By Eugene Garner

JEREMIAH - CHAPTER 43

REJECTING THE COUNSEL OF GOD

    And it came to pass, that when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking unto all the people all the words of the LORD their God, for which the LORD their God had sent him to them, even all these words, 2 Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely: the LORD our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there: 3 But Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us, for to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they might put us to death, and carry us away captives into Babylon. 4 So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, obeyed not the voice of the LORD, to dwell in the land of Judah. 5 But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, took all the remnant of Judah, that were returned from all nations, whither they had been driven, to dwell in the land of Judah; 6 Even men, and women, and children, and the king's daughters, and every person that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah. 7 So they came into the land of Egypt: for they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: thus came they even to Tahpanhes.

    1. Jeremiah was barely permitted to finish relating the message that God had sent to the small remnant in Judah before he was charged with lying! (vs. 1-2; comp. 26:8-9; 5:11-13).
    2. They charge that, instead of declaring the word of the Lord to them, he is furthering the interests of Baruch who wants to see them all in the hands of the Chaldeans, (vs. 3; 36:26; comp. 38:3-4). So absurd were their charges that Jeremiah did not even bother to answer them!
    3. Thus, Johanan, the captain of the forces, and all the people refused to obey the voice of the Lord in this matter - determined that they would not remain in the land of Judah, (vs. 4; 42:5; 10-12; 44:5; comp. Psa. 37:3-4).
    4. So, all the people who had returned to Judah from afar - intending to settle there again under Gedaliah - were taken to the land of Egypt; this included Jeremiah and Baruch - who seem not to have been given any choice in the matter, (vs. 5-6).
    5. Disobeying the voice of Jehovah, they came to Tahpanhes, in Egypt, (vs. 7).

    8 Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah in Tahpanhes, saying, 9 Take great stones in thine hand, and hide them in the clay in the brickkiln, which is at the entry of Pharaoh's house in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of Judah; 10 And say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will send and take Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will set his throne upon these stones that I have hid; and he shall spread his royal pavilion over them. 11 And when he cometh, he shall smite the land of Egypt, and deliver such as are for death to death; and such as are for captivity to captivity; and such as are for the sword to the sword. 12 And I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt; and he shall burn them, and carry them away captives: and he shall array himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd putteth on his garment; and he shall go forth from thence in peace. 13 He shall break also the images of Bethshemesh, that is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire.

    1. Though in Egypt against his will, Jeremiah continues to act as the prophet of Jehovah for His rebellious people, (vs. 8; 2 Tim. 2:9; Psalm 139:7).
    2. Once again he performs a symbolic act - which he then explains, (vs. 9-11).
      a. The Lord instructs him to take some large stones and hide them in mortar in the pavement (or square) at the very entry of Pharaoh's house in Tahpanhes - and he is to do it in the sight of the men of Judah.
      b. Then, at the Lord's command, they are told what this strange act signifies.
        1) Jehovah will send HIS SERVANT (comp. 25:9; 27:6; Isa 45:1), Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, to set up his throne over these stones that the prophet has hidden - spreading his royal pavilion there, (vs. 10; comp. Psa. 27:5; 31:20-21).
        2) And he will utterly smite the land of Egypt with captivity and death, (vs. 11; comp. 25:15-19; 46:1-2, 13-26; Ezek. 29:19-20).
    3. As a shepherd wraps a garment around himself, so will Nebuchadnezzar wrap himself about with Egypt - easily subjugating the land, and departing safely, (vs. 12b; comp. Isa. 49:18; Psa. 104:1-2).
    4. When he invades the land he will break the pillars (obelisks) in the house of Egypt's sun god - burning the shrines of all the deities of Egypt, (vs. 12-13; 46:25; Isa 19:1; Ezek. 30:13).
    5. Though it is known that Nebuchadnezzar actually invaded Egypt in 568-567 B.C., when Amasis was Pharaoh, secular history records little of the extent of that invasion.