Sermon Central
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Wrong Number
Contributed by Joe Rowland on Mar 8, 2008 (message contributor)
Summary: We all make phone calls in life, Are we calling the right number on our spiritual phone?
Wrong Number
1 Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon;
2 (After that Jeconiah the king, and the queen, and the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem;) {eunuchs: or, chamberlains}
3 By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon) saying,
4 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon;
5 Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them;
6 Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished.
7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.
8 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.
9 For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD. {falsely: Heb. in a lie}
10 For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. {expected...: Heb. end and expectation}
12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.
The problem with the false prophets in Jerusalem was the same among the captives in Babylon.
There were false prophets there, as well proclaiming that the yoke of Babylon would be thrown off, therefore giving the people a false hope.
Ezekiel was the major exception in Babylon.
Jeremiah sent a letter to these captives declaring the opposite of what these false Prophets were proclaiming.
Jeremiah said that the captivity would be long, even 70 years.
Jeconiah, who was the King, before they were taken into captivity, had reigned for 3 months and 10 days before he was taken into captivity.
The letter that was written by Jeremiah was given to him.
In verse 3, the letter was carried by Elasah and Gemariah, who were good men.
Verse 4 says:
4 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon;
Intelligence in the ways and counsels of God as revealed in His Word, is the key to things happening in your life even while we are in captivity.
God would bless obedience to His Word and judgment on disobedience.
Verse 5 says:
5 Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them;
Apparently these unhappy captives had not been doing such, they were thinking according to the false prophecies given by the false prophets, that they would be restored to Judah any day.
Jeremiah’s letter said the very opposite.
The phrase in verse 6, “that you may be increased there, and not diminished, this pertains that the Nation was to be kept alive”.
7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.
When it says, “and seek the peace of the city”, it refers to Babylon and the blessing that God’s people, even though they were under chastisement, correction came from God.