Jeremiah 29:24-32
Shemaiah Opposes Jeremiah
Tell Shemaiah, the Nehelamite, “The Lord who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says, ‘You sent letters in your own name to all the people in Jerusalem. You also sent them to Zephaniah the priest. He is the son of Maaseiah. And you sent them to all the other priests. You said to Zephaniah, “The Lord has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada. He has put you in charge of the Lord’s house. You are supposed to arrest any crazy person who claims to be a prophet. You should put him in prison. You should put iron bands around his neck. So why haven’t you punished Jeremiah from Anathoth? He claims to be a prophet among you. He has sent a message to us in Babylon. It says, ‘You will be there a long time. So build houses and make your homes there. Plant gardens and eat what they produce.’ ” ’ ”
But Zephaniah the priest read the letter to me. Then a message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, “Send a message to all the people who were taken away. Tell them, ‘The Lord speaks about Shemaiah, the Nehelamite. He says, “Shemaiah has prophesied to you. But I did not send him. He has made you trust in lies. So I say, ‘I will certainly punish Shemaiah, the Nehelamite. I will also punish his children after him. He will not have any children left among these people. I will do good things for my people. But he will not see them,’ ” ’ ” announces the Lord. “ ‘ “ ‘That’s because he has taught people to turn against me.’ ” ’ ”
Jeremiah 30:1-24
Israel Will Return to the Lord
A message from the Lord came to Jeremiah. The Lord said, “I am the Lord. I am the God of Israel. I say, ‘Write in a book all the words I have spoken to you. A new day is coming,’ ” announces the Lord. “ ‘At that time I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from where they have been taken as prisoners. I will bring them back to this land. I gave it to their people of long ago to have as their own,’ ” says the Lord.
Here are the words the Lord spoke about Israel and Judah. He said, “I am the Lord. I say,
“ ‘Cries of fear are heard.
There is terror. There isn’t any peace.
Ask and see.
Can a man give birth to children?
Then why do I see every strong man
with his hands on his stomach?
Each of them is acting like a woman having a baby.
Every face is as pale as death.
How awful that day will be!
No other day will be like it.
It will be a time of trouble for the people of Jacob.
But they will be saved out of it.
“ ‘At that time I will break the yoke off their necks,’
announces the Lord who rules over all.
‘I will tear off the ropes that hold them.
People from other lands will not make them slaves anymore.
Instead, they will serve me.
And they will serve David their king.
I will raise him up for them.
I am the Lord their God.
“ ‘People of Jacob, do not be afraid.
You are my servant.
Israel, do not be terrified,’ ”
announces the Lord.
“ ‘You can be sure that I will save you.
I will bring you out of a place far away.
I will bring your children back
from the land where they were taken.
Your people will have peace and security again.
And no one will make them afraid.
I am with you. I will save you,’ ”
announces the Lord.
“ ‘I will completely destroy all the nations
among which I scatter you.
But I will not completely destroy you.
I will correct you. But I will be fair.
I will not let you go without any punishment.’ ”
The Lord says,
“Your wound can’t be cured.
Your pain can’t be healed.
No one will stand up for you.
There isn’t any medicine for your sore.
There isn’t any healing for you.
All those who were going to help you have forgotten you.
They do not care about you.
I have struck you as if I were your enemy.
I have punished you as if I were very mean.
That is because your guilt is so great.
You have sinned so much.
Why do you cry out about your wound?
Your pain can’t be healed.
Your guilt is very great.
And you have committed many sins.
That is why I have done all these things to you.
“But everyone who destroys you will be destroyed.
All your enemies will be forced
to leave their countries.
Those who steal from you will be stolen from.
I will take the belongings
of those who take things from you.
But I will make you healthy again.
I will heal your wounds,” announces the Lord.
“That’s because you have been thrown out.
You are called Zion, the one no one cares about.”
The Lord says,
“I will bless Jacob’s people with great success again.
I will show tender love to Israel.
Jerusalem will be rebuilt where it was destroyed.
The palace will stand in its proper place.
From those places the songs of people giving thanks will be heard.
The sound of great joy will come from there.
I will cause there to be more of my people.
There will not be fewer of them.
I will bring them honor.
People will have respect for them.
Things will be as they used to be for Jacob’s people.
I will make their community firm and secure.
I will punish everyone who treats them badly.
Their leader will be one of their own people.
Their ruler will rise up from among them.
I will bring him near.
And he will come close to me.
He will commit himself to serve me,”
announces the Lord.
“So you will be my people.
And I will be your God.”
A storm will burst out
because of the Lord’s great anger.
A strong wind will sweep down
on the heads of evil people.
The Lord’s great anger won’t turn back.
He will accomplish everything
his heart plans to do.
In days to come
you will understand this.
Jeremiah 31:1-14
“At that time I will be the God of all the families of Israel,” announces the Lord. “And they will be my people.”
The Lord says,
“Some of my people will live through
everything their enemies do to them.
They will find help in the desert.
I will come to give peace and rest to Israel.”
The Lord appeared to us in the past. He said,
“I have loved you with a love that lasts forever.
I have kept on loving you with a kindness that never fails.
I will build you up again.
Nation of Israel, you will be rebuilt.
Once again you will use your tambourines to celebrate.
You will go out and dance with joy.
Once again you will plant vineyards
on the hills of Samaria.
Farmers will plant them.
They will enjoy their fruit.
There will be a day when those on guard duty will cry out.
They will stand on the hills of Ephraim.
And they will shout,
‘Come! Let’s go up to Zion.
Let’s go up to where the Lord our God is.’ ”
The Lord says,
“Sing for joy because the people of Jacob are blessed.
Shout because the Lord has made them the greatest nation.
Make your praises heard.
Say, ‘Lord, save your people.
Save the people who are left alive in Israel.’
I will bring them from the land of the north.
I will gather them from one end of the earth to the other.
Even those who are blind and those who can’t walk
will be among them.
Pregnant women and women having their babies
will be among them also.
Many of them will return.
Their eyes will be filled with tears as they come.
They will pray as I bring them back.
I will lead them beside streams of water.
I will lead them on a level path
where they will not trip or fall.
I am Israel’s father.
And Ephraim is my oldest son.
“Listen to my message, you nations.
Announce it on shores far away.
Say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather them.
He will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’
I will set the people of Jacob free.
I will save them from those who are stronger than they are.
They will come and shout for joy on Mount Zion.
They will be joyful because of everything I give them.
I give them grain, olive oil and fresh wine.
I give them the young animals in their flocks and herds.
Israel will be like a garden that has plenty of water.
And they will not be sad anymore.
Then young women will dance and be glad.
And so will the men, young and old alike.
I will turn their mourning into gladness.
I will comfort them.
And I will give them joy instead of sorrow.
I will satisfy the priests. I will give them more than enough.
And my people will be filled with the good things I give them,”
announces the Lord.
