What is the meaning of Jeremiah 42:13? But if you say • The verse opens with a choice put in the remnant’s own mouth: “But if you say….” God allows His people to voice their intentions, yet He immediately holds them accountable for those words (cf. Matthew 12:36; Numbers 14:28). • This conditional introduces a fork in the road. The Lord has already revealed His will—to remain in Judah under Babylonian oversight (Jeremiah 42:10–12). Anything different originates in human fear, not divine command (compare Isaiah 30:1–2). We will not stay in this land • The spoken decision directly contradicts God’s instruction. Staying required faith that the Lord would “build you up and not tear you down” (Jeremiah 42:10). • Throughout Scripture, refusing the place God appoints always brings loss: – Lot’s wife looked back and forfeited her life (Genesis 19:17, 26). – Elimelech moved his family from Bethlehem to Moab and encountered famine and death (Ruth 1:1–5). – Israel’s first generation refused Canaan and wandered forty years (Numbers 14:29–34). • The land was not merely geography; it was a symbol of covenant faithfulness. To leave it by choice was to step outside God’s shelter (Psalm 91:1). and you thus disobey • Disobedience is never passive; it is an act of the will. Saying “no” to God’s clear word equals rebellion (1 Samuel 15:23). • The adverb “thus” links their words to the inevitable consequence: speech becomes action, action becomes sin (James 1:14–15). • God had just promised security if they stayed (Jeremiah 42:11–12). Rejecting that promise meant inviting the very dangers they feared (Jeremiah 42:16–17). the voice of the LORD your God • “Voice” underscores personal relationship. He still calls Himself “the LORD your God,” showing covenant loyalty even while warning them (Exodus 20:2). • To disregard His voice is to disregard Him. Jesus later affirmed, “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27). • The remnant had sought this voice (Jeremiah 42:3–5) but now prepared to ignore it—an unsettling picture of double-mindedness (James 1:8). summary Jeremiah 42:13 captures the critical moment when God’s people debate obedience. Their own words—“We will not stay”—would cut them off from promised safety. Scripture links every step of rebellion: choosing different ground, voicing refusal, and silencing God’s voice. The lesson is timeless—when His directions are clear, blessing rests on staying where He plants us, trusting His covenant care instead of our fearful plans. |
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