The Lord has instructed the Prophet Jeremiah to write a book to the nations of Israel (the U.S., Britain and the Jews). The contents of the book were not to be understood until the latter days of the era. At that time He would enable His messengers to understand the book’s message and in turn explain it to the people.  One of the Lord’s statements to latter day Israel involved the fact that He would send them into slavery “again.” In days of old He had made them slaves of the Assyrians and Babylonians because of their rejection of His rulership over them. In Jeremiah 6:22,23 God warns that a cruel, savage people would defeat, destroy and enslave “the daughter of Zion” in the latter days–“again.” These actions will result in a world war. Ironically, these war-mongering people will be the descendants of those who plunged mankind into the first two world wars–Germany. God told Jeremiah that 1) these people would come from the north, and 2) they (Israel) would have dealt with them in the past (vs 24). God warns Israel that because they had earlier experienced the power and ruthlessness of these people, their hands would wax feeble and anguish would take over their minds when they are forced to fight them. Everyone on earth has heard of the atrocities of the Germans during the first two world wars. Also, Germany is north of Jerusalem–the starting point for all Biblical directions. Jerusalem is God’s ground zero, the center of His earth. Unlike the first two world wars, Germany and her companions will defeat the Allied powers, destroy their nations and take the survivors back to their countries as slaves. SO SAYS THE LORD.

In verse 27 we find God addressing His saintly REMNANT in the latter days, telling them that He has placed them within Israel as a tower and a fortress to warn the rebels to turn from their evil ways. The “tower” (remnant) is God’s true church–His Very Elect. God will protect His fortress/church–His “little flock”–by taking them to a place of safety, called “her place” (Rev. 12:14) where He will provide for and protect her during the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord that, together, will afflict mankind for the final 2 1/2 years of this age.

Today, as in the days of old, the focus of religious people is on the place where they meet, not on the One Who is supposedly there. People in Jerusalem people went to the Temple; in other cities they attended the local synagogue. These structures were often large and surrounded by a wall having a gate through which all must pass in order to enter the building. If one wanted to speak to those entering it one would stand in the gate and speak to those passing by. In Jeremiah 7:1,2 we find God telling the prophet to “Stand in the gate of the Lord’s house–the Temple in Jerusalem–and proclaim this Word: ‘Hear the Word of the Lord, all ye of Judah that enter these gates to worship the Lord.” By standing in the gate those entering the Temple heard him command them not to go inside where they would hear only lies coming from the lips of the priests. Today, God’s Temple is His people–His true remnant church (1 Cor. 3:16,17). Today Jeremiah’s message is being broadcast to latter day Israel according to God’s command to “shout it from the housetops” via television, radio, the internet, etc. And today, those few church people with ears to hear (Mat. 7:13,14) are understanding what His messengers are saying. Some are believing and obeying it. L.J.