Study Desk

As for the prophets: My heart is broken within me, and all my bones tremble. I have become like a drunkard, like a man overcome by wine, because of the LORD, because of His holy words.

And among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: They commit adultery and walk in lies. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns his back on wickedness. They are all like Sodom to Me; the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah."

They keep saying to those who despise Me, 'The LORD says that you will have peace,' and to everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart, 'No harm will come to you.'

But which of them has stood in the council of the LORD to see and hear His word? Who has given heed to His word and obeyed it?

The anger of the LORD will not diminish until He has fully accomplished the purposes of His heart. In the days to come you will understand it clearly.

As for the prophet or priest or anyone who claims, 'This is the oracle of the LORD,' I will punish that man and his household.

This is what each man is to say to his friend and to his brother: 'What has the LORD answered?' or, 'What has the LORD spoken?'

But like the bad figs, so bad they cannot be eaten, says the LORD, so I will deal with Zedekiah king of Judah, his officials, and the remnant of Jerusalem-those remaining in this land and those living in the land of Egypt.

And the LORD has sent all His servants the prophets to you again and again, but you have not listened or inclined your ear to hear.

Pharaoh king of Egypt, his officials, his leaders, and all his people;

So you are to prophesy all these words against them and say to them: 'The LORD will roar from on high; He will raise His voice from His holy habitation. He will roar loudly over His pasture; like those who tread the grapes, He will call out with a shout, against all the inhabitants of the earth.

He has left His den like a lion, for their land has been made a desolation by the sword of the oppressor, and because of His fierce anger.

Perhaps they will listen and turn-each from his evil way of life-so that I may relent of the disaster that I am planning to do to them because of the evil of their deeds.

Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in Judah put him to death? Did Hezekiah not fear the LORD and seek His favor, and did not the LORD relent of the disaster He had pronounced against them? But we are about to bring great harm on ourselves!"

King Jehoiakim and all his mighty men and officials heard his words, and the king sought to put him to death. But when Uriah found out about it, he fled in fear and went to Egypt.

They brought Uriah out of Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who struck him down with the sword and threw his body into the burial place of the common people.

All nations will serve him and his son and grandson, until the time of his own land comes; then many nations and great kings will enslave him.

As for the nation or kingdom that does not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and does not place its neck under his yoke, I will punish that nation by sword and famine and plague, declares the LORD, until I have destroyed it by his hand.

And to Zedekiah king of Judah I spoke the same message: "Put your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon; serve him and his people, and live!

"Amen!" Jeremiah said. "May the LORD do so! May the LORD fulfill the words you have prophesied, and may He restore the articles of His house and all the exiles back to this place from Babylon.