1 Now these are the words of the letter that
Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the remainder of the elders who
were carried away captive—to the priests, the prophets, and all the people whom
Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2 (This
happened after Jeconiah the king, the queen mother, the eunuchs, the princes of
Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the smiths 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, saying, 4 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried
away captive, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon:
5 Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. 6
Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give
your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters—that you
may be increased there, and not diminished. 7 And seek the peace of the city
where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will
have peace. 8 For thus says the Lord
of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are
in your midst deceive you, nor listen to your dreams which you cause to be
dreamed. 9 For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them,
says the Lord.
Devotional
There are those dreams and visions which come from God; and there are those which come from man. And here the Lord warns the captives in Israel not to listen to the dreams of their own hearts. That is their desires to soon return back to their native land; when this is clearly against the Word of the Lord. For the Lord had said that for seventy years His people would be in Babylonian captivity and so not until His Word is fulfilled should any of His people presume upon something else. And so Jeremiah writes this letter to the people to encourage them, to build houses and plant vineyards, and to make marriages for themselves and their children, for their sojourn in Babylon will be long. Thus they are to pray for the city and its well being for in its peace they will have peace. Thus God has not forsaken His people, but He will bless and prosper them while they remain there and continue on in His Will for them. And so He will multiply and increase them while they are there so that when they return they will be able to inhabit the land again as His people in His inheritance for them (Jer 29:11-14).
Again there are dreams then that originate within the heart of man, dreams that are not of God, dreams that will never have the blessing or favor of God. What are the dreams in your heart? Do they have their origins in God and His Word? Or are they just dreams that come from within you; dreams that will ultimately take you out of the Will of the Lord for You.
There are those dreams and visions which come from God; and there are those which come from man. And here the Lord warns the captives in Israel not to listen to the dreams of their own hearts. That is their desires to soon return back to their native land; when this is clearly against the Word of the Lord. For the Lord had said that for seventy years His people would be in Babylonian captivity and so not until His Word is fulfilled should any of His people presume upon something else. And so Jeremiah writes this letter to the people to encourage them, to build houses and plant vineyards, and to make marriages for themselves and their children, for their sojourn in Babylon will be long. Thus they are to pray for the city and its well being for in its peace they will have peace. Thus God has not forsaken His people, but He will bless and prosper them while they remain there and continue on in His Will for them. And so He will multiply and increase them while they are there so that when they return they will be able to inhabit the land again as His people in His inheritance for them (Jer 29:11-14).
Again there are dreams then that originate within the heart of man, dreams that are not of God, dreams that will never have the blessing or favor of God. What are the dreams in your heart? Do they have their origins in God and His Word? Or are they just dreams that come from within you; dreams that will ultimately take you out of the Will of the Lord for You.
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version.
Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1982
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