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More Jeremiah commentaries
Jeremiah 26:1-24
Jeremiah Was on Trial For His Life
Jeremiah 27:1-22
God is in Control
Jeremiah 28:1-17
Speak The Truth Even When it is Unpopular
Jeremiah 29:1-14
God Never Forgets His People
Jeremiah 29:15-32
It is Dangerous to Take Sides Against God’s Man
Jeremiah 30:1-11
God Will Restore His People
Jeremiah 30:12-24
Judgment Must Come Before Blessing Can Come
Jeremiah 31:1-14
He Promises to Restore Joy
Jeremiah 31:15-30
Man is Responsible For His Own Sins
Jeremiah 31:31-40
An Opportunity to Make a Fresh Start
Jeremiah 32:1-15
Does Your Life Seem Like it is Sitting Still?
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It is Dangerous to Take Sides Against God’s Man
Jeremiah 29:15–32
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
On September 2, 1945 General Douglas MacArthur spoke to the world from the Battleship Missouri anchored in Tokyo Bay, “Today the guns are silent. The entire world is quietly at peace.” That long war cost sixty million lives, and an estimated $1 trillion. It came o … More
The people disbelieved Jeremiah’s message because it contradicted the message of the false Jewish prophets in Babylon (vv. 15-19). Evidently these prophets were proclaiming the safety of Jerusalem and the swift return of those in captivity. Jeremiah shattered their optimistic forecasts by announcing that those who had not been exiled were destined for the sword, famine, and plagues. Jeremiah singled out two men who were evidently the ringleaders of the false prophets in Babylon (vv. 20-23). They were Ahab son of Koliah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah. Nothing else is known about these men, but they were prophesying lies (v. 21) to the people and committing adultery with their neighbors’ wives (v. 23). God vowed to judge these false prophets by handing them over to Nebuchadnezzar who would put them to death before the very eyes of the exiles, to serve as an object lesson on the danger of fomenting rebellion.
Evidently after Jeremiah’s first letter to the exiles (vv. 1-23) another prophet in Babylon, Shemaiah, wrote the leaders in Jerusalem urging them to punish Jeremiah (vv. 24-28). However, the letter was read to Jeremiah (v. 29) who then wrote a second letter to the exiles. He quoted the text of Shemaiah’s letter (vv. 24-28) and delivered God’s word of judgment against the false prophet (vv. 29-32). Under God’s guidance Jeremiah sent a second message to all the exiles. This letter contained God’s judgment against Shemaiah for claiming to be His prophet. God would punish both Shemaiah and his descendants. Neither he nor his family would live to see the good things God promised to do for His people but forfeited his right to take part in these blessings because, by urging those in Jerusalem to oppose Jeremiah, he had preached rebellion against God.Application
It is dangerous to take sides against God’s man. Even though I may disagree with someone in the ministry I need to let God handle the situation and not me.
Jeremiah 29:15-32 (English Standard Version)
""Because you have said, 'The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,' thus says the LORD concerning the king who sits on the throne of David, and concerning all the people who dwell in this city, your kinsmen who did not go out with you into exile: 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, behold, I am sending on them sword, famine, and pestilence, and I will make them like vile figs that are so rotten they cannot be eaten. I will pursue them with sword, famine, and pestilence, and will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, a terror, a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations where I have driven them, because they did not pay attention to my words, declares the LORD, that I persistently sent to you by my servants the prophets, but you would not listen, declares the LORD.' Hear the word of the LORD, all you exiles whom I sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon: 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying a lie to you in my name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall strike them down before your eyes. Because of them this curse shall be used by all the exiles from Judah in Babylon: "The LORD make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire," because they have done an outrageous thing in Israel, they have committed adultery with their neighbors' wives, and they have spoken in my name lying words that I did not command them. I am the one who knows, and I am witness, declares the LORD.'" To Shemaiah of Nehelam you shall say: "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: You have sent letters in your name to all the people who are in Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying, 'The LORD has made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, to have charge in the house of the LORD over every madman who prophesies, to put him in the stocks and neck irons. Now why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth who is prophesying to you? For he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, "Your exile will be long; build houses and live in them, and plant gardens and eat their produce."'" Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet. Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: "Send to all the exiles, saying, 'Thus says the LORD concerning Shemaiah of Nehelam: Because Shemaiah had prophesied to you when I did not send him, and has made you trust in a lie, therefore thus says the LORD: Behold, I will punish Shemaiah of Nehelam and his descendants. He shall not have anyone living among this people, and he shall not see the good that I will do to my people, declares the LORD, for he has spoken rebellion against the LORD.'"
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