Whose report will you believe? (Jeremiah 28)

Lesson Twenty-eight:   Whose report will you believe?

 

INTRODUCTION

When I moved to Sydney in 1998 we stayed with dear friends, John and Charlotte Lawler in Wahroonga. They met in Abilene, Texas at university and eventually John brought his American bride back to his hometown. They had many traditions in their home and many of those were new to me. They had breakfast together including cereal to start, and juice, of course, and we really enjoyed the silverware hanging vertically on a stand of its own. Toast with various jams (sorry, not vegemite… never quite got the hang of that) and marmalade as dessert was most curious to me. We ate in their dining area and listened, every morning at 7 AM promptly, to the ABC news on the radio. Like morning devotions, we paused and gave our ears to the updates from Olympic preparations to John Howard’s latest governmental pronouncements. We listened and learned what was actually happening in our turbulent waters and in the nations of the world. 

At the same time, back in the USA, from which we had just moved, our families were hearing other news reports at their dinner tables during the 6:00 evening news. Some of those reports were similar, although the sports they each covered were significantly different. 

I title today’s message, “Whose report will you believe?” And of interest to me in the last 3 years is the continual stridency, the hostility between camps in the newsrooms and in the people who listen to those radios and newscasts worldwide. Nowadays if you listened to the ABC with John and Charlotte, you would be described by some as left-leaning. If you read Rupert Murdoch’s yellow journalism whether in the New York Post or watch his reporters and celebrities on Sky News, or the Fox News channel, you could be accused of right-winged conservatism. People don’t necessarily curate their own news any longer, and their trust in various institutions has become like morning devotions instead of simple listening to learn the news of the day.

I guess, when I think about it, this question of whose report will you believe is something people have been asking since time immemorial. Satan, posing as a curious serpent in the Garden of Eden, reports something differently than the Almighty had reported to Adam and that Adam reported to Eve. Eve, I want to shout, whose report will you believe?

Some of you will remember that God spoke many things to humanity throughout the Bible, to Noah, to Abraham, to Moses, and also THROUGH the prophets to the people of Israel and Judah. And each time, when people heard from God, and when people reported what God spoke, the people were given a choice. The same choice as Eve. The same choice as the people of the day in our reading today, “Whose report will you believe?”

Let’s dig in and find out what the chapter says, and then we will return to this famous question, and invite ourselves to ask it of ourselves in light of the 28^th chapter of Jeremiah. 

This chapter divides into four sections, each one featuring a single Jewish prophet. Sections one and three, feature Hananiah. Sections two and four—Jeremiah. 

1.   Hananiah announces victory! (.1-4)

Verse one: We pick up the story in the same year as last week’s episode. 593 BCE. The fourth year of the reign of Zedekiah. The month of Av. (That’s next month for those of you counting Hebrew months in 2022). And we hear the prophecy spoken and acted out two different times by a prophet whom we have never before met. His name is Hananiah. His name means, “Grace of God.” And if you listen to his prophecies, you who are learning with us this year in the reading of the prophecy of Jeremiah might tend to agree with him. Listen to his words in verses 2-4.

“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. ³ ‘Within two years I am going to bring back to this place all the vessels of the LORD’S house, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon. ⁴ ‘I am also going to bring back to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles of Judah who went to Babylon,’ declares the LORD, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’”

I like this guy. I like this prophecy. He is helping me get excited about God and about deliverance. He is assuring us that within 24 months we will be delivered. That’s hope. That’s significant. That’s awesome. And that is a report that everyone wants to hear. All of Judah would want to hear that freedom is coming. Many of our people were taken into captivity in the First War four years before this prophecy. Babylon, he says, is going down, and we will be victors. Listen to verse two and whose name is being pronounced, “The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel.” Hosts means armies. This is not some mamby-pamby deity of no repute. This is the Lord of all the armies of the earth, who has already conquered peoples and nations. This is the warrior God, and the one who has been on the side of Israel in the past. He is the awesome and powerful God. Hananiah is shouting, “God’s going to win. Don’t worry about those who are trumpeting bad stuff about the military might of Babylon—we’re going to have the victory!”

Now, no matter who you are, a Rabbitoh supporter or cheerleader for the Sydney Swans, if you barracked for Kyrgios or Nadal at Wimbledon, if you are a Baptist or a “faith is the victory” champion of the name it and claim it community—to everyone who is assured of victory and after only two years… that’s got to be a thrill to hear, amen?

But here’s the problem—God didn’t actually say that. I call to your memory the words of chapter 23. Remember the earlier words of Jeremiah in this chapter about false prophets.

“For both prophet and priest are polluted; even in My house I have found their wickedness,” declares the LORD. (23.11)

And again: “They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray.” (23.13)

Thus says the LORD of hosts, 

         “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you; they are leading you into futility; they speak a vision of their own imagination, not from the mouth of the LORD. “They keep saying to those who despise Me, ‘The LORD has said, “You will have peace”’ (23.16-17)

“I have heard what the prophets have said who prophecy falsely in My name, saying, ‘I had a dream, I had a dream!’ (23.25)

“Behold, I am against the prophets,” declares the LORD, “who use their tongues and declare, ‘The Lord declares.’ (23.31)

That’s a serious series of charges and anticipated failures on any prophet who speaks on behalf of God but gets it seriously wrong. Listen, as a Bible teacher, and thus a spokesman for the Lord in these days, I find it extremely dangerous to put up my hand to speak on his behalf. Every time I think I should weigh in on the topics of discussion in the news or on the pickleball court about controversial issues, I am reluctant to speak, and consider that I could be labelled a false spokesman. Fear is a good motivator sometimes. 

But the first speaker in today’s chapter either didn’t have that fear or buried it in hopes that his cheerleading would win the day. He disagrees both with Jeremiah’s prophecy of chapter 27 AND the use of the yoke image. He announces that the bondage and the situation with King Nebuchadnezzar will end within two years, not only for the Jewish people, but also for the religious Temple items like vessels and such used in public worship. But wait, there’s more! God will actually restore King Jeconiah to the throne (replacing Zedekiah). So we get promised three things: a return of the captives in 2 (although a total of 6 or 7 all up), not 70 years, of all the Temple goods and of the good king Jeconiah.  That sounds like a win/win/win for Judah. All in favour of that outcome, raise your hand!

Hananiah says God is going to break the yoke in verses 2 and 4 both. 

2. Jeremiah speaks (.5-9)

In our second section today, Jeremiah speaks to the new prophet on the block who comes from his same tribe, Benjamin. Jeremiah is still wearing the wooden yoke. And his response is landmark. 

^“Amen! May the LORD do so; may the LORD confirm your words which you have prophesied to bring back the vessels of the LORD’S house and all the exiles, from Babylon to this place.

It is as if he is shouting, “Amen, bring it on. Let’s confess that our God is able and will bring victory to the Jewish people!” I hear the Beach Boys singing, “wouldn’t it be nice?” Hear the words similarly spoken by a contemporary prophet named Ezekiel.

 “It is definitely because they have misled My people by saying, ‘Peace!’ when there is no peace. And when anyone builds a wall, behold, they plaster it over with whitewash” (Ezek. 16.10)

And the NT agrees:

While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labour pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.” (1 Thes. 5.3)

Jeremiah’s agreement is not really agreement, but an announcement of wishes. At the same time, he, still wearing the wooden yoke, is sounding the alarm from verse 7. In verse 8, he says he is standing on the shoulders of previous true prophets. And in verse 9, he cites Moses’ clear instruction that the proof’s in the pudding. If a person predicts anything and if it doesn’t not eventuate, then the prophet is a false prophet. End of story. (Deut. 18.20) In other words, Hananiah, you have two years to make this come to pass, but I’m not waiting; I’m calling you a false prophet already. I don’t need to wait; I know God has shown me 70-year captivity.

Whose report, Judah, will you believe?

3.   Hananiah responds (.10-11)

The next section contains the actions and the words of Hananiah in response. In verse 10, he takes the yoke off the neck of his fellow prophet and breaks it. That took a lot of chutzpah and a lot of strength to break a 15-pound wooden instrument like a yoke.  Then in verse 11, Hananiah repeats his words of yoke breaking, that Judah will be free from the yoke of slavery under Babylon. That has got to be good news to the Jewish people. Amen? Whose report will you believe?

4.   Jeremiah’s admonition to Hananiah (.12-17)

But the final moment in today’s chapter is Jeremiah speaking again, only this time, only to one man, Hananiah. God gives Jeremiah the words to speak in verses 12 and 13, then Jeremiah carries out the ministry of being a spokesman for the Lord. The word is to include this phrase, “yokes of iron.” A metal plate would make all the difference and it was not only heavier, but also more resilient to editing and change. Remember the response of the Egyptians in the time of Moses to Moses’ disagreements with their increasing the bondage and servitude? The Egyptians increased the labour required by us all. We had to supply our own grain for the production line of buildings. It’s as if the wood had been replaced with metal. 

In this last section today Jeremiah both knocks back the prediction of peace by Hananiah, but also increases the prediction by saying Hananiah will be dead in that year! Sure enough, in verse 17, he is found dead within 2 months, not two years. 

So who is right? Who is wrong? We have the privilege of history and can look back to see that Jeremiah was right. But what would you have done in those days… whose report would you have believed?

Don’t be so simplistic as to say the one that quotes more Bible verses. Or live so in your optimism or your pessimism. God’s word at times is intended to pluck up and other times to build up. True prophets have words that come to pass--- every time. False prophets make excuses. True prophets live out their lives in person, and people can monitor who they are and what they are saying. Measuring the reality of the lives of prophets, that makes sense to me. Paul wrote, “despise not prophecying. Examine everything. Hold fast to what is good.” (1 Thes. 5.19-21) Just because someone sounds cool, has flashing imagery behind them on their powerpoint slides and Tik Tok videos, just because someone has met with important ministers and has a best seller on the NY Times list, that all is irrelevant. Truth matters. Especially in the last days. Especially now.

Back in the days of Moshe Rabeinu, about 3500 years ago, 12 men came back from surveying the land we today call Israel. 10 of them offered their majority report saying that the land was too big, as were the inhabitants. We Jews would never be able to conquer the peoples and take the land. Their majority report was believed by the people in the wilderness and as a result, we spent the next 38 years wandering, without being able to enter the Promised Land. 

Two of those spies were named Joshua and Caleb. Each of them reported that the land was tough, but we could take it. We had God’s promises. We had God’s provision. God had just delivered us from Egypt and slavery a short time before. He wanted us to move in to the land. Of note is that all the men of Israel who were over 20 years old when those reports came out, all those men died in the wilderness. Except for two. Caleb and Joshua. 

Whose report will you believe? The report of faith and consistency and holiness and agreement with God’s standards… that’s how this works. Not the happy clappy sounds. Not the woeful, fearful despondent report. Not the report of the slick G7 or the seductive serpent in the Garden… we will believe the report of the Lord. 

Will you do that today? God, for instance, has made it clear that Yeshua is the Messiah and Saviour of the world. Especially he did that 2,000 years ago when Yeshua walked the earth in Israel. Only a few believed it then. He was tried and convicted and sentenced to death. He died. A horrible death. Then he rose again and lives today to bring us into relationship with God. Some Jewish people today say he’s not the messiah. They are the majority. We in Jews for Jesus say Jesus IS the messiah. Whose report will you believe?

The choice is yours and has eternal impact.

CONCLUSION

God is calling each of us to know him and to walk with him, today and throughout our days. Have you received Yeshua as your messiah and Lord? He is risen from the dead! Have you renounced your sin, your idolatry, your forsaking God and given him First Place in your life? If not, please, do so now, just now, as we pray together. Use your own words, if you want, but yield, surrender, to the Lord of life. 

 

PRAYER

Then please write us (admin@jewsforjesus.org.au) to tell us what you have just done, and we will send you literature and encourage you. You are part of our family; we love and appreciate you. And we want you to enjoy the presence of the Lord who calls, who knows, who blesses and builds us up. 

We hope to see you again next week as we study chapter 27. Until then, Shabbat shalom!

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Barnes, Albert, Albert Barnes’ Commentary on the Old Testament.

Craigie, Peter; Kelley, Page; Drinkard, Joel. Word Biblical Commentary. Book of Jeremiah.  1991. 

Henry, Matthew, Commentary.

McConnville, Gordon, Jeremiah, New Bible Commentary. 

Wright, Christopher, The Message of Jeremiah, The Bible Speaks Today, Intervarsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2014.

 

For other links:

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ACTUAL TEXT

 

Jer. 27:1   In the beginning of the reign of ^1aZedekiah 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 yourself ^abonds and ^byokes and put them on your neck, ³ and send ¹word to the king of ^aEdom, to the king of ^aMoab, to the king of the sons of ^aAmmon, to the king of ^aTyre and to the king of ^aSidon ²by the messengers who come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. ⁴ “Command them to go to their masters, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, thus you shall say to your masters, ⁵ “^aI have made the earth, the men and the beasts which are on the face of the earth ^bby My great power and by My outstretched arm, and I will ^cgive it to the one who is ¹pleasing in My sight. ⁶ “Now I ^ahave given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, ^bMy servant, and I have given him also the ^cwild animals of the field to serve him. ⁷ “^aAll the nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson ^buntil the time of his own land comes; then ^cmany nations and great kings will ¹make him their servant.

 

Jer. 27:8   “It will be, that the nation or the kingdom which ^awill not serve him, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and which will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the ^bsword, with famine and with pestilence,” declares the LORD, “until I have destroyed ¹it by his hand. ⁹ “But as for you, ^ado not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your ¹dreamers, your soothsayers or your sorcerers who speak to you, saying, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon.’ ¹⁰ “For they prophesy a ^alie to you in order to ^bremove you far from your land; and I will drive you out and you will perish. ¹¹ “But the nation which will ^abring its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will ^blet remain on its land,” declares the LORD, “and they will till it and dwell in it.”’”

 

Jer. 27:12   I spoke words like all these to ^aZedekiah king of Judah, saying, “Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him and his people, and live! ¹³ “Why will you ^adie, you and your people, by the sword, famine and pestilence, as the LORD has spoken to that nation which will not serve the king of Babylon? ¹⁴ “So ^ado not listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they prophesy a ^blie to you; ¹⁵ for ^aI have not sent them,” declares the LORD, “but they ^bprophesy falsely in My name, in order that I may ^cdrive you out and that you may perish, ^dyou and the prophets who prophesy to you.”

 

Jer. 27:16   Then 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 ^avessels of the LORD’S house will now shortly be brought again from Babylon’; for they are prophesying a ^blie to you. ¹⁷ “Do not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon, and live! Why should this city ^abecome a ruin? ¹⁸ “But ^aif they are prophets, and if the word of the LORD is with them, let them now ^bentreat 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 in Jerusalem may not go to Babylon. ¹⁹ “For thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the ^apillars, concerning the sea, concerning the stands and concerning the rest of the vessels that are left in this city, ²⁰ which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take when he ^acarried into exile 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 are left in the house of the LORD and in the house of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem, ²² ‘They will be ^acarried to Babylon and they will be there until the ^bday I visit them,’ declares the LORD. ‘Then I will ^cbring them ¹back and restore them to this place.’”

Hook up with Babylon, it works! (Jeremiah 27)

 Truth and Consequences: 

A study in the prophecy of Jeremiah

 

Lesson Twenty-seven:   Hook up with Babylon—it works!

 

INTRODUCTION

Today’s study I’ve entitled “Hook up with Babylon—it works!” Now if you know much about this time of Jewish history and really anytime we related with kindness and sympathy with foreign nations, it had unusual and often dire consequences, and certainly and more particularly with Babylon it was almost never a good idea. But in today’s lesson, God through the prophet Jeremiah tells the Jewish people that it’s not only a good idea; it’s the only idea for survival. This is going against the grain, but it’s the only way. 

 

Let’s dig in and find out what God has to say to us as 21^st Century people and how he wants us to live today. 

 

1.     Jeremiah speaks to the foreign kings (.1-11)

 

Once again the date is recorded and the entire Quadruple formula is there, too. including date, word-event, and messenger formulas followed by a command.

 

From my reading of this, there seems to be an event, with five kings of the surrounding region, including the king of (read: Mayor) Ammon, Edom, Moab, Tyre and Sidon. All Gentiles; all former enemies of the Jewish people. These five kings had representatives at some kind of gathering, perhaps the G7 of its day or such. And once again, God tells Jeremiah to do something using an object to teach a lesson to his people. This time, it’s an oxen’s yoke. Now, I grew up in Kansas, but not in rural Kansas, rather in suburban Kansas City, and since 1979 I’ve only lived in suburban major cities or the urban centres themselves, so I will be the first to admit that I’ve never arranged an oxen’s yoke on any animal. I’ve seen them in country musea, but no, I’ve never carried one. What I know from reading and from seeing them up close is that a yoke is no light thing; oxen’s yokes weigh about 9 kilograms, ok about 15 pounds. And oxen weigh about 680 kilograms (1500 pounds), so a yoke of 15 pounds is nothing for them. But to put one of those yokes on a human who might weigh 80 kilograms would mean much more focused weight and I imagine a harder carry. And Jeremiah was meant to put this on himself and make a statement of serious conviction to the invited guests at this G7 of the day. What does he tell them? And why a yoke anyway?

 

Yokes are designed to be links between two animals. They share the burden together of work in the field. The Talmud teaches that two can do three times the work of one. Do you ever feel that way? Our work seems to be multiplied when we cooperate with another. And yokes are also used in Scripture to remind us of the ‘to whom’ we are yoked often, more than the work we are assigned. 

 

I’m going to read to you from the Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, a thousand-page tome of great help to any serious Bible student, on page 975, about the yoke.  READING

 

The one reference the Dictionary cited for our chapter today is about political alliance (and next week’s release from the yoke is also cited). So here we are, 15 years after last week’s chapter, 593 BCE (we learn that from 28.1). Zedekiah is the puppet king placed on the throne by Nebuchadnezzar who wanted things in decency and good order, but rebellion ever rises in the Jewish people. They are supposed to join with Neb, but people want alliances with other nations round about them. God sends the warning through the prophet to hook up with Babylon. That’s the only way to win.  

 

Look at verse 4. Into the G7 conference stumbles Jeremiah with a yoke or at least half a yoke on his neck. He is carrying the other half. He tells the G7 leaders to go to their masters, Hebrew word ADON, and that must mean either the bankers or the gods of these nations, and to advise them of their wrong alliances. Listen to the Broadcast of Jeremiah to the 5 kings:

 

Verse 5: I made the earth. I’m the creator. You think you rule over a section of the earth; I made the whole earth. Your land is only part of the earth; Israel and Judah are part of the earth. I’m Sovereign over the lot. Your gods are not really God at all. Even animals are under my authority.

 

Verse 5: I will give it to whoever I want. I’m Sovereign over all that happens among the nations. This is a universal truth, and we need to understand that in relation to Ireland and to Ukraine and to your world just now.

 

Verse 6: the particular about Babylon is stated. You, 5 kings, all thought that you run your world, but God is Sovereign, and IN THIS CASE, you have no claim for Neb is going to rule. Your alliances are laughable. It’s almost like a group of my friends putting up their hands to play 80 minutes of rugby league in our own State of Origin clash with the Blues. It’s a “no contest” contest.

What is God telling them? Hook up with Babylon if you want to win.

 

Verse 7: Even that is temporary. Neb is going down. He is not the eternal king; he’s an ephemeral one. He will fail. His kingdom will terminate. So, you MUST LISTEN to me. When it’s time to link with Neb, do so. That’s what verse 8 means about putting your neck in the yoke with him. Then when it’s time to walk away from an alliance with him, do so. The real truth is that God is YOUR Sovereign and you must listen to him. Amen?

 

Remember our theme of this book, Truth and Consequences.  Verse 8 and 9 show us the consequences of failing to link with Neb. “Sword, famine and pestilence” The threefold threat of “sword, famine, and pestilence” ending in destruction is also found in 27:13; 24:10; 29:17 (plus six other times in Jeremiah),  

 

One more thing about ‘yoke’ that I didn’t mention before. 

The parallelism in 5:5 suggests that bearing the LORD’s yoke involves walking in the LORD’s way and living according to God’s justice. This interpretation is not far removed from the rabbis’ expression, “taking upon oneself the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven,” which they used to indicate the significance of reciting the Shema.  (Deut 6:4–9; Weinfeld, UF8 [1976] 406, citing m Ber. 2:2). Jesus’ invitation to “take my yoke upon you” (Matt 11:28–30) is spoken against the background of these biblical and Jewish uses.

 

Did I mention in chapter 19 this thought about The expression “stiff-necked,” surely relates to the yoke image by describing persons who refuse to bend their neck under the yoke. (When the yoke is removed, a person can walk upright again, Lev 26:13.) Israel is repeatedly called “stiff-necked” following their apostasy with the golden calf (Exod 32:9; 33:3, 5; 34:9; Deut 9:6, 13), and Jer 19:15 also uses this description.

 

The danger of false prophets is that they prevent people and nations from responding to God’s word. The consequences here are exile and death. The identical warning command stands at the beginning of the oracle in 23:16–22, which articulates the same reasoning. Prophets sent from God proclaim words that result in repentance (v 22).

 

2. Jeremiah speaks to Zedekiah (.12-15)

Verse 12 is one I see often in Scripture. Listen, put yourself under the yoke of the king of Babylon AND LIVE. This is not only “the result will be that you live” but also “then live a life of fulness to the Lord.” God really wants us to live, in New South Wales, in Wales, in New Zealand, in New York, wherever we are. How shall we live? By living according to God’s word. 

 

Verse 13: Why will you do wrong? It’s an appeal, a heart-to-heart from prophet to king. It’s an in-house matter now. Again the three-fold warning of sword, famine and pestilence. Again an appeal. And again a rejection. No wonder Jeremiah weeps.  Christopher Wright thinks this sounds like Deuteronomy and Moses’ appeal to the people, 

 

Deut. 30:19 “^aI call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, ^bthe blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your ¹descendants, ^{20 a}by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and ^bby holding fast to Him; ^cfor ¹this is your life and the length of your days, ²that you may live in ^dthe land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”

 

LIFE, that’s what God wants for each of us, amen?

 

3.     A word for the people of Judah (.16-22)

The final section today is found in verse 16-22.  Again Jeremiah now takes the message to the ordinary people. He leaves the G7 and puts this message on his Twitter feed. Why? The same appeal he gave to the king Zedekiah, now he urges the people to go against the grain, to dismiss the false prophets (we’ve met some earlier in the book) and to join, to hook up with Babylon; it’s the only way we will live. And GOD WANTS YOU TO LIVE!  Yes, Jerusalem will survive if you go with the other team. You will survive. Trust me. I know this sounds crazy, but it’s true. 

 

Dear friends, don’t miss the imagery at the end of that lengthy reading about the yoke. Yeshua used the yoke imagery like Jeremiah does in Lamentations 3 (.26-27) Yeshua invites us to yoke with him, to be joined with him, in a moment, in a forever moment, to be finding his yoke which is easy and his burden which is light. (Matt. 11.29-30). 

 

Will you do that today? Won’t you offer a prayer of surrender to the God of all the earth, to the God who longs to be in good relationship with you. He will help you. He will walk with you. He will take the bulk of the yoke and you get the benefit of good from him. Won’t you do that today?

 

CONCLUSION

God is calling each of us to know him and to walk with him, today and throughout our days. Have you received Yeshua as your messiah and Lord? He is risen from the dead! Have you renounced your sin, your idolatry, your forsaking God and given him First Place in your life? If not, please, do so now, just now, as we pray together. Use your own words, if you want, but yield, surrender, to the Lord of life. 

 

PRAYER

Then please write us (admin@jewsforjesus.org.au) to tell us what you have just done, and we will send you literature and encourage you. You are part of our family; we love and appreciate you. And we want you to enjoy the presence of the Lord who calls, who knows, who blesses and builds us up. 

We hope to see you again next week as we study chapter 27. Until then, Shabbat shalom!

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Barnes, Albert, Albert Barnes’ Commentary on the Old Testament.

Craigie, Peter; Kelley, Page; Drinkard, Joel. Word Biblical Commentary. Book of Jeremiah.  1991. 

Henry, Matthew, Commentary.

McConnville, Gordon, Jeremiah, New Bible Commentary. 

Wright, Christopher, The Message of Jeremiah, The Bible Speaks Today, Intervarsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2014.

 

For other links:

FB: https://www.facebook.com/jewsforjesusau

The videos, especially the Bible teachings are always free. However, if you are enjoying and learning from them, and would like to share in the costs $ of putting them together, to donate use this link:  https://www.jewsforjesus.org.au/giving 

T: http://www.twitter.com/jewsforjesusau

I: https://www.instagram.com/jewsforjesusau

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ACTUAL TEXT

 

Jer. 27:1   In the beginning of the reign of ^1aZedekiah 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 yourself ^abonds and ^byokes and put them on your neck, ³ and send ¹word to the king of ^aEdom, to the king of ^aMoab, to the king of the sons of ^aAmmon, to the king of ^aTyre and to the king of ^aSidon ²by the messengers who come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. ⁴ “Command them to go to their masters, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, thus you shall say to your masters, ⁵ “^aI have made the earth, the men and the beasts which are on the face of the earth ^bby My great power and by My outstretched arm, and I will ^cgive it to the one who is ¹pleasing in My sight. ⁶ “Now I ^ahave given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, ^bMy servant, and I have given him also the ^cwild animals of the field to serve him. ⁷ “^aAll the nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson ^buntil the time of his own land comes; then ^cmany nations and great kings will ¹make him their servant.

 

Jer. 27:8   “It will be, that the nation or the kingdom which ^awill not serve him, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and which will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the ^bsword, with famine and with pestilence,” declares the LORD, “until I have destroyed ¹it by his hand. ⁹ “But as for you, ^ado not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your ¹dreamers, your soothsayers or your sorcerers who speak to you, saying, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon.’ ¹⁰ “For they prophesy a ^alie to you in order to ^bremove you far from your land; and I will drive you out and you will perish. ¹¹ “But the nation which will ^abring its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will ^blet remain on its land,” declares the LORD, “and they will till it and dwell in it.”’”

 

Jer. 27:12   I spoke words like all these to ^aZedekiah king of Judah, saying, “Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him and his people, and live! ¹³ “Why will you ^adie, you and your people, by the sword, famine and pestilence, as the LORD has spoken to that nation which will not serve the king of Babylon? ¹⁴ “So ^ado not listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they prophesy a ^blie to you; ¹⁵ for ^aI have not sent them,” declares the LORD, “but they ^bprophesy falsely in My name, in order that I may ^cdrive you out and that you may perish, ^dyou and the prophets who prophesy to you.”

 

Jer. 27:16   Then 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 ^avessels of the LORD’S house will now shortly be brought again from Babylon’; for they are prophesying a ^blie to you. ¹⁷ “Do not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon, and live! Why should this city ^abecome a ruin? ¹⁸ “But ^aif they are prophets, and if the word of the LORD is with them, let them now ^bentreat 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 in Jerusalem may not go to Babylon. ¹⁹ “For thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the ^apillars, concerning the sea, concerning the stands and concerning the rest of the vessels that are left in this city, ²⁰ which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take when he ^acarried into exile 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 are left in the house of the LORD and in the house of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem, ²² ‘They will be ^acarried to Babylon and they will be there until the ^bday I visit them,’ declares the LORD. ‘Then I will ^cbring them ¹back and restore them to this place.’”

Abortion in Jewish and Christian views

I have a friend in the US whom I've known for 50 years plus. He wrote to me this week asking about the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs Wade. He wondered if the religious views of the Court might not have had something to do with the ruling. 7 Christians vs 2 Jews.

Here are some of my answers to him:

First, is the Jewish view on abortion. There is NO agreement among Jewish people on the subject of abortion. 

For instance, Chabad (representing the ultra-Orthodox) says this:

The sages of the Talmud point out that the phrase in Genesis “one who sheds the blood of man through man” is more accurately translated as “one who sheds the blood of man within man.” Based on this, Rabbi Ishmael said that under ordinary circumstances the killing of a fetus is considered a capital offence for all descendants of Noah, i.e., humankind.”

But their website adds what they think is somewhat contradictory evidence, but really says it only in a different angle. 

This is another quote from Torah (Exodus): “Should men quarrel and hit a pregnant woman, and she miscarried but there is no fatality, he shall surely be punished when the woman’s husband makes demands of him, and he shall give [restitution] according to the judges’ [orders]. 

Since the Torah obligates only monetary compensation but no capital punishment, the Torah seemingly views the fetus as property, not as human life. There are various ways of reconciling these verses. All agree, however, that under ordinary circumstances abortion is prohibited.”

One issue is “full term” babies. According to most Jewish sources, if they are able to reach full term, the unborn then become living beings. If they don’t reach full term, then they must live a full 30 days outside the womb before they are a real person. 

The Talmud states in part that if the “greater part was already born, one may not touch it, for one may not set aside one person’s life for that of another.” So, the act of birth changes the status of the unborn from a nonperson to a person (Hebrew word: nefesh). Killing the newborn after this point would be infanticide. No one thinks this is acceptable. The question is then, what about before that actual birth? Many Talmudic sources and commentators on the Talmud substitute the word “head” for “greater part.” Others maintain the “greater part” meaning the trunk/ torso. So, Dave, that’s where I’m guessing you learned about the ‘head’ or ‘crown’ you mention. 

Famous rabbis and commentators like Maimonides and Joseph Caro also considered the viewing of the head to indicate birth. They both also said that by rabbinic decree, even if only one limb of the unborn came out and then retracted, childbirth is considered to have taken place.

Not only is the precise time of the birth significant in determining whether aborting the fetus is permissible to save the mother’s life, but the viability of the unborn must also be taken into account. The newborn child is not considered fully viable until it has survived thirty days following birth, as is stated in both Torah and in the Talmud:

“Rabbi Simeon ben Gamliel said: Any human being who lives 30 days is not a nephel [abortus] because it is stated: ‘And those that are to be redeemed of them from a month-old shalt thou redeem (Numbers 18.16) since prior to thirty days it is not certain that he will survive.”

 

Further support for the necessity of a 30‑day postpartum viability period for adjudicating various Jewish legal matters pertaining to the newborn also comes from Maimonides, who said,

“Whether one kills an adult or a day‑old child, a male or a female, he must be put to death if he kills deliberately…provided that the child is born after a full‑term pregnancy. But, if it is born before the end of nine months, it is regarded as an abortion until it has lived for thirty days, and if one kills it during these thirty days, one is not put to death on its account.

Thus, although the newborn infant reaches the status of a person or nefesh, which it didn’t have prior to birth, it still does not enjoy all the legal rights of an adult until it has survived for thirty days postpartum. The death penalty is not imposed if one kills such a child before it has established its viability, but killing it is certainly prohibited because “one may not set aside one person’s life for that of another.”

Taken from Biomedical Ethics and Jewish Law, published by KTAV.

All that to say that most traditional Jewish views on birth indicate that the unborn is not really a fully-functioning human until some part of the unborn fetus is viewable (arm, leg, crown), and thus even up to a 9^th-month abortion would be legal. 

 

What about Christian views? if only life were so simple. There are some Christians whose whole raison d'être seems to Include fighting for the rights of the unborn. There are some Christians who have had abortions and there are tons of middle-of-the-pack others. There is no one size fits all theology of abortion/ murder philosophy. The Bible shows God knowing Jeremiah the prophet in the womb (before he was born) and John the Baptist actually filled with the Spirit while in the womb of Elizabeth his mother. Those unborn future Jewish leaders are representative, they say, of all the unborn whose souls have formed already in utero. 

 

I guess the 7 vs 2 of the SCOTUS may well have religious overtones, and certainly that’s one of the big arguments about the Trump appointees, and I hope I’ve helped fill in some thoughts as you continue that processing. Thanks again for asking. 

Threats to the prophet (Jeremiah 26)

 Truth and Consequences: 

A study in the prophecy of Jeremiah

Chapter 26

By Bob Mendelsohn

Given 23 June 2022

 

Lesson Twenty-six:  Threats to the prophet

 

INTRODUCTION

We ended last week with a review of the early words of Jeremiah in chapter 1

 

“See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, 

            To pluck up and to break down, 

            To destroy and to overthrow, 

            To build and to plant.” (verse 10)

 

God had used the words of the prophet the first 25 chapters to pluck up and break down, to destroy and overthrow. Now beginning in the reading for today, the 2^nd half of the book leads us to see the “to build and to plant” and that is for many of us what would be titled ‘hope.’ 

Listen, today is 24 June, and three days ago we experienced the winter solstice. That’s the day when the day is the shortest, when our light is the least of any one 24-hour period in the entire year. And if you will, we are now moving towards summer. Every day we increase in light, and every day is getting longer. Not significantly, but it is increasing. That may be a way to view Jeremiah’s prophecy at this point. To build and to plant… that’s where we are going. 

 

So chapter 26 is really the half-time interval. But we are past the solstice. 

 

1.     The reprise of the curse if you don’t listen (.1-6)

OK, verse 1 sounds the rewind of the tape. We are back in 609 BCE, the beginning of the reign of King Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah. Remember Josiah had initiated great changes int eh Jewish people, and begun a revival of sorts. It didn’t last, as we have discussed, which had to disappoint Josiah himself, and certainly those of the righteous who followed his reforms. 

When we read ‘bereishit mamlachut” it reminds me of the Platinum anniversary celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II we have watched the last couple of weeks. 

בְּרֵאשִׁ֗ית מַמְלְכ֛וּת         

 

Think back to the beginning of her reign, 1952, and you will remember who you are, where you were, etc. That’s what Baruch, the scribe, is doing with chapter 26. Flashback to 609 BCE. Reminder of Jeremiah’s words of warning in verses 1-6. Matthew Henry said of this section, “Those who will not be subject to the commands of God, make themselves subject to the curse of God.”

 

This section of rewrite should be read in conjunction with the Temple sermon of chapter 7. Again we mention that if we had the editorial capacity we would have moved chapter 26 to be next to chapter 7, but we don’t have that capacity. There, the people trusted in their religion and Jeremiah said, the temple won’t save you. The religion of your fathers won’t save you. Listen to my words, turn from your sins, that will be part of your salvation. But the people didn’t heed his prophecy and turned on him, then, and now in the reiteration of that time in chapter 26.

 

Using Jehoiakim according to Stulman (Abingdon Press, 2005) is a code word. “He is a prototype of infidelity and disobedience.” Stulman says it is a ‘code word for cosmic crumbling and the collapse of moral courage.” Think about some folks in your own history or your national story. Someone like Daniel Boone or Sam Houston in the US are code words for courage and valour. Someone in the US like Benedict Arnold or Julian Assange are code words for traitor. Here in Australia, Ned Kelly is code word for much more than larrikin; he’s a bush ranger and outsider to law and order. Stulman is saying Jehoiakim is code word for failure and infidelity.

 

Now I mention this is the interval and if you remember how musicals operate in the theatre, after the interval (Americans: intermission) the orchestra will reprise some of the music from the first half of the show. That’s what Jeremiah is doing here. God told him back in chapter 1 to preach anytime and anywhere, and that some will listen, but most will reject him out of hand. He will face opposition from the leadership/ shepherds like priests and kings, even other prophets. Even so, the reprise continues, he is not to fear them for God will guard him. All that is found in chapter 26.  Barnes says this chapter is “a narrative of the danger to which Jeremiah was exposed by reason of the prophecy contained in Jeremiah 7.”

 

Jehoiakim’s reign began under the authority of Pharaoh Neco II after a military victory gave Egypt the oversight of this region. Neco installed Jehoiakim as vassal in 609 BCE and taxed him and Judah heavily. It’s into that situation that God sent his servant the prophet to get Jehoiakim to rule like his dad, Josiah and to rule well. That unfortunately did not happen. 

 

The words of verses 1-6 are clear: “If you will not listen to Me, to walk in My law which I have set before you, ⁵ to listen to the words of My servants the prophets, whom I have been sending to you ¹again and again, but you have not listened; ⁶ then I will make this house like Shiloh, and this city I will make a curse to all the nations of the earth.”

 

If you don’t clean up your act, you will be a curse.

 

He mentions Shiloh… what’s that? That’s where the Tabernacle stood in the days of Samuel the prophet. The ark, the holy place, the place where God dwelled. Imagine the chutzpah of Jeremiah to predict this. Yeshua had this same chutzpah when he stood on the Temple Mount and cried out, 

But He responded and said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.” (Matthew 24.2)

 

That’s either unmitigated gall, bravery, or sheer stupidity to say ON THE TEMPLE GROUNDS! That’s what a prophet sounds like, though. 

 

Verse 4 and 5 combines the testimony of the Law and the Prophets. Each prophet uses his office as a continuity with Torah, and calls on the authority of Moses and the prophets to validate his own message. Jeremiah is no different. 

 

Verse 3 has a word I missed the first couple of times in reading this chapter. It’s the word ‘perhaps.  (Heb: אוּלַ֣י  ). It’s a word not found in chapter 7. It’s a word of hope, certainly of longing. Maybe they will listen. 

Maybe they will repent.

Maybe they will follow me with all their heart. 

Wow, it’s a whisper of God’s intention and God’s longing. The Gentle and Lowly King of the Universe is aching to hear a word, a soft word, a cry from the kishkes of his people. Perhaps. Oolai. 

 

 

2.     A plot to kill Jeremiah (.7-11)

 

The second section of the chapter today is verses 7 to 11. Jeremiah preaches and the people are roused by the leadership to murder him. They use the phrase found in Genesis 2

מ֥וֹת תָּמֽוּת

 

This is the cry of “Death penalty” if you will. God said that to Adam that in the day he eats of the wrong tree he will surely die. The Hebrew is dyingly die. It’s multiplied death. It’s inescapable death. It’s the death penalty in a court of law. God uses this phrase three times in Torah related to capital crimes (Ex 21, Lev 20,  Numbers 35). Let’s just say this is serious and Jeremiah is not going to escape the cry for his death. 

 

3.     Jeremiah’s self-defense and rescue (.12-24)

 

But then they listen one more time to Jeremiah in his defence.  Odd to pronounce the death sentence before they gave him such an opportunity to self-defend. But maybe I’m reading the prosecution’s accusation as a sentence. I could be wrong.

What is his defence? God spoke and I must discharge those words to you. End of story. Oh, except it was to be done here and now. And if you miss it, you will kill me, but you will bring innocent blood onto your own heads. You will own the wrong you are committing. Are you really willing to do so? That’s Jeremiah’s question. 

He uses the occasion of his defence in court to remind the people, the priests, and the other prophets that what he has said, he is saying again. Listen oh Israel, Sh’ma Yisrael, to what God has said. He is a jealous God. 

 

Verse 16, the officials change their mind. They undo the verdict of the death penalty and any commensurate sentence. The verse 17, “elders of the land” sounds like people from regional areas who are in Jerusalem perhaps for an occasion, a holiday or such, who are not at all intimidated by the Jerusalem authorities, the priests who ran the Temple etc. Judaism then, as today, is ever divided and Jeremiah found mates in the country leadership, not the leadership of the country. And I love how they got the people on side with them.  They quote Scripture, especially another prophet Micah. Chapter 3.

 

You see, Deuteronomy says that if a prophet prophesies and the thing does not come to pass, then he is a false prophet and should be stoned. The people in Micah’s day were patient and listened. He prophesied destruction unless the people repented. What happened? King Hezekiah took the prophecy on board, and he repented. Then the people repented and God stayed the evil he had planned. On the basis of that precedent, the elders in Jeremiah’s day are saying, we should also not kill Jeremiah! Those country elders knew both the Scripture and the One who gave them to us. 

 

Perhaps!

 

I really love these Tamworth or Kansan farmers who are elders in their village. They bring up Hezekiah and that may well be a code word (see Stulman) for fidelity and honour in direct contrast to Jehoiakim. If he wanted to rid the world, certainly his world, of Jeremiah, and thus depict his own infidelity, the elders of the land mention Hezekiah and Micah and thus depict their own fidelity. God loves to listen to humble souls, and humble leaders. Christopher Wrights says, “Hezekiah spared the prophet and sought the Lord. (verse 19). Jehoiakim killed a prophet and hardened his heart.” (verses 20-23) That prophet was Uriah, a previously unnamed Jewish prophet. The author is showcasing the evil that lurked in Jehoiakim and the possibility of the end of Jeremiah. 

 

But look at the final verse of the chapter. The Lord spared Jeremiah to keep proclaiming the message. 

 

Craigie says this in summary of the section, 

“the explicit teaching in the Gospels that Jesus went to this death as one in the long line of prophets persistently sent by God but rejected by the people and killed (Jer 26:5, 20–23; Luke 13:33–34; Matt 23:29–32). These prophets bear a common message, that unrepentant sinners are never safe, even in the temple of the LORD (Jer 26:4–6, 18, 20; Matt 24; Mark 13; Luke 21). God’s people cannot create security for themselves by technology or strategies, theology or liturgies. They will find life and hope only at the intersection of human repentance and divine mercy (Jer 26:3). Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem in Matt 23:37–39//Luke 13:34–35 reflects the content of Jer 26. The people of Jerusalem kill God’s prophets (26:20–24), yet God persistently sends more, desiring the people’s restoration (26:4–5, 13). The alternative is the desolation of the temple and the city (26:5–6, 9, 18). But the people must recognize and listen to the one who comes and speaks in the name of the LORD (26:15–16).

 

            “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone to death the ones sent to you: How often have I longed to gather your children together like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See, your house is left to you, desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” (Matt 23:37–39)

 

Perhaps you are hearing that message today? Perhaps you want to give your life to the One who gave his life on the cross for you. Would you like to do that? In a moment my friend Jimmy will lead you in such a prayer. Please turn and listen. And pray and join the family of God with us. 

 

CONCLUSION

God is calling each of us to know him and to walk with him, today and throughout our days. Have you received Yeshua as your messiah and Lord? He is risen from the dead! Have you renounced your sin, your idolatry, your forsaking God and given him First Place in your life? If not, please, do so now, just now, as we pray together. Use your own words, if you want, but yield, surrender, to the Lord of life. 

 

PRAYER

Then please write us (admin@jewsforjesus.org.au) to tell us what you have just done, and we will send you literature and encourage you. You are part of our family; we love and appreciate you. And we want you to enjoy the presence of the Lord who calls, who knows, who blesses and builds us up. 

We hope to see you again next week as we study chapter 27. Until then, Shabbat shalom!

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Barnes, Albert, Albert Barnes’ Commentary on the Old Testament.

Craigie, Peter; Kelley, Page; Drinkard, Joel. Word Biblical Commentary. Book of Jeremiah.  1991. 

Henry, Matthew, Commentary.

McConnville, Gordon, Jeremiah, New Bible Commentary. 

Wright, Christopher, The Message of Jeremiah, The Bible Speaks Today, Intervarsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2014.

 

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ACTUAL TEXT

 

Jer. 26:1   In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the LORD, saying, ² “Thus says the LORD, ‘Stand in the court of the LORD’S house, and speak to all the cities of Judah who have come to worship in the LORD’S house all the words that I have commanded you to speak to them. Do not omit a word! ³ ‘Perhaps they will listen and everyone will turn from his evil way, that I may repent of the calamity which I am planning to do to them because of the evil of their deeds.’ ⁴ “And you will say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD, “If you will not listen to Me, to walk in My law which I have set before you, ⁵ to listen to the words of My servants the prophets, whom I have been sending to you again and again, but you have not listened; ⁶ then I will make this house like Shiloh, and this city I will make a curse to all the nations of the earth.”’”

 

A Plot to Murder Jeremiah

 

Jer. 26:7   The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD. ⁸ When Jeremiah finished speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, “You must die! ⁹ “Why have you prophesied in the name of the LORD saying, ‘This house will be like Shiloh and this city will be desolate, without inhabitant’?” And all the people gathered about Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.

 

Jer. 26:10   When the officials of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to the house of the LORD and sat in the entrance of the New Gate of the LORD’S house. ¹¹ Then the priests and the prophets spoke to the officials and to all the people, saying, “A death sentence for this man! For he has prophesied against this city as you have heard in your hearing.”

 

Jer. 26:12   Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and to all the people, saying, “The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard. ¹³ “Now therefore amend your ways and your deeds and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will change His mind about the misfortune which He has pronounced against you. ¹⁴ “But as for me, behold, I am in your hands; do with me as is good and right in your sight. ¹⁵ “Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood on yourselves, and on this city and on its inhabitants; for truly the LORD has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.”

 

Jeremiah Is Spared

 

Jer. 26:16   Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and to the prophets, “No death sentence for this man! For he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.” ¹⁷ Then some of the elders of the land rose up and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying,

¹⁸         “Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and he spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, ‘Thus the LORD of hosts has said, 

            “Zion will be plowed as a field, 

            And Jerusalem will become ruins, 

            And the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.”’

¹⁹ “Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? Did he not fear the LORD and entreat the favor of the LORD, and the LORD changed His mind about the misfortune which He had pronounced against them? But we are committing a great evil against ourselves.”

 

Jer. 26:20   Indeed, there was also a man who prophesied in the name of the LORD, Uriah the son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim; and he prophesied against this city and against this land words similar to all those of Jeremiah. ²¹ When King Jehoiakim and all his mighty men and all the officials heard his words, then the king sought to put him to death; but Uriah heard it, and he was afraid and fled and went to Egypt. ²² Then King Jehoiakim sent men to Egypt: Elnathan the son of Achbor and certain men with him went into Egypt. ²³ And they brought Uriah from Egypt and led him to King Jehoiakim, who slew him with a sword and cast his dead body into the burial place of the common people.

 

Jer. 26:24   But the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, so that he was not given into the hands of the people to put him to death.