Jeremiah 51 “Babylon Shall Sink”

“The Lord has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes, Because His purpose is against Babylon to destroy it; For it is the vengeance of the Lord, vengeance for His temple.” (v.11)

The destruction prophesied in this chapter is really about much more than just the ancient, physical city of Babylon, but the great struggle between good and evil. Babylon represents the great false religion of the world, man’s own flesh, and sin. Its destruction prophesied in verse 64, “Babylon shall sink down and not rise gain,” is also found in Revelation 18:21.

All believers grow weary in the battle between good and evil, and look forward to the day when good will finally conquer evil. But until that day comes, we must not grow weary in doing good.

The Truth: “Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again.” (Revelation 18:21)

Jeremiah 50 “The Oracle Against Babylon”

“The word, which the Lord spoke concerning Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, through Jeremiah the prophet.” (v.1)

Like the oracles against Egypt and Moab, arrogance and idolatry are reasons for Babylon’s destruction. But there was more. Babylon would also face punishment for their treatment of God’s people. Yes, they had been a tool in God’s disciplinary hand, but that did not exonerate their cruel treatment of Judah.

God described Babylon as a devouring enemy all too happy to crush Judah. They oppressed God’s people and held them captive. In the end, God declared to the remnant: “Before your eyes I will repay Babylon and all who live in Babylonia for all the wrong they have done in Zion” (Jeremiah 51:24).

Embedded in the oracle against Babylon is an important message about God’s covenant faithfulness. It was not just a verdict of guilt, but a proclamation of God’s protection and zeal for His people. He was their Redeemer, and He would “vigorously defend their cause” (v.34). The hidden lesson here was, even in difficulty, God’s protective watch does not relent. And, as we shall see in chapter 52, He will fulfill His covenant and the Davidic line, which eventually led to our Lord Jesus Christ (see Matt. 1:11–12).

The Truth: “I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless." (Jeremiah 15:21)

Jeremiah 49 “Judgment of Ammon”

“The days are coming,” says the LORD, “that I will cause to be heard an alarm of war in Rabbah of the Ammonites; it shall be a desolate mound, and her villages shall be burned with fire. Then Israel shall take possession of his inheritance,“ says the LORD. (v.2)

In this chapter, God predicted the fall of 5 Gentile pagan nations, who were neighbors of Israel and had opposed them. This first section deals with the Ammonites who descended from Lot, the nephew of Abraham. Lot believed in God, but his descendants worshiped the god Molech, to which human sacrifices were made by throwing babies into a fire. Thus Ammon shall become “a desolate mound” a “heap of ruins,” and her villages burned with fire.”  

Almighty God raises up and puts down kings and nations, even using the actions of non-believing Gentile leaders to ultimately fulfill His purposes as we see in verse (5). However, even in the middle of all this, God’s great desire is that individuals from “every tribe and tongue” will surrender to Him, receive eternal life, and spend eternity with Him (Rev. 7:9).

The Truth: “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands.” (Revelation 7:9)

Jeremiah 48 “Oracle Against Moab”

"Against Moab thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel

Moab was a longstanding enemy of Israel. A review of Israel’s history reveals numerous conflicts with the Moabites who tried to subdue Israel or seduce them into worshiping false gods (see Numbers 21—25). In fact, Deuteronomy 23:3–6 disallowed ten generations of Moabites from entering the sacred assembly.

Like the oracle against Egypt, today’s reading also underscores the reason for Moab’s downfall. In particular, Moab was a proud nation trusting in their “deeds and riches” (v.7). Later in the oracle, Moab’s pride is referenced eight times in two verses (vv.29-30). But pride was not the only problem. Moab was also rebuked for defying the Lord (vv.26, 42), likely a reference to Moab’s conflict with Israel, and for her false worship of other gods (v.35).

Yet despite all this, notice the concern God has for Moab. In the face of devastation, God wails, cries out, and weeps for them (vv.31-32). God told them, “my heart laments for Moab like the music of a pipe” (v.36). And then there is the final word of restoration: “Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab in days to come” (v.48). What a glimpse at the heart of God who, “desires that none should perish but all men should be saved should come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4).

This should speak volumes of hope to all who wail, cry out, and weep for their loved ones who are not walking with the LORD right now. For His heart laments for them just as He did for Moab, desiring to provide restoration to those who will repent.

The Truth: “The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

Jeremiah 47 “God Warns The Philistines”

“The WORD of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Philistines, before Pharaoh attacked Gaza.” (v.1)

Here in chapter 47, just as we saw in chapter 46 concerning Egypt, God is warning the Philistine people of their coming destruction, so that they might have time to repent and turn to Him. Unfortunately for them (and for many today), they choose not to listen.

Scripture tells us that, “God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). And so it is even with the Philistines, an historically long time enemy of Israel. In His grace and mercy God warned them, but they choose not to repent.

Today many people are just like the Philistines. They have heard the Word of God, they understand the warning, but they reject the idea that they are a sinner in need of a savior. Yet, God is patient, He will wait for a time, and continue to pursue your heart, but only until His calling is no long heard.

May we as Christians never fail to be the light in a dark world, when all other lights go out, leading the way to salvation, that those around us may repent and avoid destruction.

The Truth: "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a righteous God."

Jeremiah 46 “God’s Message to Egypt”

Egypt rises like the Nile, even like the rivers whose waters surge about; and He has said, “I will rise and cover that land; I will surely destroy the city and its inhabitants.” (v.8)

Today’s reading teaches us that no nation is beyond God’s control (or punishment) no matter how great or important they think they are, or have been in the past; and that salvation lies with God, not with earthly leaders.

Here in chapter 46 we now see God’s messages to the surrounding nations, the first being to Egypt. In a series of three different oracles, God declared the Egyptian defeat, retreat, and destruction at the hands of the Babylonians. Despite their great preparations for war, their powerful kings, and their fierce mercenary armies, Egypt would be put to shame. (vv.25-26).

Our reading ends with a shift to words of comfort for Judah. Even if the nations to which they had been exiled should suffer defeat and destruction, God promised that His people would not completely be destroyed (v.28). Again emphasizing their trust should be in God, not in any nation or its leaders, for protection.

With our own presidential elections drawing near, pray for godly leadership, but let today’s Scripture remind us that our final hope is in God, not man.

The Truth: “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” (Psalm 20:7)

Jeremiah 45 “Baruch Complains to the LORD”

‘But you, are you seeking great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I am going to bring disaster on all flesh,’ declares the Lord, ‘but I will give your life to you as booty in all the places where you may go.’ ” (v.5)

God’s warning to Baruch through Jeremiah was, “Do not seek great things for yourself, for I will bring disaster on all flesh.” In other words, keep your eyes on the things that matter, the things above. Set your heart only on the kingdom (Matthew 6:33), for anything done in the flesh will be destroyed.

Lord help us all to have the correct attitude and motivation in everything we do.

The Truth: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap. For he that sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” (Galatians 6:7-8)

Jeremiah 44 “Flat Out Defiance”

“As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we will not listen to you!” (v.16)

Back in Jeremiah 24, the LORD showed Jeremiah two baskets of figs – one good and one bad. The good figs represented the people who followed the Word of the LORD through Jeremiah and remained in Judah during the time of the Babylonian invasion. The bad figs were those who did not follow the Word of the LORD and fled to Egypt for protection. We now see in our text that vision coming full circle as the Jews who fled to Egypt for protection have become so corrupt that they have hardened their hearts against the LORD.

What a scary place to be, when we have hardened our hearts against God so much that we just refuse to listen. Neglecting the LORD and compromising with the world will eventually lead to a path of destruction. May we all stay soft and pliable in our relationship with Him, so that He does not have to discipline our lives.

The Truth: “Woe to the obstinate children,” declares the Lord, “to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin; who go down to Egypt without consulting me; who look for help to Pharaoh’s protection, to Egypt’s shade for refuge. But Pharaoh’s protection will be to your shame, Egypt’s shade will bring you disgrace.” (Isaiah 30:1-3)

Jeremiah 43 “Back To Egypt”

“So Johanna the son of Kareah, all the captains of the forces, and all the people would not obey the voice of the LORD, to remain in the land of Judah.” (V.4)

The great irony in this chapter is, God had rescued His people out of Egypt, the land of slavery, and brought them to the Promised Land, the land of freedom. And now they were leaving the Promised Land, by their own choice and against God’s word, and going back to the land of slavery. Their decision to walk “back to Egypt” was astounding! This is the sad and tragic history of the people of God, who had once known the life of the Spirit of God, giving it up to return to slavery. Egypt was a place of such unbearable bondage that Scripture often uses it as a picture of the old life in the flesh, the life of bondage to sin.

It is just as sad to watch individuals in our lives who were freed from sin, turn around and go right back into the bondage God had delivered them from. Yes life can pack a tough punch, knocking us down and maybe even causing us to question, why me? But that's no reason to blame God and deliberately turn your back on Him. Life comes with difficulties, disappointments, even disasters, but that's the result of living in a fallen world, one that man brought on himself through sin, not God. His desire was the garden of Eden, but that didn't last long, as man disobedience brought sin into the world.    

Lord help us to trust in You in all things, and not go “Back to Egypt,” for Your ways are true and righteous leading to salvation.

The Truth: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41)

Jeremiah 42 “Stay In The Land”

“Whether it is pleasant or unpleasant, we will listen to the voice of the Lord our God to whom we are sending you, so that it may go well with us when we listen to the voice of the Lord our God.” (v.6)

The remnant in Judah faced a dilemma. They had to choose whether to remain in the land and face potential Babylonian retribution, or to flee for safety to Egypt. To Johanan and others, Egypt looked like the best option, but on their way, they stopped to ask Jeremiah for God’s direction (v.2). Not getting the word they wanted (vv.10-11), they broke their promise here in our text and went their own way to Egypt.

Sadly many all to often pray to God for guidance, saying they are open to whatever He wants, but when the time comes they just go their own direction. Maybe you have difficult decisions you need to make in your life. Will you take those to the Lord in prayer, genuinely seeking His wisdom, prepared to act in obedience when He reveals His will? Or, will you go your own way, as did Judah, and suffer the consequences of being out of God’s will. I pray you will do the former.

The Truth: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Jeremiah 41 “Gedaliah Murdered”

“Then Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men who were with him, arose and struck Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword, and killed him whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land.” (v.2)

In the last chapter a murderous plot was hatched against Gedaliah, who had been appointed governor of Jerusalem by the king of Babylon. Johanan warned Gedaliah that Ishmael was planning to kill him, but Gedaliah wouldn’t believe him (Jer. 40:15-16). Sadly, the plot was true, and Gedaliah was assassinated.

In much the same way, Jeremiah had warned God’s people to surrender to the Babylonians (because it was God’s discipline) but no one listened, and as a result many died during the Babylonian siege on Jerusalem. Had all the individuals in this incident simply repented of their idol worship and self-sufficiency, and turned to God, all their striving in the flesh would have been avoided.

Jeremiah had already shared with them God’s desire to give them a hope: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” (29:11, NIV). But their own stubbornness pushed their hearts away from trusting God and the peace and security He would have provided.

Don't let that happen to you. Heed the counsel of God through His Word, and those in your life who know Him. It just may save your life.

The Truth: “Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in the Lord his God.” (Psalm 146:5)

Jeremiah 40 “Baalis Plot to Kill Gedaliah”

“Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces that were in the fields came to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and said to him, ‘Do you certainly know that Baalis the king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to murder you?’ But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam did not believe them.” (vv.13-14)

God’s word tells us that in a multitude of counselors there is wisdom. Here in our text many came to warn Gedaliah of a plot to kill him, but he refused to believe it. He should have listened to this wise counsel of those who warned him and acted on it, as it would have saved his life.

God desires for us to use wisdom when making decisions and to respond quickly when He gives us supernatural information. The Old Testament prophet Nathan provides one of the best examples of how to confront someone well. Nathan told a non-threatening story of a small lamb to help King David understand the true nature of his sin with Bathsheba. God wants us to be gracious, loving, even creative in our confrontation of sin in a brother or sister's life, but also bold and unafraid.

Ignoring the elephant in the room only magnifies the differences between parties and keeps the pot simmering on low. It is far simpler to obey the voice of God than to shut our ears to what He is saying to us, or our eyes to what we see, just because we dislike confrontation. Find a way to creatively and lovingly speak to the heart of those you love, to give good council, and leave the rest to God. Who knows, you may just save a life, both on earth and into eternity.

The Truth: “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.” (Proverbs 12:15)

Jeremiah 39 “Faithfulness vs Faithlessness”

“‘For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me,’ says the LORD.” (v.18)

This chapter gives us a strong contrast between faithfulness and faithlessness. On one side we see Jeremiah’s faithfulness to the Lord and God’s faithfulness in return to him. And on the other, we see King Zedekiah’s faithlessness and weakness, how he failed to be courageous when pressure came, and how he ended up paying a terrible price for his cowardly indecision.

Jeremiah who had been punished by the king many times for speaking in the name of the LORD all that God had told him to say, was once again here in chapter 39 called into the king's presence. King Zedekiah said to the prophet, "I will ask you something. Hide nothing from me" (v.14). Based on similar circumstances Jeremiah responded, "If I declare it to you, will you not surely put me to death? And if I give you advice, you will not listen to me" (v.16).

Jeremiah is obviously thinking here, why would the king want to know what God had to say if he was not going to obey it? The king was probably curious to know what the future held for him. So Jeremiah, after the the king swore not to kill him, prophesied, "Thus says the LORD, if you surrender to the king of Babylon's princes, then you shall live. For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me,’ says the LORD.” (v.18)

Wow, considering Jeremiah's situation, that took great faith to stand in front of king Zedekiah and tell him to remain in the city and surrender to an invading army. What Zedekiah did with that information is another story. But, may God give us the strength of character cling to, trust in, and rely on Him, each and every day in the challenges we face to our faith as well - to speak truth even when it may not be followed.

The Truth: "Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the LORD." (1 Corinthians 15:58)

Jeremiah 38 “Jeremiah In The Dungeon”

“So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the king’s son, which was in the court of the prison, and they let Jeremiah down with ropes. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire [mud]. So Jeremiah sank in the mire.” (v.6)

Here again we find Jeremiah incarcerated, this time in a dungeon filled with mud, sinking in the mire, for faithfully delivering God’s message to His people, probably wondering how long O LORD? Yet he remained faithful to his calling, knowing that God promised he would not die in the city.

Many of us may find ourselves sinking in a different kind of muck, in bills, relationships, health issues, the simple day-to-day difficulties of life. These can often cause us to feel overwhelmed and wonder if there is hope, just like Jeremiah. Yes, our hope is in God and His promises of peace to those of us who have surrendered all to His care. Jesus promised, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

If we trust and persevere, Jesus will help, encourage, and give us joy, even in the mire. But there is an even greater promise to hope in, and that is that one day the trials and hardship will end. When we finally finish the race and enter into heaven, we will at last live without pain or heartache. The promise to us isn’t that life won’t be hard, we live in a fallen world, but that we don’t have to try and survive it on our own, and even greater, that this world and pain isn’t all there is.

The Truth: “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Rev. 21:4).

Jeremiah 37 “Jeremiah Imprisoned”

‘While Jeremiah was at the Gate of Benjamin, a captain of the guard whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah the son of Hananiah was there; and he arrested Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “You are going over to the Chaldeans!” (v.13)

In 589 B.C. the Babylonian invasion of Judah was interrupted when the Pharaoh of Egypt marched north against Nebuchadnezzar’s armies, drawing the Babylonians away from Jerusalem. Against God’s warnings, many in Judah looked to Egypt as their salvation. Many opposed Jeremiah’s message instructing Judah to submit to the Babylonians.

Taking advantage of the Babylonian lull, Jeremiah set out for his home in Benjamin. Before making it out of Jerusalem, however, he met an accusation of treason: “You are deserting to the Babylonians!” (v.13). Despite Jeremiah’s protest, he was arrested, beaten, and imprisoned in a vaulted cell in a dungeon. He remained there for a long time until King Zedekiah called for him, perhaps hoping for a favorable word from God. Instead, Jeremiah reasserted his earlier message against Zedekiah and Judah. In other words, the Babylonian withdrawal was only temporary. This was not what the king wanted to hear, so he threw Jeremiah back into prison with a meager ration of bread.

If that was not enough, another group of pro-Egyptian officials were also not pleased with Jeremiah’s message. To them, Jeremiah was demoralizing Judah’s soldiers. Securing the king’s permission, they seized Jeremiah and threw him into a cistern full of mud. And that was where Jeremiah would have remained if it were not for a kind act of support and encouragement. Ebed-Melek, a royal official sympathetic to Jeremiah’s word, and a true worshiper of God (see Jer. 39:15–18), saw the wrong that was done to Jeremiah and did something about it. With the help of thirty men, he rescued Jeremiah from the muddy pit.

Not everyone in Judah was opposed to God’s prophet! Faithful, godly leadership in the church is so important, yet not always appreciated. Even God’s servants need support and encouragement through prayer, and appreciation for their leadership.

The Truth: “Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you.” (Hebrews 13:7a)

Jeremiah 36 “Book Of Jeremiah Preserved”

“Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah, who wrote on it at the instruction of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire.” (v.32)

Here God instructed Jeremiah to write again every message he had been given since he began his ministry in 627 BC. King Jehoiakim had cut the first scroll with a knife and threw it in the fire. He did not want to hear what God had said, and thought by destroying it, he could escape what was in it. Therefore, this second writing was done to preserve the Book of Jeremiah after the first one was destroyed.

Throughout history, many have tried to destroy God’s Word. But burning the book does not erase its content. Besides, God has made it a point to preserve His Word both for and in His people.

The Truth: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.” (Mark 13:31)

Jeremiah 35 “God Rewards Obedience”

“Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me forever.”’

Here in chapter 35 we read that God rewards a nomadic tribe called the Rekabites. The reason for this honor was their faithfulness to obey the commands of their forefathers, and to hold to those commands for generations. Although they were not among God’s chosen people, God commended them here in our text for their obedience.

In the chapter God uses the faithful example of the Rekabites to show the people of Judah what obedience looks like. God wanted the Jews to be as obedient to Him as the Rechabites were to their leaders. But, as we see from the chapter, “They have not listened nor obeyed” (vv.15-16). Therefore, punishment was their end result (v.17).

The psalmist wrote, “Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in obedience to Him” (Psalm 128:1), and Paul wrote, “The wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 5:6). Better to obey and receive His rewards, than disobey and receive His wrath.

The Truth: “The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” (John 2:17)

Jeremiah 34 “Zedekiah Warned By God”

“The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, the God of Israel; Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire. And you shall not escape from his hand, but shall surely be taken and delivered into his hand; your eyes shall see the eyes of the king of Babylon, he shall speak with you face to face, and you shall go to Babylon.’ ” ‘You shall not die by the sword. You shall die in peace; as in the ceremonies of your fathers, the former kings who were before you, so they shall burn incense for you and lament for you, saying, “Alas, lord!” For I have pronounced the word, says the Lord.’ ” (vv.2-5)


Here the LORD told Zedekiah (through Jeremiah the prophet) that he would speak with king Nebuchadnezzar face to face before he would be carried away into captivity in Babylon, that he would not die by the sword, but die in peace. Yet Ezekiel prophesied that Zedekiah would never see Babylon (Ezekiel 12:12-13), seemingly bring this passage into contradiction. So which is true?

In second Kings 25:4-5, we read that Nebuchadnezzar came to Jerusalem, captured Zedekiah who was trying to escape the city, had his eyes poked out, and took a blind Zedekiah back to Babylon. Thus, Zedekiah saw king Nebuchadnezzar face to face and went to Babylon, but, just as Ezekiel prophesied, he never saw it. What strikes me here is Jeremiah told Zedekiah he would not escape the king, yet he tries anyway. Really? God’s Word through His prophet has been spot on all the way through Zedekiah’s lifetime, yet he went his own way. And there in lies not only his problem, but ours as well.

The Psalmist wrote, “The sum of Your Word is truth, and every one of your righteous ordinances is everlasting” (Psalm 119:160). Meaning, God’s Word should to be taken seriously for it is everlasting truth backed by righteousness. And, as a result, there are consequences for going against God’s Word, for both individuals and nations.

I pray that God would grant us both individually and collectively as a nation, the wisdom and strength to follow His Word all the days of our existence.

The Truth: “Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him.” (Psalm 128:1)