November 02, 2011
Some of the people had already been taken captive. They had surrendered to God's plan. The LORD had Jeremiah send them a letter to tell them what to do. The LORD said:
God goes on to explain what will happen to those who refuse to surrender to His plan. War, hunger, terrible disease, bad figs too rotten to eat, hated, shamed, destroyed. All because they refused to listen to His message that He sent to them over and over again. "They have also spoken lies and said those lies were a message from me. I did not tell them to do that. I know what they have done; I am a witness to it, says the LORD."
Jeremiah said, "You will be there a long time, so build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat what they grow." Continue to LIVE! While waiting on the LORD, continue to LIVE!
For those who will not listen, Jeremiah 29:18 says, "I will make them..." God is in control. Surrender to His authority. Submit to His will.
We are waiting on the LORD. He may use others to fulfill HIS will, but it is the LORD who will free us.
Addendum: 10/30/19 ~ As I was reading these chapters this morning the methods Shemaiah used to try and discredit (and destroy) Jeremiah jumped out at me. Shemaiah tried to use the very words God gave Jeremiah to say as the means to try and destroy him.
Shemaiah was part of the group who was already captive in Babylon but he obviously was not there because he surrendered to God's authority when God told them to willingly go into captivity. Because here he is doing everything he can to harm Jeremiah and with an audacious spirit says, "So why haven't you arrested him? Jeremiah has sent this message to us in Babylon: You will be there for a long time, so build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat what they grow." How dare Jeremiah!!! How dare he say we will be here a long time. How dare he say we should settle down, build houses and plant gardens. How dare he!! Get him!! Destroy him!! Who does he think he is?
And what happened? Shemaiah and his family were the ones who were destroyed. When someone chooses to try to harm God's true followers they are choosing to walk down a very dangerous path.
Next Entry: A Letter to Our Grandchildren
Some of the people had already been taken captive. They had surrendered to God's plan. The LORD had Jeremiah send them a letter to tell them what to do. The LORD said:
- Build houses
- Settle in the land
- Plant gardens
- Enjoy the fruits of your labor
- Get married
- Have families
- Do good things where you are
- Pray to the LORD
- Don't fight your circumstances
- Don't be led astray by the lies of false prophets
- I know what I am planning for you
- I have good plans for you
- I don't have plans to hurt you
- I will give you hope
- I will give you a good future
Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." That familiar verse is often quoted, but the key to successful living is found in the next verses.
"Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I WILL LISTEN TO YOU. You will search for me. And when you search for me with all you heart, you will find me! I WILL LET YOU FIND ME, and I will bring you back from your captivity... AND I WILL BRING YOU BACK TO THIS PLACE."What a thought! What a promise! What a reality! God knows!! He knows His plans for us, and they are good plans! What God wants/needs from us in order to implement those plans is our obedience and our surrendered hearts and lives no matter what the circumstances we are in. He wants our open hands. He wants us to be willing to drive a stake in the ground. A stake that represents our surrendered lives; our surrendered fears; our surrendered hopes and dreams; our surrendered pride; our surrendered everything. EVERYTHING laid down and surrendered to Him—no matter what. He wants our willingness to be held captive for however long it takes in order for God to accomplish His plan. And then! AND THEN the most incredible thing happens. When we search for God with all our hearts WE FIND HIM! BECAUSE HE WILL LET US FIND HIM!!
God goes on to explain what will happen to those who refuse to surrender to His plan. War, hunger, terrible disease, bad figs too rotten to eat, hated, shamed, destroyed. All because they refused to listen to His message that He sent to them over and over again. "They have also spoken lies and said those lies were a message from me. I did not tell them to do that. I know what they have done; I am a witness to it, says the LORD."
Jeremiah said, "You will be there a long time, so build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat what they grow." Continue to LIVE! While waiting on the LORD, continue to LIVE!
For those who will not listen, Jeremiah 29:18 says, "I will make them..." God is in control. Surrender to His authority. Submit to His will.
We are waiting on the LORD. He may use others to fulfill HIS will, but it is the LORD who will free us.
Addendum: 10/30/19 ~ As I was reading these chapters this morning the methods Shemaiah used to try and discredit (and destroy) Jeremiah jumped out at me. Shemaiah tried to use the very words God gave Jeremiah to say as the means to try and destroy him.
Shemaiah was part of the group who was already captive in Babylon but he obviously was not there because he surrendered to God's authority when God told them to willingly go into captivity. Because here he is doing everything he can to harm Jeremiah and with an audacious spirit says, "So why haven't you arrested him? Jeremiah has sent this message to us in Babylon: You will be there for a long time, so build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat what they grow." How dare Jeremiah!!! How dare he say we will be here a long time. How dare he say we should settle down, build houses and plant gardens. How dare he!! Get him!! Destroy him!! Who does he think he is?
And what happened? Shemaiah and his family were the ones who were destroyed. When someone chooses to try to harm God's true followers they are choosing to walk down a very dangerous path.
Next Entry: A Letter to Our Grandchildren
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