Whose God? Jer. 42:1-6
Jer. 42:1-6
1 Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even unto
the greatest, came near,
2 And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy God, even
for all this remnant; (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us:)
3 That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.
4 Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the LORD your God according to your words; and it shall
come to pass, that whatsoever thing the LORD shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you.
5 Then they said to Jeremiah, The LORD be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the LORD
thy God shall send thee to us.
6 Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we
obey the voice of the LORD our God.
1 Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even unto
the greatest, came near,
2 And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy God, even
for all this remnant; (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us:)
3 That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.
4 Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the LORD your God according to your words; and it shall
come to pass, that whatsoever thing the LORD shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you.
5 Then they said to Jeremiah, The LORD be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the LORD
thy God shall send thee to us.
6 Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we
obey the voice of the LORD our God.
The above verses have a seemingly peculiar wording in them. In verses 2,3,5 the people called the Lord, "Jeremiah's God (thy God)." In verse 4 Jeremiah called the Lord, "the people's God (your God)" In verse 6, He is called "our God" by the people. Here's what you need to know.
At this juncture in Jeremiah's prophecy, only a remnant of Jews remained in the land and that, only in the southern kingdom of Judah. The northern kingdom of Israel had already been conquered and taken captive to Babylon. Several prophets now deceased and several alive and active at this time had warned Judah about this coming, impending doom, capture, and captivity. The sum of the prophecies was that judgement from God was coming because Israel and Judah had committed many sins and were not the least bit repentant. The Jews were told that God was going to raise up and use a mighty powerful Babylon to execute His judgement. Nearly two hundred years prior to this happening, Isaiah warned in chapter 39:5-7
5 Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD of hosts:
6 Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon:
nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.
7 And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of
Babylon.
Micah as well nearly two hundred years prior
Mic. 3:12 Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places
of the forest.
Mic. 4:10 Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt
dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of
thine enemies.
Then we have the contemporaries of Jeremy(as Matthew called him in Mt. 2:17, 27:9) The entire first chapter of Zephaniah is a conviction and condemnation of Jerusalem and Judah, though here, Babylon is not specifically mentioned as God's vehicle of destruction. Ezekiel, while a captive in Babylon spoke about the coming end of Judah. Ez. 7:6,12. Habakkuk tells of the destruction of Judah/Jerusalem by the Chaldeans. Hab. 1:5,6
Those living in Judah were certainly aware that the northern kingdom had been besieged for some time but thought they were invincible and that God would protect them from invasion. They imprisoned Jeremiah countless times for his prophesies against them and nearly put him to death in several instances. They refused to believe God would judge them even though their sin and sins were outright. But then it happened. Babylon attacked Judah and Jerusalem. According to Jer. 39:1,2, the fight for Jerusalem took about a year and a half. So now we come back to our original scriptures in Jer. 42:1-6. After finally realizing that God's word was true and judgement was upon them, they no longer felt they could call Him "their God". Thus, in vv 2,3,5, they have realized they are not suitable to be called God's people because of their sin and He would be perfectly justified to not be their God. Jeremiah is well aware that God can choose to be merciful or vengeful. Jeremiah would also be aware of Hosea's prophecy to Israel a few centuries earlier where God said they were not His people and He would not be their God, Hos. 1:9. This remnant in Judah now had no reason not to believe He could not or would not have the same attitude towards Judah. But, Jeremiah must have remembered what God told him many times about future restoration. One of the mentions is in chapter 33: 3, 6-8.
3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. 6 Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I
will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.7 And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to
return, and will build them, as at the first.8 And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon
all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.
Though God will take vengeance on Judah, He will be merciful and restore them. Thus proving He is their God. He will always be their God. Jeremiah has full authority to call Him "your God". After realizing this, the people know they can take part with Jeremiah and include themselves and call the Lord, "our God".
My hope and prayer is that this is enough to get you started in a study. The verses and examples are clearly not exhaustive, but introductory.
5 Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD of hosts:
6 Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon:
nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.
7 And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of
Babylon.
Micah as well nearly two hundred years prior
Mic. 3:12 Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places
of the forest.
Mic. 4:10 Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt
dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of
thine enemies.
Then we have the contemporaries of Jeremy(as Matthew called him in Mt. 2:17, 27:9) The entire first chapter of Zephaniah is a conviction and condemnation of Jerusalem and Judah, though here, Babylon is not specifically mentioned as God's vehicle of destruction. Ezekiel, while a captive in Babylon spoke about the coming end of Judah. Ez. 7:6,12. Habakkuk tells of the destruction of Judah/Jerusalem by the Chaldeans. Hab. 1:5,6
Those living in Judah were certainly aware that the northern kingdom had been besieged for some time but thought they were invincible and that God would protect them from invasion. They imprisoned Jeremiah countless times for his prophesies against them and nearly put him to death in several instances. They refused to believe God would judge them even though their sin and sins were outright. But then it happened. Babylon attacked Judah and Jerusalem. According to Jer. 39:1,2, the fight for Jerusalem took about a year and a half. So now we come back to our original scriptures in Jer. 42:1-6. After finally realizing that God's word was true and judgement was upon them, they no longer felt they could call Him "their God". Thus, in vv 2,3,5, they have realized they are not suitable to be called God's people because of their sin and He would be perfectly justified to not be their God. Jeremiah is well aware that God can choose to be merciful or vengeful. Jeremiah would also be aware of Hosea's prophecy to Israel a few centuries earlier where God said they were not His people and He would not be their God, Hos. 1:9. This remnant in Judah now had no reason not to believe He could not or would not have the same attitude towards Judah. But, Jeremiah must have remembered what God told him many times about future restoration. One of the mentions is in chapter 33: 3, 6-8.
3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. 6 Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I
will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.7 And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to
return, and will build them, as at the first.8 And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon
all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.
Though God will take vengeance on Judah, He will be merciful and restore them. Thus proving He is their God. He will always be their God. Jeremiah has full authority to call Him "your God". After realizing this, the people know they can take part with Jeremiah and include themselves and call the Lord, "our God".
My hope and prayer is that this is enough to get you started in a study. The verses and examples are clearly not exhaustive, but introductory.
