Hope in Exile: Submitting to God's Sovereign Discipline

Trust in God

This passage before us tonight can offer us encouragement when we have uncertainty. Reminding us that God is in control even when the circumstances seem dire. That we need to be in submission to God’s will, even in suffering, for it ultimately leads to hope and restoration.

Big Idea: Even in times of exile and uncertainty, we can trust in God’s sovereignty and hope He provides for restoration through Christ.

Jeremiah doesn’t just say this message, he wears it. God commands him to put on a yoke, symbolizing submission. In this chapter it challenges our assumptions about freedom, power, and obedience to God.

Babylon’s dominance is not accidental it is divinely appointed. Resistance to them is resistance to God. False prophets promise freedom and peace, but God warns that rebellion will only bring destruction. True faith trusts God’s sovereignty, even when His plan involves discipline and submission.

As I was preparing I came across this timeless question:

“Will we submit to God’s will even when it is uncomfortable, humbling, or contrary to our desires?”

Our passage to be outlined

Jeremiah 27:1–2 NASB95

1 In the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying— 2 thus says the Lord to me—“Make for yourself bonds and yokes and put them on your neck,

Jeremiah 27:3–4 NASB95

3 and send word to the king of Edom, to the king of Moab, to the king of the sons of Ammon, to the king of Tyre and to the king of Sidon by the messengers who come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. 4 “Command them to go to their masters, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, thus you shall say to your masters,

Jeremiah 27:5–6 NASB95

5 “I have made the earth, the men and the beasts which are on the face of the earth by My great power and by My outstretched arm, and I will give it to the one who is pleasing in My sight. 6 “Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant, and I have given him also the wild animals of the field to serve him.

Jeremiah 27:7–8 NASB95

7 “All the nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson until the time of his own land comes; then many nations and great kings will make him their servant. 8 “It will be, that the nation or the kingdom which will not serve him, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and which will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the sword, with famine and with pestilence,” declares the Lord, “until I have destroyed it by his hand.

Jeremiah 27:9–10 NASB95

9 “But as for you, do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your soothsayers or your sorcerers who speak to you, saying, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon.’ 10 “For they prophesy a lie to you in order to remove you far from your land; and I will drive you out and you will perish.

Jeremiah 27:11–12 NASB95

11 “But the nation which will bring its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let remain on its land,” declares the Lord, “and they will till it and dwell in it.” ’ ” 12 I spoke words like all these to Zedekiah king of Judah, saying, “Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him and his people, and live!

Jeremiah 27:13–14 NASB95

13 “Why will you die, you and your people, by the sword, famine and pestilence, as the Lord has spoken to that nation which will not serve the king of Babylon? 14 “So do not listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they prophesy a lie to you;

Jeremiah 27:15–16 NASB95

15 for I have not sent them,” declares the Lord, “but they prophesy falsely in My name, in order that I may drive you out and that you may perish, you and the prophets who prophesy to you.” 16 Then I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, “Thus says the Lord: Do not listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, ‘Behold, the vessels of the Lord’s house will now shortly be brought again from Babylon’; for they are prophesying a lie to you.

Jeremiah 27:17–18 NASB95

17 “Do not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon, and live! Why should this city become a ruin? 18 “But if they are prophets, and if the word of the Lord is with them, let them now entreat the Lord of hosts that the vessels which are left in the house of the Lord, in the house of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem may not go to Babylon.

Jeremiah 27:19–20 NASB95

19 “For thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the pillars, concerning the sea, concerning the stands and concerning the rest of the vessels that are left in this city, 20 which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take when he carried into exile Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 27:21–22 NASB95

21 “Yes, thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that are left in the house of the Lord and in the house of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem, 22 ‘They will be carried to Babylon and they will be there until the day I visit them,’ declares the Lord. ‘Then I will bring them back and restore them to this place.’ ”

Is there anything in particular that stands out to you in this chapter?

Questions to consider on your own

According to (vv.-5-6) what reasons does God give for placing nations under Nebuchadnezzar’s authority?

What consequences does God describe for nations that refuse to serve Babylon (v.8)?

In (v.10) why does God say the false prophets are speaking lies? what is their effect on the people?

How does Jeremiah challenge the false prophets regarding the temple vessels in (vv18-22)?

Jeremiah’s Symbolic Act/God’s Sovereign Reign

God is a great illustrator. God makes Jeremiah use an physical illustration of a yoke as a prophetic sign. Then we will see how God’s sovereignty extends over all earthly powers, including Babylon, reinforcing that God allows nations to rise as a part of His divine plan. God will use oppressive circumstances to serve a purpose, aligning with the great narrative of God’s control. God’s peace amidst the chaos.

God commands Jeremiah to fashion yokes and place on his own neck, and to send others to the feign kings via their messengers who are in Jerusalem

God declares that He made the earth and gives it to whom He choses

Babylon’s rise is not merely political — it is God-ordained

Even Pagan rulers serve God’s purposes

Key Truth: God rules history, not human ambition

Submission as Salvation

I know this may sound weird, but God calls to submission not as a tool of oppression, but as a pathway to preservation and ultimate salvation. It calls for them not to resist God’s set path, for the people to trust Him and His plan and live. For us today we need to embrace God’s direction, even when it seems counterintuitive. When life gets challenging, may we follow Christ’s obedience of submission to the Father’s will to freedom and life!

Nations that resist Babylon will face sword, famine, and plague

Submission is framed as a path to life and survival

God’s discipline is meant to preserve, not destroy

Key truth: Obedience to God, even when humbling, leads to life.

False Hope is Spiritually Dangerous

Do you believe there were false prophets spreading false hope? There were! Jeremiah gave warnings about listening to lies, just as we are told in the New Testament to test the spirits. We need to anchor our hopes in biblical truths rather than popular but misleading teachings. We need to learn discernment a critical aspect of faith that protects believers from spiritual harm. Ah, there is also the promised return of the sacred things of the temple, not just that but the joyous spiritual return, relationship with God. For us, it is the ultimate restoration and reconciliation offered through Christ. It points to God’s faithfulness despite current hardship.

Jeremiah urges King Zedekiah to submit to Babylon.

False prophets are lying and will lead the nation to ruin; God exposes their lies

True prophet’s align with God’s word — even when unpopular.

Thought provoking question

Why do you think submission to God’s will is often harder when it involves loss or humility?

Applications

(below is a slide)

Trust God’s sovereignty

Trust God’s sovereignty even when circumstances feel unfair or confusing

Beware of messages

Beware of messages that promise peace without repentances or obedience

Measure teaching and counsel

Measure teaching and counsel against God’s revealed Word, not emotional comfort

Choose faithful obedience

Choose faithful obedience over popular opinion

Take away: “God’s plans are always greater than our preferences— and submission to Him is never wasted.” (E. M. Bounds)

Conclusion: Jeremiah 27 reminds us that faithfulness is not measured by comfort or control, but by trust in God’s rule. God may call His people to endure hardship, wait patiently, or submit humbly—but His purposes are always redemptive. The question is not whether God is in control, but whether we are willing to trust Him when He is.

“To resist God’s will is to fight against life itself— but to submit is to live.” (Guzik)