Immerse: Prophets - Flipbook - Page 269
27:18–28:12
J eremiah
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articles taken from my Temple will be returned from Babylon. It is all a
lie! Do not listen to them. Surrender to the king of Babylon, and you will
live. Why should this whole city be destroyed? If they really are prophets
and speak the Lord’s messages, let them pray to the Lord of Heaven’s
Armies. Let them pray that the articles remaining in the Lord’s Temple
and in the king’s palace and in the palaces of Jerusalem will not be carried
away to Babylon!’
“For the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has spoken about the pillars in front
of the Temple, the great bronze basin called the Sea, the water carts, and
all the other ceremonial articles. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon left
them here when he exiled Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, to
Babylon, along with all the other nobles of Judah and Jerusalem. Yes, this
is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says about the
precious things still in the Temple, in the palace of Judah’s king, and in
Jerusalem: ‘They will all be carried away to Babylon and will stay there
until I send for them,’ says the Lord. ‘Then I will bring them back to Je
rusalem again.’”
One day in late summer of that same year—the fourth year of the reign
of Zedekiah, king of Judah—Hananiah son of Azzur, a prophet from Gib
eon, addressed me publicly in the Temple while all the priests and people
listened. He said, “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of
Israel, says: ‘I will remove the yoke of the king of Babylon from your necks.
Within two years I will bring back all the Temple treasures that King Neb
uchadnezzar carried off to Babylon. And I will bring back Jehoiachin son
of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the other captives that were taken to
Babylon. I will surely break the yoke that the king of Babylon has put on
your necks. I, the Lord, have spoken!’”
Jeremiah responded to Hananiah as they stood in front of all the priests
and people at the Temple. He said, “Amen! May your prophecies come
true! I hope the Lord does everything you say. I hope he does bring back
from Babylon the treasures of this Temple and all the captives. But listen
now to the solemn words I speak to you in the presence of all these people.
The ancient prophets who preceded you and me spoke against many na
tions, always warning of war, disaster, and disease. So a prophet who pre
dicts peace must show he is right. Only when his predictions come true
can we know that he is really from the Lord.”
Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke off Jeremiah’s neck and broke
it in pieces. And Hananiah said again to the crowd that had gathered, “This
is what the Lord says: ‘Just as this yoke has been broken, within two years
