Thank God for the words, "to build, and to plant." By these words Jeremiah was assured of the Lord's purpose to restore and to heal. Stern were the messages to be borne in the years that were to follow. Prophecies of swift-coming judgments were to be fearlessly delivered. From the plains of Shinar "an evil" was to "break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land." "I will utter My judgments against them," the Lord declared, "touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken Me." Verses 14, 16. Yet the prophet was to accompany these messages with assurances of forgiveness to all who should turn from their evil-doing.

Tak Gud for ordene: "Til at opbygge og plante." Disse ord var en forsikring til Jeremias om, at det var Herrens hensigt at genopbygge og helbred . Han skulle overbringe folket skarpe budskaber i de kommende år. Han skulle frygtløst profetere om pludselige straffedomme. Fra Sinears sletter skulle "ulykke syde ud over alle landets indbyggere". Herren sagde: "Jeg vil afsige dom over dem for al deres ondskab, at de forlod mig." Jer. 1,14. og 16. Men samtidig med at profeten forkyndte disse budskaber, skulle han forsikre alle dem, der ophørte med at volde ondt, om tilgivelse.