Jer 27:5-6 | KingComments | STEP | The word of the LORD comes to Jeremiah in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah ( ). Jeremiah tells what the LORD has instructed him to do ( ). He is to portray something, making the message all the more clear. What is portrayed enlivens the message. Jeremiah is to walk around with bonds and yokes on his neck. The yokes and bonds are symbols of subjection, slavery and exile. Thereby he shows the state of miserable bondage that will surely come if his message is rejected. He is to take his message not only to God’s people, but also to five other nations ( ). He is also the prophet of the nations ( ). That this message also goes to the nations is a testimony to God’s grace. It seems that these nations want to make a covenant with Judah. The fact that these nations were hostile to Israel until recently seems to have been forgotten because they now have the same enemy as Israel. They seek the support of Israel to stand together against the king of Babylon and thus escape God’s discipline. For this purpose they have sent envoys to Zedekiah. But this, probably secret, consultation is not hidden from the LORD. He has a word for all these envoys that He has His servant proclaim openly. Jeremiah is to speak to those envoys the words of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel ( ). God is the almighty God and specifically the God of Israel, but He is also the God of the nations ( ). He introduces Himself to the nations as the Creator of the earth, men and beasts ( ). He also points to His great power by which He gives every nation and person on earth a place as it is right in His sight. He, Who is great in power, has given dominion over the earth, man and beast, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, whom He calls “My servant” ( ). The wild animals are mentioned to indicate how far-reaching Nebuchadnezzar’s authority is ( ; ). The LORD has also determined the length of time Nebuchadnezzar will reign ( ). He will yet be succeeded by his son Evil Medorach ( ) and his grandson Belshazzar ( ). Although his reign will not be short-lived, the time will also come for him when his reign will be taken away from him ( ) and he himself will serve other nations. It proves that God has all nations in His hand. He gives them into Nebuchadnezzar’s hand, but He also puts an end to Nebuchadnezzar’s empire. When we look at the history of the nations, it seems that God does not interfere with them. Here we see that the nations are just as much under His rule as His own people. It is not the rulers of the world who rule, but God Who rules. We have to be in God’s sanctuary, the sanctuary of His Word, to see that. God does not let disobedience to His command go unpunished ( ). Anyone who does not submit to Nebuchadnezzar is resisting His will. The punishment for this is that He will give that people or kingdom over to sword, famine and pestilence. As a result, He will break its power and He will bring it down by His hand. Whoever throws off the yoke of Babylon from his neck will bring even greater misery upon himself. Jeremiah warns the envoys not to listen to all those people who tell them not to serve the king of Babylon ( ). They are not servants of God, but “your prophets, your diviners” and so on, all people from these five kingdoms who are under demonic influence. That makes all the difference. The false prophets are an international evil. In times of crisis, all kinds of fortune tellers come forward and say how things will go. They find a good outlet for their message, because people do want to be informed about the future, as long as it is not by the truth. These people all speak lies by which they will be taken far from their land, from which the LORD will drive them out and they will perish ( ). However, whoever listens to the LORD and submits to the king of Babylon will be left in his land ( ). He will live in it and till it for his livelihood, so that he will dwell there.

‏ Jeremiah 27:5-6

The Message for the Envoys

The word of the LORD comes to Jeremiah in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah (Jer 27:1). Jeremiah tells what the LORD has instructed him to do (Jer 27:2). He is to portray something, making the message all the more clear. What is portrayed enlivens the message. Jeremiah is to walk around with bonds and yokes on his neck. The yokes and bonds are symbols of subjection, slavery and exile.

Thereby he shows the state of miserable bondage that will surely come if his message is rejected. He is to take his message not only to God’s people, but also to five other nations (Jer 27:3). He is also the prophet of the nations (Jer 1:10). That this message also goes to the nations is a testimony to God’s grace.

It seems that these nations want to make a covenant with Judah. The fact that these nations were hostile to Israel until recently seems to have been forgotten because they now have the same enemy as Israel. They seek the support of Israel to stand together against the king of Babylon and thus escape God’s discipline. For this purpose they have sent envoys to Zedekiah. But this, probably secret, consultation is not hidden from the LORD. He has a word for all these envoys that He has His servant proclaim openly.

Jeremiah is to speak to those envoys the words of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel (Jer 27:4). God is the almighty God and specifically the God of Israel, but He is also the God of the nations (Rom 3:29). He introduces Himself to the nations as the Creator of the earth, men and beasts (Jer 27:5). He also points to His great power by which He gives every nation and person on earth a place as it is right in His sight.

He, Who is great in power, has given dominion over the earth, man and beast, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, whom He calls “My servant” (Jer 27:6). The wild animals are mentioned to indicate how far-reaching Nebuchadnezzar’s authority is (Jer 28:14; Dan 2:38). The LORD has also determined the length of time Nebuchadnezzar will reign (Jer 27:7). He will yet be succeeded by his son Evil Medorach (Jer 52:31) and his grandson Belshazzar (Dan 5:2).

Although his reign will not be short-lived, the time will also come for him when his reign will be taken away from him (Dan 5:30) and he himself will serve other nations. It proves that God has all nations in His hand. He gives them into Nebuchadnezzar’s hand, but He also puts an end to Nebuchadnezzar’s empire.

When we look at the history of the nations, it seems that God does not interfere with them. Here we see that the nations are just as much under His rule as His own people. It is not the rulers of the world who rule, but God Who rules. We have to be in God’s sanctuary, the sanctuary of His Word, to see that.

God does not let disobedience to His command go unpunished (Jer 27:8). Anyone who does not submit to Nebuchadnezzar is resisting His will. The punishment for this is that He will give that people or kingdom over to sword, famine and pestilence. As a result, He will break its power and He will bring it down by His hand. Whoever throws off the yoke of Babylon from his neck will bring even greater misery upon himself.

Jeremiah warns the envoys not to listen to all those people who tell them not to serve the king of Babylon (Jer 27:9). They are not servants of God, but “your prophets, your diviners” and so on, all people from these five kingdoms who are under demonic influence. That makes all the difference. The false prophets are an international evil. In times of crisis, all kinds of fortune tellers come forward and say how things will go. They find a good outlet for their message, because people do want to be informed about the future, as long as it is not by the truth.

These people all speak lies by which they will be taken far from their land, from which the LORD will drive them out and they will perish (Jer 27:10). However, whoever listens to the LORD and submits to the king of Babylon will be left in his land (Jer 27:11). He will live in it and till it for his livelihood, so that he will dwell there.