Old Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, 198
Jeremiah 16; 23; 29; 31
It is vital that we strengthen each other. And that we individually take on all the strength that we can -- to write His word in our hearts -- that we might stand firmly in the truth. -- after asking in prayer for help to teach my students what the Lord would have them know.
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http://www.ldsces.org/inst_manuals/ot-in-2/manualindex.asp
Jeremiah had the answers to [these questions.] What he needed was someone to truly listen.
Jeremiah chapters 23, 24, 25
"You may think of Jeremiah as a harsh man as you read his scorching denunciations of the Jewish people and the lives they were living, but he was not. His motivation, like Mormon’s, was love.
A prophet does not select where and when he serves. God chooses when and to whom a prophet is sent. One may be an Enoch and build Zion, or a David O. McKay and preside over the Church in times of peace and prosperity. Another may be a Mormon or a Jeremiah and try in vain to save a rebellious and backsliding people. Each has his calling. Each has his time. Each has his lesson for you to learn. Look for Jeremiah’s lesson as you study this great prophet."
Jeremiah, a Levite, came from Anathoth, a town of the priests that lay a few miles northeast of Jerusalem in the tribal territory of Benjamin. He labored in his prophetic calling during the reign of at least four kings of Judah: Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah.
He began his labors as a youth in approximately 627 B.C. and was the leading prophet in Jerusalem, serving with Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Lehi, and others. . . "
Jeremiah 2
In verse 13 the two evils committed by Judah are told in figurative terms: They have forsaken the fountain (Jehovah) of living water (life), and they have hewn out broken cisterns (gods) which can hold no water (life). Then the image is changed, and the Lord states that Israel had partaken of the waters of “Sihor” (the Nile) and of “the river” (v. 18) (the Euphrates). In other words, they drank the spiritual waters of Egypt and Babylon and were filled with the lifeless water of idolatry.
• Missionary work and gathering to Zion (see v. 14).
• Knowledge and understanding taught by faithful pastors (church leaders) (see v. 15).
• The fulfillment of the old covenant and the establishment of a new covenant (see v. 16).
• The restoration of Jerusalem to righteousness (see v. 17).
• The gathering of Israel, including the return of the lost tribes from the north and the reuniting of the children of Judah in the lands of their inheritance (see vv. 18–19; see also Isaiah 11:16; 35:8–10; 51:9–11; D&C 133:26–35).
11: 14 Therefore apray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.
Jeremiah raised age-old questions: Why do the wicked sometimes prosper while the righteous do not? (see Jeremiah 12:1).
Roy Acuff -- Great Speckled Bird
1.What a beautiful thought I am thinking
Concerning a great speckled bird
Remember her name is recorded
On the pages of God's Holy Word.
2. All the other birds are flocking 'round her
And she is despised by the squad
But the great speckled bird in the Bible
Is one with the great church of God.
3. All the other churches are against her
They envy her glory and fame
They hate her because she is chosen
And has not denied Jesus' name.
4. Desiring to lower her standard
They watch every move that she makes
They long to find fault with her teachings
But really they find no mistake.
5. She is spreading her wings for a journey
She's going to leave by and by
When the trumpet shall sound in the morning
She'll rise and go up in the sky.
6. In the presence of all her despisers
With a song never uttered before
She will rise and be gone in a moment
Till the great tribulation is o'er.
7. I am glad I have learned of her meekness
I am proud that my name is on her book
For I want to be one never fearing
The face of my Savior to look.
8. When He cometh descending from heaven
On the cloud that He writes in His Word
I'll be joyfully carried to meet Him
On the wings of that great speckled bird.
Jeremiah 15 As it happened, Jeremiah was not taken into Babylon but went into Egypt and probably died there a few years later. The Lord’s promise, however, was more likely a promise of spiritual deliverance, a promise of an eternal reward for his faithfulness, since Jeremiah was taken into Egypt against his will.
“Just contemplate that statement [vv. 14–15] for a few moments. Think how the Jews and the Christians all through these past centuries have praised the Lord for his great hand of deliverance under the hands of Moses when he led Israel out of captivity, and yet here comes Jeremiah with this word of the holy prophet, telling us that in the latter days they shall no more remember that, but how God has gathered scattered Israel from the lands whither he had driven them.
“And Jeremiah saw the day when the Lord would do this very thing, when he would call for many fishers and many hunters, ‘and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.’ (Jer. 16:16.) Where do you find those fishers and hunters that we read about in this great prophecy of Jeremiah? They are these 14,000 missionaries of this church, and those who have preceded them from the time that the Prophet Joseph Smith received the truth and sent the messengers out to share it with the world. Thus have they gone out, fishing and hunting, and gathering them from the hills and the mountains, and the holes in the rocks. I think that is more literal than some of us think!” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1971, p. 143; or Ensign, June 1971, pp. 98–99.)
Jeremiah 17:19-27 Hallow the Sabbath Day -- blessing or cursings
Jeremiah 24 -- those who submitted the first time to be carried away (good figs) were better and better off than those who resisted and would latter be destroyed or taken. The former would be the seed in which the Lord would preserve his people and from which He would gather and return them to their land (my own words) They were treated better in Babylon.
Jeremiah 26
14 As for me, behold, I am in your ahand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you.
Mosiah 17
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It is vital that we strengthen each other. And that we individually take on all the strength that we can -- to write His word in our hearts -- that we might stand firmly in the truth. -- after asking in prayer for help to teach my students what the Lord would have them know.
_____________________________
http://www.ldsces.org/inst_manuals/ot-in-2/manualindex.asp
Jeremiah had the answers to [these questions.] What he needed was someone to truly listen.
Jeremiah chapters 23, 24, 25
"You may think of Jeremiah as a harsh man as you read his scorching denunciations of the Jewish people and the lives they were living, but he was not. His motivation, like Mormon’s, was love.
A prophet does not select where and when he serves. God chooses when and to whom a prophet is sent. One may be an Enoch and build Zion, or a David O. McKay and preside over the Church in times of peace and prosperity. Another may be a Mormon or a Jeremiah and try in vain to save a rebellious and backsliding people. Each has his calling. Each has his time. Each has his lesson for you to learn. Look for Jeremiah’s lesson as you study this great prophet."
Jeremiah, a Levite, came from Anathoth, a town of the priests that lay a few miles northeast of Jerusalem in the tribal territory of Benjamin. He labored in his prophetic calling during the reign of at least four kings of Judah: Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah.
He began his labors as a youth in approximately 627 B.C. and was the leading prophet in Jerusalem, serving with Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Lehi, and others. . . "
Jeremiah 2
In verse 13 the two evils committed by Judah are told in figurative terms: They have forsaken the fountain (Jehovah) of living water (life), and they have hewn out broken cisterns (gods) which can hold no water (life). Then the image is changed, and the Lord states that Israel had partaken of the waters of “Sihor” (the Nile) and of “the river” (v. 18) (the Euphrates). In other words, they drank the spiritual waters of Egypt and Babylon and were filled with the lifeless water of idolatry.
23-10) Jeremiah 3:12–19. A Latter-day Prophecy and Promise
In the midst of condemning Judah for their apostasy, Jeremiah turned to the future when Israel will again become a faithful wife and be reclaimed. The Lord reminded Israel that He is merciful and that all they need do to be reclaimed is to turn back to Him. The Lord’s promises include the following:• Missionary work and gathering to Zion (see v. 14).
• Knowledge and understanding taught by faithful pastors (church leaders) (see v. 15).
• The fulfillment of the old covenant and the establishment of a new covenant (see v. 16).
• The restoration of Jerusalem to righteousness (see v. 17).
• The gathering of Israel, including the return of the lost tribes from the north and the reuniting of the children of Judah in the lands of their inheritance (see vv. 18–19; see also Isaiah 11:16; 35:8–10; 51:9–11; D&C 133:26–35).
11: 14 Therefore apray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.
(23-14) Jeremiah 6:14–15. “Peace, Peace”
Speaking of Jeremiah’s time, one scholar said: “The prophets and priests of the day dressed the nation’s wounds, but skin-deep only. Nor did they have any sense of shame for the loathsome deeds they perpetrated. They neither felt shame nor did they know how to blush. They had become completely insensitive to the evils in which they and their nation were immersed. But continued active involvement in evil has a way of dulling the conscience until a point is reached when all awareness of evil is lost. Thereafter leaders fall with the rest of those who fall. In the day of divine reckoning they too would go down, for it would be the day of their own doom.” (Thompson, Book of Jeremiah, p. 258.)Jeremiah raised age-old questions: Why do the wicked sometimes prosper while the righteous do not? (see Jeremiah 12:1).
(23-25) Jeremiah 12:5. “How Canst Thou Contend with Horses?”
To Jeremiah’s question about why the wicked prosper, the Lord gave a vivid answer that has helped many to build up their courage. Clarke wrote: “If the smallest evils to which thou art exposed cause thee to make so many bitter complaints, how wilt thou feel when, in the course of thy prophetic ministry, thou shalt be exposed to much greater, from enemies much more powerful? Footmen may here be the symbol of common evil events; horsemen, of evils much more terrible. If thou have sunk under small difficulties, what wilt thou do when great ones come?Roy Acuff -- Great Speckled Bird
1.What a beautiful thought I am thinking
Concerning a great speckled bird
Remember her name is recorded
On the pages of God's Holy Word.
2. All the other birds are flocking 'round her
And she is despised by the squad
But the great speckled bird in the Bible
Is one with the great church of God.
3. All the other churches are against her
They envy her glory and fame
They hate her because she is chosen
And has not denied Jesus' name.
4. Desiring to lower her standard
They watch every move that she makes
They long to find fault with her teachings
But really they find no mistake.
5. She is spreading her wings for a journey
She's going to leave by and by
When the trumpet shall sound in the morning
She'll rise and go up in the sky.
6. In the presence of all her despisers
With a song never uttered before
She will rise and be gone in a moment
Till the great tribulation is o'er.
7. I am glad I have learned of her meekness
I am proud that my name is on her book
For I want to be one never fearing
The face of my Savior to look.
8. When He cometh descending from heaven
On the cloud that He writes in His Word
I'll be joyfully carried to meet Him
On the wings of that great speckled bird.
Jeremiah 15 As it happened, Jeremiah was not taken into Babylon but went into Egypt and probably died there a few years later. The Lord’s promise, however, was more likely a promise of spiritual deliverance, a promise of an eternal reward for his faithfulness, since Jeremiah was taken into Egypt against his will.
(23-36) Jeremiah 16:13–21. Doom and Delivery
In a general conference address Elder LeGrand Richards commented on these verses:“Just contemplate that statement [vv. 14–15] for a few moments. Think how the Jews and the Christians all through these past centuries have praised the Lord for his great hand of deliverance under the hands of Moses when he led Israel out of captivity, and yet here comes Jeremiah with this word of the holy prophet, telling us that in the latter days they shall no more remember that, but how God has gathered scattered Israel from the lands whither he had driven them.
“And Jeremiah saw the day when the Lord would do this very thing, when he would call for many fishers and many hunters, ‘and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.’ (Jer. 16:16.) Where do you find those fishers and hunters that we read about in this great prophecy of Jeremiah? They are these 14,000 missionaries of this church, and those who have preceded them from the time that the Prophet Joseph Smith received the truth and sent the messengers out to share it with the world. Thus have they gone out, fishing and hunting, and gathering them from the hills and the mountains, and the holes in the rocks. I think that is more literal than some of us think!” (In Conference Report, Apr. 1971, p. 143; or Ensign, June 1971, pp. 98–99.)
Jeremiah 17:19-27 Hallow the Sabbath Day -- blessing or cursings
Jeremiah 18:17–23. “Smite Him”
Because of Jeremiah’s boldness, the people entered into a league to punish the prophet. The phrase “let us smite him with the tongue” (v. 18) is better translated “smite him on the tongue.” “Lying and false testimony are punished in the eastern countries . . . by smiting the person on the mouth with a strong piece of leather like the sole of a shoe.” (Clarke, Commentary, 4:303.)Jeremiah 24 -- those who submitted the first time to be carried away (good figs) were better and better off than those who resisted and would latter be destroyed or taken. The former would be the seed in which the Lord would preserve his people and from which He would gather and return them to their land (my own words) They were treated better in Babylon.
Jeremiah 26
14 As for me, behold, I am in your ahand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you.
15 But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring ainnocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.
Mosiah 17
9 Now Abinadi said unto him: I say unto you, I will anot recall the words which I have spoken unto you concerning this people, for they are true; and that ye may know of their surety I have suffered myself that I have fallen into your hands.
10 Yea, and I will asuffer even until death, and I will not recall my words, and they shall stand as a btestimony against you. And if ye slay me ye will shed cinnocent blood, and this shall also stand as a testimony against you at the last day.
Jeremiah 28. Hananiah’s Challenge
Jeremiah 29 [letter]. . . . exhorting them to yield with submission to the lot God had assigned to them. He counsels them to prepare, by establishing their households there, for a long sojourn in Babel, and to seek the welfare of that country as the necessary condition of their own. They must not let themselves be deceived by the false prophets’ idle promises of a speedy return, since God will not bring them back and fulfil His glorious promises till after seventy years have passed“Earlier, we mentioned the fact that after the fall of Jerusalem Jeremiah was liberated and permitted to stay in Palestine. As a matter of fact, he was first taken in chains with all the other captured Jews as far as Ramah, a town about five miles north of Jerusalem. Here the Babylonian ‘captain of the guard’ loosed his bonds, ‘gave him an allowance and a present,’ and sent him back to Gedaliah, the new governor of Judah, with instructions permitting him to dwell among the people or to go wherever he chose. (40:1–6)
Jeremiah advised the Jews left in Jerusalem to stay there, to not go to Egypt -- where they would again meet war with Babylon -- but they refused to listen, and took him with them.
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Mormon 6
17 aO ye fair ones, how could ye have departed from the ways of the Lord! O ye fair ones, how could ye have rejected that Jesus, who stood with open arms to receive you!
18 Behold, if ye had not done this, ye would not have fallen. But behold, ye are fallen, and I amourn your loss.
Purpose
To encourage class members to participate in God’s great latter-day work and to have his law written in their hearts. |
| Michelangelo_Buonarroti_027.j |
Preparation
Questions: Where are they in chapter 16?
Hunters, fishers, shepherds
- 1. Prayerfully study Jeremiah 16; 23; 29; and 31.
- 2. Additional reading: Jeremiah 3–9; 13; 30; 32:37–42; 33; 35.
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_________________________________THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET
JEREMIAHCHAPTER 16Utter ruin of the Jews foreseen—Israel rejected and scattered for serving false gods—Fishers and hunters shall gather them again, and they shall serve the Lord—Gospel to be restored for last time.
3 For thus saith the Lord concerning the sons and concerning the daughters that are born in this place, and concerning their mothers that bare them, and concerning their fathers that begat them in this land;
5 For thus saith the Lord, Enter not into the house of amourning, neither go to lament nor bemoan them: for I have taken away my peace from this people, saith the Lord, even lovingkindness and mercies.
6 Both the great and the small shall die in this land: they shall not be buried, neither shall men lament for them, anor cut themselves, nor make themselves bald for them:
7 Neither shall men atear themselves for them in mourning, to comfort them for the dead; neither shall men give them the cup of consolation to drink for their father or for their mother.
9 For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will cause to cease out of this place in your eyes, and in your days, the voice of amirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride.
10 ¶ And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt shew this people all these words, and they shall say unto thee, aWherefore hath the Lord pronounced all this great evil against us? or what is our iniquity? or what is our sin that we have committed against the Lord our God?
11 Then shalt thou say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith the Lord, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law;12 And ye have done aworse than your bfathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the cimagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me:
14 ¶ Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said, The aLord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
16 ¶ Behold, I will send for many afishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.
17 For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their ainiquity hid from mine eyes. [Hunter and fishers in that time were more likely hunting and fishing because they needed to, not just for fun. They were hungry. It was necessary to their own survival -- salvation-- that they be successful. They cared deeply.]
18 And first I will arecompense their iniquity and their sin bdouble; because they have cdefiled my land, they have filled mine inheritance with the carcases of their detestable and abominable things.
21 Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause them to know mine hand and my might; and they shall aknow that my bname is The Lord.____________________________________
THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET
JEREMIAH
President Ezra Taft Benson said, “The prophet tells us what we
need to know, not always what we want to know” (“Fourteen
Fundamentals in Following the Prophet,” in 1980 Devotional
Speeches of the Year [1981], 28)
CHAPTER 23The remnants of Israel shall be gathered in the last days—King Messiah (the Branch) shall reign in righteousness—False prophets who teach lies shall be cursed.
2 Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not avisited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord.
4 And I will set up ashepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord.
Of the Savior:
6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell asafely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR bRIGHTEOUSNESS.
7 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
8 But, The Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the anorth country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.
9 ¶ Mine aheart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the Lord, and because of the words of his holiness. [mourning]
10 For the land is full of aadulterers; for because of bswearing the land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is evil, and their force is not right.
12 Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their avisitation, saith the Lord.
13 And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.
14 I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit aadultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his bwickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.
15 Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is aprofaneness gone forth into all the land.
17 They say still unto them that despise me, The Lord hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.
18 For who hath stood in the counsel of the Lord, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it?
19 Behold, a awhirlwind of the Lord is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked.
20 The anger of the Lord shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly.
22 But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.
25 I have heard what the prophets said, that aprophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.
26 How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart;
27 Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal.
28 The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord.
29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
30 Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.
32 Behold, I am against them that prophesy false adreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord.
33 ¶ And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What is the aburden of the Lord? thou shalt then say unto them, What burden? I will even forsake you, saith the Lord.
Burden here means prophecy.
34 And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that shall say, The burden of the Lord, I will even punish that man and his house.
35 Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbour, and every one to his brother, What hath the Lord answered? and, What hath the Lord spoken?
36 And the burden of the Lord shall ye mention no more: for every man’s word shall be his burden; for ye have perverted the awords of the living God, of the Lord of hosts our God.
37 Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, What hath the Lord answered thee? and, What hath the Lord spoken?
38 But since ye say, The burden of the Lord; therefore thus saith the Lord; Because ye say this word, The burden of the Lord, and I have sent unto you, saying, Ye shall not say, The burden of the Lord;
39 Therefore, behold, I, even I, will utterly forget you, and I will forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and cast you out of my presence:
40 And I will bring an everlasting areproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.
How Can You Tell a False Prophet?
1. Read Jeremiah 23:1–2, 9–11, 13–14, 16–27, 29–32 and list what
the Lord said false prophets were saying and doing.
2. Choose one item you listed and explain why that action or
teaching would make someone a false prophet.
3. Why do you think people follow false prophets?
4. Why is it vital to know and follow a true prophet? How can
you discern a false prophet? (see Deuteronomy 18:20–22;
D&C 42:11–12; 46:7).
The Cure for False Prophets
What did the Lord say in Jeremiah 23:3–8 that He would do for
those who were led astray by their leaders in Judah? He would gather them, provide shephers for them, and provide a Savior for them. -- Seminary Student Manual____________________________________________
THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET
JEREMIAHCHAPTER 29Jeremiah tells Jews in Babylon to prepare for seventy years of captivity—Those remaining in Jerusalem shall yet be scattered—Shemaiah prophesies falsely and is cursed.
1 Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon;
3 By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon) saying,
4 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon;
6 Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished.
7 And seek the apeace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected aend.
[ 14 And I will be found of you, saith the Lord: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will agather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.
16 Know that thus saith the Lord of the king that sitteth upon the throne of David, and of all the people that dwelleth in this city, and of your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity;
17 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so aevil.
19 Because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the Lord, which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but ye would not hear, saith the Lord.
20 ¶ Hear ye therefore the word of the Lord, all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon:
21 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, of Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and of Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, which prophesy a lie unto you in my name; Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall slay them before your eyes;
22 And of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah which are in Babylon, saying, The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire;
25 Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying,
26 The Lord hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that ye should be officers in the house of the Lord, for every man that is mad, and maketh himself a prophet, that thou shouldest put him in prison, and in the stocks.
27 Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of aAnathoth, which maketh himself a prophet to you?
28 For therefore he sent unto us in Babylon, saying, This captivity is long: build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
31 Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus saith the Lord concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite; Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you, and I sent him not, and he caused you to trust in a alie:
THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET
JEREMIAHCHAPTER 31In the last days, Israel shall be gathered—Ephraim has the birthright as the firstborn—The Lord will make a new covenant with them, to be inscribed in the heart—Then shall they all know the Lord.
1 At the same time, saith the Lord, will I be the God of all the afamilies of Israel, and they shall be my people.
2 Thus saith the Lord, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.
4 Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.
5 Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things.
7 For thus saith the Lord; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O Lord, asave thy people, the remnant of Israel.
10 ¶ Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will agather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.
11 For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and aransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.
12 Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not asorrow any more at all.
13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their amourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.
14 And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my agoodness, saith the Lord.
15 ¶ Thus saith the Lord; A voice was heard in aRamah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.
16 Thus saith the Lord; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be arewarded, saith the Lord; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.
18 ¶ I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: aturn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God.
19 Surely aafter that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.
20 Is Ephraim my dear son? is he aa pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord.
21 Set thee up waymarks, make thee ahigh heaps: set thine heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities.
22 ¶ How long wilt thou go about, O thou abacksliding daughter? for the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man. a apostate
23 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity; The Lord bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness.
24 And there shall dwell in Judah itself, and in all the cities thereof together, husbandmen, and they that go forth with flocks.
27 ¶ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast.
29 In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour agrape, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.
32 Not according to the acovenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord:
35 ¶ Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the asun for a light by bday, and the cordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The Lord of hosts is his name:
36 If those aordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.
37 Thus saith the Lord; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the Lord.
38 ¶ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the city shall be abuilt to the Lord from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner.
39 And the measuring aline shall yet go forth over against it upon the hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath.
40 And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, shall be aholy unto the Lord; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever.The Official Scriptures of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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Suggested Lesson Development
Attention Activity
You may want to use the following activity (or one of your own) to begin the lesson.- • If you could have witnessed or participated in any story or event in the Old Testament, which one would you choose? (You may want to write class members’ responses on the chalkboard.)
- • Why would you like to have witnessed or participated in this event?
- • What is happening in the Church today that might be comparable to some of the events you have chosen?
Scripture Discussion and Application
As you teach the following scripture passages, discuss how they apply to daily life. Encourage class members to share experiences that relate to the scriptural principles.1. Jeremiah foresees the latter-day gathering of Israel.
If the story of Israel’s exodus from Egypt is not mentioned in the attention activity, explain that it is one of the most miraculous events in the Old Testament. It is referred to in the book of Jeremiah and in other books of the Old Testament, as well as in the Book of Mormon.- • How did Moses feel about the importance of the Exodus? (See Deuteronomy 4:32–35.) What do you think it would have been like to have been part of Israel’s exodus from Egypt?
- • Many generations later, Jeremiah saw visions of a latter-day event that the Lord said would be as great as the Exodus (Jeremiah 16:14–16; 23:3–8). What event is described in Jeremiah 16:15 and 23:3? (The gathering of Israel and the growth of the Church.) Who are the shepherds spoken of in Jeremiah 23:4? (Priesthood leaders and other Church leaders.) Who is the King spoken of in Jeremiah 23:5–6? (Jesus Christ.) Why do you think these events are as great as the Exodus?
- • Elder LeGrand Richards said that the fishers and hunters described in Jeremiah 16:16 are missionaries of the Church (in Conference Report, Apr. 1971, 143; or Ensign, June 1971, 98–99). What do fishers and hunters have in common with missionaries? (See Matthew 4:18–19.) How can we be more effective missionaries?
2. God will write his law in the hearts of his people.
- • The children of Israel relied on Moses to receive revelation for them during their sojourn in the wilderness. What great longing did Moses express in Numbers 11:29? (He wanted the people to learn God’s law and learn to listen to the Spirit for themselves.)
- • As recorded in Jeremiah 31:31–34, what did the Lord promise to do in the latter days? (See also Ezekiel 11:17–20; 36:24–28; 2 Corinthians 3:2–3.) What does it mean to have God’s law written in our hearts? What must we do to have God’s law written in our hearts?
- • How is our behavior affected when we have God’s law written in our hearts? You may want to discuss how this helps us obey specific commandments, such as:
- • Joseph Smith was once asked how he successfully governed so many people. He said, “I teach the people correct principles and they govern themselves” (quoted by John Taylor, in Journal of Discourses, 10:57–58). How does this statement relate to having God’s law written in our hearts?
- • Jeremiah prophesied that 70 years after the people of Judah would be taken captive into Babylon, they would return to their homeland and once again live in harmony with God (Jeremiah 29:10–14; the fulfillment of this prophecy is discussed in lesson 47). According to Jeremiah 29:12–14, what can we do to draw close to God? What do the words call, pray, seek, and search imply about the attitude we should have as we strive to draw near to God? Invite class members to share experiences they have had as they have sought to draw close to God.
Conclusion
Bear testimony that we live in a time that Jeremiah and many other prophets have looked forward to with rejoicing. Encourage class members to participate in the gathering of Israel and to have the law of God written in their hearts.Additional Teaching Ideas
The following material supplements the suggested lesson outline. You may want to use one or more of these ideas as part of the lesson.1. Now is the time to repent
The Lord’s mercy is always extended to those who repent. However, people who postpone repentance may find it increasingly difficult to repent.President Joseph F. Smith taught: “The man with accumulated and unforgiven wrong behind him may find all retreat cut off and his condition in the world hopeless; and he who recklessly cuts off every opportunity of retreat by the neglected evils of the past is most unfortunate. The daily practice, then, of seeking divine mercy and forgiveness as we go along, gives us power to escape evils” (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. [1939], 374).
- • What do the following passages teach about the importance of hearing the word of the Lord and repenting promptly?
2. Hearkening to the words of the prophets
- • Jeremiah frequently recorded that the people had not hearkened to his words (Jeremiah 7:13; 25:3–4; 26:2–5; 32:33). What words of the latter-day prophets might we need to follow more diligently?
3. Repeating the sins of previous generations
- • Jeremiah warned the Jews of his day that the sins they committed were the same sins for which past generations had been severely punished (Jeremiah 11:1–12). Why do you think Jeremiah’s generation would not learn from the sins of their forefathers, especially when the punishment for those sins was so clearly documented? How can we benefit more fully from lessons learned by previous generations of God’s covenant people?
4. The importance of trusting in God
- • In Jeremiah 17:5–8, what comparisons are made between people who trust in man and people who trust in God? How have you seen that these comparisons are accurate? How can we demonstrate our trust in God?
5. False prophets
- • Zedekiah was a king who wanted prophets to tell him what he wanted to hear. Consequently, many false prophets promised that Jerusalem would not fall (Jeremiah 28:1–4; 37:19). Today many false prophets come “in sheep’s clothing” (Matthew 7:15). What evidence is there that false prophets are among us today? What are some of the messages of today’s false prophets? How can we avoid being led astray by false prophets?
http://seminary.lds.org/content/languages/english/Seminary%20Materials/Student%20Study%20Guides/Old%20Testament%20Seminary%20Student%20Study%20Guide~eng.pdf
http://biblestudy.pppst.com/jeremiah.html
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| "Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem" by Rembrandt van Rijn. |
