| "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." II Chronicles 7:14; |
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The Two-fold Aspect of the Promises to Abraham
Judah's Scepter and Joseph's
Chapter 4
Jeremiah's Mysterious Commission
When the House of Israel was taken into Assyrian captivity in the eighth century BCE, the Kingdom of Judah had not yet rejected the government and religion of their SOVEREIGN.
Before Judah's apostasy, ETERNAL had said:
Hosea 4:15 "Though you, Israel, play the harlot, Let not Judah offend..."
Then later He said about Judah:
Jeremiah 3:8,11 "...yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also. ...Then YHWH said to me, `Backsliding Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah.'"
Thus, more than 130 years after Israel's captivity, the time came when ETERNAL drove out the Jews, too, in national captivity and slavery. He sent them as slaves to Babylon--not to Assyria, where Israel had been taken.
For this purpose, CREATOR raised up a very special prophet, whose real call and commission few indeed understand. This prophet was Jeremiah and the Mighty One set him apart before birth (Jer 1:5). Jeremiah was a young lad when first given his vital call and commission. Tradition indicates he was seventeen years old. By the time his commission was completed, he was an aged, white-haired patriarch. Notice the commission from the Mighty One to this Jewish lad, living in Judah:
Jer 1:10 "See, I have this day set you [the lad Jeremiah] over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant."
There it is! Jeremiah was set over NATIONS--plural, more than one nation. ETERNAL set him a prophet over Judah--but not Judah alone, but over NATIONS--over KINGDOMS! He was set over these kingdoms to do two things:
- First, he was to "root out, pull down," and "throw down." The English word "destroy" comes from the Hebrew word "'abad" (Strong's #H6 aw-bad') a primary root meaning to "wander away." The meaning of the word 'abad in itself makes this a mysterious commission.
- Second, he was to "WANDER AWAY (destroy), BUILD, AND PLANT." Thus, his total commission was to "root out, pull down, throw down, wander, build, and plant."
Not Realized Today
ETERNAL used Jeremiah as a prophet to warn the nation Judah of their rebellious transgressions. He sent Jeremiah to warn this rebellious nation of impending punishment--their invasion and captivity at the hands of Chaldean armed forces--unless they acknowledged their guilt and changed their ways. The Mighty One used Jeremiah in warning Judah of the impending captivity and the "pulling down" or "overthrowing" of the throne of David in the Kingdom of Judah.King Nebuchadnezzar's armies invaded the land of Judah and took the Jews captive to Babylon. Thus, the Jews ceased from being a kingdom. Moreover, there no longer existed a ruler of David's dynasty on the throne ruling over the Kingdom of Judah.
But wait, note it in your Scriptures! In addition, Jeremiah was commissioned to "wander, plant and to build"! To build and to plant what? Why, naturally, that which he was used in "rooting out" of Judah--the THRONE OF DAVID. He was set over the kingdoms--the Kingdom of Israel as well as Judah. He was used in "rooting out" that throne from Judah. Then what was Jeremiah commissioned to do in Israel? Ah! Note it! The second half of his strange and little-understood commission--"wander, plant and to build"!
Therefore, as far as the world knows, the last king to sit on that throne of David was Zedekiah of Judah. He was thrown off the throne and the throne rooted out of Judah in the year 586/585 BCE--at the time of destruction of the Temple that Solomon built!
Judah Taken Captive to Babylon
What, then! Did the ETERNAL CREATOR forget His Covenant with David? Did the throne cease to exist? True, the kingdom--the government of Judah ceased, as had the kingdom of Israel more than 130 years before! Nevertheless, did the throne cease to exist? No! Let us see what else Jeremiah was commissioned to do--to "wander, plant and to build"! Of necessity that would have to be among the House of Israel since Judah was going into captivity--among LOST Israel, now supposing herself to be GENTILE! Therefore, the identity and location of the replanting must remain hidden to the world until this time of the end in which we now live!The life and work of Jeremiah is a most fascinating story. The first chapters of the book of Jeremiah are devoted to his ministry, warning of the impending captivity of the Jews. Since the Jews would not heed, ETERNAL caused their captivity. Babylon took Judah in three different stages over a period of about 19 years. You can read the part played by Jeremiah in this captivity in the book of Jeremiah.
Now notice an interesting fact. The last and final king recorded either in Scriptural or secular history as having sat on the throne of David was King Zedekiah of Judah (II Kings 25:18). When the Chaldean armies besieged Jerusalem, the city was broken up, the palace and temple destroyed. They killed ALL the sons of King Zedekiah before his eyes. So that there would be no man to carry on his dynasty, the army killed all the princes of Judah. They put our King Zedekiah's eyes and he was bound in chains and carried to Babylon, where he died. You will read of this captivity in II Kings 25, II Chronicles 36, Jeremiah 39, and 52. These passages bring out these points:
- The king of Babylon slew all the sons of Zedekiah who were heirs to the throne of David.
- He also slew all the nobles of Judah to leave no possible heirs for that throne.
- Finally, after putting out Zedekiah's eyes, the king who sat on David's throne was himself taken to Babylon where he died in prison.
- Thus, as it appears, and as the whole world has believed, the throne of David ceased, with no possible heirs, or sons, to keep the dynasty alive. It is certain that from that day on, the throne never again has existed in Judah, in Jerusalem, or among the Jews!
Jeremiah's Mysterious Movements
Now the first part of Jeremiah's mysterious commission is accomplished! As far as the world could see, or has seen since, the dynasty of David had ENDED! No king remained on the throne. Judah's last king was dead. All his sons were dead. All other princes, who might be possible heirs to carry on the dynasty, had been killed. No possible heir to the throne remained alive, so the world believes.But wait! What about the SECOND part of Jeremiah's important commission? Was the Mighty One able to keep His Covenant with David? The integrity of Scripture and the validity of the word of YHWH depend upon His oath to Kind David, to preserve a lineage through Solomon, on David's throne.
Jeremiah was among the captive Jews. Yet, he must remain free to carry out the second part of his commission:
Jer 40:2-5 "And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him ...I free you this day from the chains that were on your hand. If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you. But if it seems wrong for you to come with me to Babylon, remain here. See, all the land is before you; wherever it seems good and convenient for you to go, go there ...So the captain of the guard gave him rations and a gift [expense money] and let him go."
Jeremiah was now FREE to perform the second half of his commission, which including wandering, planting, and building. Where did he go? We come now to an amazing, fascinating, thrilling part of the book of Jeremiah, which has been almost entirely overlooked:
Jer 40:6 "Then Jeremiah went to Gedaliah ...toMizpah, and dwelt with him among the people who were left in the land.
The king of Babylon made Gadeliah governor over a remnant of Jews in the land and since Jerusalem was destroyed, he had made Mizpah his headquarters. However, the king of Ammon plotted with a Jew named Ishmael to assassinate Gedaliah. The plot was executed; the governor and part of the Jews were slain. Jeremiah was among the survivors. Now notice carefully:
Jer 41:10 "Then Ishmael carried away captive all the rest of the people who were in Mizpah, the king's daughters and all the people who remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard [from Babylon], had committed to Gedaliah. ...and carried them away captive and departed to go over to the Ammonites.
Ah! Did you catch it? Read that passage again very carefully. Among these Jews were the king's DAUGHTERS! Daughters of Zedekiah, king of Judah, and of David's dynasty! This is why "persons" is better translation in Jeremiah 33:17.
Remained Alive!! |
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Jeremiah Escapes With Royal Seed for Replanting
Soon a man named Johanan replaced Ishmael as leader and in fear of reprisals from Nebuchadnezzar and the Chaldean army; the group remaining in Mizpah appealed to the prophet:Jer 41:10 "and said to Jeremiah the prophet, `Please, let our petition be acceptable to you, and pray for us to YHWH your SOVEREIGN, ...that YHWH your SOVEREIGN may show us the way in which we should walk..."
The word of ETERNAL came to Jeremiah, and He told them not to fear, that He would protect and deliver them. However, the people wanted to flee to Egypt. This is what the Mighty One warned them not to do. If they did, the sword of Nebuchadnezzar, which they feared, would overtake them there, and they would die (Jer 42:7-16). But, as people usually do, they rejected ETERNAL's warning and told Jeremiah:
Jer 41:3:2 "You speak falsely! YHWH our SOVEREIGN has not sent you to say, `Do not go to Egypt to dwell there.'"
Jer 43:5-7 "But Johanan ...took all the remnant of Judah ...men, women, children, the king's daughters and ...Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch [Jeremiah's scribe, or secretary] the son of Neriah. ...So they went to the land of Egypt, for they did not obey the voice of YHWH.
On reaching Egypt, CREATOR warned these Jews again through Jeremiah that they should die there by the sword and famine, and "none shall return except those who escape" (Jer 44:14). Yes, a few in this company are under The Mighty One's protection to fulfill the promise to David. They shall ESCAPE! ETERNAL continues: `Yet a small number who escape the sword shall return from the land of Egypt to the land of Judah" (Vs 28).
Baruch was Jeremiah's constant companion and secretary. It is important to note here CREATOR's promise of protection to him:
Jer 45:2-5 "Thus says YHWH, the SOVEREIGN of Israel, to you, O Baruch ...'Behold, what I have built I will break down, and what I have planted I will pluck up, that is, this whole land. ...But I will give your life to you as a prize in all places, wherever you go.'"
Jeremiah, Baruch, and the royal seed for replanting and rebuilding David's throne, all under the Mighty One's protection, were to escape, and return to the land of Judah! Then after that ETERNAL states:
Jer 15:14 "And I will make you cross over with your enemies into a land which you do not know; for a fire is kindled in My anger, which shall burn upon you."
Jeremiah and his company were to journey to a strange land, which they did not know. Now let Isaiah complete this prophecy, which is in the middle of a longer prophecy concerning the king of Assyria and Jerusalem:
Isa 37:31-32 "And the remnant who have escaped of the House of Judah shall again take root downward, And bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem shall go a remnant, and those who escape from Mount Zion. The zeal of YHWH of hosts will do this."
This remnant with Jeremiah--at least one of the king's daughters--shall take root downward! That is, BE REPLANTED! Then bear fruit upward! Be BUILT! Has the Mighty One failed in His solemn Covenant to keep David's throne alive? Where was this planting and building? Can we find it in CREATOR's Word? We can! The place and the people among whom the throne was reestablished are clearly identified!
Continued in Chapter 5
[ Chapter 5 ] [ The Promises to Abraham - Introduction Index Page ]
