Глава 29

Now the Prophet moves on to another story and announces that, by God’s inspiration, after the captivity of King Jeconiah, he wrote a letter to the captives in Babylon. He also names those who carried this message. It concluded that God commands all those who have already become captives to give birth to children, to build houses, to give daughters in marriage, (Jer. 29:6) to “sons” to bring “wives,” to take care of the multiplication of the family, and to pray for those who enslaved. Jer.29:7. Like in their world, says the Prophet, “there will be your peace.” The Apostle’s statute is in agreement with this word, commanding “to make prayers and petitions” for kings and “for all who are in power, so that they may live a quiet and silent life in all godliness and purity” (1 Tim. 2:1,2). God commanded everyone to do this, teaching them not to believe false prophets, but to wait for a certain time, for he made this visible in subsequent words, saying: Jer.29:8. Let not the lying prophets who are in you contradict you, and yes “Your wolves do not deceive you, and do not listen to your dreams, which you see in your dreams.” (Jer.29:9). “What unrighteous things they prophesy about you in My name, and not their messengers, says the Lord.” He also announces the time of return, for he says: after completing seventy years, (Jer. 20:10) “I will visit you” and fulfill good promises. He also promises to make them worthy of all care for them and, through prayer, to provide them with benefits; for he says: Jer.29:13. Whenever you seek Me with all your heart, (Jer.29:14). “I will appear to you, says the Lord.” But know also that those who escaped the first captivity will be starved and beaten. Jer.29:17. And I will lay them down like figs suarim, “they are not strong enough to eat, but they are too thin.” Figs, called above "evil". (Jer.24:2), here called “suarim”, and in Hebrew the word: “suarim” means: born in the forests, that is, wild, not cultivated, not worth planting, and not fit for food. Jer.29:18. And I will give all the kingdoms of the earth for destruction; because they will be afraid when they hear about the disasters that have befallen. “And to curse”, and to scolding, and “to desecration with all the tongue”, “I am a monster to them.” Many people used to say: I wouldn’t have tolerated what so-and-so suffered! This means what is said: “to damnation.” We have spoken more than once about the expression: “to be victorious”; and about this: blessed David also mentions “reproach”: “we brought reproach with our shame”, “imitation and reproach of those who are around us” (Ps. 79:4): and again: “you put reproach among the nations” (Ps. 43:14,15). God says that they will endure this: Jer.29:19. Therefore My servants the Prophets sent to them, “You rose up early and sent, and did not listen, says the Lord.” Sim: “early rising” expressed thoroughness; because he did not consider this an extraneous matter, but had the most zealous care for them. Then Jeremiah predicts the death of two false prophets, Ahiab and Zedekiah; for he says: Jer.29:21. I will betray the king of Babylon into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, and “I will beat you before your eyes.” (Jer.29:22). “And from them a curse will be brought upon the entire settlement of Judah, which is in Babylon, saying: May the Lord do to you as Zedekiah did, and as Ahiab did.” From here we clearly understand the meaning of this curse; The Prophet also tells us the type of punishment. “Whom the king of Babylon burned with fire” (Jer. 29:23). “For the sake of iniquity I have committed” in Israel. He also declares a type of lawlessness: “And the adulterer with the wives of his citizens, and the word that was spoken in My name is false, but I have not commanded it to them, but I am the judge and listener, says the Lord.” For everything that is done, says God, will not hide from Me, even I see what they dare to do in secret. He also threatens Samey Elamite, as he who dared to prophesy the opposite and write a letter to the priest Zephaniah and to other priests under his control. And in his message he wrote the following: Jer.29:26. The Lord gave you a sacrifice instead of a sacrifice for Jehoiada. Jehoiada was a very famous high priest. Why, with the intention of leading Zephaniah to a arrogant thought about himself, did he mention the leadership of Jehoiada. “Be thou a steward in the house of the Lord, who prophesies to every man, and to every man who is furious, and put him into the closet” Sinoch, “and into the treasure.” We said before that the Prophets were called frenzied; This is also clear from what is said here; because Samey placed the Prophet along with the raging one. And the word: “Sinoch”, the Syrian interpreter translated the word: prison. Samey inspires the following: this is why you are a leader, to imprison and punish those who predict disasters. This is expressed in subsequent words; for he says: Jer.29:27. Why don't you stop Jeremiah? who dared to write to you something similar to this: “Build up churches and plant hilltops?” The High Priest Zephaniah read this message to the Prophet, but the God of all commands the Prophet to immediately write against this and let the people in Babylon know that Samaeus prophesied falsely, without being sent from the God of all, for which God will put him to death with all his family, and he will not see the end of the disasters. Therefore, having learned from this, let us fear lies and believe the truth, let us not give room for doubt in our souls, and let us follow the divine words, so that we may see the blessings of the highest Jerusalem, according to the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ. With Him glory to the Father and with the Holy Spirit, now and always and unto ages of ages! Amen.