How to Interpret Dreams and Visions Perry Stone

(2 Kings 20:16–21). The prophecy did come to pass, however, many years after Isaiah spoke it. Both Isaiah and Hezekiah were dead by then. The prophet Jeremiah began to bring warnings of Jerusalem’s coming destruction to the elders and priests at the temple in Jerusalem. He was predicting massive destruction by the Babylonians, and he even nailed the exact number of years —seventy—that the Jews would be taken captive into Babylon (Jer. 25:11–12). The priests and religious seers at the temple became so angry at Jeremiah’s prophetic vision that they rose up against him and threatened to kill him for his negative warnings. In fact, Pashhur, a man who was the son of the priest and chief governor over the temple, locked Jeremiah in stocks in a dungeon to silence him (Jer. 20:1–3). Jeremiah became so discouraged at the temple leaders’ and priests’ unbelief and lack of concern for the danger and trouble that was coming that he determined not to speak anymore. However, when he tried to remain silent, he said it was like a “fire shut up in his bones.”

Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him,

Nor speak anymore in His name.” But His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not.

—J EREMIAH 20:9

Jeremiah was so certain his predictions were true that he