"Isreal Takes Its Medicine"
Click below to download the Cornerstone Connections leader’s guide and student lesson. This week’s resources also include two lesson plans and a discussion starter video which offer different ways of looking at the topic. Each lesson plan includes opening activities, scripture passages, discussion questions, and real-life applications.
Discipline, like medicine, is hard to swallow but necessary for healing. However, the stubborn resistance of the human heart makes God’s life-shaping discipline so hard to stomach.
Jeremiah 28:1-15
Jeremiah 29:1-14
Royalty and Ruin (Prophets and Kings)
Chapter 36 - Zedekiah, Judah’s Last King
Have you ever noticed the ads on Facebook or Instagram? Some of them look way too good to be true. Buy a brand-new iPhone 11 for only fifty dollars. It’s usually a scam and after you pay the money, you find out that you were taken advantage of. Our story today is similar, except that the stakes are much higher. A false prophet attempts to preach a message of peace and prosperity to get on the good side of the people. God’s prophet speaks out, reminding people that God has already told them what their future will be, letting them know that they are to humble themselves, take their discipline, and wait for His plans for them. Today you will see what it is like when truth confronts a lie.
Items needed:
Have the two gifts placed where people can see them when they enter. When everyone has arrived, ask for two volunteers. Make up a plausible scenario as to why you are giving these gifts away to two people. Pick a creative way to decide who gets to choose the first gift. Have them pick their gifts. Then ask the one with the not-so-nicely-wrapped gift to open theirs first, followed by the other gift.
In today’s Bible story we are looking at the conflict between a prophet who claimed to be delivering a message from God, and one that was actually God’s appointed messenger. One of the prophets said he was speaking for God, telling the people how to live, but he really didn’t represent God. The true prophet reminded the people that God wanted them to live humbly and peacefully in captivity. We are to live that way today . . . humbly and peacefully in a place that is not our true home.
Read Jeremiah 28:1-4.
In the fifth month of that same year, the fourth year, early in the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, the prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon, said to me in the house of the LORD in the presence of the priests and all the people: 2 “This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon. 3 Within two years I will bring back to this place all the articles of the LORD’s house that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed from here and took to Babylon. 4 I will also bring back to this place Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and all the other exiles from Judah who went to Babylon,’ declares the LORD, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’ ”
Read Jeremiah 28:5-11.
5 Then the prophet Jeremiah replied to the prophet Hananiah before the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the LORD. 6 He said, “Amen! May the LORD do so! May the LORD fulfill the words you have prophesied by bringing the articles of the LORD’s house and all the exiles back to this place from Babylon. 7 Nevertheless, listen to what I have to say in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people: 8 From early times the prophets who preceded you and me have prophesied war, disaster and plague against many countries and great kingdoms. 9 But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the LORD only if his prediction comes true.”
10 Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah and broke it, 11 and he said before all the people, “This is what the LORD says: ‘In the same way I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon off the neck of all the nations within two years.’ ” At this, the prophet Jeremiah went on his way.
Read Jeremiah 28:12-15.
12 After the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: 13 “Go and tell Hananiah, ‘This is what the LORD says: You have broken a wooden yoke, but in its place you will get a yoke of iron. 14 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I will put an iron yoke on the necks of all these nations to make them serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they will serve him. I will even give him control over the wild animals.’ ”
15 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen, Hananiah! The LORD has not sent you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies.
Read Jeremiah 29:4-10.
4 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” 8 Yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. 9 They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the LORD.
Read Jeremiah 29:10-14.
10 This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”
Read Luke 3:11-14.
11 John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”
12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”
13 “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.
14 Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”
He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”
Read Hebrews 13:5-6.
5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
6 So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
In today’s lesson you have looked at what it means to be taken into captivity, discovered that not everyone who says they speak for God really are His prophets, and what it means to live contentedly in captivity. As you think about the lesson, ask yourself the following questions:
Find someone to help. It could be . . .
God showed us in our Bible passages that even though we are stuck here on earth, that He wants us to live productive, contented lives, as we wait for the day of His coming.
LEADER’S NOTE
For a Relational Bible Study (RBS) you’ll want to get into the Scripture passage and encourage the youth to imagine participating in the story while it’s happening. Then you will be able to better apply it to your own situation today.
You will need to ask God for the Holy Spirit to be present as your small group discusses the questions (no more than 3-6 people in a group is recommended). Start with the opening question. It is a personal question and the answer is unique for each individual. There is no right answer and nobody is an expert here, so don’t be surprised when you hear different responses. You are depending on the Holy Spirit to be present and to speak through your group. Say what God prompts you to say, and listen to what others share.
Take turns reading the chapter out loud. Follow that with giving the students some time to individually mark their responses to the questions (a PDF version of the handout is available as a download). This gives each person a starting point for responding when you start to share as a group. Next, begin the discussion by asking the students to share what they marked and why on each question as you work your way through. Feel free to take more time on some questions than others as discussion warrants.
Encourage each person in the group to apply what is discussed to their personal lives and to share with the group what they believe God wants them to do. Then ask them to pray that God will help each of them to follow through in doing so. Remind them to expect that God will show them ways to live out the message of this passage in the coming week, and that they are free to ask others in the group to help hold them accountable.
Be sure everyone takes time for personal applications before you end your Sabbath School time together.
Download RBS Handout
The messages God gave Jeremiah for his people weren’t necessarily popular messages. Because God’s people had repeatedly broken their covenant with Him, the promises God had given to bless them for obedience and to discipline them for disobedience were promises He would keep. This meant they would experience discipline for their continued disobedience.
Some of the people from Judah had already been taken as captives to Babylon, including Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. King Jehoiachin was also taken there (Jeremiah 28:3-4; 29:2). Nebuchadnezzar helped himself to a number of things out of the amazing sanctuary Solomon had built (Jeremiah 27:16; 28:3).
While Jeremiah gave warning after warning, false prophets offered much more pleasant words—messages of victory and a return of the captives. If you were listening to Jeremiah or one of the false prophets such as Hananiah in this week’s study, which would you believe? Do you only believe messages you want to hear, or are you open to any message God sends you? What if you don’t like the message? What if it’s uncomfortable? What if the message calls for you to change?
If you have three or more people in your Youth Sabbath School, you may want to divide your study into three sections, each with two questions in the Relational Bible Study:
1. Jeremiah 27:1-22—Jeremiah’s message with a leather yoke (Questions 1 and 2).
2. Jeremiah 28:1-17—Hananiah counters Jeremiah’s message (Questions 3 and 4).
3. Jeremiah 29:1-14—Jeremiah sends the Babylonian captives another message (Questions 5 and 6).
Do questions 7 and 8 together.
One of the best-known verses in Jeremiah can be found in this week’s Bible passage. See if the youth recognize it: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV). The end of this Relational Bible Study challenges participants to understand this familiar verse in the context of the time it was written, along with the rest of the message. And then they are invited to apply this to their personal situation right now.
Would you prefer God send you a message of warning or encouragement?
Read Jeremiah 27:1-29:14.
27 Early in the reign of Zedekiah son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2 This is what the LORD said to me: “Make a yoke out of straps and crossbars and put it on your neck. 3 Then send word to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre and Sidon through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. 4 Give them a message for their masters and say, ‘This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Tell this to your masters: 5 With my great power and outstretched arm I made the earth and its people and the animals that are on it, and I give it to anyone I please. 6 Now I will give all your countries into the hands of my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him. 7 All nations will serve him and his son and his grandson until the time for his land comes; then many nations and great kings will subjugate him.
8 “ ‘ “If, however, any nation or kingdom will not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon or bow its neck under his yoke, I will punish that nation with the sword, famine and plague, declares the LORD, until I destroy it by his hand. 9 So do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your interpreters of dreams, your mediums or your sorcerers who tell you, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon.’ 10 They prophesy lies to you that will only serve to remove you far from your lands; I will banish you and you will perish. 11 But if any nation will bow its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let that nation remain in its own land to till it and to live there, declares the LORD.” ’ ”
12 I gave the same message to Zedekiah king of Judah. I said, “Bow your neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon; serve him and his people, and you will live. 13 Why will you and your people die by the sword, famine and plague with which the LORD has threatened any nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? 14 Do not listen to the words of the prophets who say to you, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they are prophesying lies to you. 15 ‘I have not sent them,’ declares the LORD. ‘They are prophesying lies in my name. Therefore, I will banish you and you will perish, both you and the prophets who prophesy to you.’ ”
16 Then I said to the priests and all these people, “This is what the LORD says: Do not listen to the prophets who say, ‘Very soon now the articles from the LORD’s house will be brought back from Babylon.’ They are prophesying lies to you. 17 Do not listen to them. Serve the king of Babylon, and you will live. Why should this city become a ruin? 18 If they are prophets and have the word of the LORD, let them plead with the LORD Almighty that the articles remaining in the house of the LORD and in the palace of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem not be taken to Babylon. 19 For this is what the LORD Almighty says about the pillars, the bronze Sea, the movable stands and the other articles that are left in this city, 20 which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take away when he carried Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, along with all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem—21 yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says about the things that are left in the house of the LORD and in the palace of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem: 22 ‘They will be taken to Babylon and there they will remain until the day I come for them,’ declares the LORD. ‘Then I will bring them back and restore them to this place.’ ”
The False Prophet Hananiah
28 In the fifth month of that same year, the fourth year, early in the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, the prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon, said to me in the house of the LORD in the presence of the priests and all the people: 2 “This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon. 3 Within two years I will bring back to this place all the articles of the LORD’s house that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed from here and took to Babylon. 4 I will also bring back to this place Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and all the other exiles from Judah who went to Babylon,’ declares the LORD, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’ ”
5 Then the prophet Jeremiah replied to the prophet Hananiah before the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the LORD. 6 He said, “Amen! May the LORD do so! May the LORD fulfill the words you have prophesied by bringing the articles of the LORD’s house and all the exiles back to this place from Babylon. 7 Nevertheless, listen to what I have to say in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people: 8 From early times the prophets who preceded you and me have prophesied war, disaster and plague against many countries and great kingdoms. 9 But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the LORD only if his prediction comes true.”
10 Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah and broke it, 11 and he said before all the people, “This is what the LORD says: ‘In the same way I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon off the neck of all the nations within two years.’ ” At this, the prophet Jeremiah went on his way.
12 After the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: 13 “Go and tell Hananiah, ‘This is what the LORD says: You have broken a wooden yoke, but in its place you will get a yoke of iron. 14 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I will put an iron yoke on the necks of all these nations to make them serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they will serve him. I will even give him control over the wild animals.’ ”
15 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen, Hananiah! The LORD has not sent you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies. 16 Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I am about to remove you from the face of the earth. This very year you are going to die, because you have preached rebellion against the LORD.’ ”
17 In the seventh month of that same year, Hananiah the prophet died.
A Letter to the Exiles
29 This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2 (This was after King Jehoiachin and the queen mother, the court officials and the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the skilled workers and the artisans had gone into exile from Jerusalem.) 3 He entrusted the letter to Elasah son of Shaphan and to Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. It said:
4 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” 8 Yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. 9 They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the LORD. 10 This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”
1. What is God’s message about “the yoke” (27:1-8)?
2. What message do you want to hear from God?
3. What was Hananiah’s message (28:1-11)?
4. What would have been your response after Hananiah died?
5. What was Jeremiah’s message to the captives in Babylon (29:1-14)?
6. What have you found when you look for God with all you have?
7. You’ve probably heard Jeremiah 29:11 quoted in the past. Read it now. What does it mean in the context of spending the next 70 years in Babylon? What does it mean for you today?
8. What are ways for you to seek God with all you have?
God’s message to His people through Jeremiah was that they would be wearing a yoke in subjection to Babylon. Hananiah gave a more popular prophecy, even though it was false. This exposes the tendency to believe what we want to believe, and to listen to what we want to hear. In contrast, listening for God’s message means being open to whatever God’s message is, and also following the messages God has provided—the more recent ones, and the ones from many years ago. Even in captivity, God promised to be with His people and to bring future generations back to their homeland. But God assured His people He would be with them even as they experienced the consequences of their poor choices. God promises hope and a future, which only God can make happen.
It’s easy to follow God when—well, when it’s easy! But what about when things are tough? If we’ve brought the tough stuff on ourselves, we’re often defensive as well. But God still comes to us and is with us—not only in the good times, but also in the bad times. Like a parent or guardian who disciplines us, God forms us into His likeness, even when we’re in need of changes. It’s in this context that God promises to “give us a future and a hope” and to transform a hopeless dead end we face. God also promises to be found by those who seek Him with all they have.
Here are some potential applications for your Youth Sabbath School participants, based on this Relational Bible Study.
1. PLANS.
According to Jeremiah 29:11, God has plans to provide a future and a hope for His people, including those who are in captivity—like His people were in Babylon. And those plans were His plans, not necessarily their plans!
• Are you ready to release your plans and desires to God’s plans and desires?
• And if you are, how do you find out what God’s plans are for you?
Provide the PDF handout “Plans” that has the following four categories:
• Clear
• Unclear
• Want to Know
• Don’t Want to Know
You might have a few ideas picked out in advance, such as plans for one’s friends (more, fewer, the same; go deeper, change, include God, etc.). Participants can fill out the handouts individually and share them in the group, or add to them during the week and touch base about them next Sabbath.
Take time to share ways people have found God’s plans for them in the past, such as supernatural interventions, affirmations of personal choices, following what God has already revealed, looking for “open” and “closed” doors, etc.
2. SEEKING GOD.
According to Jeremiah 29:13-14, we will find God when we seek Him with all we have. Brainstorm ways people seek God. Draw from experiences people in your Youth Sabbath School have had in the past, or ways they’ve heard of others seeking God. Brainstorm additional possibilities. Consider examples from Scripture, including what has been discussed in Youth Sabbath School this year. Use the PDF handout for “Seeking God.” The first page of this has three categories for seeking God:
• Sources
• Experiences
• Processes
The second sheet has the same categories, but includes some prompts for each. Use the one that you prefer.
Ask your youth which one(s) they will use in the coming week as they seek God. Check with them during the week as a follow-up and encouragement for seeking God.
3. I FOUND IT!
God promised that those who seek Him will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13-14). Challenge each person in Youth Sabbath School to be on the lookout this coming week for finding Jesus as they seek Him with all they have. Invite them to post what they find, and do it on the social media of choice for your group, whether that’s Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, or something else.
