Session 11 | Jeremiah 42:7-22

OPTION 1 (JER. 42:7-12)

the choice God offered the people of Judah.

7 At the end of ten days, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah,
8 and he summoned Johanan son of Kareah,
all the commanders of the armies who were with him, and all the people from the least to the greatest.

9 He said to them,
“This is what the LORD says, the God of Israel to whom you sent me to bring your petition before him:”

10 “‘If you will indeed stay in this land,
then I will rebuild and not demolish you, and I will plant and not uproot you,
because I relent concerning the disaster that I have brought on you.’”

11 “‘Don’t be afraid of the king of Babylon
whom you now fear;
don’t be afraid of him’—this is the LORD’s declaration—
‘because I am with you to save you and rescue you from him.
12 I will grant you compassion, and he will have compassion on you and allow you to return to your own soil.’”

DISCUSS:

• How does fear cause a person to question their beliefs and confidence in God?
• Why can God be trusted in the middle of difficult situations? (p. 95)

HIGHLIGHT:

If the people obeyed the Lord,
He would plant them back in their land,
rebuild them, and protect them.
God wanted them to enjoy the blessings of restoration.

connect the idea that reconciliation follows discipline.

Emphasize that God disciplined His people because they had sinned,
but He also moved His message toward reconciliation once the season of judgment had passed.

DISCUSS:

• In what ways can believers demonstrate their trust in God when making choices in life? (p. 95)

TRANSITION:

The people of Judah feared Nebuchadnezzar and the power he held over them.
God wanted His people to trust Him, not fear Nebuchadnezzar.