Elder Holland misapprehends Jeremiah; wrests isolated verse, and ignores the words of the Lord

[Alexander]

I find myself dumbfounded at Elder Hollands remarks, recently given to a congregation of young adults this past Sunday. How anyone could isolate one verse, not even the full verse, from Jeremiah so ignorantly as to form some pleasing message of flattery, is beyond me.

Holland, speaking to the young adults, claims that in the book of Jeremiah, God tells the Israelites that he has set them up as a fortress among the people.

"God said to the early Israelites, “I have set thee for a … fortress among my people”
...
“The ‘thee’ in this passage means us,” Elder Holland told those gathered in the institute’s chapel and participating via broadcast at nearby meetinghouses. “It means that when hard times come, God has sent us to be firm, to be a fortress of strength and protection in the midst of the people — inside the Church and out.”"

He continues,
"“My counsel to you tonight is you have to be strong. You have to be a veritable fortress among the people, for your own sake and for theirs. Be watchful and wise. Study the scriptures and let those lessons from the past fortify you for the opposition that will come again.

“Listen to the voice of our Prophet, one the greatest of God’s gifts in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ."
...
“Face your doubts. Master your fears. Exert your faith and see the beauty of life unfold before you.”

Elder Holland concluded with his witness that God prevails and left an apostolic blessing on the young adults that they will be protected in the battle of spiritual powers and choose to be faithful.
...
“This is the winning team. Please stay on it despite any opposition that may come.”

https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-a ... eam-233117

Essentially, Holland claims that the young adults must stay on the “winning side” (the church) and be a strong fortress within it, so that the opposition won’t come in and affect them.




In the most ironic fashion, Holland ignores the rest of the entire chapter which provides an entirely opposite message. (not just Jeremiah 6, but also 5 and 4)

And what might be found within those chapters?

Why it's only the emphatic harsh rebuke of God upon Israel and Judah, a revelation of their abomination and apostasy, and a brash warning that if they do not repent and enter in on the way, a mighty desolation and destructive siege of the enemy will sweep over them and devour them whole.

Jeremiah 6
1 "Flee to safety, you sons of Benjamin,
From the midst of Jerusalem!
Blow a trumpet in Tekoa
And raise a warning signal over Beth-haccerem;
For evil looks down from the north,
Along with a great destruction.
2 The beautiful and delicate one, the daughter of Zion, I will destroy.
3 Shepherds and their flocks will come to her,
They will pitch their tents around her,
They will pasture, each in his place.
4 ‘Prepare for war against her;
Arise, and let’s attack at noon.
Woe to us, for the day declines,
For the shadows of the evening lengthen!
5 Arise, and let’s attack by night
And destroy her palaces!’”
6 For this is what the Lord of armies says:
“Cut down her trees
And pile up an assault ramp against Jerusalem.
This is the city to be punished,
In whose midst there is only oppression.
7 As a well keeps its waters fresh,
So she keeps fresh her wickedness.
Violence and destruction are heard in her;
Sickness and wounds are constantly before Me.
8 Be warned, Jerusalem,
Or I shall be alienated from you,
And make you a desolation,
An uninhabited land.”
9 This is what the Lord of armies says:
“They will thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel like the vine;
Pass your hand over the branches again
Like a grape gatherer.”
10 To whom shall I speak and give warning,
That they may hear?
Behold, their ears are closed
And they cannot listen.
Behold, the word of the Lord has become for them a rebuke;
They take no delight in it.
11 But I am full of the wrath of the Lord;
I am weary of holding it in.
“Pour it out on the children in the street
And on the gathering of young men together;
For both husband and wife shall be taken,
The old and the very old.
12 Their houses shall be turned over to others,
Their fields and their wives together;
For I will stretch out My hand
Against the inhabitants of the land,” declares the Lord.
13 “For from the least of them to the greatest of them,
Everyone is greedy for gain,
And from the prophet to the priest
Everyone deals falsely.
14 They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially,
Saying, ‘Peace, peace,’
But there is no peace.
15 Were they ashamed because of the abomination they had done?
They were not ashamed at all,
Nor did they know even how to be ashamed.
Therefore they will fall among those who fall;
At the time that I punish them,
They will collapse,” says the Lord.
16 This is what the Lord says:
“Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths,
Where the good way is, and walk in it;
Then you will find a resting place for your souls.
But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
17 And I set watchmen over you, saying,
‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’
But they said, ‘We will not listen.’
18 Therefore hear, you nations,
And know, you congregation, what is among them.
19 Hear, earth: behold, I am bringing disaster on this people,
The fruit of their plans,
Because they have not listened to My words,
And as for My Law, they have rejected it also.
20 For what purpose does frankincense come to Me from Sheba,
And the sweet cane from a distant land?
Your burnt offerings are not acceptable
And your sacrifices are not pleasing to Me.”
21 Therefore, this is what the Lord says:
“Behold, I am placing stumbling blocks before this people.
And they will stumble against them,
Fathers and sons together;
Neighbor and friend will perish.”
22 This is what the Lord says:
“Behold, there is a people coming from the north land,
And a great nation will be stirred up from the remote parts of the earth.
23 They seize bow and spear;
They are cruel and have no mercy;
Their voice roars like the sea,
And they ride on horses,
Lined up as a man for the battle
Against you, daughter of Zion!”
24 We have heard the report of it;
Our hands are limp.
Anguish has seized us,
Pain like that of a woman in childbirth.
25 Do not go out into the field,
And do not walk on the road;
For the enemy has a sword,
Terror is on every side.
26 Daughter of my people, put on sackcloth
And roll in ashes;
Mourn as for an only son,
A most bitter mourning.
For suddenly the destroyer
Will come against us.
27 “I have made you an assayer and an examiner among My people,
So that you may know and put their way to the test.”
28 All of them are stubbornly rebellious,
Going about as a slanderer;
They are bronze and iron.
They are, all of them, corrupt.
29 The bellows blow fiercely,
The lead is consumed by the fire;
In vain the refining goes on,
But the wicked are not separated.
30 They call them rejected silver,
Because the Lord has rejected them.

Jeremiah 5
“Roam about through the streets of Jerusalem,
And look and take notice.
And seek in her public squares,
If you can find a person,
If there is one who does justice, who seeks honesty,
Then I will forgive her.
2 And although they say, ‘As the Lord lives,’
Certainly they swear falsely.”
3 Lord, do Your eyes not look for honesty?
You have struck them,
But they did not weaken;
You have consumed them,
But they refused to accept discipline.
They have made their faces harder than rock;
They have refused to repent.
4 Then I said, “They are only the poor,
They are foolish;
For they do not know the way of the Lord
Or the judgment of their God.
5 I will go to the great
And speak to them,
For they know the way of the Lord
And the judgment of their God.”
But together they too have broken the yoke
And burst the restraints.
6 Therefore a lion from the forest will kill them,
A wolf of the deserts will destroy them,
A leopard is watching their cities.
Everyone who goes out of them will be torn in pieces,
Because their wrongdoings are many,
Their apostasies are numerous.
7 “Why should I forgive you?
Your sons have forsaken Me
And sworn by those who are not gods.
When I had fed them to the full,
They committed adultery
And stayed at the prostitute’s house.
8 They were well-fed lusty horses,
Each one neighing at his neighbor’s wife.
9 Shall I not punish them for these things?” declares the Lord,
“And shall I not avenge Myself
On a nation such as this?
10 “Go up through her vine rows and destroy,
But do not execute a complete destruction;
Strip away her branches,
For they are not the Lord’s.
11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah
Have dealt very treacherously with Me,” declares the Lord.
12 They have lied about the Lord
And said, “Not He;
Misfortune will not come upon us,
Nor will we see sword or famine.
13 The prophets are as wind,
And the word is not in them.
So it will be done to them!”
14 Therefore, this is what the Lord, the God of armies says:
“Because you have spoken this word,
Behold, I am making My words fire in your mouth,
And this people wood, and it will consume them.
15 Behold, I am bringing a nation against you from far away, you house of Israel,” declares the Lord.
“It is an enduring nation,
It is an ancient nation,
A nation whose language you do not know,
Nor can you understand what they say.
16 Their quiver is like an open grave,
All of them are warriors.
17 They will devour your harvest and your food;
They will devour your sons and your daughters;
They will devour your flocks and your herds;
They will devour your vines and your fig trees;
They will demolish your fortified cities, in which you trust, with the sword.
18 “Yet even in those days,” declares the Lord, “I will not make a complete destruction of you.
19 And it shall come about when they say, ‘Why has the Lord our God done all these things to us?’ then you shall say to them, ‘Just as you have abandoned Me and served foreign gods in your land, so you will serve strangers in a land that is not yours.’
20 “Declare this in the house of Jacob
And proclaim it in Judah, saying,
21 ‘Now hear this, you foolish and senseless people,
Who have eyes but do not see,
Who have ears but do not hear.
22 Do you not fear Me?’ declares the Lord.
‘Do you not tremble in My presence?
For I have placed the sand as a boundary for the sea,
An eternal limit, and it will not cross over it.
Though the waves toss, they cannot prevail;
Though they roar, they will not cross over it.
23 But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart;
They have turned aside and departed.
24 They do not say in their heart,
“Let us now fear the Lord our God,
Who gives rain in its season,
Both the autumn rain and the spring rain,
Who keeps for us
The appointed weeks of the harvest.”
25 Your wrongdoings have turned these away,
And your sins have kept good away from you.
26 For wicked people are found among My people,
They watch like fowlers lying in wait;
They set a trap,
They catch people.
27 Like a cage full of birds,
So their houses are full of deceit;
Therefore they have become great and rich.
28 They are fat, they are sleek,
They also excel in deeds of wickedness;
They do not plead the cause,
The cause of the orphan, so that they may be successful;
And they do not defend the rights of the poor.
29 Shall I not punish them for these things?’ declares the Lord,
‘Or shall I not avenge Myself
On a nation such as this?’
30 “An appalling and horrible thing
Has happened in the land:
31 The prophets prophesy falsely,
And the priests rule on their own authority;
And My people love it this way!
But what will you do when the end comes?


Jeremiah 4
9 “And it shall come about on that day,” declares the Lord, “that the heart of the king and the hearts of the leaders will fail; and the priests will tremble, and the prophets will be astonished.”

[Destroyer]

I would say I'm surprised but they also either totally ignore Isaiah or misinterpret it so that the negatives of the prophecy apply to the past only and the positives apply to the Church in the present or in the future. It's also why many so-called religious leaders of days past were against the scriptures being translated to the language of the people: if the people were ignorant, they could be controlled and manipulated. Once people actually were able to read scripture for themselves, the deceit was clear. Looks like Holland forgot that we have access to the whole book... or he assumed that most would be too lazy to actually read it.

[Gadianton Slayer]

Nothing negative can ever apply to the holy corporation, you should know this.

LDS doctrine 101.

[abijah`]

Its stuff like this that makes me doubt the theory that the brethren secretly know a bunch of stuff that they just keep to themselves.

[cathyk]

Which chapter and verse is Holland quoting?

It would be good to actually see it in context. In all of the many verses you quoted, the word fortress does not appear once.

[John Tavner]

I used to like Jeff, but over the years he has definitely misconstrued and twisted a lot of Bible verses...he misses a LOT of context. Almost every story he quotes out of the New Testament is misconstrued in such a way to make you wonder about your own sanity - because how he reads it is not what happens at all.

[4Joshua8]

Which chapter and verse is Holland quoting?

It would be good to actually see it in context. In all of the many verses you quoted, the word fortress does not appear once.

6:27, different translation, I believe.

Here’s the NIV
26Put on sackcloth, my people,
and roll in ashes;
mourn with bitter wailing
as for an only son,
for suddenly the destroyer
will come upon us.
27“I have made you a tester of metals
and my people the ore,
that you may observe
and test their ways.
28They are all hardened rebels,
going about to slander.
They are bronze and iron;
they all act corruptly.
29The bellows blow fiercely
to burn away the lead with fire,
but the refining goes on in vain;
the wicked are not purged out.
30They are called rejected silver,
because the Lord has rejected them.”

KJV
26O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.
27I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way.
28They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters.
29The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away.
30Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them.

[InfoWarrior82]

I would say I'm surprised but they also either totally ignore Isaiah or misinterpret it so that the negatives of the prophecy apply to the past only and the positives apply to the Church in the present or in the future. It's also why many so-called religious leaders of days past were against the scriptures being translated to the language of the people: if the people were ignorant, they could be controlled and manipulated. Once people actually were able to read scripture for themselves, the deceit was clear. Looks like Holland forgot that we have access to the whole book... or he assumed that most would be too lazy to actually read it.

This is exactly what it is. He does think everyone will just take his word for it and not see for themselves what it truly says. Mormondom has used up, or beaten the dead horse, of favorite scriptures... that he had to come up with a cool new catch phrase. Plucked randomly out of the old testament that has the exact opposite meaning of what it actually was saying.

Oh the irony.

13 “For from the least of them to the greatest of them,
Everyone is greedy for gain,
And from the prophet to the priest
Everyone deals falsely.

He literally fulfils this prophecy by actually falsely quoting from the scripture that prophecies of it happening.

[Alexander]

Which chapter and verse is Holland quoting?

It would be good to actually see it in context. In all of the many verses you quoted, the word fortress does not appear once.

I apologize. I often use the NASB, not the KJV.

Jeremiah 6
27 I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way.

Jeremiah is the assayer (tower) appointed by Yeshua; not Israel as Holland says.

ASSA'YER, noun One who examines metals to find their quantity and purity. An officer of the mint, whose business is to try the weight and purity of metals.

Jeremiah 1 (NASB)
18 Now behold, I have made you [Jeremiah] today like a fortified city and like a pillar of iron and walls of bronze against the whole land, to the kings of Judah, to its leaders, to its priests, and to the people of the land.

[SempiternalHarbinger]

I have a really hard time believing any person would say what Holland said after reading and pondering the words of Jeremiah. Holland after quoting Jeremiah...

“Listen to the voice of our Prophet, one the greatest of God’s gifts in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ".

"Christ is the victor of the war Satan is raging, but with study, prayer and loyalty to the prophets, each person must decide which side they are on"". -Holland

In contrast, Jeremiah not only condemns Israel, but he also condemns the prophets, leaders, and shepherds of Israel. He never glorifies them. Listening to the voices and showing loyalty to the prophets of Israel was one thing Jeremiah was warning us about. At least that was his warning to God's covenant people during his time. They couldn't be trusted. Cursed is he who puts their trust in the arm of flesh. And the end result was the false prophets imprisoned and stoned the true prophet to death. One was a true messenger who sought no glory, while the others set themselves up as a light of the world. Today, we don't kill real prophets, we just castrate and discredit their good names.

Jeremiah mentions "prophets" somewhere between 44-50x and he never uses it in good light. Jeremiah... prophets = false prophets every single time.

A small sampling...

-Jeremiah 5:30-31 A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?.

-Jeremiah 29 9 For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the Lord.

-Jeremiah 23:14,16 I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.

Jeremiah 23:9 Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the Lord, and because of the words of his holiness.
10 For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is evil, and their force is not right.
11 For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the Lord.
16 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord.

Jeremiah 14:14-16 Then the Lord said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.
15 Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.
16 And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them, them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness upon them.

Jeremiah 27:15 For I have not sent them, saith the Lord, yet they prophesy a lie in my name; that I might drive you out, and that ye might perish, ye, and the prophets that prophesy unto you.

[InfoWarrior82]

Another catastrophically ironic thing that Elder Holland does is actually confirm that Jeremiah in this chapter was speaking to US in the last days. (I'm looking at YOU, Atticus.)

[SPIRIT]

I would say I'm surprised but they also either totally ignore Isaiah or misinterpret it so that the negatives of the prophecy apply to the past only and the positives apply to the Church in the present or in the future. It's also why many so-called religious leaders of days past were against the scriptures being translated to the language of the people: if the people were ignorant, they could be controlled and manipulated. Once people actually were able to read scripture for themselves, the deceit was clear. Looks like Holland forgot that we have access to the whole book... or he assumed that most would be too lazy to actually read it.

This is exactly what it is. Mormondom has used up, or beaten the dead horse, of favorite scriptures... that he had to come up with a cool new catch phrase. Plucked randomly out of the old testament that has the exact opposite meaning of what it actually was saying.

Oh the irony.

13 “For from the least of them to the greatest of them,
Everyone is greedy for gain,
And from the prophet to the priest
Everyone deals falsely.

He literally fulfils this prophecy by actually falsely quoting from the scripture that prophecies of it happening.

also kinda reminds me of this scripture -
Isaiah 28:1 - about The Drunkards of Ephraim -
"the people of Ephraim look back on past glories earned in more righteous times as if they still apply today"

* The ("Drunkards of Ephraim" church leaders) the Lord will hurl them to the ground by his hand Isa.28:2

Isaiah 28
Ephraim and its prophets reap disaster for being delusional and for rejecting divine revelation.

1 Woe to the garlands of glory of the drunkards of Ephraim!
Their crowning splendor has become as fading wreaths
on the heads of the opulent overcome with wine.

Chapters 28-31, which form a didactic unit comprising Part VI of Isaiah’s Seven-Part Structure (Isaiah 28-31; 55-59), each commence with a “woe” or covenant curse. Ephraim’s chief sins of pride and drunkenness catch up with Israel’s birthright tribe in Jehovah’s Day of Judgment.
Instead of acknowledging current inconvenient truths, the people of Ephraim look back on past glories earned in more righteous times as if they still apply today. Ephraim’s self-deception, stemming from intoxication with “wine” at the highest levels, compounds the hard times that lie ahead (v 7; Isaiah 56:10-12).

2 My Lord has in store one mighty and strong: as a ravaging hailstorm sweeping down,
or like an inundating deluge of mighty waters, he will hurl them to the ground by his hand.

The imagery of “a ravaging hailstorm sweeping down” and of “an inundating deluge of mighty waters” identifies the king of Assyria/Babylon and his alliance of aggressor nations (Isaiah 8:7-8; 17:12; 18:2).
A second “one mighty and strong” in the Book of Isaiah is Jehovah’s servant, who makes an end of him at the last.
Although Jehovah provides a refuge for a repentant remnant of his people against the storms of their enemies (Isaiah 4:6; 25:4-5; 57:13), he empowers the archtyrant—Jehovah’s (left) hand—over “the drunkards of Ephraim” to cast their illustriousness to the ground (cf. vv 1, 3).

3 The proud garlands of the drunkards of Ephraim shall be trodden underfoot.
4 And the fading wreaths, the crowns of glory on the heads of the opulent,
shall be like the first-ripe fruit before summer harvest:
he who sees it devours it the moment he has hold of it.

Ideas that link the king of Assyria/Babylon to these verses are Jehovah’s people being “trodden underfoot” (Isaiah 10:5-6; 63:6) and the timing of Assyria’s assault as early summer (Isaiah 16:9-10; 18:5). Ephraim’s former “crowns of glory”—now mere “fading wreaths” on the heads of a later generation—aren’t enough to prevent Assyria’s desolating invasion.
The enemy alliance promptly “devours” or “swallows up” (yibla‘enna) Ephraim’s produce.
Jehovah’s Day of Judgment humbles Ephraim’s “opulent” (ge’e semanim)—literally “fat proud ones”—both political and ecclesiastical (v 7; Isaiah 17:3-6).

[LDS Watchman]

Another catastrophically ironic thing that Elder Holland does is actually confirm that Jeremiah in this chapter was speaking to US in the last days. (I'm looking at YOU, Atticus.)

Have I ever said that none of Jeremiah's words were speaking about us in the last days?

Of course there's an application for us. It's just not the one you think. It's the one Elder Holland pointed out.

[InfoWarrior82]

Another catastrophically ironic thing that Elder Holland does is actually confirm that Jeremiah in this chapter was speaking to US in the last days. (I'm looking at YOU, Atticus.)

Have I ever said that none of Jeremiah's words were speaking about us in the last days?

Of course there's an application for us. It's just not the one you think. It's the one Elder Holland pointed out.

Yeah, because when Jeremiah speaks about the prophet in the last days, he's talking about that other guy over there, right?

[LDS Watchman]

Another catastrophically ironic thing that Elder Holland does is actually confirm that Jeremiah in this chapter was speaking to US in the last days. (I'm looking at YOU, Atticus.)

Have I ever said that none of Jeremiah's words were speaking about us in the last days?

Of course there's an application for us. It's just not the one you think. It's the one Elder Holland pointed out.

Yeah, because when Jeremiah speaks about the prophet in the last days, he's talking about that other guy over there, right?

When does Jeremiah say that he is talking about the prophets in the last days?

[InfoWarrior82]

Another catastrophically ironic thing that Elder Holland does is actually confirm that Jeremiah in this chapter was speaking to US in the last days. (I'm looking at YOU, Atticus.)

Have I ever said that none of Jeremiah's words were speaking about us in the last days?

Of course there's an application for us. It's just not the one you think. It's the one Elder Holland pointed out.

Yeah, because when Jeremiah speaks about the prophet in the last days, he's talking about that other guy over there, right?

When does Jeremiah say that he is talking about the prophets in the last days?

[LDS Watchman]

Have I ever said that none of Jeremiah's words were speaking about us in the last days?

Of course there's an application for us. It's just not the one you think. It's the one Elder Holland pointed out.

Yeah, because when Jeremiah speaks about the prophet in the last days, he's talking about that other guy over there, right?

When does Jeremiah say that he is talking about the prophets in the last days?

Since you can't even point out one scripture, I'll help you out. Here are some scriptures that speak of the Lord's church and leaders in the last days:

14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:
15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
16 And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the Lord, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the Lord: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.
17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.
Jeremiah 3

15 But, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers.
16 ¶ Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.
Jeremiah 16

3 And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.
4 And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord.
Jeremiah 23

17 For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.
18 ¶ Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob’s tents, and have mercy on his dwellingplaces; and the city shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof.
19 And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.
20 Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them.
21 And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the Lord.
22 And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
Jeremiah 30

1 At the same time, saith the Lord, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.
2 Thus saith the Lord, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.
3 The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
4 Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.
5 Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things.
6 For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the Lord our God.
7 For thus saith the Lord; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O Lord, save thy people, the remnant of Israel.
8 Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither.
9 They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
10 ¶ Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.
11 For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.
12 Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.
13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.
14 And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the Lord.
Jeremiah 31

37 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:
38 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God:
39 And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:
40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.
Jeremiah 32

27 ¶ But fear not thou, O my servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel: for, behold, I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be in rest and at ease, and none shall make him afraid.
Jeremiah 46

[Claymore]

This is nothing new. I've heard many talks by Jeffery where he quotes the scriptures, but twists the meaning just to make his talk have some scriptural clout. I often wonder does he even read the scriptures? If he does he doesn't understand them or enjoys deliberately spinning them and taking them way out of context.

Claymore

[InfoWarrior82]

Yeah, because when Jeremiah speaks about the prophet in the last days, he's talking about that other guy over there, right?

When does Jeremiah say that he is talking about the prophets in the last days?

Since you can't even point out one scripture, I'll help you out. Here are some scriptures that speak of the Lord's church and leaders in the last days:

14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:
15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
16 And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the Lord, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the Lord: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.
17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.
Jeremiah 3

15 But, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers.
16 ¶ Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.
Jeremiah 16

3 And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.
4 And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord.
Jeremiah 23

17 For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.
18 ¶ Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob’s tents, and have mercy on his dwellingplaces; and the city shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof.
19 And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.
20 Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them.
21 And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the Lord.
22 And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
Jeremiah 30

1 At the same time, saith the Lord, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.
2 Thus saith the Lord, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.
3 The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
4 Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.
5 Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things.
6 For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the Lord our God.
7 For thus saith the Lord; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O Lord, save thy people, the remnant of Israel.
8 Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither.
9 They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
10 ¶ Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.
11 For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.
12 Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.
13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.
14 And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the Lord.
Jeremiah 31

37 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:
38 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God:
39 And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:
40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.
Jeremiah 32

27 ¶ But fear not thou, O my servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel: for, behold, I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be in rest and at ease, and none shall make him afraid.
Jeremiah 46

I responded in this manner because it's obvious you didn't read anything that was posted here. It's so blatant, even a caveman could see. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you simply didn't take the time to read.

Read the entire thread. You'll see.


And these scriptures you are quoting is the Lord speaking of the time when Zion will be physically built after the slothful servants of the vineyard are "released".

[LDS Watchman]

When does Jeremiah say that he is talking about the prophets in the last days?

Since you can't even point out one scripture, I'll help you out. Here are some scriptures that speak of the Lord's church and leaders in the last days:

14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:
15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
16 And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the Lord, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the Lord: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.
17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.
Jeremiah 3

15 But, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers.
16 ¶ Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.
Jeremiah 16

3 And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.
4 And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord.
Jeremiah 23

17 For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.
18 ¶ Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob’s tents, and have mercy on his dwellingplaces; and the city shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof.
19 And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.
20 Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them.
21 And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the Lord.
22 And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
Jeremiah 30

1 At the same time, saith the Lord, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.
2 Thus saith the Lord, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.
3 The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
4 Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.
5 Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things.
6 For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the Lord our God.
7 For thus saith the Lord; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O Lord, save thy people, the remnant of Israel.
8 Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither.
9 They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
10 ¶ Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.
11 For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.
12 Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.
13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.
14 And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the Lord.
Jeremiah 31

37 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:
38 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God:
39 And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:
40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.
Jeremiah 32

27 ¶ But fear not thou, O my servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel: for, behold, I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be in rest and at ease, and none shall make him afraid.
Jeremiah 46

Read the entire thread. You'll see.


And these scriptures you are quoting is the Lord speaking of the time when Zion will be physically built after the slothful servants of the vineyard are "released".

No, that's wrong.

These scriptures are about when the Lord gathers Israel in the last days after Israel was scattered anciently.

This began in the 1830s and continues to this day.

Notice how the Lord reestablishes his everlasting covenant with them. Notice how Ephraim is his first born when the gathering begins. It's already underway. Has been for almost 200 years. Once this begins, there is no mention of slothful servants who will be "released."

Here's another scripture:

31 ¶ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord:
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Jeremiah 31

This scripture is saying the same thing as the others I quoted.

Here's what Joseph Smith said about this scripture:

"The time has at last arrived when the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has set his hand again the second time to recover the remnants of his people, which have been left from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea, and with them to bring in the fulness of the Gentiles, and establish that covenant with them, which was promised when their sins should be taken away. See Isaiah 11; Romans 11:25, 26 and 27, and also Jeremiah 31: 31, 32 and 33."

But what does Joseph Smith know, right?

[LDS Watchman]

Which chapter and verse is Holland quoting?

It would be good to actually see it in context. In all of the many verses you quoted, the word fortress does not appear once.

I apologize. I often use the NASB, not the KJV.

Jeremiah 6
27 I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way.

Jeremiah is the assayer (tower) appointed by Yeshua; not Israel as Holland says.

ASSA'YER, noun One who examines metals to find their quantity and purity. An officer of the mint, whose business is to try the weight and purity of metals.

Jeremiah 1 (NASB)
18 Now behold, I have made you [Jeremiah] today like a fortified city and like a pillar of iron and walls of bronze against the whole land, to the kings of Judah, to its leaders, to its priests, and to the people of the land.

Elder Holland has the correct interpretation. The tower and fortress is not Jeremiah, it is the restored house of Israel in the last days.

11 Mine indignation is soon to be poured out without measure upon all nations; and this will I do when the cup of their iniquity is full.
12 And in that day all who are found upon the watch-tower, or in other words, all mine Israel, shall be saved.
13 And they that have been scattered shall be gathered.
D&C 101

[Alexander]

Oh faithless Israel; how high you are! Your diviners say you are innocent and undefiled, but look at your way in the valley and your doings in the mountains...

[teddyaware]

I find myself dumbfounded at Elder Hollands remarks, recently given to a congregation of young adults this past Sunday. How anyone could isolate one verse, not even the full verse, from Jeremiah so ignorantly as to form some pleasing message of flattery, is beyond me.

Holland, speaking to the young adults, claims that in the book of Jeremiah, God tells the Israelites that he has set them up as a fortress among the people.

"God said to the early Israelites, “I have set thee for a … fortress among my people”
...
“The ‘thee’ in this passage means us,” Elder Holland told those gathered in the institute’s chapel and participating via broadcast at nearby meetinghouses. “It means that when hard times come, God has sent us to be firm, to be a fortress of strength and protection in the midst of the people — inside the Church and out.”"

He continues,
"“My counsel to you tonight is you have to be strong. You have to be a veritable fortress among the people, for your own sake and for theirs. Be watchful and wise. Study the scriptures and let those lessons from the past fortify you for the opposition that will come again.

“Listen to the voice of our Prophet, one the greatest of God’s gifts in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ."
...
“Face your doubts. Master your fears. Exert your faith and see the beauty of life unfold before you.”

Elder Holland concluded with his witness that God prevails and left an apostolic blessing on the young adults that they will be protected in the battle of spiritual powers and choose to be faithful.
...
“This is the winning team. Please stay on it despite any opposition that may come.”

https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-a ... eam-233117

Essentially, Holland claims that the young adults must stay on the “winning side” (the church) and be a strong fortress within it, so that the opposition won’t come in and affect them.




In the most ironic fashion, Holland ignores the rest of the entire chapter which provides an entirely opposite message. (not just Jeremiah 6, but also 5 and 4)

And what might be found within those chapters?

Why it's only the emphatic harsh rebuke of God upon Israel and Judah, a revelation of their abomination and apostasy, and a brash warning that if they do not repent and enter in on the way, a mighty desolation and destructive siege of the enemy will sweep over them and devour them whole.

Jeremiah 6
1 "Flee to safety, you sons of Benjamin,
From the midst of Jerusalem!
Blow a trumpet in Tekoa
And raise a warning signal over Beth-haccerem;
For evil looks down from the north,
Along with a great destruction.
2 The beautiful and delicate one, the daughter of Zion, I will destroy.
3 Shepherds and their flocks will come to her,
They will pitch their tents around her,
They will pasture, each in his place.
4 ‘Prepare for war against her;
Arise, and let’s attack at noon.
Woe to us, for the day declines,
For the shadows of the evening lengthen!
5 Arise, and let’s attack by night
And destroy her palaces!’”
6 For this is what the Lord of armies says:
“Cut down her trees
And pile up an assault ramp against Jerusalem.
This is the city to be punished,
In whose midst there is only oppression.
7 As a well keeps its waters fresh,
So she keeps fresh her wickedness.
Violence and destruction are heard in her;
Sickness and wounds are constantly before Me.
8 Be warned, Jerusalem,
Or I shall be alienated from you,
And make you a desolation,
An uninhabited land.”
9 This is what the Lord of armies says:
“They will thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel like the vine;
Pass your hand over the branches again
Like a grape gatherer.”
10 To whom shall I speak and give warning,
That they may hear?
Behold, their ears are closed
And they cannot listen.
Behold, the word of the Lord has become for them a rebuke;
They take no delight in it.
11 But I am full of the wrath of the Lord;
I am weary of holding it in.
“Pour it out on the children in the street
And on the gathering of young men together;
For both husband and wife shall be taken,
The old and the very old.
12 Their houses shall be turned over to others,
Their fields and their wives together;
For I will stretch out My hand
Against the inhabitants of the land,” declares the Lord.
13 “For from the least of them to the greatest of them,
Everyone is greedy for gain,
And from the prophet to the priest
Everyone deals falsely.
14 They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially,
Saying, ‘Peace, peace,’
But there is no peace.
15 Were they ashamed because of the abomination they had done?
They were not ashamed at all,
Nor did they know even how to be ashamed.
Therefore they will fall among those who fall;
At the time that I punish them,
They will collapse,” says the Lord.
16 This is what the Lord says:
“Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths,
Where the good way is, and walk in it;
Then you will find a resting place for your souls.
But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
17 And I set watchmen over you, saying,
‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’
But they said, ‘We will not listen.’
18 Therefore hear, you nations,
And know, you congregation, what is among them.
19 Hear, earth: behold, I am bringing disaster on this people,
The fruit of their plans,
Because they have not listened to My words,
And as for My Law, they have rejected it also.
20 For what purpose does frankincense come to Me from Sheba,
And the sweet cane from a distant land?
Your burnt offerings are not acceptable
And your sacrifices are not pleasing to Me.”
21 Therefore, this is what the Lord says:
“Behold, I am placing stumbling blocks before this people.
And they will stumble against them,
Fathers and sons together;
Neighbor and friend will perish.”
22 This is what the Lord says:
“Behold, there is a people coming from the north land,
And a great nation will be stirred up from the remote parts of the earth.
23 They seize bow and spear;
They are cruel and have no mercy;
Their voice roars like the sea,
And they ride on horses,
Lined up as a man for the battle
Against you, daughter of Zion!”
24 We have heard the report of it;
Our hands are limp.
Anguish has seized us,
Pain like that of a woman in childbirth.
25 Do not go out into the field,
And do not walk on the road;
For the enemy has a sword,
Terror is on every side.
26 Daughter of my people, put on sackcloth
And roll in ashes;
Mourn as for an only son,
A most bitter mourning.
For suddenly the destroyer
Will come against us.
27 “I have made you an assayer and an examiner among My people,
So that you may know and put their way to the test.”
28 All of them are stubbornly rebellious,
Going about as a slanderer;
They are bronze and iron.
They are, all of them, corrupt.
29 The bellows blow fiercely,
The lead is consumed by the fire;
In vain the refining goes on,
But the wicked are not separated.
30 They call them rejected silver,
Because the Lord has rejected them.

Jeremiah 5
“Roam about through the streets of Jerusalem,
And look and take notice.
And seek in her public squares,
If you can find a person,
If there is one who does justice, who seeks honesty,
Then I will forgive her.
2 And although they say, ‘As the Lord lives,’
Certainly they swear falsely.”
3 Lord, do Your eyes not look for honesty?
You have struck them,
But they did not weaken;
You have consumed them,
But they refused to accept discipline.
They have made their faces harder than rock;
They have refused to repent.
4 Then I said, “They are only the poor,
They are foolish;
For they do not know the way of the Lord
Or the judgment of their God.
5 I will go to the great
And speak to them,
For they know the way of the Lord
And the judgment of their God.”
But together they too have broken the yoke
And burst the restraints.
6 Therefore a lion from the forest will kill them,
A wolf of the deserts will destroy them,
A leopard is watching their cities.
Everyone who goes out of them will be torn in pieces,
Because their wrongdoings are many,
Their apostasies are numerous.
7 “Why should I forgive you?
Your sons have forsaken Me
And sworn by those who are not gods.
When I had fed them to the full,
They committed adultery
And stayed at the prostitute’s house.
8 They were well-fed lusty horses,
Each one neighing at his neighbor’s wife.
9 Shall I not punish them for these things?” declares the Lord,
“And shall I not avenge Myself
On a nation such as this?
10 “Go up through her vine rows and destroy,
But do not execute a complete destruction;
Strip away her branches,
For they are not the Lord’s.
11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah
Have dealt very treacherously with Me,” declares the Lord.
12 They have lied about the Lord
And said, “Not He;
Misfortune will not come upon us,
Nor will we see sword or famine.
13 The prophets are as wind,
And the word is not in them.
So it will be done to them!”
14 Therefore, this is what the Lord, the God of armies says:
“Because you have spoken this word,
Behold, I am making My words fire in your mouth,
And this people wood, and it will consume them.
15 Behold, I am bringing a nation against you from far away, you house of Israel,” declares the Lord.
“It is an enduring nation,
It is an ancient nation,
A nation whose language you do not know,
Nor can you understand what they say.
16 Their quiver is like an open grave,
All of them are warriors.
17 They will devour your harvest and your food;
They will devour your sons and your daughters;
They will devour your flocks and your herds;
They will devour your vines and your fig trees;
They will demolish your fortified cities, in which you trust, with the sword.
18 “Yet even in those days,” declares the Lord, “I will not make a complete destruction of you.
19 And it shall come about when they say, ‘Why has the Lord our God done all these things to us?’ then you shall say to them, ‘Just as you have abandoned Me and served foreign gods in your land, so you will serve strangers in a land that is not yours.’
20 “Declare this in the house of Jacob
And proclaim it in Judah, saying,
21 ‘Now hear this, you foolish and senseless people,
Who have eyes but do not see,
Who have ears but do not hear.
22 Do you not fear Me?’ declares the Lord.
‘Do you not tremble in My presence?
For I have placed the sand as a boundary for the sea,
An eternal limit, and it will not cross over it.
Though the waves toss, they cannot prevail;
Though they roar, they will not cross over it.
23 But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart;
They have turned aside and departed.
24 They do not say in their heart,
“Let us now fear the Lord our God,
Who gives rain in its season,
Both the autumn rain and the spring rain,
Who keeps for us
The appointed weeks of the harvest.”
25 Your wrongdoings have turned these away,
And your sins have kept good away from you.
26 For wicked people are found among My people,
They watch like fowlers lying in wait;
They set a trap,
They catch people.
27 Like a cage full of birds,
So their houses are full of deceit;
Therefore they have become great and rich.
28 They are fat, they are sleek,
They also excel in deeds of wickedness;
They do not plead the cause,
The cause of the orphan, so that they may be successful;
And they do not defend the rights of the poor.
29 Shall I not punish them for these things?’ declares the Lord,
‘Or shall I not avenge Myself
On a nation such as this?’
30 “An appalling and horrible thing
Has happened in the land:
31 The prophets prophesy falsely,
And the priests rule on their own authority;
And My people love it this way!
But what will you do when the end comes?


Jeremiah 4
9 “And it shall come about on that day,” declares the Lord, “that the heart of the king and the hearts of the leaders will fail; and the priests will tremble, and the prophets will be astonished.”

This is a poorly thought out post and is indicative of someone who’s trying too hard to find fault with the leaders of the Church. The fact of the matter is that in spite of all the negative things Jeremiah had to say in chapter 6 about the Lord’s ancient covenant people of his day, the verse quoted by Elder Holland means exactly what Elder Holland says it means — that the Lord set up his covenant people to be fortresses and towers of holiness in the midst of a fallen world. The only way your complaint could have any validity is if the prophet was saying the Lord never intended for his people to be like fortresses and towers of righteousness. And it’s interesting to see how so many of your fellow critics jumped on your rickety rhetorical bandwagon without realizing your point is totally invalid. In fact, the prophets Jeremiah, Lehi, and many other prophets in Jerusalem at that time, were righteously acting in their divinely appointed roles as towers and fortresses of righteousness set up by the Lord himself to prophetically warn his people of the coming calamities they would face if they continued to refuse to repent. If you think I’m incorrect in my assessment, what to you think the verse in question is referring to?

[Niemand]

Christians have often been guilty of this. It's what happens when you use a concordance or a search function online, and forget to look at the rest of the chapter. I suspect this is what he did here, or his scriptwriter did... look up a verse about fortresses, and then quote it out of context.

[Niemand]

Which chapter and verse is Holland quoting?

It would be good to actually see it in context. In all of the many verses you quoted, the word fortress does not appear once.

6:27, different translation, I believe.

Here’s the NIV
26Put on sackcloth, my people,
and roll in ashes;
mourn with bitter wailing
as for an only son,
for suddenly the destroyer
will come upon us.
27“I have made you a tester of metals
and my people the ore,
that you may observe
and test their ways.
28They are all hardened rebels,
going about to slander.
They are bronze and iron;
they all act corruptly.
29The bellows blow fiercely
to burn away the lead with fire,
but the refining goes on in vain;
the wicked are not purged out.
30They are called rejected silver,
because the Lord has rejected them.”

KJV
26O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.
27I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way.
28They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters.
29The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away.
30Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them.

A completely different translation. We used to use the Good News Bible (which is very simplistic English) and NIV at high school... I don't like the NIV at all for some reasons. The people who translated and edited it had some political agendas which come over in the text. I remember reading about their backgrounds and deliberate mistranslations years ago - real eye opener, particularly as they claim to be more accurate than the KJV.

I prefer some other modern English translations, but each has their own issues. The main issue with the KJV is a few words which have radically changed meaning - bowels, for example - but it is more accurate than it is given credit for... I occasionally compare versions - I did that in the post about Leviticus:

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