Jeremiah 11

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Jeremiah 11:1-23 (KJV) 

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 

God speaks to Jeremiah,

2 Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; 

Look at my promise once more, then speak to the men of Judah, and all the people of Jerusalem;  

3 And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed [be] the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant,

God said anyone who does not obey My Word will be cursed.  Cursed is defined as nothing will work in your favor.

 4 Which I commanded your fathers in the day [that] I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God: 

God brought the children of Israel out of hard slavery.  He told them to obey His Word and He will be their God meeting all their needs.

5 That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as [it is] this day. Then answered I, and said, So be it, O LORD. 

I gave your fathers My Word that I will give them good land that will produce for them.  Once I explained what I would do and what I expected from them, they agree and said they would obey.

I had to give them the land that was fertile enough for them to see what I would do because they agreed to let Me lead them.

6 Then the LORD said unto me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and do them. 

Jeremiah repeated what God instructed him to say and do.  God wants us to let Him speak and we speak only the Words He has spoken first.  When we learn this, it will make life easier and no stress added.

7 For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day [that] I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, [even] unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice. 

I rebuked Israel for its bad conduct.  I did it before and I am doing it today.  I told them to obey Me but they refused to listen.  Prophets started their day repeating my objection to their treacherous behavior.

8 Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded [them] to do; but they did [them] not. 

Israel did not listen.  They made an imaginary way of worship that had nothing to do with nothing.  Whatever they came up with, is what they did.

9 And the LORD said unto me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 

The Lord told Jeremiah, that Israel was planning to do evil against themselves.

10 They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers. 

When we refuse to stay in the Word of God, we will turn back to ungodly practices.  We go back to the same sin that will result to the same consequences.

11 Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them. 

God said He will orchestrate evil for their disobedience.  Since His people would not obey He will allow them to suffer.

12 Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble. 

Judah and Jerusalem will see the wrath of God upon them, they will cry to the god of their imagination:  but when they do, the gods they worshipped will not help them at all.

13 For [according to] the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and [according to] the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to [that] shameful thing, [even] altars to burn incense unto Baal. 

We have churches in every city just as Judah had; we also have many churches on many of our streets.  This was shameful then and it is shameful now.  All of the offerings made in these places were unacceptable to God.

14 Therefore pray 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. 

Do not pray for these people, nor cry for what they will have to face:  If you pray I will not listen, and when they cry while being in trouble I will ignore them.

15 What hath my beloved to do in mine house, [seeing] she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? when thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest. 

God is still calling backslidden Israel the one He loves, even though she is committing adultery with many others and is happy when she does it.

16 The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, [and] of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken. 

God gave His people a good name: but now He has allowed the enemy to destroy what was theirs.

17 For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal. 

God who you honored as God, has pronounced evil toward His people.  The consequences you will receive will be because you brought it upon yourselves.

18 And the LORD hath given me knowledge [of it], and I know [it]: then thou shewedst me their doings. 

Jeremiah said I tell you this because God has made it known to me and I am a witness that you are guilty.

19 But I [was] like a lamb [or] an ox [that] is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, [saying], Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered. 

Then like a little lamb or an ox I was brought unknowingly to a place where you plotted to kill me because I told you the truth.

20 But, O LORD of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause. 

Lord it was Your Words I spoke, do not allow me to die in the hands of these foolish people.  Take up for me and because they want to kill me for speaking Your Word, take vengeance upon them.

21 Therefore thus saith the LORD of the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, Prophesy not in the name of the LORD, that thou die not by our hand: 

Jeremiah stop prophesying telling us the truth or we will kill you, this is the message of the men of Anathoth.

22 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will punish them: the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine: 

Jeremiah, I will handle those who spoke to you like that.  Not only will I punish them.  My punishment will death.  I will also punish their son and daughters and they shall die of starvation.

23 And there shall be no remnant of them: for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, [even] the year of their visitation.

There will be nobody to save them from this punishment: I will make sure I take care of those who put a hit out on our life.