Jeremiah 26-30

“Bow your neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon ... and you will live.” (27:12). Jeremiah gave the people the hard truth: their sins had been so great, their leaders and priests so corrupted, that punishment and exile would last 70 years. While Jeremiah prophesied that they should accept God’s discipline and even “build houses and settle down” in Babylon, the false prophet Hananiah minimized the cost of their rebellion and prophesied quick victory (ch 28). Yet Jeremiah stood firm: the exiled Israelites should “seek the peace” of Babylon (29:7).

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (29:13). Seeking God is acknowledging the destructiveness of our sins. With repentance comes forgiveness and healing.