Jeremiah Chapter 37 "Jeremiah's Public Message." This Bible Study is written by Roger
Christopherson, and it's transcription/ location is
provided by http://www.theseason.org Jeremiah is giving us a history less as to exactly what we can expect to happen in the end time. Our generation is without an excuse when they fall to the king of Babylon of the book of Revelation, because what is happening in the book of Jeremiah, will be as it shall be just prior to the coming of Satan the Antichrist [instead of Christ]. Remember Paul told us in 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." These historical events happened as an example to us as to how it will be at the end of this earth age. This is why it is important to understand how it was then, because the events that are going on today are exactly as it was in Jeremiah's day. The events are developing to the point where it will be a mirror image of how it shall be just before the king of Babylon of our times appears. Keep in mind that there were three sieges made against Jerusalem, that is three different attacks on the city and people. Are you paying attention to the current events and the different major attacks that are underway now? We are living in the end times, and the events are going on now, yet Christians are missing so very much because they have rejected much of the letter that our Heavenly Father has given us through His prophets, like Jeremiah. Jeremiah 37:1 "And king Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah." In the last chapter Jehoiachin was the king, and Jeremiah pronounced what would happen to him for the burning of the rolls that Baruch read from. We see that Jehoiakim, whose name was changed by God to Coniah is no longer around, but Zedekiah, is in power who will be the last king to reign in Jerusalem before its destruction. Notice that it was king Nebuchadnzzar that placed Zedekiah in office as the King in Jerusalem. To place this in true perspective in prophecy, in other words, Satan is setting up people in authority. Nebuchadnezzar did more than that, Zedekiah's name before Nebuchadnezzar appointed him was Mattaniah, and it was Nebuchaddnezzar that made the name change. II Kings 24:17 "And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father's brother king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah." II Kings 24:18 "Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah." Notice also that this Jeremiah is also a different person than the prophet. Nebuchadnezzar appointed this young man, because he expected to be able to control him over that part of his empire. Zedekiah came to power because God promised king Coniah that none his children would reign, because of his wickedness. So Zedekiah was not put in charge by the house of Judah, nor by God, but by the king of Babylon. This is an example of how things are going to be in the end times. When you see people in authority, exercising that authority, when the people of God did not place him there, look beyond his authority and see what authoritative powers placed him there, and who controls what he does. Jeremiah 37:2 "But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did hearken unto the words of the LORD, which he spake by the prophet Jeremiah." Just as soon as the king of Babylon placed king Zedekiah on the throne, and departed back to Babylon with the former king [Coniah], and all the precious vessels, and many of the children [including Daniel] they are still fighting against the fact that God instructed them that they are going into captivity. The instructions were that "if you go into captivity, you will live". The meaning here was that they would feed you, and take care of you. As this applies to us today, it means that the king of Babylon is coming, and he will be in power, right along with those that he has chosen, and God intends to use His own elect to perform a service. They will deliver a service to all people, whereby when we are delivered up before the synagogue of Satan, which is this king of Babylon in the futuristic sense, you will not premeditate what you will say, but the Holy Spirit of God will speak through you at that time, and give you the words to say. Mark 13:11 "But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost." The refusing to allow the Holy Spirit to speak through you then will be committing the unforgettable sin upon the soul of that elect of God. The reason for this speaking out and allowing the Holy Spirit to give the message, is that "the gospel must go forth to the entire world." That is how the gospel will go forth in that final hour before the end of this earth age comes to a close. Just like the people of the land of Jeremiah's day closing their minds to the truth, so also will the people of our day close their minds to the truth, and gladly be destroyed in ignorance, because they refuse to listen to the truth, and follow that instruction. What is happening today are the events of Matthew 24, Mark 13, and those events are the same as the seven seals of Revelation, which are the seven trumpets which are sounded in the order of the events. The Word of God in this generation has been so changed into traditions, that it is easy to see why they will be so easily fooled, they are taught that you don't need to know many parts dealing with the end times, because when the Antichrist come, they won't be here. It is a very sad thing to see such ignorance, in people that refuse to listen to God's letter written to them. Jeremiah 37:3 "And Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, Pray now unto the LORD our God for us." "Jehucal" in the Hebrew tongue means "able". Notice that these people continue to tell others, including the prophet Jeremiah, to pray for them, and tell God to help us. However they will not listen to what God has said, and their prayers go against what God has said will come to pass. They want God to help them go against God's will for them, and they want it done right now. Friend, this is ignorance. It is going to happen the way God wants it to happen, and God will not listen to any of the foolishness that you put before Him. When we pray to God, we should pray that God will use me in His plan, and then the blessings will flow. Jeremiah 37:4 "Now Jeremiah came in and went out among the people: for they had not put him into prison." We see that the kings have changed, and when Coniah was taken to Babylon, Jeremiah was released. Jeremiah 37:5 "Then Pharaoh's army was come forth out of Egypt: and when the Chaldeans that besieged Jerusalem heard tidings of them, they departed from Jerusalem." When Nebuchadnezzar saw the defiance in Jerusalem against his authority, here came his army back to Jerusalem. [Babylonians are the Chaldeans] When Zedekiah saw the army coming to Jerusalem, he sent for help from the Pharaoh in Egypt. This action again is in defiance against what God has said will come to pass. When Nebuchadzzar saw the Egyptian army coming, he delayed the attack, and the Egyptians returned home. There is a lot of repetition in Jeremiah, however there is a little more given each time so that you mind can retain each part. This is another part of the attack that we can in our generation, that when Satan moves, he may give a little only to come back and advance just beyond where he was before. We see it in Education, Politics, Religion, and even in the Economic welfare of Christian nations. Rather then depending on God, they are going to work out the battle plan for themselves. The people thought the job was finished, and the Babylonians had gone home, but again the were believing in a lie. Again this is a type of what is coming upon us, so pay attention. It is easier to learn from God's Word, then to suffer the through the mistakes that you can fall into. Jeremiah 37:6 "Then came the word of the LORD unto the prophet Jeremiah, saying," Jeremiah 37:7 "Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me to inquire of me; Behold, Pharaoh's army, which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land." God is now giving Jeremiah the prophet special instructions to give directly to king Zedekiah. God is telling Zedekiah that you are counting on Egypt to give you protection, yet soon Egypt is going to turn and run like a dog with his tail between his legs. Jeremiah 37:8 "And the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city, and take it, and burn it with fire." Though the second siege did not destroy Jerusalem, the third siege will be complete destruction of Jerusalem. The Chaldeans, or Babylonians will return and the next time there will be no defenses. This message was given over and over, yet none of the people from the king to the lowest person on the street will not listen to God's prophet's warning. God's plan is set and these people are still trying to change it. Jeremiah 37:9 "Thus saith the LORD; Deceive not yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us: for they shall not depart." God is telling Zedekiah to stop kidding himself with your hopes and fairy tales, what I have spoken will come to pass. Don't let these preachers, and false prophets deceive you. Listen to the Word of God, for it shall come to pass exactly as written. Jeremiah 37:10 "For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet should they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire." God is saying that though you and the Pharaoh's army killed all but a few men, and they were just a bunch of stragglers and wounded men, God is saying that he will take them and kill you and burn down your cities. Friend, this applies also in our generation when so-called Christians take matters in their own hands and go against His Word, even though what they might do is in the name of God. They try to prepare their own way to the end and overlook what God has laid out for the events of this time. It is time to know and study the Word, and not to skim the Word and make it conform to your liking. It just won't cut it in this day and age. Don't look for the easy out, or the security blanket of the fly away people. If you are one of God's elect, you will have faith in Him do protect you, and see through the times of deception ahead. Many are looking for physical destruction, and completely overlook the spiritual warfare that is the true battle of deception that will destroy this generation. When the look and hear the cries of peace everywhere, then destruction comes. It is a spiritual destruction, and the battlefield is in the minds of the people. The war is fought with words, and concepts, and not with guns and tanks. Our faith will protect us just as when the three Hebrew children walked into the fiery furnace, and not a hair on their head was singed. So also will God protect His own when the fire of Satan's lies are burning the entire earth. Of course God will take care of you and your family as you walk your daily life, Jesus said I will never leave you nor forsake you, and you can count on that promise my friend. Jeremiah 37:11 "And it came to pass, that when the army of the Chaldeans was broken up from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh's army," When the Babylonian generals saw the Pharaoh's army coming, they respected their forces, and retreated, rather then do battle. Jeremiah 37:12 "Then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to separate himself thence in the midst of the people." Remember that it was in the land of Benjamin that Jeremiah bought a piece of property at Anathoth, where the priest's lived. That is also where his family lived. Jeremiah placed that deed to the property in an earthen bottle, and buried it in Anathoth, to be retrieved in the Millennium age. Jeremiah 37:13 "And when he was in the gate of Benjamin, a captain of the ward was there, whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he took Jeremiah the prophet, saying, Thou fallest away to the Chaldeans." Jeremiah came to the gate, and before he could enter, he was taken by Irijah the captain of the guard. The charge that this captain made against Jeremiah was that he was not of Judah, but that he had deserted to the Chaldeans. He had become a deserter, and was giving comfort to the enemy. This was not Jeremiah's intention for coming to Anathoth, for he did own property here. The famine was taking place in the city of Jerusalem, and there was outbreaks of pestilence, and Jeremiah would have rather been in the land of Benjamin during the siege. Jeremiah was accused of leaving the city before the start of the third siege of Jerusalem, for that is the message that he was preaching. So this is what follow the charge of desertion against Jeremiah. Jeremiah 37:14 "Then said Jeremiah, It is false; I fall not away to the Chaldeans. But he hearkened not to him: so Irijah took Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes." Jeremiah called out, that is a lie, have have not gone over to the Chaldeans, but the Irijah just closed his ear to what he was saying and took him to the jail. Jeremiah 37:15 "Wherefore the princes were wroth with Jeremiah, and smote him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe: for they had made that the prison." When Irijah called Jeremiah a deserter or a traitor, it was branding hatred toward him, whether true of not. No one likes a deserter or traitor. This is why Jeremiah would cry out loud, "Its a lie". We will see that God will take care of Jeremiah. Jeremiah 37:16 "When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon, and into the cabins, and Jeremiah had remained there many days;" Jeremiah 37:17 "Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took him out: and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, Is there any word from the LORD? And Jeremiah said, There is: for, said he, thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon." Jeremiah had been telling the same words for that past twenty years, and now the king is wondering if God has changed his mind, or maybe the time in the jail would have changed and soften Jeremiah's story. The commitment from God was just the same as when Jeremiah first told it. Just as that historical event came to pass, so also will the king of Babylon of the book or Revelation also come. He will come when Michael throws him our to heaven onto the earth, along with all his fallen angels, and the will deceive the entire world. Revelation 12:9 "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." Revelation 12:10 "And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." This person, Satan, who is also called the dragon, the accuser, the old serpent, and many other names by the roles he plays is the same one that will play the role of the Antichrist, the king of Babylon who will reign over the entire world in our generation. Just as Jeremiah now declares that the king of Babylon would come to destroy Jerusalem, in prophecy he also declares that we can count on Satan also to come looking like the morning star, and deceiving the whole world. "Antichrist" translated means "instead of Jesus", and he will cause a revival to cover the entire earth, only the revival is what the bible calls the "great Apostasy", or falling away. To all of God's elect, this is nothing to worry about, for it means that we are that much closer to the end, when Jesus shall also return, and the Antichrist and all his evil realm shall be taken from the earth. Jeremiah 37:18 "Moreover Jeremiah said unto king Zedekiah, What have I offended against thee, or against thy servants, or against this people, that ye have put me in prison?" Jeremiah is asking the king to name one thing that he has done that cause him to be placed in prison. Jeremiah is taking advantage of the king, for remember that the king wants a secret word from God. This should tell you something about the rulers of the time, he is the king, yet he doesn't have the guts to openly ask for Jeremiah to come to him, and give him answers to his questions. Jeremiah 37:19 "Where are now your prophets which prophesied unto you, saying, The king of Babylon shall not come against you, nor against this land?" Jeremiah is taunting the king, as he is asking him where those false prophets are that have been teaching against God's Word. As the days continue to get nearer to the coming of the Antichrist, and the events of prophecy fail time after time of what these false prophets were saying, the people sort of lose faith in the mob of false preachers that spouted their lies. As we sit and listen over and over to these false preachers continue to tell their people that the book of Revelation, as well as the Old Testament is not to be understood, the people continue to believe them. They say that the Minor Prophets were written to another generation, and it just doesn't pertain to us. They believe that they will be gone, the rapture is coming, and that fairy tale is what many are using to hide their ignorance, and laziness in studying His Word today. It shall happen exactly as it is written, and the time is short. Jeremiah 37:20 "Therefore hear now, I pray thee, O my lord the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be accepted before thee; that thou cause me not to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there." Jeremiah doesn't want to go back to Jonathan's prison, for he knows that he will die there. The war is coming, and They are not feeding him, for one thing. Jeremiah 37:21 "Then Zedekiah the king commanded that they should commit Jeremiah into the court of the prison, and that they should give him daily a piece of bread out of the bakers' street, until all the bread in the city were spent. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison." Don't look at this like Zedekiah is saving Jeremiah, no, it is God that is allowing Jeremiah to stay in Jerusalem during the third siege. Remember the famine is on, and pestilence is everywhere. The care for prisoners is not high on anyone's list. But the king has ordered that as long bread could be bought in the streets, Jeremiah was to be fed. Jeremiah is a prime example of what we are seeing today, not only in our own nation, but world wide, especially from the political system, we call one worldism. The leaders or the United Nations are becoming skilled in lying, and deceiving the people of the world into becoming part of their system. and as nations do, their leaders see the tricks and deceit that is being used on them. To lie has become a way of life in politics, and to steal, and deceive is considered just a way of doing business. Though the king would have you believe that he sneaked in the protection of Jeremiah, it was God that took care of Jeremiah. This chapter continues right into the next chapter.
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