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Daily Devotions

Jeremiah

Jeremiah 
Day 
Day 472

"And this shall be a sign to you"

Text: Jeremiah 44:29

A SIGN GIVEN

The Jews in Egypt had become rooted in their idolatrous ways. The LORD gave them a sign that would confirm the power of His word!

“‘And this shall be a sign to you,’ says the LORD,
‘that I will punish you in this place,
that you may know that My words will surely stand against you for adversity.’
Thus says the LORD:
‘Behold, I will give Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt
into the hand of his enemies and into the hand of those who seek his life,
as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon,
his enemy who sought his life.'”
Jeremiah 44:29-30

1. “‘And this shall be a sign to you,’ says the LORD, ‘that I will punish you in this place,
that you may know that My words will surely stand against you for adversity'”

a) Those steeped in idolatry believed in signs.

b) They saw “signs” as messages from the deity they worshipped.

c) The sign that God would give them:

i) This was going to have negative impact.

ii) God would punish them for their wickedness.

iii) They believed that their stay in Egypt would be all good and positive.

iv) The Jews in Egypt would be punished by the LORD.

v) They would experience adversity, according to God’s word.

2. “Thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, I will give Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of
his enemies and into the hand of those who seek his life, as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah
into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, his enemy who sought his life.'”

a) The Jews had placed their trust in Pharaoh Hophra that he would protect them
from all their enemies, especially the Babylonians.

b) The reality was that the Pharaoh and Egypt would be conquered
by the Babylonians.

c) He would be delivered to King Nebuchadnezzar as Zedekiah was given over
to the Babylonian king.

d) If Pharaoh could not protect himself, how would he be able to protect
the Jews living in Egypt?