Bible Commentaries
Jeremiah 44

Verses 1-30

1. Intro:
   1. Wes share on the Sudan.
   2. Here’s Jer.’s last message to his people(580bc).
      1. 46 yr.’s now in the ministry – What faithfulness despite all of life’s discouragement.
         1. “There are no disappointments to those whose wills are buried in the will of God.” Frederick William Faber
   3. ​​​​​​​Some months have passed as they are now spread from the Delta down several hundred miles down river in Pathros.
2. HEAVY INDICTMENT! (1-14)
   1. ​​​​​​​Note: you’ll hear a lot of “thus says the Lord” (2,7,11,25,26,30)
   2. [3] As soon as the Jewish remnant land in Egypt, like a thirsty dog to its water bowl, they ran to worship the local deities!
      1. They saw Judah’s destruction because of idolatry – yet ran back to it like a pig to its mud hole.
      2. [4-6] They heard from the prophets Gods message, yet played deaf & dumb.
      3. Geography never changes a heart!
3. WEAK ARGUMENT! (15-19)
   1. ​​​​​​​They try to defend their sins by appealing to experiences!
      1. “If it works it must be right!”
      2. Argument: “When we lived in Judah & secretly worshiped the queen of heaven everything went well!”
         1. Plenty of food; & comfortable circumstances…till king Josaih took over, & made us give up our idols, THAT’S when things got worse!
      3. Conclusion: We were better off when we disobeyed God & worshiped idols!
         1. Q: have you heard or maybe experienced yourself – “Ever since I became a Christian all things are against me!”
         2. Jacob thought this! (Gen 42:36) "You have bereaved me: Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin. All these things are against me."
            1. Wrong! Rom.8:37 “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
   2. They blamed the troubles on the reform instead of on the evils it tried to root out. [they turned the truth upside down]
      1. W/this technique, you have an answer to everything.
      2. Only time would show who was right(28).
   3. They have a choice of the King of Hearts, or the Queen of heaven!
      1. “Queen” - She was Ashtarte/Ishtar/Venus. (goddess of fertility).
      2. “of heaven” - speaking of her elevated character.
      3. Woman led the way in practicing idolatry! {even vowed vows to her/24-26}
         1. Women seem to want to lead In whatever they do. It started in Eve & their flesh battles it today.
            1. King Sol. was warned “Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods…and his wives turned away his heart.”
         2. Husbands cooperated w/them. Husbands seem to want to follow In whatever they do. It started in Adam & their flesh still battles it today.
            1. If the husband approved his wife’s vow, it was valid (Numb.30)
            2. Leader of the family means more than…“I get to make the finaldecision!”
            3. Children were even involved (7:18) “The children gather wood, the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven;”
4. STRONG PRONOUNCEMENT! (20-30)
   1. ​​​​​​​[26-29] The Jews in Egypt will perish – only a remnant of the remnant will ever return to the land.
   2. [27] Was God watching over them/ Yes! But not for blessing.
   3. [30] Here’s a sign – Pharaoh that they trusted in will be handed over to Neb.
   4. Wrap up - The future held nothing for the apostates in Egypt! Where their compatriots in Babylon have hope of freedom in less than a lifetime.
   5. Final point of ch.44 – Q: If it was so bad to flee to Egypt throughout the O.T. why did Joseph & Mary, with baby Jesus?
   6. A: Egypt was in itself not forbidden territory! In these other instances it was a vote of NO confidence in God.
      1. In Joseph & May’s case it was an act of obedience!
   7. Later - It would become an important center in the early years of the church! (Sept. Was produced there.)