Jeremiah 27

A Lesson in Submission - Part 3

Debra Isenbletter

V. 7: “And all the nations shall serve him...until the very time (exact time) of his land comes.” In this verse is seen the Authority of God’s Servant. Nations will serve him, three generations will rule, and then the servant will be made to serve. What Jeremiah is saying is that the yoke they must wear is only for a limited time, a time span of about three generations. The Lord’s people in Babylon could only see their servitude and it seemed as though it would last forever, He would have them see that it has a beginning and an end, it is for a specific period of time. When it comes to the trials and hard places in our lives sometimes we forget this. Jeremiah reminds us then that it is only during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar and his son and his son’s son. The listing of these three show the judgment or suffering is only for a limited time.

The lesson they must learn is to submit and serve and since they went into captivity that lesson seems to have been repeated over and over as each new Gentile nation rose up and stretched out their arm towards Israel. When the time allotted for the Gentiles to exert this authority over God’s people is over then the Lord will elevate them again to that place that belongs to them. But the vital lesson they are taught is they must learn to submit and learn to serve. This is what they have failed to do with the Lord and so He begins the lesson all over by teaching them to serve man. By learning to serve an earthly king, they are learning to serve a heavenly King. We can’t say we’re serving the Lord when we refuse to serve our earthly masters. Submission is submission whether it be to the Lord or man. When they finally recognize Him, when they receive Christ, the One who has already submitted and served, then they will be ready to enjoy the full blessings the Lord will pour out upon them.

The phrase “until the very time (exact time) of his land comes” shows that he will rule until the time comes to judge his land. When that time comes for the Lord to judge Babylon then His people will be delivered and their enemies will be judged. He has set aside a time for deliverance (Jer. 25:11-12) and a time for judgment (Jer. 50:1-4, 27,31; 51:6). It is called the time of their “visitation” or the time of the “Lord’s vengeance.”

Finally, in the latter part of this verse he says: “then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him,” we see that the servant will be made to serve. The one who taught others to serve must now himself learn this lesson. It is a lesson that everyone needs to learn and whether it be the people of the Lord or the nations of the world, they must first learn to serve in this way as preparation for the day when they will all serve the King of kings. When Babylon finally falls it takes a lot to bring them down, it takes an alliance of many nations and great kings. The two groups instrumental in the fall of Babylon are those Many Nations and those Great Kings.

The Many Nations are seen in the Medes and the Persians which lead other nations in a rebellion against Babylon. Isa. 13:1-5,17; 50:9. The Great Kings can be seen in two men, Darius and Cyrus, the two great kings that join forces to overthrow Babylon. The word “great” means more than just mighty, it means “proud” and “insolent” and show that the greatness here is more than the might of the armies that these kings lead. The greatness is a picture of their attitude of pride, they are rebellious and picture the attitude of the nations in the last days. In the last days great kings and mighty nations rise us against another Babylon, a religious Babylon. They will, through their “rebellion” and “insolence” and “pride” overthrow and overcome this religious system. John in Revelation describes this religious Babylon as a woman and she starts out sitting upon a beast, which could picture her rule over them. Babylon in Jeremiah’s day also started out riding or ruling these nations but eventually they will rise up and destroy her just as in the last days that second Babylon is destroyed by the very ones she rules. Rev. 17:16-18.

V. 8: “the nation and kingdom that will not serve...and will not put their neck under the yoke...” This verse shows a Double Disobedience and a Three-fold Punishment. They are to do two things, “serve” and “put their neck under the yoke” or wear the yoke. Both serving and wearing the yoke speak of a willing submission. The yoke will be placed upon them but they must accept it and willingly wear it. It is willing submission that makes the yoke bearable and it is resistance that makes the yoke unbearable. Whether they accept the yoke or not and whether they want to serve or not doesn’t make a difference. They will wear the yoke and they will serve. How much better to do so willingly as opposed to constantly struggling against what cannot be changed.

If they choose to wear the yoke and choose to serve there is an unexpected reward. Willing Service brings joy. When Jacob served for Rachael, it was for seven years, but because he did so willingly, he said it “seemed unto him but a few days” (Gen. 19:18-10). Willing service brings blessings: we see that in Rebecca, who when Abraham’s servant arrived, “hasted...and ran...and drew for all his camels...” She served willingly. The result was she received a blessing, “the man took a gold earring...and two bracelets for her hands.” And of course she became the bride of Isaac. In her we see the willing service of the Bride and the reward received for service. Notice that she received something for her hands which speaks of service and her ears which speaks of hearing.

If the Lord has to He will use punishment to bring the nations into submission. He would much rather they serve Him willingly, but if they will not, He will make them serve. He uses these three judgments, sword, famine, and pestilence to do this. And in these three things we also see the last day judgments in the tribulation when the seals are opened in Revelation 6. (Sword: 2nd seal - 6:3-4); (Famine: 3rd seal - 6:5-6) and (Pestilence - 4th seal - Rev. 9:1-6). The Lord tells His people that He will not be finished “until I have consumed them by his hand,” or until He has “completed or finished” what He has started. Whether it be chastisement in connection with His people or judgment in connection with the nations, He will always finish what He starts and not stop until He is satisfied.

He is doing a finishing work upon us through His Word which washes and cleanses us and through circumstances in our lives which bring us to our knees. It is this dependant attitude and willing submission to His will that He is looking for in our lives. Notice who the Lord used to do this finishing work upon His people, it is the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, His servant. In the last days, God will carry out His judgments by the hand of another Servant, the Lord Jesus Christ, and He won’t be finished until every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Christ is Lord.