Jeremiah 42–52

A small remnant of the people of Judah were not taken captive by the Babylonian army. They sought the Lord’s counsel concerning whether they should leave Judah and go to Egypt. At their request, Jeremiah prayed to know the Lord’s will for them, and the Lord promised that they would be safe if they stayed in the land of Judah. Jeremiah further prophesied that if the people disobeyed the Lord and went to Egypt, they would be destroyed. Jeremiah foretold the destruction of many nations, including Babylon. He also testified of the Redeemer’s strength to deliver them.

What are some ways the youth of the Church might be tempted to disobey the Lord’s counsel given through prophets in our day?

As you study Jeremiah 42–44, look for principles that will help you understand the consequences of choosing to obey or to disobey the Lord’s counsel given through His prophets.

After the Babylonian army came a second time against Jerusalem, they carried most of the Jews away with them to Babylon. A small group of Jews, referred to as a remnant, were left behind in Jerusalem. Several of the remnant believed that if they went to Egypt they would be spared from further abuse from the Babylonian army.

In Jeremiah 42:1–3 we learn that the Jews who were left in Jerusalem asked Jeremiah to pray to the Lord to know whether they should go to Egypt or stay in Jerusalem.

Read Jeremiah 42:4, looking for Jeremiah’s response. The phrase “I will keep nothing back from you” in verse 4 means that Jeremiah committed to boldly tell the people God’s will.

Read Jeremiah 42:5–6, looking for the people’s response to Jeremiah.

What did the people say about how it would be for them if they obeyed the Lord’s counsel given through His prophet?

1. Complete the following assignments in your scripture study journal:

   1. Answer the following question: What do you think it means that it will be “well with us” when we follow the Lord’s counsel?

   2. Write at least three examples of people from the scriptures who were blessed because they followed the Lord’s counsel given through His prophets.

In the following statement, underline the words or phrases the First Presidency used to describe how it will be well with those who follow the Lord’s counsel given through His prophets in our day: “We promise that as you keep the covenants you have made and these standards, you will be blessed with the companionship of the Holy Ghost, your faith and testimony will grow stronger, and you will enjoy increasing happiness” (For the Strength of Youth [booklet, 2011], ii).

In Jeremiah 42:7–8 we learn that after 10 days Jeremiah called the people together to reveal God’s will about whether or not they should go to Egypt.

Read Jeremiah 42:9–12, looking for how it would be well with the people if they listened to and obeyed the word of God given through Jeremiah.

Read Jeremiah 42:13–17, looking for the warning Jeremiah gave the Jews about what would happen if they did not obey the Lord’s command to stay in the land.

From these verses we learn that when we disregard the Lord’s counsel given through His prophets, we bring negative consequences upon ourselves.

2. Answer the following questions in your scripture study journal:

   1. What consequences have you seen people bring upon themselves when they have disregarded the Lord’s counsel through His prophets?

   2. In contrast, what blessings have you seen as you or others have obeyed the Lord’s counsel given through His prophets?

Read Jeremiah 42:19–22, looking for what Jeremiah told the people after he told them to stay in the land of Judah. The phrase “ye dissembled in your hearts” in verse 20 means the people lied when they told Jeremiah they would obey the Lord’s words.

In verse 22, consider marking the consequences the people would bring upon themselves for disregarding the Lord’s words spoken by Jeremiah.

3. Answer the following question in your scripture study journal: Why do you think people sometimes choose to disregard the counsel of prophets, even though they have been warned of the consequences?

Read Jeremiah 43:1–4, looking for how the people responded to Jeremiah’s counsel. Notice especially the excuse the proud men gave for disobeying Jeremiah’s words.

Ponder what excuses the proud in our day give for disobeying the prophets’ words. Consider how well you are obeying the counsel from the Lord’s prophets. Make a goal that will help you to better follow the counsel of the Lord given through His prophets.

In Jeremiah 43:5–13 we learn that the remnant of the Jews not only disobeyed the Lord and went to Egypt, but they also took Jeremiah with them. After they arrived in Egypt, Jeremiah hid large stones in front of Pharaoh’s house and prophesied that when the Babylonian army destroyed Egypt, the king of Babylon would make his throne there.

Read the chapter summary for Jeremiah 44, looking for what Jeremiah prophesied about the Jews who were living in Egypt.

The Jews in Egypt refused to listen to Jeremiah, and they told him that they felt more blessed when they worshipped the false gods of Egypt than when they stopped worshipping them.

Read Jeremiah 44:22–23, looking for what Jeremiah told the Jews in Egypt. In verse 23, the phrase “ye have burned incense” refers to worshipping false gods, and the phrase “this evil is happened unto you” refers to the destruction of Jerusalem described in verse 22.

Think of a time when you felt discouraged because of opposition you experienced when you tried to do the right thing.

What helped you have hope during your time of discouragement?

In Jeremiah 45 we learn that Jeremiah’s scribe, Baruch, felt discouraged, and the Lord sent him a message of encouragement through Jeremiah.

In Jeremiah 46–52, Jeremiah prophesied of the destruction of several nations, but he also shared messages of hope. As you study Jeremiah 46–52, look for a truth that would help bring hope during times of discouragement.

Read the following scripture references and look for messages of hope. Consider marking words or phrases that reflect messages of hope.

• Jeremiah 46:27–28

• Jeremiah 50:17–20

• Jeremiah 50:33–34

From these verses we learn the following truth: Through the strength of our Redeemer, we can be delivered from physical and spiritual bondage.

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Christ the Consolator

4. Ask a family member, friend, or ward member how he or she feels our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, can help deliver us from physical and spiritual bondage. Then, in your scripture study journal, summarize what he or she said.

Jeremiah 52 contains an additional account of Babylon’s capture of Jerusalem, including how the Babylonians took King Zedekiah captive and killed his sons. (Remember that Zedekiah’s son Mulek escaped to the Americas [see Helaman 6:10; 8:21]). The Jews in Jerusalem were either killed or taken captive and carried to Babylon.

5. Write the following at the bottom of today’s assignments in your scripture study journal:

   I have studied Jeremiah 42–52 and completed this lesson on (date).

   Additional questions, thoughts, and insights I would like to share with my teacher: