vibrations

Plant youself next go God and flourish.

Summary

Jeremiah 16 warns that Judah will face disease, famine, war, and exile because the people abandoned Jehovah and worshipped false gods. Still, Jehovah promises to restore them and make his name known. Jeremiah

17 contrasts trusting in humans with trusting in Jehovah. Those who rely on Jehovah remain spiritually strong, while the treacherous heart and continued disobedience lead to judgment.

Jeremiah 16

The word of Jehovah again came to me, saying:

“You must not take a wife for yourself, and you must not have sons and daughters in this place.

For this is what Jehovah says concerning the sons and daughters who are born here and concerning their mothers who give birth to them and concerning their fathers who cause their birth in this land:

‘They will die of deadly diseases, but no one will mourn them or bury them; they will become like manure on the surface of the ground.

They will perish by the sword and by famine, and their dead bodies will be food for the birds of the heavens and for the beasts of the earth.’

For this is what Jehovah says,

‘Do not enter a house where a mourners’ feast is held, And do not go to wail or offer sympathy.’

‘For I have taken away my peace from this people,’ declares Jehovah, ‘As well as my loyal love and mercy.

Both the great and the small will die in this land. They will not be buried, No one will mourn them, Nor will anyone cut himself or make himself bald for them.

And no one will provide food for those in mourning, To comfort them over their dead; Nor will anyone give them the cup of consolation To drink over the loss of their father or mother.

And do not enter a house of feasting To sit down with them to eat and drink.’

“For this is what Jehovah of armies, the God of Israel, says, ‘Here in this place, in your days and before your very eyes, I will put an end to the sounds of exultation and rejoicing, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride.’

“When you tell this people all these words, they will ask you, ‘Why has Jehovah spoken of all this great calamity against us? What error and what sin have we committed against Jehovah our God?’

You must reply to them, ‘“Because your forefathers abandoned me,” declares Jehovah, “and they kept following other gods and serving them and bowing down to them.

But me they abandoned, and my law they did not keep.

And you have behaved far worse than your forefathers, and each one of you follows the stubbornness of his wicked heart instead of obeying me.

So I will hurl you out of this land into a land that neither you nor your forefathers have known, and there you will have to serve other gods day and night, because I will show you no favor.”’

“‘However, the days are coming,’ declares Jehovah, ‘when they will no longer say: “As surely as Jehovah is alive, who brought the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt!”

but rather: “As surely as Jehovah is alive, who brought the people of Israel from the land of the north and from all the lands to which he had dispersed them!” and I will bring them back to their land, which I gave to their forefathers.’

‘Here I am sending for many fishermen,’ declares Jehovah, ‘And they will fish for them.

After that I will send for many hunters, And they will hunt them down on every mountain and every hill And out of the clefts of the crags.

For my eyes are on everything they do.

They have not been hidden from before me, Nor has their error been hidden from my eyes.

First, I will repay the full amount due for their error and their sin,

For they have profaned my land with the lifeless figures of their disgusting idols And have filled my inheritance with their detestable things.’”

O Jehovah, my strength and my stronghold, My place to flee in the day of distress,

To you the nations will come from the ends of the earth, And they will say: “Our forefathers inherited utter falsehood, Futility and useless things of no benefit.”

Can a man make gods for himself When they are not really gods?

“So I will make them know, At this time I will make them know my power and my might, And they will have to know that my name is Jehovah.”

Jeremiah 17

“The sin of Judah is written down with an iron stylus. With a diamond point it is engraved on the tablet of their heart And on the horns of their altars,

While their sons remember their altars and their sacred poles

Beside a luxuriant tree, on the high hills,

On the mountains in the open countryside.

Your resources, all your treasures, I will give as plunder

—Yes, your high places because of sin throughout your territories.

You will forfeit, of your own accord, your inheritance that I gave you.

And I will make you serve your enemies in a land you do not know,

For you have kindled my anger like a fire.

It will burn for all time.”

This is what Jehovah says:

“Cursed is the man who puts his trust in mere humans,

Who relies on human power,

And whose heart turns away from Jehovah.

He will become like a solitary tree in the desert. He will not see when good comes, But he will reside in parched places in the wilderness, In a salt land where no one can live.

Blessed is the man who puts his trust in Jehovah, Whose confidence is in Jehovah.

He will become like a tree planted by the waters, That sends out its roots to the stream.

He will not notice when heat comes, But his leaves will always flourish.

And in the year of drought he will not be anxious, Nor will he quit producing fruit.

The heart is more treacherous than anything else and is desperate.

Who can know it?

I, Jehovah, am searching the heart, Examining the innermost thoughts,

To give to each one according to his ways, According to the fruitage of his works.

Like a partridge that gathers what it has not laid, So is the one who acquires riches dishonestly.

They will leave him in midlife, And in the end he will prove senseless.”

A glorious throne, exalted from the beginning, Is the place of our sanctuary.

O Jehovah, the hope of Israel, All those who abandon you will be put to shame.

Those apostatizing from you will be written in the dust,

Because they have abandoned Jehovah, the source of living water.

Heal me, O Jehovah, and I will be healed. Save me, and I will be saved,

For you are the object of my praise.

Look! There are those saying to me: “Where is the word of Jehovah?

Let it come, please!”

But as for me, I did not run away from following you as a shepherd, Nor did I long for the day of disaster.

You well know everything my lips have spoken; It all took place before your face!

Do not be a cause of terror to me. You are my refuge in the day of calamity.

Let my persecutors be put to shame, But do not let me be put to shame.

Let them be struck with terror, But do not let me be struck with terror.

Bring the day of calamity on them, And crush them and destroy them completely.

This is what Jehovah told me:

“Go and stand in the gate of the sons of the people by which the kings of Judah go in and out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem.

You must say to them, ‘Hear the word of Jehovah, you kings of Judah, all people of Judah, and all inhabitants of Jerusalem, who enter by these gates.

This is what Jehovah says:

“Watch yourselves, and do not carry any load on the Sabbath day or bring it in through the gates of Jerusalem.

You must not bring any load out of your homes on the Sabbath day; and you must do no work at all.

Keep the Sabbath day sacred, just as I commanded your forefathers.

But they did not listen or incline their ear, and they stubbornly refused to obey or to accept discipline.”’

“‘“However, if you strictly obey me,” declares Jehovah, “and you bring in no load through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, and you keep the Sabbath day sacred by not doing any work on it,

then kings and princes who sit on the throne of David will also enter in through the gates of this city, riding in the chariot and on horses, they and their princes, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem;

and this city will be inhabited for all time.

And people will come from the cities of Judah, from the places around Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the lowland, from the mountainous region, and from the Negeb, bringing whole burnt offerings, sacrifices, grain offerings, frankincense, and thanksgiving sacrifices into the house of Jehovah.

“‘“But if you do not obey me by keeping the Sabbath day sacred and by not carrying loads and bringing them through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, I will set her gates on fire, and it will certainly consume the fortified towers of Jerusalem and will not be extinguished.”’”