the LORD, but they chose to disobey God. They have sinned to the
destruction of their own souls.
Jeremiah 44:8 "In that ye provoke me unto wrath with the works of
your hands, burning incense unto other gods in the land of Egypt,
whither ye be gone to dwell, that ye might cut yourselves off, and
that ye might be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the
earth?"
These were God's chosen people to bring a blessing upon the
entire earth through Abraham. Genesis 26:4 "And I will make thy seed
to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all
these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be
blessed;" It is such a shame that all nations were to be blessed
through them and in verse 8 above we see curses by them. They were
God's example on the earth and they have failed.
Jeremiah 44:9 "Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers,
and the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickedness of their
wives, and your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives,
which they have committed in the land of Judah, and in the streets of
Jerusalem?"
This is a very sad thing that they had sinned so much, they did
not even recognize the fact that they were sinning. This seems that
from the least to the greatest were all caught up in sin. Wives,
usually set a standard of righteousness for their families. They teach
their children righteousness as well. The sin had gotten so bad, even
they were involved.
Jeremiah 44:10 "They are not humbled [even] unto this day,
neither have they feared, nor walked in my law, nor in my statutes,
that I set before you and before your fathers."
They had been a proud, stiff-necked people. They were the
opposite of humble. James 4:6 "But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he
saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."
God was trying to teach them that to be His children was a daily walk.
They must remain faithful to Him.
Jeremiah 44:11 "Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God
of Israel; Behold, I will set my face against you for evil, and to cut
off all Judah."
God is a holy God. He cannot look upon sin, without burning it
up. This is the situation here. Judah had to be destroyed because of
their unrepented sin.
Jeremiah 44:12 "And I will take the remnant of Judah, that have
set their faces to go into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and
they shall all be consumed, [and] fall in the land of Egypt; they
shall [even] be consumed by the sword [and] by the famine: they shall
die, from the least even unto the greatest, by the sword and by the
famine: and they shall be an execration, [and] an astonishment, and a
curse, and a reproach."
God had given them another chance when he destroyed the land of
Judah and Jerusalem. They did not learn from the experience. They will
now face the same curse of God for their sin, as Judah did.
Jeremiah 44:13 "For I will punish them that dwell in the land of
Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, by the sword, by the famine, and
by the pestilence:"
It seems so strange, if God is going to totally destroy them,
that He would still be telling them what was coming. I believe, even
at this point, if they had returned out of Egypt, God would have saved
them. God is longsuffering. II Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack
concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is
longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that
all should come to repentance."
Jeremiah 44:14 "So that none of the remnant of Judah, which are
gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall escape or remain,
that they should return into the land of Judah, to the which they have
a desire to return to dwell there: for none shall return but such as
shall escape."
This is still pleading with them to go back home to where God put
them, before it is too late. After His wrath falls, it will be too
late.
Jeremiah 44:15 "Then all the men which knew that their wives had
burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a
great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt,
in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying," Jeremiah 44:16 "[As for] the
word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will
not hearken unto thee."
This is speaking of total rejection of the Word of the LORD. This
is just about the worst sin a person can commit. This is total
rejection of God's message. They have openly committed spiritual
adultery by burning incense to false gods. The men and the women are
guilty.
Jeremiah 44:17 "But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth
forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven,
and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our
fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in
the streets of Jerusalem: for [then] had we plenty of victuals, and
were well, and saw no evil."
This is just choosing to worship a false god, for advantages they
think they will receive from them. They chose this evil queen over
God. They are not interested in the message Jeremiah brings them from
God. They are like the people of our day, who want a feel good
religion. They are doing whatever is pleasing to their own flesh.
They are so blind, they do not realize their food came from God. They
gave this false goddess credit for providing their food.
Jeremiah 44:18 "But since we left off to burn incense to the
queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have
wanted all [things], and have been consumed by the sword and by the
famine."
They did not realize that the problems they were having now was
in punishment for worshipping false gods like the queen of heaven.
This queen is like all the idols, she is a nothing. She can do nothing
to help them. The worship of this queen, would bring nothing but
hopelessness. We might take a lesson from this on idolatry. There is
only one God. Jesus is the only mediator. Te seek help through
another, would be sin.
Jeremiah 44:19 "And when we burned incense to the queen of
heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes
to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our
men?"
This is just explaining that the husbands were in one accord with
their wives burning incense to this false queen of heaven. The sad
thing in all of this is that I see our society today. The society as a
whole has decided to follow the false god of the flesh. You just need
to turn on the television for a moment to see this is true. The men
and the women are caught up in worship that is not holy, but pleasing
to themselves.
Jeremiah 44:20 "Then Jeremiah said unto all the people, to the
men, and to the women, and to all the people which had given him
[that] answer, saying," Jeremiah 44:21 "The incense that ye burned in
the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, ye, and your
fathers, your kings, and your princes, and the people of the land, did
not the LORD remember them, and came it [not] into his mind?"
God is not like man. He does not forget anything. They were not
unfaithful just once. It was a way of life with them.
Jeremiah 44:22 "So that the LORD could no longer bear, because of
the evil of your doings, [and] because of the abominations which ye
have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and an
astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day."
They had broken the heart of the LORD. He loved them so much, but
they did not return His love. An abomination is a revolting sin. The
land is desolate because of their sin. The terrible thing about all of
this is, I see a picture of our land in this. There is sin and
abomination everywhere you look. The very same sins that Sodom and
Gomorrah were destroyed for, are present in our land. How long will it
be, before God cannot bear our unfaithfulness?
Jeremiah 44:23 "Because ye have burned incense, and because ye
have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed the voice of the
LORD, nor walked in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his
testimonies; therefore this evil is happened unto you, as at this
day."
This is an indictment on them, but also on us. God does not bring
punishment on anyone unprovoked. They have deliberately continued to
walk in their own ways. They have rebelled against God.
Jeremiah 44:24 "Moreover Jeremiah said unto all the people, and
to all the women, Hear the word of the LORD, all Judah that [are] in
the land of Egypt:"
The women were specifically mentioned here, because they had
burned the incense to this false queen of heaven. He reminds them also
that they are in Egypt where the LORD had specifically told them not
to go.
Jeremiah 44:25 "Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel,
saying; Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and
fulfilled with your hand, saying, We will surely perform our vows that
we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out
drink offerings unto her: ye will surely accomplish your vows, and
surely perform your vows."
They think nothing of breaking the vows that they and their
fathers had made to God. Jeremiah is saying, you surely will perform
your vows to this false queen of heaven. It is implied by him that
they would receive their punishment from the LORD. This would be their
reward for the evil they had done and said.
Jeremiah 44:26 "Therefore hear ye the word of the LORD, all Judah
that dwell in the land of Egypt; Behold, I have sworn by my great
name, saith the LORD, that my name shall no more be named in the mouth
of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, The Lord GOD
liveth."
Up until this time, the LORD had not left them, they had left the
LORD. He had been still trying to reason with them. Now He is through
reasoning with them. There is no greater name than the name of the
LORD. The reason that no one will say, "The LORD liveth", is because
they will all die.
Jeremiah 44:27 "Behold, I will watch over them for evil, and not
for good: and all the men of Judah that [are] in the land of Egypt
shall be consumed by the sword and by the famine, until there be an
end of them."
There is a danger in worshipping false gods. This has never
stopped. It seems people would rather believe a lie, than to believe
the One True God. There are always false prophets. Every age has had
them. The only way not to be deceived by them, is to know the Bible.
Be familiar with its Words. Be led by the Spirit of God and not by
your flesh. Try every spirit and see whether it is of God or not.
Destruction comes to those who wander away from the Truth.
Jeremiah 44:28 Yet a small number that escape the sword shall
return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah, and all the
remnant of Judah, that are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn
there, shall know whose words shall stand, mine, or theirs."
It seems this remnant is saved to tell future generations of who
really is God. Elijah proved this very thing on Mount Carmel, when God
destroyed the prophets of Baal. It seems people never learn. God is
the only Truth.
Jeremiah 44:29 "And this [shall be] a sign unto you, saith the
LORD, that I will punish you in this place, that ye may know that my
words shall surely stand against you for evil:"
It is such a shame that they will not learn without the wrath of
God being poured out on them. Just as surely as this sign came upon
them and destroyed them, there is a wrath awaiting those today who
continue to worship false gods. Repent today and follow the One True
God. God is loving, but He is also Just.
Jeremiah 44:30 "Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give Pharaoh-
hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand
of them that seek his life; as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the
hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, his enemy, and that sought his
life."
This Hophra had fled to Egypt himself. He was not in the will of
the LORD either. The very same thing that happened to Judah and
Jerusalem will happen to Egypt. Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed Jerusalem
and Judah. This evil pharaoh would do no better. History tells us he
was strangled to death after the fall of Egypt.
Jeremiah 47 Questions
1. What had God warned them of in the last lesson?
2. They defied the warnings and went to _________ anyhow.
3. What are the names in verse 1?
4. Verse 2 is explaining to them that they should learn from what?
5. What was one of the wicked things they had done, mentioned in
verse 3?
6. These Jews were the ________ of God symbolically.
7. Their worship of a false god was like committing ___________
___________.
8. What did the burning of incense in the temple symbolize?
9. Who had God sent to warn them?
10. Why did they not accept Jeremiah's message?
11. They had ears to hear, but did not _______.
12. What happened to Jerusalem?
13. Quote 1 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 11.
14. This remnant could have been saved, if they had done what?
15. Quote Genesis chapter 26 verse 4.
16. Who in the family, was wicked?
17. They were a proud, ____________ people.
18. Quote James chapter 4 verse 6.
19. Why did Judah have to be destroyed?
20. He will punish those in Egypt as He did ________.
21. Quote 2 Peter chapter 3 verse 9.
22. Who are the only ones who will return to the land of Judah?
23. What did all the people say to Jeremiah about the Word of God they
received from him?
24. What is this, really?
25. They chose this evil _______ over God.
26. Who is the only mediator?
27. How did Jeremiah reply to them?
28. They were not unfaithful just once, it was a ________ __ ____ with
them.
29. Who were they keeping their vows to?
30. How is the only way to not be deceived?
31. What sign did God give them?
32. What happens to Egypt?
33. What happens to the evil Pharaoh-Hophra?
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