Daily Devotions
Jeremiah
"We will not dwell in this land"
Text: Jeremiah 42:13
DISOBEDIENCE TO THE LORD
Jeremiah had been a prophet of the LORD for many years. He had been ministering in Judah for a long time. He knew the people well and that they were very inclined to follow the dictates of their heart.
“But if you say, ‘We will not dwell in this land,’
disobeying the voice of the LORD your God, saying,
‘No, but we will go to the land of Egypt where we shall see no war,
nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor be hungry for bread, and there we will dwell.'”
Jeremiah 42:13-14
1. “But if you say, ‘We will not dwell in this land,’
disobeying the voice of the LORD your God”
a) “But if you say”
i) This was not actually uttered out loud.
ii) But Jeremiah knew what the remnant was considering
as they listened to the word of the LORD given to them.
b) “We will not dwell in this land”
i) They did not like the word of advice given (Jeremiah 42:10-12)
ii) The prospect of dwelling in the land did not appeal to them.
c) “Disobeying the voice of the LORD your God”
i) The danger was in disobeying the LORD.
ii) The people had declared that they would obey the LORD and yet
they were now looking at alternatives to the word of God given.
2. “Saying, ‘No, but we will go to the land of Egypt where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor be hungry for bread, and there we will dwell'”
a) Planning to go to Egypt
i) This was the alternative plan the people had in their hearts.
ii) They were prepared to disobey the LORD and His direct word.
b) Their reasons:
i) They did not want to see war.
ii) Nor did they want to hear the trumpets of war.
iii) Not be in hunger for essentials like bread.
c) Egypt seemed to be the ideal place rather than Judah.