32 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar. 2 At that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the guard that was in the palace of the king of Judah. 3 For Zedekiah king of Judah had imprisoned him, saying, “Why do you prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord: Behold, I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall capture it; 4 Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him face to face and see him eye to eye. 5 And he shall take Zedekiah to Babylon, and there he shall remain until I visit him, declares the Lord. Though you fight against the Chaldeans, you shall not succeed’?”
6 Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me: 7 Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you and say, ‘Buy my field that is at Anathoth, for the right of redemption by purchase is yours.’ 8 Then Hanamel my cousin came to me in the court of the guard, in accordance with the word of the Lord, and said to me, ‘Buy my field that is at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for the right of possession and redemption is yours; buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord.
9 “And I bought the field at Anathoth from Hanamel my cousin, and weighed out the money to him, seventeen shekels of silver. 10 I signed the deed, sealed it, got witnesses, and weighed the money on scales. 11 Then I took the sealed deed of purchase, containing the terms and conditions and the open copy. 12 And I gave the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my cousin, in the presence of the witnesses who signed the deed of purchase, and in the presence of all the Judeans who were sitting in the court of the guard. 13 I charged Baruch in their presence, saying, 14 ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Take these deeds, both this sealed deed of purchase and this open deed, and put them in an earthenware vessel, that they may last for a long time. 15 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land.’
Jeremiah 32:1-15
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A Deed of Hope
Jeremiah sat in prison while Jerusalem crumbled around him. The future looked bleak. Yet God commanded him to do something astonishing: buy a field. Humanly speaking, the land seemed worthless. Babylon was conquering the nation, and exile was imminent. But this purchase was a visible promise that God’s judgment would not be His final word. One day, His people would return, and fields would again be bought and sold in the land. Jeremiah’s purchase served as a sign of confidence in God’s sure promise of restoration. God’s people could trust His Word even when circumstances suggested otherwise. We often face situations that seem hopeless. Sin, suffering, and death appear to have the final say. Yet God points us to a greater deed of purchase. At the cross, Christ redeemed us, not with silver or gold, but with His holy precious blood. His resurrection guarantees that forgiveness, life, and salvation belong to us. When all seems lost, God’s promises remain certain. In Christ, the future is secure because the Lord always keeps His Word.

38 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when the city shall be rebuilt for the Lord from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. 39 And the measuring line shall go out farther, straight to the hill Gareb, and shall then turn to Goah. 40 The whole valley of the dead bodies and the ashes, and all the fields as far as the brook Kidron, to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east, shall be sacred to the Lord. It shall not be plucked up or overthrown anymore forever.”
Jeremiah 31:38-40
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A City Made Holy
Jeremiah closes this section with a remarkable promise. The prophet looks beyond judgment and destruction to a day when Jerusalem will be rebuilt and consecrated entirely to the Lord. Areas once associated with death, uncleanness, and ruin would become part of a city that belongs to God forever. This prophecy points to God's gracious restoration of His people after exile, demonstrating that His saving purposes cannot be thwarted. Yet this promise finds its fullest fulfillment in Christ. Jerusalem was rebuilt, but earthly cities still fall and earthly kingdoms still pass away. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus establishes a greater and everlasting kingdom. The places of death and curse are transformed by His cross into places of life and blessing. At Calvary, the Son of God entered the valley of death for us, bearing our sin and uncleanness. Because of Christ, God is even now building His holy people, and He promises a new creation where nothing unclean will remain. There, His redeemed will dwell with Him forever.

35          Thus says the Lord,
                        who gives the sun for light by day
and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night,
                        who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—
the Lord of hosts is his name:
            36          “If this fixed order departs
from before me, declares the Lord,
                        then shall the offspring of Israel cease
from being a nation before me forever.”
            37          Thus says the Lord:
                        “If the heavens above can be measured,
and the foundations of the earth below can be explored,
                        then I will cast off all the offspring of Israel
for all that they have done,
declares the Lord.”
Jeremiah 31:35-37
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The God Who Keeps His Promises
The Lord points Jeremiah to the fixed order of creation, the sun by day, the moon and stars by night, as a testimony to His unchanging faithfulness. Just as no one can overturn the laws God established for the heavens, neither can anyone nullify His promises to His people. God uses the permanence of creation to assure Israel that He will not cast them away despite their sin and exile. We often look at our failures and wonder whether God has finally had enough of us. Yet God directs our eyes away from ourselves and toward His steadfast Word. His covenant faithfulness does not rest on our worthiness but on His mercy. That mercy finds its fullest expression in the cross of Christ. There, God kept His promise to save sinners by sending His Son to bear our guilt and judgment. The same Lord who governs the stars has secured your salvation in Jesus. Therefore, when doubts arise, remember: God’s promises are as certain as the heavens He created.

31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
Jeremiah 31:31-34
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A New Covenant Written in Blood
Jeremiah spoke to a people whose covenant-breaking had brought judgment and exile. Yet the Lord did not abandon them. Through the prophet, God promised a new covenant, not one written on stone tablets, but one written upon the hearts of His people. This promise finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The old covenant revealed God’s holy will but could not overcome the sinful heart. The new covenant brings what sinners desperately need: forgiveness. Through Christ’s atoning death on the cross, God accomplishes what His people could never do for themselves. The blood Jesus shed is the blood of the new covenant, poured out for the forgiveness of sins. The Lord’s promise is deeply personal. He declares that He will be our God and we will be His people. He remembers our sins no more, not because they were insignificant, but because Christ bore them in our place. In Him, we have peace with God, a cleansed conscience, and the certainty that His mercy endures forever.

10 “Hear the word of the Lord, O nations,
and declare it in the coastlands far away;
say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him,
and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.’
11 For the Lord has ransomed Jacob
and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.
12 They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion,
and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord,
over the grain, the wine, and the oil,
and over the young of the flock and the herd;
their life shall be like a watered garden,
and they shall languish no more.
13 Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance,
and the young men and the old shall be merry.
I will turn their mourning into joy;
I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.
14 I will feast the soul of the priests with abundance,
and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness,
declares the Lord.”
Jeremiah 31:10-14
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Comfort From The Lord
The Lord scatters and the Lord gathers together. He destroys so that he can restore. The Law of God always accuses. It is a weight that no man can handle. The preaching of the Law utterly destroys you and me. But the Gospel resurrects. It is by the blood of Jesus' cross and by his glorious resurrection that the Lord has ransomed Jacob and redeemed you from hands too strong for you. This is the Lord that delights in taking care of you. We who weep and lament will sing and praise the Lord. He comes in the midst of our sorrow and comforts us by the sweet declaration of forgiveness and life. He invites you to the feast and he will satisfy you with his goodness. Our God alone sustains us. Thanks be to God.

7 For thus says the Lord:
“Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob,
and raise shouts for the chief of the nations;
proclaim, give praise, and say,
‘O Lord, save your people,
the remnant of Israel.’
8 Behold, I will bring them from the north country
and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth,
among them the blind and the lame,
the pregnant woman and she who is in labor, together;
a great company, they shall return here.
9 With weeping they shall come,
and with pleas for mercy I will lead them back,
I will make them walk by brooks of water,
in a straight path in which they shall not stumble,
for I am a father to Israel,
and Ephraim is my firstborn.
Jeremiah 31:7-9
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Sing With Gladness
The very thing that the Lord delights in is the salvation of his people. He delights in saving you from death and the power of the devil. He is merciful and slow to anger. He is the God that comes for you. He is the come-down-and-deliver-them God. He likes to be close to his people, so he goes and finds them in their despair and brings them back. He is the best Good Shepherd for you. As he gathers you from all the many places we have driven ourselves by our sins and rebellion, he leads us back through green pastures and quiet brooks of water. This is the straight path. This is the path of God for you and me. God is Father to you. He call him "Father," like Jesus. Jesus has made you like himself. You are the delight of the Father's eyes. That is reason to sing about. Sing with the choirs of angels and the host of heaven. You are the Lord's Jacob.

31 “At that time, declares the Lord, I will be the God of all the clans of Israel, and they shall be my people.”
2 Thus says the Lord:
“The people who survived the sword
found grace in the wilderness;
when Israel sought for rest,
3 the Lord appeared to him from far away.
I have loved you with an everlasting love;
therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.
4 Again I will build you, and you shall be built,
O virgin Israel!
Again you shall adorn yourself with tambourines
and shall go forth in the dance of the merrymakers.
5 Again you shall plant vineyards
on the mountains of Samaria;
the planters shall plant
and shall enjoy the fruit.
6 For there shall be a day when watchmen will call
in the hill country of Ephraim:
‘Arise, and let us go up to Zion,
to the Lord our God.’”
Jeremiah 31:1-6
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Everlasting Love
We seek many things and yet we do not know for we are looking! We think we know what rest looks like. We think we know what rest is. Yet, we are like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus must come and rescue us. This is the Lord that finds us in the wilderness and leads us to quiet waters and green pastures. He is the One that establishes us and causes us to prosper. The Living God takes care of all needs of body and soul. He defends us against all danger and guards and protects us against all evil. He puts clothes on our back and water in our glass. This is also the God that brings forgiveness front and center. Into your ears, he speaks his Word of life. This Word makes you people of God. Rejoice in his gifts for you.

18 “Thus says the Lord:
Behold, I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob
and have compassion on his dwellings;
the city shall be rebuilt on its mound,
and the palace shall stand where it used to be.
19 Out of them shall come songs of thanksgiving,
and the voices of those who celebrate.
I will multiply them, and they shall not be few;
I will make them honored, and they shall not be small.
20 Their children shall be as they were of old,
and their congregation shall be established before me,
and I will punish all who oppress them.
21 Their prince shall be one of themselves;
their ruler shall come out from their midst;
I will make him draw near, and he shall approach me,
for who would dare of himself to approach me?
declares the Lord.
22 And you shall be my people,
and I will be your God.”
23 Behold the storm of the Lord!
Wrath has gone forth,
a whirling tempest;
it will burst upon the head of the wicked.
24 The fierce anger of the Lord will not turn back
until he has executed and accomplished
the intentions of his mind.
In the latter days you will understand this.
Jeremiah 30:18-24
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God Restores
The nature of the Living God is to have compassion. He bids his people return to him. He is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. His desire is not that anyone should die eternally, but that all should repent of their sins and live with him forever. His desire is for you to be his people and for he to be your God. This is accomplished by the work of Jesus on the Cross. In the shed blood of your Savior, your sins are forgiven and a right Spirit is set in your heart. The response to sin is wrath and anger. There is One who stops and stills the that anger. That One is Jesus Christ. He has accomplished this for you. He stands as your Savior and Redeemer. The fierce anger of the Lord has been executed on this Jesus. He is victorious over all things and it is all for you. 

12 “For thus says the Lord:
Your hurt is incurable,
and your wound is grievous.
13 There is none to uphold your cause,
no medicine for your wound,
no healing for you.
14 All your lovers have forgotten you;
they care nothing for you;
for I have dealt you the blow of an enemy,
the punishment of a merciless foe,
because your guilt is great,
because your sins are flagrant.
15 Why do you cry out over your hurt?
Your pain is incurable.
Because your guilt is great,
because your sins are flagrant,
I have done these things to you.
16 Therefore all who devour you shall be devoured,
and all your foes, every one of them, shall go into captivity;
those who plunder you shall be plundered,
and all who prey on you I will make a prey.
17 For I will restore health to you,
and your wounds I will heal,
declares the Lord,
because they have called you an outcast:
‘It is Zion, for whom no one cares!’
Jeremiah 30:12-17
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The Blow of the Enemy
Our sins have consequences. To be an enemy of God is a scary place to be. There is no God like our God. He is the living God and the almighty maker of heaven and earth. The battle between good and evil is not some Hollywood battle of equals depending on cunning and battle plans. There is no equal to the living God. Evil always looses. The enemy is always defeated. Our sin and our lawlessness cause the anger and wrath of God to be kindled against us like an enemy that cannot be stopped. But there is One who stops this wrath and anger. There is One who saves. There is One who makes alive. This One is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Because of Jesus' blood, Zion is now holy again. It is because of Jesus' sacrifice that you are made new and given a birth by the Holy Spirit. You are holy before your God because of this Jesus. His love also has no equal. There is not One that compares to him. He gives his everything to you.

4 These are the words that the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah:
            5           “Thus says the Lord:
                        We have heard a cry of panic,
of terror, and no peace.
            6           Ask now, and see,
can a man bear a child?
                        Why then do I see every man
with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor?
Why has every face turned pale?
            7           Alas! That day is so great
there is none like it;
                        it is a time of distress for Jacob;
yet he shall be saved out of it.
8 “And it shall come to pass in that day, declares the Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off your neck, and I will burst your bonds, and foreigners shall no more make a servant of him. 9 But they shall serve the Lord their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.
            10          “Then fear not, O Jacob my servant, declares the Lord,
nor be dismayed, O Israel;
                        for behold, I will save you from far away,
and your offspring from the land of their captivity.
                        Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease,
and none shall make him afraid.
            11          For I am with you to save you,
declares the Lord;
                        I will make a full end of all the nations
among whom I scattered you,
but of you I will not make a full end.
                        I will discipline you in just measure,
and I will by no means leave you unpunished.
Jeremiah 30:4-11
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Fear Not, I Am with You
The words spoken through Jeremiah come in the midst of distress and judgment. God does not pretend that His people's suffering is unreal. Their wounds are deep, and their troubles are the result of sin. Yet the Lord also speaks a greater word: deliverance. He promises that He will not make a full end of His people, even though He disciplines them. This promise finds its fulfillment in Christ. Humanity's greatest problem is not earthly hardship but sin and its consequences. At the cross, Jesus bore the judgment we deserved. There God dealt with our sin completely, not by destroying us, but by placing our punishment upon His Son. Through His death and resurrection, Christ has secured our rescue from sin, death, and the devil. When trials come, Christians may wonder whether God has abandoned them. Jeremiah reminds us that the Lord remains faithful. He disciplines in love, preserves His people, and ultimately delivers them through Christ crucified.

30 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you. 3 For behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel and Judah, says the Lord, and I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall take possession of it.”
Jeremiah 30:1-3
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Written for Restoration
The Lord commanded Jeremiah to write down His promises. At a time when Judah was facing judgment and exile, God wanted His people to have a written testimony that His Word would not fail. The days of captivity would not be the end of the story. The Lord promised to restore His people and bring them home. These promises point beyond the immediate return from exile to the greater salvation God would accomplish for His people. God’s faithfulness does not depend on human strength or worthiness. He acts according to His mercy and covenant promises. We see the fullest restoration in Jesus Christ. Through His cross, our deepest exile is ended. Sin had separated us from God, but Christ bore our judgment and carried our guilt. By His death and resurrection, He brings us home to the Father. Though we still live in a broken world, God's written Word assures us that His promises stand firm. In Christ, restoration is not merely coming; it has already begun.

24 To Shemaiah of Nehelam you shall say: 25 “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, 26 ‘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. 27 Now why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth who is prophesying to you? 28 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.”’”
29 Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet. 30 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 31 “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, 32 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.’”
Jeremiah 29:24-32
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The Lord Knows the False Shepherd
Jeremiah reminds us that not everyone who claims to speak for God truly does. Shemaiah presented himself as a spiritual authority, but he opposed the Lord’s Word and sought to silence God’s faithful prophet. Through Jeremiah, the Lord exposed the lie and declared judgment against the false teacher. God’s people are to listen to His revealed Word rather than the claims of those who speak from their own imagination. The same danger remains today. False teachers still promise what people want to hear while rejecting God’s truth. Yet Christ, the Good Shepherd, continues to gather and protect His flock through His Word. At the cross, Jesus bore the judgment our sins deserved, including the times we have listened to voices other than His. Through His death and resurrection, He forgives, restores, and leads us in the truth. Trust the voice of Christ. His Word never deceives, and His promises never fail.

10 “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.
15 “Because you have said, ‘The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,’ 16 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: 17 ‘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. 18 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, 19 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.’ 20 Hear the word of the Lord, all you exiles whom I sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon: 21 ‘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. 22 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,” 23 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.’”
Jeremiah 29:10-23
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The Lord Keeps His Promises
The people of Judah lived far from home in exile. To all appearances, God’s promises seemed forgotten. Yet through Jeremiah, the Lord declared that His appointed time would come. He had not abandoned His people. His plans were not for their destruction but for their restoration. Even in judgment, God remained faithful to His covenant. The same Lord remains faithful today. Sin often brings painful consequences, and we may wonder whether God has forgotten us. Yet His promises do not depend on our circumstances. They rest on His steadfast mercy. The false prophets of Jeremiah’s day offered comforting lies, but God’s true Word spoke both Law and Gospel. He exposed sin while also promising deliverance. That deliverance reaches its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. On the cross, He bore the judgment our sins deserved. Through His death and resurrection, God has secured our future and given us peace with Him. Though we wait in faith, the Lord’s promises never fail. He hears our prayers, keeps His Word, and will bring His people safely home.

29 These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders of the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2 This was after King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the eunuchs, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metal workers had departed from Jerusalem. 3 The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. It said: 4 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. 8 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, 9 for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 29:1-9
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Seeking the Welfare of the City
Jeremiah’s letter came to people who were far from home. The exiles in Babylon longed for a quick return, but the Lord told them to settle down, build homes, raise families, and seek the welfare of the city where they lived. Though they were strangers in a foreign land, God had not abandoned them. He remained faithful to His promises even while His people endured the consequences of their sin. Christians today also live as exiles in a world that is not our true home. We are called to pray for our communities, serve our neighbors, and faithfully carry out our vocations. Yet our hope is not found in earthly prosperity or in those who promise easy answers. Our hope rests in Christ crucified. On the cross, He bore our sins and reconciled us to God. Through His death and resurrection, He secured our eternal homeland. Until that day, we live in faith, trusting His promises and seeking the good of those around us.

12 Sometime after the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke-bars from off the neck of Jeremiah the prophet, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 13 “Go, tell Hananiah, ‘Thus says the Lord: You have broken wooden bars, but you have made in their place bars of iron. 14 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I have put upon the neck of all these nations an iron yoke to serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they shall serve him, for I have given to him even the beasts of the field.’ ” 15 And Jeremiah the prophet said to the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, and you have made this people trust in a lie. 16 Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will remove you from the face of the earth. This year you shall die, because you have uttered rebellion against the Lord.’”
17 In that same year, in the seventh month, the prophet Hananiah died.
Jeremiah 28:12-17
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The Yoke That Cannot Be Broken
The Lord’s Word is not something to be reshaped by human wishes. In Jeremiah’s day, Hananiah proclaimed a message of peace and quick deliverance, but it was not the Word the Lord had spoken. God revealed that Hananiah had led the people to trust in a lie. The false prophet broke a wooden yoke as a sign, yet the Lord declared that an iron yoke would take its place. Human rebellion cannot overturn God’s judgment or His purposes. This text reminds us that false teaching often sounds comforting because it promises what sinners want to hear. Yet true comfort is found only in the Word God actually speaks. The Law exposes our sin and our attempts to create a god in our own image. But the Gospel reveals Christ crucified for sinners. On the cross, Jesus bore the yoke of our sin and the judgment we deserved. Through His death and resurrection, He gives forgiveness and life. Trust not in pleasant words, but in the sure Word of Christ, which never fails.

28 In that same year, at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fifth month of the fourth year, Hananiah the son of Azzur, the prophet from Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of the Lord, in the presence of the priests and all the people, saying, 2 “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 will 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 will also bring back to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles from Judah who went to Babylon, declares the Lord, for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.”
5 Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to Hananiah the prophet in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord, 6 and the prophet Jeremiah said, “Amen! May the Lord do so; may the Lord make the words that you have prophesied come true, and bring back to this place from Babylon the vessels of the house of the Lord, and all the exiles. 7 Yet hear now this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people. 8 The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms. 9 As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes to pass, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.”
10 Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke-bars from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet and broke them. 11 And Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, “Thus says the Lord: Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all the nations within two years.” But Jeremiah the prophet went his way.
Jeremiah 28:1-11
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The Prophet of Peace
Jeremiah stood in a difficult place. The prophet Hananiah confidently promised peace, freedom, and a quick end to Judah’s troubles. His message sounded wonderful. Jeremiah even replied, “Amen!” Who would not want such good news? Yet the true test was not whether a message sounded pleasant but whether it came from the Lord. Prophets who proclaimed peace could only be proven true when their words actually came to pass. God’s people were not to trust comforting words simply because they were comforting. They were to trust the Lord’s Word. We face the same temptation. We often prefer promises of easy solutions, quick fixes, and earthly success. Yet God’s greatest work came not through an easy path but through the suffering and cross of Christ. There Jesus bore our sin and judgment, accomplishing the peace we truly need. False peace fades away, but the peace won by Christ’s cross endures forever. Trust His Word above every other voice.

12 To Zedekiah king of Judah I spoke in like manner: “Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people and live. 13 Why will you and your people die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, as the Lord has spoken concerning any nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? 14 Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are saying to you, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon,’ for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you. 15 I have not sent them, declares the Lord, but they are prophesying falsely in my name, with the result that I will drive you out and you will perish, you and the prophets who are prophesying to you.” 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 are prophesying to you, saying, ‘Behold, the vessels of the Lord’s house will now shortly be brought back from Babylon,’ for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you. 17 Do not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon and live. Why should this city become a desolation? 18 If they are prophets, and if the word of the Lord is with them, then let them intercede with the Lord of hosts, that the vessels that 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 pillars, the sea, the stands, and the rest of the vessels that are left in this city, 20 which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take away, when he took into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem— 21 thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that are left in the house of the Lord, in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem: 22 They shall be carried to Babylon and remain there until the day when I visit them, declares the Lord. Then I will bring them back and restore them to this place.”
Jeremiah 27:12-22
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Rescue from Death
In our sin, we would rather resist the Lord and remain in the agony of death. The Lord is love and his mercy overflows. Bring your necks under the reign and rule of the Lord's servants. Follow his Word and submit to his Law. By this Law we are crushed. We are laid waste. From the ashes and from the ditch, our Lord comes and lifts us out of our sin. He takes our sin upon him. He who knew no sin becomes sin for us that we might be saved. The Word is sent by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit calls you by the Gospel. He works faith when and where he wills. He works faith in you. He attaches you to Jesus and to his gifts by the preaching of his Word. Test the preaching that you hear by the Word of God. Trust in the Word of God and study and meditate on it. This Word of God endures forever and will never fade. This Word of God is your rock and your foundation. The Lord rescues you from the hand of all your enemies.

8 “‘“But if any nation or kingdom will not serve this Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, declares the Lord, until I have consumed it by his hand. 9 So do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your fortune-tellers, or your sorcerers, who are saying to you, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon.’ 10 For it is a lie that they are prophesying to you, with the result that you will be removed far from your land, and I will drive you out, and you will perish. 11 But any nation that will bring its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will leave on its own land, to work it and dwell there, declares the Lord.”’”
Jeremiah 27:8-11
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The Lord Sustains
The Lord prescribed King Nebuchadnezzar to rule over his people. The people of Israel were punished by an unlikely character. It was the Lord's doing. We don't always agree with the situations of our life or the people who have been placed in authority over us. The Lord sustains us. The Lord takes care of you. He has said that he will defend you against all danger and guard and protect you from all evil. He provides everything you need for this body and life. He sends his Holy Spirit to you. Not only does he give you what you need for your body, but he also sustains you in your spirit. This Spirit brings the gifts of Jesus' cross and resurrection. He applies them to you. We don't always agree with the way we are being disciplined and nurtured. God sustains us even as he purifies us.

27 In the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord. 2 Thus the Lord said to me: “Make yourself straps and yoke-bars, and put them on your neck. 3 Send word to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of the sons of Ammon, the king of Tyre, and the king of Sidon by the hand of the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. 4 Give them this charge for their masters: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: This is what you shall say to your masters: 5 “It is I who by my great power and my outstretched arm have made the earth, with the men and animals that are on the earth, and I give it to whomever it seems right to me. 6 Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant, and I have given him also the beasts of the field to serve him. 7 All the nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson, until the time of his own land comes. Then many nations and great kings shall make him their slave.
Jeremiah 27:1-7
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Into the Hands of Another
The earth belongs to the Lord and the fullness of the seas are his. He spoke these gifts into being and filled it by his speaking. He made you and knew you before he did it. Our sin flies in the face of his authority, but also his love and grace. He bids us turn from our sin, repent of our rebellion, and live in his grace and love. He disciplines and chides those who refuse. His anger can only be stilled by the blood of Jesus. We can only be safe in the righteousness of Jesus. You must be covered by Jesus. This is what God has done when you were Baptized. He has covered you in his righteousness and washed you in his Spirit. There you are protected. Going at it from any other way will result in discipline and chiding. Turn from your sins and cling to your Baptism. Put on Jesus and depend on his grace in all you do.

16 Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man does not deserve the sentence of death, for he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.” 17 And certain of the elders of the land arose and spoke to all the assembled people, saying, 18 “Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and said to all the people of Judah: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “‘Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the house a wooded height.’ 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 did not the Lord relent of the disaster that he had pronounced against them? But we are about to bring great disaster upon ourselves.” 20 There was another man who prophesied in the name of the Lord, Uriah the son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim. He prophesied against this city and against this land in words like those of Jeremiah. 21 And when King Jehoiakim, with all his warriors and all the officials, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death. But when Uriah heard of it, he was afraid and fled and escaped to Egypt. 22 Then King Jehoiakim sent to Egypt certain men, Elnathan the son of Achbor and others with him, 23 and they took Uriah from Egypt and brought him to King Jehoiakim, who struck him down with the sword and dumped his dead body into the burial place of the common people. 24 But the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah so that he was not given over to the people to be put to death.
Jeremiah 26:16-24
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Entreat the Lord's Favor
The Holy Spirit calls us out of the darkness of our human depravity. He alone focuses us on the clear and saving Word of God. The Holy Spirit always uses means to accomplish what the Word has been sent to do. Just as the people of Nineveh did not retaliate against the prophet Jonah, but repented and turned from their sin, the Lord wishes that his people listen to the Word preached and turn from their sins. To repent requires one to have knowledge of sin (and feel the terror that it causes), but also faith to grasp ahold of the gifts of God. Repent! Turn from your sin and cling to the living God alone. Fix your eyes on Jesus' cross and lay all your sins there. By his stripes you are healed. Depend not on famous cities and do not let your feelings be hurt by a mirror that shows you all your sins. Turn from your sins and live. Cast your everything on Jesus and he will sustain you.

7 The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord. 8 And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, “You shall die! 9 Why have you prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without inhabitant’?” And all the people gathered around Jeremiah in the house of the Lord. 10 When the officials of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to the house of the Lord and took their seat in the entry of the New Gate of the house of the Lord. 11 Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and to all the people, “This man deserves the sentence of death, because he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.” 12 Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and all the people, saying, “The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the words you have heard. 13 Now therefore mend your ways and your deeds, and obey the voice of the Lord your God, and the Lord will relent of the disaster that he has pronounced against you. 14 But as for me, behold, I am in your hands. Do with me as seems good and right to you. 15 Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city and its inhabitants, for in truth the Lord sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears.”
Jeremiah 26:1-15
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Mend Your Ways
The human heart wants nothing to do with the Word of the Lord. Our flesh fights against the living God. We are born in open rebellion against God. It takes God himself to come and lay waste the buildings built on our sandy sinful hearts. He lays waste and then builds new. He builds on the rock that is his Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. God takes the innocent blood of his Son, Jesus and uses it to pay for your release. The sinful flesh does not know what to do with this. It counts it foolishness and a stumbling block. So the message still comes to you and me. Repent of your sins. Amend your sinful ways. Fix your eyes on Jesus and meditate upon his Word alone. The Lord is merciful and mighty. He desires that you put aside your sin and your childish ways and come to him. Rest yourself in the grace of Jesus. He suffered and died for you and rose that you could live with him forever. Thanks be to God.

26 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the Lord: 2 “Thus says the Lord: Stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah that come to worship in the house of the Lord all the words that I command you to speak to them; do not hold back a word. 3 It may be they will listen, and every one turn from his evil way, that I may relent of the disaster that I intend to do to them because of their evil deeds. 4 You shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord: If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law that I have set before you, 5 and to listen to the words of my servants the prophets whom I send to you urgently, though you have not listened, 6 then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city a curse for all the nations of the earth.’”
Jeremiah 26:1-6
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No Holding Back
The Lord sends Jeremiah into the thick of things. Jeremiah has a difficult sermon to preach, but God tells him that the people may repent. If they repent, he will relent. This is the way of the living God. He always shows his mercy and his love. He sends his message of repentance and reconciliation to you and me. His desire is that we all turn from our sins and live. This is the Lord's doing. He sent forth his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to die that you would have life. He sent Jesus to suffer the cross that you would never be forsaken. His desire is that he relent and not destroy. His delight is to bind up and to restore and make new. He has made you new as his Word is preached in the thick of the things of your life. Difficult sermons are still being preached so that everyone might live. Thanks be to God for  pastors who stands like Jeremiah and preach the Word in season and out of season to all kinds of ears.

33 “And those pierced by the Lord on that day shall extend from one end of the earth to the other. They shall not be lamented, or gathered, or buried; they shall be dung on the surface of the ground.
34 “Wail, you shepherds, and cry out,
and roll in ashes, you lords of the flock,
for the days of your slaughter and dispersion have come,
and you shall fall like a choice vessel.
35 No refuge will remain for the shepherds,
nor escape for the lords of the flock.
36 A voice—the cry of the shepherds,
and the wail of the lords of the flock!
For the Lord is laying waste their pasture,
37 and the peaceful folds are devastated
because of the fierce anger of the Lord.
38 Like a lion he has left his lair,
for their land has become a waste
because of the sword of the oppressor,
and because of his fierce anger.”
Jeremiah 25:33-38
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Like a Lion
There is only one response for sin and rebellion. Our open rebellion and the sin of our fathers causes great wrath. The Lord must punish. The shepherds were charged with keeping the Lord's sheep and they did not. In the face of all the world's enticing words and pleasures, the Lord's servants must remain faithful. The world's gifts are always fleeting. The pleasures of the human heart alway fade. The joy that the world gives breaks under the weight of sorrow and pain. Not so with the peace and joy that Jesus gives. He is faithful even when we are not. He rescues and saves in a most peculiar way. He takes our place under the heat of God's wrath. He takes our punishment and endures the edge of the sword. All this he does so that you would live with him. This is the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. He picks it back up again and leads you to the best quiet water and the greenest pastures. 

27 “Then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Drink, be drunk and vomit, fall and rise no more, because of the sword that I am sending among you.’
28 “And if they refuse to accept the cup from your hand to drink, then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: You must drink! 29 For behold, I begin to work disaster at the city that is called by my name, and shall you go unpunished? You shall not go unpunished, for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth, declares the Lord of hosts.’
30 “You, therefore, shall prophesy against them all these words, and say to them:
                        “‘The Lord will roar from on high,
and from his holy habitation utter his voice;
                        he will roar mightily against his fold,
and shout, like those who tread grapes,
against all the inhabitants of the earth.
            31          The clamor will resound to the ends of the earth,
for the Lord has an indictment against the nations;
                        he is entering into judgment with all flesh,
and the wicked he will put to the sword,
declares the Lord.’
            32          “Thus says the Lord of hosts:
                        Behold, disaster is going forth
from nation to nation,
                        and a great tempest is stirring
from the farthest parts of the earth!
Jeremiah 25:27-32
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The Storm from the North
Jeremiah’s words are terrifying. The Lord announces judgment upon the nations because of their rebellion and sin. No one escapes by strength, status, or distance. The “storm” sweeping from the north is God’s righteous wrath against evil. This judgment reveals the seriousness of sin before a holy God. Humanity cannot stand on its own before the Lord’s justice. Yet even here, Christians see the shadow of the cross. The cup of wrath that the nations deserved is the cup Christ willingly drank for sinners. On Calvary, Jesus bore the judgment we earned. The storm of God’s wrath fell upon Him so that forgiveness and peace could be given to us. When the world trembles and consciences accuse, we flee not to ourselves but to Christ crucified. In Him, the Judge of all becomes our Savior. Through His cross, the fearful cup of wrath becomes instead the cup of salvation.

15 Thus the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it. 16 They shall drink and stagger and be crazed because of the sword that I am sending among them.”
17 So I took the cup from the Lord’s hand, and made all the nations to whom the Lord sent me drink it: 18 Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, its kings and officials, to make them a desolation and a waste, a hissing and a curse, as at this day; 19 Pharaoh king of Egypt, his servants, his officials, all his people, 20 and all the mixed tribes among them; all the kings of the land of Uz and all the kings of the land of the Philistines (Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod); 21 Edom, Moab, and the sons of Ammon; 22 all the kings of Tyre, all the kings of Sidon, and the kings of the coastland across the sea; 23 Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all who cut the corners of their hair; 24 all the kings of Arabia and all the kings of the mixed tribes who dwell in the desert; 25 all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of Media; 26 all the kings of the north, far and near, one after another, and all the kingdoms of the world that are on the face of the earth. And after them the king of Babylon shall drink.
Jeremiah 25:15-26
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The Cup of Wrath and Mercy
Jeremiah’s vision of the cup is terrifying. The Lord hands the nations the wine of His wrath because of their rebellion and idolatry. No kingdom, no ruler, no people could escape His righteous judgment. This judgment showed the certainty of God’s Word: what He declared against sin would surely come to pass. The same remains true today. God does not ignore wickedness, unbelief, or the corruption of the human heart. Yet the cup of wrath in Jeremiah points us forward to another cup. In Gethsemane, Jesus prayed about the cup His Father gave Him to drink. At the cross, Christ drank the full wrath of God against our sin. He bore the judgment we deserved so that forgiveness and mercy might be given to us instead. Because Christ has taken the cup of wrath, we now receive the cup of salvation in Him.