Jeremiah 27: 1 – 22
You decide
1 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2 “Thus says the LORD to me: ‘Make for yourselves bonds and yokes, and put them on your neck, 3 and send them to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of the Ammonites, the king of Tyre, and the king of Sidon, by the hand of the messengers who come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. 4 And command them to say to their masters, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel—thus you shall say to your masters: 5 ‘I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are on the ground, by My great power and by My outstretched arm, and have given it to whom it seemed proper to Me. 6 And now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant; and the beasts of the field I have also given him to serve him. 7 So all nations shall serve him and his son and his son’s son, until the time of his land comes; and then many nations and great kings shall make him serve them. 8 And it shall be, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and which will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation I will punish,’ says the LORD, ‘with the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand. 9 Therefore do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your soothsayers, or your sorcerers, who speak to you, saying, “You shall not serve the king of Babylon.” 10 For they prophesy a lie to you, to remove you far from your land; and I will drive you out, and you will perish. 11 But the nations that bring their necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let them remain in their own land,’ says the LORD, ‘and they shall till it and dwell in it.’?”?12 I also spoke to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, “Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live! 13 Why will you die, you and your people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the LORD has spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? 14 Therefore do not listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they prophesy a lie to you; 15 for I have not sent them,” says the LORD, “yet they prophesy a lie in My name, that I may drive you out, and that you may perish, you and the prophets who prophesy to you.” 16 Also I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Do not listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, “Behold, the vessels of the LORD’s house will now shortly be brought back from Babylon”; for they prophesy a lie to you. 17 Do not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon, and live! Why should this city be laid waste? 18 But if they are prophets, and if the word of the LORD is with them, let them now make intercession to the LORD of hosts, that the vessels which are left in the house of the LORD, in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, do not go to Babylon.’ 19 “For thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the pillars, concerning the Sea, concerning the carts, and concerning the remainder of the vessels that remain in this city, 20 which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take, when he carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem— 21 yes, thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that remain in the house of the LORD, and in the house of the king of Judah and of Jerusalem: 22 ‘They shall be carried to Babylon, and there they shall be until the day that I visit them,’ says the LORD. ‘Then I will bring them up and restore them to this place.’”
Let me start off by making you ‘king for a day’. Your name is Jehoiakim and a prophet from Father God Yahweh has come and given you an ultimatum. You are to make a choice for all the people under your authority. The question is what do you want life or death? If you choose life than you will have to be slaves. Okay, what’s your choice?
This example is not way out of reality. We make decisions every day; everything we say and do is the result of a decision, whether we make it consciously or not. For every choice, big or small, there's no easy formula for making the right decision. The best you can do is to approach it from as many perspectives as possible and then choose a course of action that seems reasonable and balanced at that time. If you have a big decision to make, it can seem daunting. But there are some simple things you can do to make it less intimidating, such as identifying the worst-case scenario, making a spreadsheet, and following your gut instinct.
Start by writing about the decision you need to make. Describe or list everything that you are worried about regarding this decision.
For example, you might start your journal by asking yourself, “What is the decision that I need to make and what am I afraid might happen if I make the wrong choice?”
Identify the worst-case scenario. Once you have written about the decision you need to make and why you are afraid regarding that decision, take it a step further. Try to identify the worst-case scenario for every possible choice. Pushing your decision to the limits of what could go wrong if all goes wrong may make the process less frightening.
Decide whether this worst-case scenario is likely to happen. It’s easy for us to “catastrophize,” or spin things out to the worst possible thing that can happen, without taking the time to think. Examine the worst scenario you’ve proposed, and then consider what would have to happen to get you there. Is this likely?
Consider whether the decision you make will be permanent. Once you have thought about everything that could go wrong, think about whether the decision is reversible.
The bible says that there is much wisdom in many counselors. Talk to friends or family members. Don’t feel like you must make a tough decision all by yourself. Share the details about the decision as well as your fears about what could go wrong. It may make you feel better to just vocalize your fears about the decision and your friend or family member may have some great advice and/or reassuring words for you.
You may also consider talking to someone who is removed from the situation and who will have a neutral opinion.
Stay calm. Riding high on emotions, either positive or negative, can impact your ability to make a rational decision. When you have any decision to make, the first step should generally be to stay as calm as possible. If you can't stay calm, put off making the decision until you're thinking clearly.
Get as much information as possible. Most decisions are made better when you have enough information to make an informed decision. Making decisions, especially if they're about important topics, should rely on logic. Do some research to find out as much as you can about your decision.
Think about who's affected. First and foremost, you should consider how your decision affects you. Specifically, how does your decision affect how you consider yourself as a person? What are your values and goals? Making decisions that are not “value-congruent” (i.e., they don’t align with the core beliefs that drive you) can leave you feeling unhappy and dissatisfied.
Your core values may sometimes conflict with one another, too. For example, you may have ambition and family-orienteers as core values. You may need to prioritize one over the other to come to a decision. Understanding what values will be affected by your decision can help you make the right one.
You should also consider how the problem or decision affects other people. Will any of the possible outcomes negatively affect people you care about? Take others into account throughout your decision-making process, especially if you are married or have children.
List all your options. At first sight, it may appear that there is only one course of action, but that is usually not true. Even if your situation seems limited, try to make a list of alternatives. Don't try to evaluate them until you've got a full list. Be thorough. If you’re having trouble thinking of alternatives, brainstorm with some family or friends.
Of course, this doesn't have to be a physical list. It can just be in your head too!
You can always cross items off the list later, but with crazy ideas might come some creative solutions that you might not have considered otherwise.
Research also suggests that having too many options can lead to confusion and make it harder to decide. Once you have generated your list, eliminate anything that is obviously impractical. Try to keep your list of options to about five items.
Make a spreadsheet to weigh the potential benefits and losses of your decisions. If your problem is complex and you feel overwhelmed by the variety of possible outcomes, consider making a spreadsheet to guide your decision-making process.
To make a spreadsheet, create a column for each possible choice that you are considering. Within each column, make two sub-columns to compare the benefits and losses of each possible outcome. Use + and – signs to indicate which items are positive and which items are negative.
After you are finished making the spreadsheet, you can add up the pluses and minuses and determine which decision has the highest amount. Just keep in mind that you may not be able to decide using this strategy alone.
Let the space between thoughts to arise. Creative people might not know it, but their ideas, decisions and solutions come at times when they are not thinking or thinking slowly. Which means creative and intelligent solutions or ideas come from a thoughtless state of consciousness. Which is why people meditate.
Its important to ask questions and gather information or knowledge before deciding, but if you want to come up with a truly creative and intelligent decision, you need to stop thinking or at least slow down the thinking.
Learn to distinguish between an impulse and intelligent decision. Impulse, usually, dissolves after some time. However, an intelligent decision stays in consciousness for a while. It could be days, weeks or months.
An intelligence decision may come in the form of an impulse but be aware if you feel the same way about the decision after some time. That's why taking gaps after collecting information, by asking questions, helps to make intelligent decisions.
Advise yourself as if you were a friend. Sometimes taking a step back from the decision can help you to determine the right choice. Think about what you would tell a good friend who was struggling with the same decision. What decision would you advise them to make? What would you try to get them to see about that decision? Why would you counsel them in this way?
Consider whether you’re feeling guilty. Deciding out of guilt is common, but guilt is not a helpful motivator for healthy decision making. Guilt often twists our perception of events and outcomes so that we aren’t seeing them (or our role in them) clearly. Guilt can be particularly common for working women, who face extra social pressure to perfectly balance work and family life.
Doing things because we feel guilty can also be harmful because it can lead us to make decisions that aren’t congruent with our values.
One way to recognize guilt motivation is to look for “should” or “must” statements. For example, you might feel as though
So, to determine whether your decision is being driven by guilt, try to step back and examine the actual situation, as well as what your personal values (your core beliefs that govern your life) tell you is right. do you feel that way because that is how you have been told by others you “should” feel?
Think about the future. At the end of the day, the best way to decide is to think about how you're going to feel about it in a few years. Think about what you'll think of yourself when you look in the mirror. How you'll explain it to your grandkids. If you don't like what the long-term repercussions are going to be, you may need to rethink your approach.
Trust your instincts. You probably have a sense of which decision is the right one, so if all else fails you should go with your gut. Make your decision based on what feels right even if the spreadsheet says otherwise. Research has shown that people who make decisions based on how they feel tend to be more satisfied with their decisions than people who carefully weigh them out.
Ask yourself what you want to do. Chances are you have a good sense of which decision will make you feel the happiest and you should lean towards that decision. It’s the change and the discomfort with the unknown that’s making the decision difficult.
Taking some moments for quiet reflection can help you get in touch with your intuition.
The more decisions you practice making, the more you can refine and hone your intuition.
Have a backup plan. Thinking ahead may help you to feel less bothered by any possible negative outcomes. Make a backup plan to deal with your worst-case scenario. Even if you are unlikely to need this plan, simply having a backup plan will help you to feel better equipped deal with the worst-case scenario. People who are in leadership positions are expected to always have a backup plan because there is always a chance that something might go wrong. This strategy may be helpful for making minor decisions as well.
Having a backup plan will also allow you to respond to unforeseen challenges or setbacks with flexibility. Your ability to adapt to unexpected circumstances can directly affect your ability to succeed with your decisions.
Make a choice. No matter which decision you make, be prepared to accept responsibility for every outcome. If things don't work out, it's always better to have made a conscious decision than to have been careless. At least you can say that you did the best you could. Make your decision and be ready to stand by it.
All right. Now that I have given you some pointers in deciding King Jehoiakim what is your answer?
My answer would be this;
1. I repent of all my sins
2. I ask forgiveness
3. I ask for God’s help to turn all this mess around.
4. I ask Him what I should do. What steps do I need to take? What do I need to change? What do I need to get rid of in my life?
5. I ask Him to help me stay on course in obeying all that He wants from me and for all those I am responsible.
Let’s now see what the real king chooses.
At YHWH’s command Jeremiah had to wear a yoke demonstrating bondage. The fact that the prophet of YHWH continually wore the yoke was an indication that the bondage was YHWH’s will. But it was when nations began to plot rebellion against Babylon that he was eventually told to send duplicates of his symbol of submission to many nations who were plotting rebellion against Babylon. All were to recognize that it was YHWH’s purpose that for the present they submit to Babylon’s yoke.
1 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
Jeremiah was instructed by our Holy God Yahweh to wear on his neck as a permanent symbol the imitation bonds and yokes described, because it was at this time that Judah had come under permanent bondage, first to Egypt and then to Babylon. This would be a continual reminder to Judah of Jeremiah’s message that their bondage was due to sin and could over the years have become a recognised feature of the prophet. The remainder of the chapter can then be describing how this symbol later came to be used in a special way when, in the reign of Zedekiah, these instruments, or copies of them, were sent to the kings of various nations.
The plural of yokes possibly indicates the top and bottom bars of the yoke which would be bound together round the neck by the ropes (bonds). But if what follows is taken literally (the sending of yokes to five kings and the retention of the one worn by Jeremiah) a number of yokes and bonds would be required. They need not have been the size required for yoking animals. The very sight of even a small yoke would be sufficient to indicate bondage.
2 “Thus says the LORD to me: ‘Make for yourselves bonds and yokes, and put them on your neck,
YHWH’s call to Jeremiah was initially that he make and wear bonds and yokes which were to fit on his neck. That he carried it out literally is clear from 28.10. The plural nouns, and what later happens, suggest that he made several sets. His wearing of them (not necessarily continually, but certainly on special occasions such as the great feasts) was probably intended to be a continual indication to Judah that it was now under permanent bondage, first to Egypt and then to Babylon because of its rebellion against YHWH. (YHWH had already indicated that the death of Josiah would end any guarantee of peace for Judah - 2 Kings 22.20; 23.26-27). It would be typical of Jeremiah to feel that while his people suffered bondage, he should do the same.
We are not called on to wear yokes as a symbol of our submission to God, but we are called on to ‘wear His yoke’ (Matthew 11.28-30) and to walk humbly before God, revealing that we are true followers of the One Who came, not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many (Mark 10.45).
The sending of the yokes to related nations, which would be copies of the one worn by Jeremiah, was to be accompanied by a stern warning from ‘YHWH of Hosts, the God of Israel’ that they remain in submission to Babylon.
3 and send them to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of the Ammonites, the king of Tyre, and the king of Sidon, by the hand of the messengers who come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah.
The sending of the bonds and yokes to the various kings of the nation’s clearly follows after an interval, during which time Jeremiah has been wearing his. This indicates either that he had made a few sets which he would wear in turn or that he had duplicates made for the purpose. They were to be sent to the Transjordanian nations of Edom, Moab and Ammon, and to Tyre and Sidon, because it was from them that messengers had come to King Zedekiah, seemingly to discuss rebellion from the yoke of Babylon. It was YHWH’s warning that they should not proceed with their aim because it was YHWH’s will that they be so subjected.
4 And command them to say to their masters, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel—thus you shall say to your masters:
Along with the bonds and yokes Jeremiah sent a charge to the various kings from YHWH. It was headed with the full title of ‘YHWH of Hosts, the God of Israel’, which always indicated an important saying and was a reminder that He was Lord of all hosts, whether the angelic hosts in Heaven or the human hosts on earth, the ‘hosts of Heaven’ which represented the stars in their courses, and indeed of all creation (Genesis 2.1).
5 ‘I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are on the ground, by My great power and by My outstretched arm, and have given it to whom it seemed proper to Me.
YHWH first indicates His credentials as the Creator of all things, and indicates the authority that it gives Him to order things as He will. He makes clear that all living things are under His control, whether they be men or beast, because He created them all by His great power and ‘His outstretched arm’. The latter is simply a metaphor demonstrating His capability in doing things which require strength. He does not literally do things by means of a huge arm. The situation in which they find themselves is because it ‘seems right to Him’. Rebellion would therefore be to act against God’s purpose. Notice how creation is summed up in terms of ‘men and beasts’ as the two primary life forms.
6 And now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant; and the beasts of the field I have also given him to serve him. 7 So all nations shall serve him and his son and his son’s son, until the time of his land comes; and then many nations and great kings shall make him serve them.
He then particularizes what He is saying to the particular case in hand. With regard to the lands which are ruled over by these kings He has chosen by His sovereign power to give them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar who is His servant, and He has given him all animals both wild and domestic in order that they might serve him. Furthermore, it was His purpose that all nations should serve both ‘Nebuchadnezzar, and his son, and his son’s son’, that is his regular heirs, into the future until the appointed time. And this will go on until arrival of the time limit that YHWH has set, when Nebuchadnezzar’s own land will arrive at ‘its time’ and will in turn serve others. For then many nations and great kings will eventually arise who will in turn bring Babylonia into bondage.
The reference to animals wild and domestic, included along with the lands, indicating all created things within the area, but may well also have in mind the requirements laid on subject peoples that they provide him regularly with horses and cattle and submit to the Babylonians using their lands for hunting, a favourite sport of great kings which was not necessarily good for the land. The reference to ‘his son and his son’s son’ is not putting a limit on how many kings there will be, nor is it in fact saying that they will be directly related. A king’s heir would always be seen as his ‘son’. Basically, therefore it indicated all his heirs, whether literal sons or otherwise, until the time appointed. Nebuchadnezzar was in fact succeeded by his son Evil-merodach (Amel-marduk) (52.31), and he by Nebuchadnezzar’s son-in-law Neriglissar (Nergal-shar-usur who married Nebuchadnezzar’s daughter), followed briefly by his son Labashi-marduk. Labashi-marduk did not last long and was assassinated in childhood and replaced by Nabonidus and his son Belshazzar (although Belshazzar died before Nabonidus) who would be subjugated by Cyrus the Persian, with his allies.
8 And it shall be, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and which will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation I will punish,’ says the LORD, ‘with the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.
Moreover any nation who refused to submit to Babylon and serve Nebuchadnezzar would be punished by YHWH Himself for disobeying His will. Note the reference to the yoke based on the illustration that he had sent through the ambassadors. Their punishment would come about through sword, famine and pestilence until Nebuchadnezzar had totally consumed them. The three judgments were the constant price of war. War not only slaughtered people, but it burned and desolated fields, and caused conditions which encourage pestilence, especially when people had to ‘flee to the mountains.
9 Therefore do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your soothsayers, or your sorcerers, who speak to you, saying, “You shall not serve the king of Babylon.” 10 For they prophesy a lie to you, to remove you far from your land; and I will drive you out, and you will perish.
Nor were they to listen to anyone who said otherwise (which they all did and had cause to regret it). The descriptions covered all means by which nations sought to obtain guidance from their gods, including prophets with their drug-induced prophecies, diviners with their differing divining methods (including casting lots, reading the dregs left in vessels, looking at the entrails of sacrificial animals), soothsayers and sorcerers with all their different approaches including calling on familiar spirits, enchantments, secret arts, and the muttering of spells. There would be a natural tendency to ‘divine’ against subjection to Babylon as that was undoubtedly the favored option once the time seemed ripe, but the people were not to listen to such ideas because they were all lies.
11 But the nations that bring their necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let them remain in their own land,’ says the LORD, ‘and they shall till it and dwell in it.’”?
The only way in which they could hope to remain in their lands was by bringing their necks under the yoke of the King of Babylon and serving him as Jeremiah had illustrated. Those who did so would be allowed to remain in their own lands, and till them and dwell in them, because they would thereby be being obedient YHWH. And this was the assured prophetic word of YHWH. (Thus being in submission to men can often go hand in hand with obedience to the will of God).
Zedekiah is also warned by Jeremiah of the consequences of not continuing to submit to the King of Babylon. He was to ignore the promises of the prophets who promised a quick deliverance and return of the previously stolen Temple vessels, for they were untrue. In fact the truth was that disobedience to YHWH’s warning would simply result in the remainder of the Temple furniture being transported to Babylon.
12 I also spoke to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, “Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live!
Jeremiah tells how he had spoken to Zedekiah in accordance with the same words that he had sent to the nations. Following his own example, they were to bring their necks under the yoke of the King of Babylon and serve his people. By that means they would be serving YHWH, and by that means they would survive.
13 Why will you die, you and your people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the LORD has spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?
But if they did not continue in submission, both the king and all his people would die, by sword, famine and pestilence, in accordance to the words sent to the nations. And that because their action would actually be rebellion against the will of YHWH. Was that really what they wanted to happen?
14 Therefore do not listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they prophesy a lie to you;
Thus they were not to listen to the words of the prophets who were so assiduously lying to them and declaring that they could safely ‘not serve the King of Babylon’. They were to recognize that their words were a lie.
15 for I have not sent them,” says the LORD, “yet they prophesy a lie in My name, that I may drive you out, and that you may perish, you and the prophets who prophesy to you.”
For on the assured word of YHWH they could be certain that YHWH had not sent these prophets. Rather they were prophesying falsely in His Name. But it did have a purpose, and that was in order that He might drive them out in accordance with His purpose, so that both they and the prophets might perish. The lying prophets would thus in their own way be bringing about YHWH’s will. It is a reminder of YHWH’s control over history both good and While the offer of repentance was always open it was quite clear that they had no intention of responding, and therefore their doom was sealed.
16 Also I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Do not listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, “Behold, the vessels of the LORD’s house will now shortly be brought back from Babylon”; for they prophesy a lie to you.
He also spoke to the priests and all the people who were there warning them not to listen to the prophecies of the prophets who promised that the vessels of YHWH’s house, which had previously been taken away in the days of Jehoiakim/Jehoiachin, would shortly be returned from Babylon, for it was all a lie. (They would eventually be returned, but that was a long way ahead. It was not to happen within the near future). The promises being made by the false prophets clearly included a promise of the removal of the Babylonian yoke, which would be why the vessels were returned. It is noticeable that no one ventured to suggest who would be responsible for the return of the vessels.
17 Do not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon, and live! Why should this city be laid waste?
Jeremiah therefore tells them not to listen to the prophets, but to faithfully serve the King of Babylon, and thus be allowed to live. Why should they act foolishly by doing something which could only result in the desolation of their city?
18 But if they are prophets, and if the word of the LORD is with them, let them now make intercession to the LORD of hosts, that the vessels which are left in the house of the LORD, in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, do not go to Babylon.’
Rather, if the prophets were true prophets so that the word of YHWH was in them (the word which was spoken as in verse 21), let them make intercession that the vessels which remained in the Temple and in the king’s house, remain there and not be carried off to Babylon. This was a prayer that would be heard if they set aside any idea of rebellion. And it was the wise step to take.
19 “For thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the pillars, concerning the Sea, concerning the carts, and concerning the remainder of the vessels that remain in this city, 20 which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take, when he carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem—
For YHWH was not prophesying the return of vessels from Babylon. Rather He was prophesying concerning all that still remained in Judah, the ‘sea’, the bases, and the residue of the sacred vessels which had not been taken when Jehoiachin and so many of the leading citizens, including its nobles throughout Judah had been taken away by Nebuchadnezzar.
21 yes, thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that remain in the house of the LORD, and in the house of the king of Judah and of Jerusalem: 22 ‘They shall be carried to Babylon, and there they shall be until the day that I visit them,’ says the LORD. ‘Then I will bring them up and restore them to this place.’”
And the word of YHWH concerning all the vessels which still remained in the house of YHWH and in the king’s palace, was that they also would be carried off to Babylon and would remain there until His allotted day of deliverance. And this was the guaranteed word of YHWH. It was only when that day of deliverance came that He would again bring all those vessels back up to Jerusalem and restore them to their rightful place.
