Jeremiah 27:1-3

II. THE WARNING OF THE YOKE

Jeremiah 27:1 to Jeremiah 28:17

In Chapter s 27 and 28 Jeremiah uses an ox yoke as an object lesson to drive home his point that Judah should submit to Babylon. It was Jeremiah's position that God had given all the nations of the Near East into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar for seventy years. In spite of the bitter opposition of the political and religious leaders Jeremiah continued to forcefully assert that his pronouncements were of God. National survival demanded submission to the yoke of Babylonian world rule. In Chapter s 27 and 28 the warning is sounded to the foreign nations (Jeremiah 27:1-11), king Zedekiah (Jeremiah 27:12-15), the priests and people (Jeremiah 27:16-22) and the fake prophets (Jeremiah 28:1-17).

A. Instructions for the Prophet Jeremiah 27:1-3

TRANSLATION

(1) In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, (2) Thus says the LORD: Make for yourself thongs and yoke-bars and put them upon your neck, (3) and send them unto the king of Edom, and unto the king of Moab, and unto the king of the children of Ammon, and unto the king of Tyre, and unto the king of Sidon by the hand of the messengers who are coming to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah king of Judah.

COMMENTS

Verse I clearly sets forth the date of the events in chapter 27 as being in the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim. However the remaining portion of the chapter makes very clear that these messages are to be dated in the reign of Zedekiah (see Jeremiah 27:3; Jeremiah 27:12; Jeremiah 27:20). As a matter of fact according to Jeremiah 28:1 the events of chapter 27 can be dated precisely to the fourth year of Zedekiah. How then did the name Jehoiakim get into Jeremiah 27:1? It is conceded by practically all scholars that the name of Jehoiakim in this verse is the error of a copyist. Some scribe as he copied the manuscript of the Book of Jeremiah was probably subconsciously influenced by the heading which appears over the preceding chapter and inadvertently wrote Jehoiakim for Zedekiah in Jeremiah 27:1.

It is not infrequent in prophetic books to find the Lord instructing His Prophets to do some dramatic and sensational things in order to call attention to their messages and vividly illustrate their points. Here Jeremiah is commanded by the Lord to make bands (thongs) and bars i.e., an ox yoke consisting of wooden bars held together by leather bands. He is then to put this yoke upon his neck. Jeremiah seems to have appeared in the streets of Jerusalem for several days with his yoke-bar around his neck proclaiming his message of submission to Babylon. From what is said in Jeremiah 27:3 it would appear that Jeremiah made at least six other yoke-bars, perhaps miniature replicas, to be sent to various kings of the region.

Ambassadors from several neighboring states had gathered in Jerusalem for a consultation with Zedekiah. Representatives from Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre and Sidon were present. While the purpose of the meeting is not stated, it is evident from the warning of the prophet that revolt against Babylon was being contemplated. Perhaps the envoys were attempting to persuade Zedekiah to join the revolt. Jeremiah appeared in some public place where the ambassadors would be sure to pass, with a yoke upon his neck and in this strange guise delivered an impressive exhortation to the foreign visitors. The Hebrew prophets had a great deal to say about foreign nations but only on rare occasions were their messages given directly to those foreign peoples.[237]

[237] For other possible examples Of Prophets addressing messages to foreign ambassadors see Isaiah 14:28-32; Isaiah 18:1-3.

It is perhaps worth noting here that Zedekiah made a trip to Babylon in this same fourth year of his reign. He either voluntarily chose to go and renew his oath of fidelity to Nebuchadnezzar or else he was summoned by the great king who heard rumors of the revolt which was being plotted in this chapter.