Open Refusal to Obey by People - Jeremiah 44

Jeremiah 44:16 "As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee."

See Exodus 5:2 Romans 2:3-9

We that is quite plan. They have completely rejected God's instructions to them which were given for their good.

They argue with Jeremiah. They argue that while they worshipped the 'queen of heaven' (Don't know where they got that from - probably Egypt) things were good. Then when they stopped burning incense and stuff things got bad. They Bible does not bear that up but that is the way they want to remember it.

v4 "Howbeit I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate."

I have tried to do some study on the various gods where a woman depicts their image. They go by various names as well, usually altered to fit the local society. It is a long study.

v19 "And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?" referchapter 7:18

c7:v18 "The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger."

My Topical Reference says 'queen of heaven' was a name given to the moon by the Hebrews. and refers us to Ashtoreth who was a Syrian goddess, mentioned with Baal and Astarte goddess of the moon. So it is Syrian instead of Egyptian.

Caution: Study of the various gods is not necessary to understanding the scriptures. It is enough to recognize that there is only one true God. The God that made heaven and earth. Study of these false gods can lead the mind into very evil places and cause great harm. It is enough to be aware of their impotence and then learn about the real God.

Back to our chapter. Most of those who went down to Egypt did not survive their judgment. Yet a few did escape and return to Judah.

v28 "Yet a small number that escape the sword shall return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Judah, and all the remnant of Judah that are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall know whose words shall stand, mine or theirs."

v30 "Thus saith the LORD,..."

I have not yet found out if Jeremiah left Egypt with the small number that escaped or died in Egypt as some believe.