November 23, 2011
In Jeremiah 36 God declared that Jehoiakim's (who burnt the scroll) descendants would not sit on David's throne. In Jeremiah 37 we see the fulfillment of that happen. Jehoiakim's son Jehoiachin was removed by Nebuchadnezzar and replaced by Zedekiah (who was the son of Josiah and a brother to Jehoiakim). The events in this chapter occurred prior to Chapter 30.
Zedekiah did not listen to the words the LORD spoke through Jeremiah. The NIV says, "they didn't pay attention." It's interesting to see how the core issues in Bible times are the exact same core issues as today. Zedekiah and the people did not listen to the LORD or obey His commands, yet when faced with hardship, on the surface anyhow, they wanted to know what God said about it. They knew but they refused. To actually obey meant they would have to change their hearts, minds, and actions. And that they refused to do. So, Zedekiah sends some men to Jeremiah. "Pray to the LORD our God for us." If it was truly "our" God, why did they need someone else to pray?
The Babylonians were surrounding Jerusalem but they heard the Egyptian army was advancing towards them so they left Jerusalem and went to fight the Egyptians. God tells Jeremiah to tell the men Zedekiah sent—I know why you are here. You've been sent to seek my help. The army that is surrounding you is leaving, but they will be back. They will capture Jerusalem and burn it down. This is what the Lord says, "...do not fool yourselves. Don't say 'the Babylonian army will surely leave us alone!' They will not! Even if you defeated all of the army that is attacking you and there were only a few injured men left in their tents, they would come from their tents and burn down Jerusalem!"
You cannot escape God's punishment! Cannot! We err when we think chance, happenstance, coincidence, and consequences are the reason for whatever happens to us. Jeremiah said (in Jeremiah 32:24), "because of war, hunger, and terrible diseases" they would be defeated. And God said—No Jeremiah, it has nothing to do with that. I forced the people out. It doesn't have anything to do with the strength, skill, or might of the opposing army. Even if there were only a few injured men in their tents they would be victorious over you because I AM IN CONTROL. I (God) warned and warned you. You (God's people) turned your back to me instead of your faces. The things that are happening are not chance, bad luck, coincidence, or happenstance. You are not a victim of others or circumstance. I have decided! I am in control!
The Babylonian army leaves. Jeremiah goes about his business. He wanted to leave and travel to the land of Benjamin to get his share of the property that belonged to his family. He was falsely accused of leaving to join the Babylonian army. Jeremiah denies it and says, "That's not true! I am not leaving to join the Babylonians." But his accuser refused to listen. He was arrested and put into a cell in a dungeon and "was there for a long time." Zedekiah, knowing what God said before and yet still refusing to listen, sent for Jeremiah. He met with him privately and asked, "Is there a message from the LORD?" Jeremiah answered, "Yes, there is... you will be handed over." Then Jeremiah asked, "What crime have I done" to be in a cell in a dungeon? Where are your "prophets" that said everything would be fine? Jeremiah felt like he would die if sent back to the dungeon. So Zedekiah had him moved to the courtyard to be imprisoned there. That is where Jeremiah was when the events in Jeremiah 30–33 were written.
Addendum: 7/28/16 ~ Oh my goodness. How did I not see this before? How did I miss the reason for Jeremiah being in prison in the courtyard of the guards in Jeremiah 33? I always thought Jeremiah was imprisoned because of preaching God's word. It is true that Zedekiah and Pashhur (along with many others) were upset with Jeremiah for speaking GOD's words. It is also true that Jeremiah was put in stocks, criticized, ridiculed, and falsely accused because of prophesying God's message. But Jeremiah 37:12–21 clearly states why Jeremiah was put in prison in the first place and why he was in the courtyard of the guards when God gave him the promise of restoration in Jeremiah 33.
How did I miss this???
I'm astounded. The circumstances around Jeremiah's imprisonment correlates exactly with our situation and "the storm." How did I miss this before? Thank you for showing me this now, Lord. Amazing. Truly amazing.
Here is what Jeremiah 37:12–21 says:
In Jeremiah 36 God declared that Jehoiakim's (who burnt the scroll) descendants would not sit on David's throne. In Jeremiah 37 we see the fulfillment of that happen. Jehoiakim's son Jehoiachin was removed by Nebuchadnezzar and replaced by Zedekiah (who was the son of Josiah and a brother to Jehoiakim). The events in this chapter occurred prior to Chapter 30.
Zedekiah did not listen to the words the LORD spoke through Jeremiah. The NIV says, "they didn't pay attention." It's interesting to see how the core issues in Bible times are the exact same core issues as today. Zedekiah and the people did not listen to the LORD or obey His commands, yet when faced with hardship, on the surface anyhow, they wanted to know what God said about it. They knew but they refused. To actually obey meant they would have to change their hearts, minds, and actions. And that they refused to do. So, Zedekiah sends some men to Jeremiah. "Pray to the LORD our God for us." If it was truly "our" God, why did they need someone else to pray?
The Babylonians were surrounding Jerusalem but they heard the Egyptian army was advancing towards them so they left Jerusalem and went to fight the Egyptians. God tells Jeremiah to tell the men Zedekiah sent—I know why you are here. You've been sent to seek my help. The army that is surrounding you is leaving, but they will be back. They will capture Jerusalem and burn it down. This is what the Lord says, "...do not fool yourselves. Don't say 'the Babylonian army will surely leave us alone!' They will not! Even if you defeated all of the army that is attacking you and there were only a few injured men left in their tents, they would come from their tents and burn down Jerusalem!"
You cannot escape God's punishment! Cannot! We err when we think chance, happenstance, coincidence, and consequences are the reason for whatever happens to us. Jeremiah said (in Jeremiah 32:24), "because of war, hunger, and terrible diseases" they would be defeated. And God said—No Jeremiah, it has nothing to do with that. I forced the people out. It doesn't have anything to do with the strength, skill, or might of the opposing army. Even if there were only a few injured men in their tents they would be victorious over you because I AM IN CONTROL. I (God) warned and warned you. You (God's people) turned your back to me instead of your faces. The things that are happening are not chance, bad luck, coincidence, or happenstance. You are not a victim of others or circumstance. I have decided! I am in control!
The Babylonian army leaves. Jeremiah goes about his business. He wanted to leave and travel to the land of Benjamin to get his share of the property that belonged to his family. He was falsely accused of leaving to join the Babylonian army. Jeremiah denies it and says, "That's not true! I am not leaving to join the Babylonians." But his accuser refused to listen. He was arrested and put into a cell in a dungeon and "was there for a long time." Zedekiah, knowing what God said before and yet still refusing to listen, sent for Jeremiah. He met with him privately and asked, "Is there a message from the LORD?" Jeremiah answered, "Yes, there is... you will be handed over." Then Jeremiah asked, "What crime have I done" to be in a cell in a dungeon? Where are your "prophets" that said everything would be fine? Jeremiah felt like he would die if sent back to the dungeon. So Zedekiah had him moved to the courtyard to be imprisoned there. That is where Jeremiah was when the events in Jeremiah 30–33 were written.
Addendum: 7/28/16 ~ Oh my goodness. How did I not see this before? How did I miss the reason for Jeremiah being in prison in the courtyard of the guards in Jeremiah 33? I always thought Jeremiah was imprisoned because of preaching God's word. It is true that Zedekiah and Pashhur (along with many others) were upset with Jeremiah for speaking GOD's words. It is also true that Jeremiah was put in stocks, criticized, ridiculed, and falsely accused because of prophesying God's message. But Jeremiah 37:12–21 clearly states why Jeremiah was put in prison in the first place and why he was in the courtyard of the guards when God gave him the promise of restoration in Jeremiah 33.
How did I miss this???
I'm astounded. The circumstances around Jeremiah's imprisonment correlates exactly with our situation and "the storm." How did I miss this before? Thank you for showing me this now, Lord. Amazing. Truly amazing.
Here is what Jeremiah 37:12–21 says:
- Jeremiah was just going about his own business. (We were just working as hard as we could for the betterment of our joint project. We had no idea we were being looked upon with suspicion and we had no idea there was trickery and scheming going on behind our backs.)
- Jeremiah's accuser was motivated by fear. (In the January of '07 "meeting," my sister and brother-in-law said they were afraid of me and said they could no longer trust us for fear of what we might do. They used their stated fear of me as the rationalization for their behavior.)
- Jeremiah was falsely accused of leaving to join the enemy. (My sister and brother-in-law accused us of trying to leave our joint project so we could take it for ourselves. Nothing could have been farther from the truth. When hidden truths began to be revealed we eventually knew we had to break all ties with them, but we never for one moment contemplated "joining the enemy" and removing them from their interest in our joint project by either going on by ourselves or joining with a new "partner."
- Jeremiah only wanted what was rightfully his. (Once we knew we had to separate ourselves from any type of business relationship with my sister and brother-in-law, the only thing we wanted was what was agreed upon and rightfully ours. That's it. Nothing more. If necessary, we were even willing to walk away with nothing if that is what it took to separate ourselves from them.)
- Jeremiah claimed his innocence. (We couldn't believe what all they accused us of. We were/are innocent. Period. But it didn't matter what we said. They were not interested in hearing the truth. Ironically, they accused us of their behavior.)
- Jeremiah's accuser refused to listen to him. (My sister and brother-in-law refused to listen to anything we had to say. They refused to believe anything other than what they wanted to believe to fit their agenda. They refused to sell to a third party; they refused to buy us out for a fraction of our interest; they refused to allow us to buy them out. They refused arbitration. They refused mediation. They refused settlement.)
- For no reason Jeremiah was imprisoned. (My sister and brother-in-law had no legitimate, legal, moral or any other valid reason to file a lawsuit against us. But as we soon learned, anyone can file a lawsuit or any reason. They manufactured, surmised, and randomly put together their "case" against us in their attempt to get the courts to uphold their deceit, trickery and schemes.)
- Jeremiah remained in prison until what God said would happen—happened. (We are still "captive" in the court system. There will come a day when we are freed from their lawsuit and the promises God so divinely gave us through the words of Jane E. Wolfe will be fulfilled. Until then, we will continue to have faith and trust in the great I AM.)
- When those who refused to listen were taken captive, Jeremiah was set free. (There will come day when accountability happens. God waited patiently while Noah built the boat, but there came a day when the door was shut. A New Beginning IS coming. There will come a day when God's promise of restoration WILL happen in its totality. There will come a day when we hear the words, "You are free to go.")
Addendum #2: 8/12/16 ~ I wonder how I missed this all the many other times I read it and why I just now became of aware of the reason why Jeremiah was locked up. Why is it just now connecting with me? I look at why Jeremiah was locked up and the progression of steps that happened before he was freed, and I wonder if there is any hope for changed lives in my sister and brother-in-law.
I spent all day yesterday at the Global Leadership Summit. I had some tea to drink in the afternoon and it was obviously too late in the day for me to be drinking tea as I was wide awake until about 3 A.M. last night. As I was lying awake, I began to think about how often God's Word talks about the need for people to change their hearts and lives and "get a new way of thinking." I want to have hope that will happen, but so far, nothing points in that direction. And when I think about it, nothing in this whole journal that I have been working on for the past seven years even remotely points in that direction.
It has been nine years now since my sister and brother-in-law filed the lawsuit. They have had nine years to change their hearts and mind and get a new way of thinking, however, their devious plans were put into motion several years prior to them filing the lawsuit. So, for at least eleven years, they have been focused on their plan for ill-gotten gain. You can only conclude (after all the conflict resolutions they have refused) that there has indeed been no change of heart or a new way of thinking.
Throughout scripture there are all sorts of examples of people who heard truth but refused to submit their lives to it. So, last night in bed, I was trying to think of examples of people who did hear truth and did repent and did change their hearts and lives and did get a new way of thinking. I kept asking God to show me. Is there someone? Are their examples of what appears to be the inevitable not happening? Is there reason to still hope? As I lay in bed, I started back at the beginning of the Bible trying to find situations and times when those who loved doing wrong changed their hearts and minds and got a new way of thinking.
Some of the names and situations I went through:
- Cain—No
- Time of Noah—the people were warned and warned. They refused to listen; God decided on the punishment; He waited patiently while Noah finished the boat; and then the time came when the door was shut. Did they change their hearts and minds? No.
- Pharaoh—No
- Eli was warned. Did he change? No
- Saul (of the Old Testament)—time after time Saul was given the opportunity to change. Did he change? No.
- Absalom—No
- Kings of Israel—No
- God used prophets to be His mouthpiece to His people.They issued His warnings over and over. Did His people listen and change? For the most part—No
- Rich young ruler—No
- The religious unbelievers (Pharisees and Sadducees)—No
- Judas—No
I suppose we could use the Prodigal Son. He for selfish reasons walked away from what was available to him in order to pursue his own desires. When things deteriorated, he DID change his thinking, and he DID return. I hope his change of heart and mind was sincere. I'm sure there are other examples in the Bible to point towards as well and they just aren't coming to my mind right now. But it is apparent there are many more examples of people who DID NOT change than there are people who DID change.
It is very disturbing to think about all of this. I want to have hope, but I also am a realist. What I do KNOW for sure is that God is a patient God who is full of grace and wants no one to perish. HE wants people to change their hearts and lives even more than I desire that for them. I take great comfort in that. While there is breath there is hope. While it may not be abundant hope it is hope nevertheless. I choose to continue to trust Him, no matter what.
Next Entry: Jeremiah 38:1–28
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