The Thoughts of the Lord

This is a letter that was sent by Jeremiah the prophet to those that were carried away captive to Babylon. The year is 597 BC and 10,000 people have been carried away. This letter is opposing the voices of the false prophets that were telling the people that their captivity would be brought to an end speedily. At the very beginning of the letter Jeremiah makes it clear that the Lord had caused the people of Judah to be carried away captive. He had allowed all this to take place because of the refusal of the people of Judah to repent. Jeremiah was concerned that the exiles would be excited and led astray by the words of the false prophets promising what they wanted to hear rather than the truth. Jeremiah was concerned that the exiles would begin to take their lives into their own hands; they would try to dictate and to the situation and force change to take place. The Lord had revealed to Jeremiah that the captivity would last seventy years and that God alone would be the One to restore them, they would be unable to restore themselves. Jeremiah commands the people to dwell exactly where they are and live normal lives. But to live normal lives in hope of restoration! To live normal lives by faith. Because to listen to the delusional dreams of the false prophets and act in hasty ways would be in rebellion against what the Lord was doing. Jeremiah reminds the people that all would take place according to God’s timing, not according to their own timing. Jeremiah was telling the people to wait for the work of God, to wait in hope, to wait in expectation, and to wait in faith, because the Lord would deliver them. The people must surrender to God’s thoughts, plans, and purposes.

Click here to listen: The Thoughts of the Lord