Maybe Jeremiah should have tried reverse psychology. God said go to Egypt and be blessed, then they would have rejected the word of the Lord and done what God wanted. I don't know about you, but if I was a parent, boss, coach, etc... and people who were supposed to listen to me, always did the exact opposite of what I asked, it would get a little old! If they did that for 1,000 years...it's time to drive a point home.
God says to you..."if you remain in this land, then I will build you up and not pull you down; I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I will relent of the disaster that I did to you. Do not fear the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid. Do not fear him declares the Lord, for I am with you to save you and to deliver you from his hand. I will grant you mercy, that he may have mercy on you and let you remain in your own land...if you go to Egypt, then the sword that you fear shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt."
Not a tricky statement, no fine print, strange clauses to try and decipher. Plain. Simple.
People's response to God(Jeremiah)... "You are telling a lie, the Lord our God did not send you to say, Do not go to Egypt to live there."
"As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord, we will not listen to you."
Not an uncommon problem then or now, may it not be so, may we learn from their folly and walk a different path. Hear God's heart for his people including you and I in the first verse. Hear their response, note the vast difference. Lord thank you for your stance toward me, remove my hard heart to love you and respond, in kind, to you.
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