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Jeremiah

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©Dominic LaBelle

Chapter 44:20-30 (ESV)

Posted on October 29, 2024  - By Chris LaBelle  

Chapter 44:20-30 (ESV) - Then Jeremiah said to all the people, men and women, all the people who had given him this answer: “As for the offerings that you offered in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, you and your fathers, your kings and your officials, and the people of the land, did not the LORD remember them? Did it not come into his mind? The LORD could no longer bear your evil deeds and the abominations that you committed. Therefore your land has become a desolation and a waste and a curse, without inhabitant, as it is this day. It is because you made offerings and because you sinned against the LORD and did not obey the voice of the LORD or walk in his law and in his statutes and in his testimonies that this disaster has happened to you, as at this day.”

Jeremiah said to all the people and all the women, “Hear the word of the LORD, all you of Judah who are in the land of Egypt. Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: You and your wives have declared with your mouths, and have fulfilled it with your hands, saying, ‘We will surely perform our vows that we have made, to make offerings to the queen of heaven and to pour out drink offerings to her.’ Then confirm your vows and perform your vows! Therefore hear the word of the LORD, all you of Judah who dwell in the land of Egypt: Behold, I have sworn by my great name, says the LORD, that my name shall no more be invoked by the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, ‘As the LORD God lives.’ Behold, I am watching over them for disaster and not for good. All the men of Judah who are in the land of Egypt shall be consumed by the sword and by famine, until there is an end of them. And those who escape the sword shall return from the land of Egypt to the land of Judah, few in number; and all the remnant of Judah, who came to the land of Egypt to live, shall know whose word will stand, mine or theirs. This shall be the sign to you, declares the LORD, that I will punish you in this place, in order that you may know that my words will surely stand against you for harm: Thus says the LORD, Behold, I will give Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies and into the hand of those who seek his life, as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who was his enemy and sought his life.”

Question to consider: What sign was the LORD giving them to know that Jeremiah was given the truth, and their idolatry was a lie?

Contrary to the modern cultural mood, truth is not something that changes depending on who utters it. However, the same set of facts or evidence may be interpreted differently depending upon someone’s perspective about the world. In today’s passage, the people of Judah who were making cake and drink offerings to the queen of heaven believed that it resulted in their prosperity, and they believed that the judgment which came upon Judah occurred when these offerings had ceased. 

Jeremiah declared that the opposite was true— Judah was judged for their idolatry, and their continued disobedience in Egypt would result in their destruction. This creates a legitimate quandary. Which one was right?

Even though there was thousands of years of history they could have used to get to know the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the LORD still offered a sign for them to know that Jeremiah was the one declaring the truth. Just as the LORD gave Zedekiah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, so He would give Pharaoh Hophra into the hand of his enemies.

In 570 BC, Pharaoh Hophra was killed in a civil uprising led by Amasis. In 567 BC (a little more than two years later), Egypt was invaded by Nebuchadnezzar, and the judgment declared by the LORD through Jeremiah came to pass on the Judeans living in the land of Egypt. This would have been plenty of time for them to recognize the sign given to Jeremiah and repent of their idolatry.

Does the LORD give us such signs today? I would argue that we received the complete revelation of the LORD with the establishment of the New Testament scriptures. The great sign that verified this was prophesied by Jesus in Luke 21, Matthew 24, and Mark 13 regarding the destruction of the earthly temple which ushered in the kingdom age in which Christ still rules from the heavenly temple. Even before this sign took place was its anti-type— the destruction of the temple of Christ’s body, His resurrection on the third day, and His ascension to the right hand of God as our Great High Priest.

Before Jesus ascended, He said to His disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20) This promise is renewed for us every time we receive Christ through His word and sacraments.

Prayer

Dear heavenly Father, thank You for continuing to fill us with Your Holy Spirit and for continuing to give us Christ and His righteousness even though we deserve the same judgment as those in today’s passage. Please renew our faith and joy in Christ Jesus. Amen.