Jeremiah I. Introduction A. Jeremiah B. The end of Judah 1. Jeremiah left with unpleasant news 2. Illustrative of the problems of Judah C. Let us consider the book II. Jeremiah: The Details A. Authorship 1. Prophecies of Jeremiah, some written by Baruch his scribe 2. Inspiration without doubt (cf. Hebrews 8) B. Dating 1. Jeremiah prophesies from 13th year of Josiah to time right after destruction of Jerusalem 2. Therefore, prophecies date from ca. 627-585 BCE C. Audience 1. Immediate audience is Jeremiah's contemporaries 2. Much written for exilic, post-exilic Israel 3. We can gain much also D. Purpose 1. To warn the people regarding the imminent destruction of Jerusalem 2. To set forth what God expects of the people 3. To point to the new covenant III. Jeremiah: The Story A. Main Sections 1. Call, Condemnation of Judah (Jeremiah 1-20) 2. Jeremiah, the LORD, and the People (Jeremiah 21-29) 3. Destruction and Effects (Jeremiah 30-45) 4. Nation Oracles, Conclusion (Jeremiah 46-52) B. Jeremiah's Call and Message (Jeremiah 1-6) 1. Introduction (Jeremiah 1:1-3) 2. God calls Jeremiah; knows him from the womb; Jeremiah does not know how to speak, but the LORD will provide him with what to say over nations and kingdoms (Jeremiah 1:4-8) 3. God causes Jeremiah to see almond branch, boiling pot; indicates how God is watching over His word, going to destroy Judah on account of all of their evil; charge for Jeremiah to go and speak God's word to the people, not be afraid; God will deliver him (Jeremiah 1:9-19) 4. God remembers Israel's past, following after God; yet their fathers departed from Him, defiled the land; iniquity of priests, elders, prophets; God still contends with Israel: what other nation has changed gods?; God brings disaster because of this, no deliverance from Egypt or Assyria (Jeremiah 2:1-19) 5. Israel as degenerate; denies sin of Baal service; Israel as lustful as wild donkey; Israel will be shamed in her idolatry, will recognize futility of idolatry; God contends: people have not accepted discipline, deny sin despite oppressions; Israel headed toward failure (Jeremiah 2:20-37) 6. Israel as in condition of woman in Deuteronomy 24:1-4; pollution of the land; spiritual whoredom of Jews; example of Israel, yet Judah follows after her; God calls back for faithless Israel as long as she repents (Jeremiah 3:1-14) 7. At that time, shepherds will properly lead Israel; no need for an ark of covenant; nations will gather to Jerusalem, Judah and Israel united; God desired to give good things to people, but they were treacherous; LORD is salvation, not idolatry; great shame for Israel for disobedience (Jeremiah 3:15-25) 8. Israel should return to the LORD, not idols; Judah should circumcise the heart; disaster coming upon Judah from the north; sword reaching for their lives (Jeremiah 4:1-10) 9. Judgment upon Judah; call for repentance; God's anguish over destruction; folly of the people; creation interrupted by God's presence; desolation decreed (Jeremiah 4:11-31) 10. Search to find people in Jerusalem who do right; not found; the poor have not heard, but when hear, do not listen; no pardon to be granted for their immorality; destruction in the vineyard despite complacency (Jeremiah 5:1-13) 11. God is therefore bringing a nation upon them; destruction, but not a full end; they will serve foreigners in a foreign land; God as Creator, and yet the people do not fear Him; oppression and iniquity; iniquity of the religious authorities (Jeremiah 5:14-31) 12. Benjamin exhorted to flee for safety from Jerusalem; Jerusalem as city needing punishment for their sin; people do not listen, LORD weary of holding in His wrath; everyone thinks things are well, that there is peace, when it does not really exist because of their iniquity; they do not stand in ancient paths; sacrifices not pleasing because of their sin; a nation coming to terrorize the land; need for repentance; refining fire, Judah as rejected silver (Jeremiah 6) C. "The Temple of the LORD" (Jeremiah 7-10) 1. Jeremiah to stand in gate of Temple, call people to repentance, warn people not to trust that it will never be destroyed: God will have them dwell there if they do what is right, but if they sin, they will be cast out like Israel (Jeremiah 7:1-15) 2. Jeremiah not to pray for people, God will not hear it; sees their idolatry; God's anger will be poured out; they still sacrifice but do not obey; God sent prophets, and they did not listen; God rejects them (Jeremiah 7:16-29) 3. Abominations of the Valley of Hinnom; will be called Valley of Slaughter because of all the burials there; Judah silenced, land a waste; bones of kings, others brought out, spread before their "gods"; humiliation (Jeremiah 7:30-8:3) 4. People never turn from their sin, always backslide; people do not know God's law; all deal falsely, prophets speak peace, no peace; abominations committed, God will bring forth punishment by a nation (Jeremiah 8:4-17) 5. Jeremiah's anguish for the fate of Zion; no recovery because none turn to God; desire to leave the people because of their adultery, lies; no one should trust their neighbors; great oppression; God will refine them in fire, avenge Himself, make Jerusalem a heap of ruins (Jeremiah 8:18-9:11) 6. None to understand these things; people will be given bitter food and poison drink; wailing, lamentation in Jerusalem; dead will fall, none will gather; let none boast except in following God; punishment for those circumcised only in flesh (Jeremiah 9:12-26) 7. Israel not to learn customs of nations, for they are vanity; none like the LORD; idols as mere work of hands; God as Creator, controller of universe; man without knowledge; God brings distress; woe to Israel for their sins, not seeking the LORD; way of man not in himself, must follow God; His wrath outpoured (Jeremiah 10) D. The Word of the LORD to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 11-19) 1. Cursed are those who break God's covenant; obey God unlike your fathers; conspiracy in the land against the LORD, people turning to the sins of their fathers; disaster upon the city; do not pray for them; Israel and Judah provoke God to anger; schemes against Jeremiah, God protects him; God will punish men of Anathoth who seek Jeremiah's life for prophesying (Jeremiah 11) 2. Jeremiah complains to the LORD about why the wicked prosper; God responds, indicating the disaster about to come, warning Jeremiah about family; God will remove Judah from land, but will later restore it to them; warning to the nations (Jeremiah 12) 3. Jeremiah instructed to take a loincloth, dip it in water, put it in cleft in rock near Euphrates; sent back to get it, spoiled; thus God will do to pride of Judah, make the evil good for nothing (Jeremiah 13:1-11) 4. Jars to be filled with wine; drunkenness upon people to disaster; captivity and exile predicted without repentance (Jeremiah 13:12-27) 5. A drought; people without food or water; petition to God to deliver from drought; God will punish their sins; Jeremiah again told not to pray for the people (Jeremiah 14:1-11) 6. Prophets speak words of peace; prophesying lies, deceit of their own minds; such will be swallowed up in famine, sword; evil poured on them; Judah destroyed partly by unfaithfulness of prophets and priests; acknowledgment of sin, need to trust in the LORD (Jeremiah 14:12-22) 7. God will not relent; calamity decreed; Judah to be a horror because of what Manasseh did; since they rejected God, God will bring violence upon them (Jeremiah 15:1-9) 8. Jeremiah laments: he is cursed; God will give their spoils to others; Jeremiah wants to know why he suffers so; God challenges him to return and be restored, and He will solidify Jeremiah before the people (Jeremiah 15:10-21) 9. Jeremiah not to take wife, have children, because of condemnation of the land; Jeremiah not to grieve for people because of the destruction; not to feast either; when people ask about their iniquity, speak to them regarding their idolatry and lawlessness (Jeremiah 16:1-13) 10. Restoration-- eventual ingathering of diaspora; beforehand, however, double payment for sin; people will confess worthlessness of idolatry before God when He makes His power known (Jeremiah 16:14-21) 11. Sin of Judah strongly engraved; great idolatry; wealth to be given away because of it; exile; cursed is the one who trusts in himself; blessed is he who trusts in God; heart sick, only God understands; those who forsake God will be shamed (Jeremiah 17:1-13) 12. Jeremiah desires healing, God not to be terror to him; keep him from destruction (Jeremiah 17:14-18) 13. Jeremiah to stand in gate of people, to tell people to observe the Sabbath; did not listen; if they observe it, God will keep them; if not, destroying fire (Jeremiah 17:19-27) 14. Jeremiah to go to potter, see how he manipulates clay; God is potter, nations as clay; God can change mind about a nation for good or evil dependent on people's sin or repentance; need for repentance, yet people press on in their sins (Jeremiah 18:1-12) 15. Israel has forgotten God; day of calamity coming; plots made against Jeremiah; Jeremiah petitions God to remember what he has done, curses his foes (Jeremiah 18:13-23) 16. Jeremiah to by flask, take leaders to Valley of Hinnom, declare upcoming destruction, city a horror, Valley of Slaughter; flask to be broken, representing destruction of Jerusalem; refuse to hear word of God (Jeremiah 19) D. Jeremiah and the People (Jeremiah 20-29) 1. Pashhur hears Jeremiah saying these things, has him beaten, put in stocks; Pashhur to become a terror to anyone around him; Jerusalem given to Babylon; Pashhur to captivity (Jeremiah 20:1-6) 2. Jeremiah's lament: God has deceived him, he is a laughingstock; word of God a reproach and derision to him; persecutors plot in vain, God will keep Jeremiah; God as delivering life of needy; cursed be day Jeremiah was born; sees toil and sorrow (Jeremiah 20:7-18) 3. Jeremiah asked to inquire of God by Zedekiah regarding Nebuchadnezzar; God will fight against city, people given over to Babylon; no compassion; only those who hand themselves over to Chaldeans will live; message to house of David: do justice or else God will punish (Jeremiah 21) 4. Jeremiah to king of Judah: do what is right, obey what God says, kingdom will remain; if disobedience, desolation; object lesson for the nations; message to Shallum: he will die in captivity; woes to those who build lavish houses in iniquity; disreputable burial planned for Jehoiakim; idolatry leads to failure; Jehoiachin to be handed over to Babylonians; as childless, no successor to throne (Jeremiah 22) 5. God will punish the shepherds who destroy; will set up a righteous Branch of David, will rule as king; ingathering of Dispersion (Jeremiah 23:1-8) 6. Jeremiah in distress because of God's word, adultery of the people; ungodliness of prophet and priest; great sin because of them in Israel and Judah; bitter food and poison drink for them until ungodliness gone; do not listen to them if they speak words of peace; God's anger will not turn back; prophets speak although God did not speak to them; God sees what they do, and He stands against them; if Jeremiah asked what God's burden is, indicate that the people are the burden, because of their sin; everlasting reproach and shame (Jeremiah 23:9-40) 7. After 597 BCE, Jeremiah sees vision of figs; good figs and bad figs; good figs as exiles from Judah; bad figs as Zedekiah, officials, those in Egypt (Jeremiah 24) 8. 605 BCE: Jeremiah has spoken word of God, people did not listen; call for repentance; because of disobedience, Nebuchadnezzar will come down and devote Judah, others around to destruction; after seventy years of service, God will punish Babylon for their iniquity (Jeremiah 25:1-14) 9. Cup of wrath to be drunk by nations to whom God sends Jeremiah: Jerusalem, Egypt, Philistia, Edom, Moab, Ammon, Phoenicia, Arabia, Elam, Media, others; all to drink and vomit, fall and no more rise; they cannot refuse to drink it; God is entering into judgment, disaster coming; all will not be buried; shepherds to lament for the devastation of flock (Jeremiah 25:15-38) 10. ca. 609 BCE: Jeremiah to stand in court of Temple, preach repentance for sin, or else God will destroy Temple; priests, prophets, people seize him, indicate he is worthy of death; officials meet to make judgment; Jeremiah again preaches repentance, indicates God sent him, innocent blood will be shed if he is killed; officials indicate he does not deserve to die for speaking in God's name, for thus did Micah; they are about to bring disaster upon themselves; Uriah also predicted disaster, killed by Jehoiakim's henchmen; Jeremiah protected by Ahikam (Jeremiah 26) 11. 597 BCE: Jeremiah to make yoke bars; send to neighboring kings, warn them regarding God's decree of destruction, captivity; whoever does not serve Nebuchadnezzar God will punish; anyone who says otherwise is lying; those who serve Babylon will stay in their land; exhortation for Zedekiah to serve Babylon; lie that things will be brought back from Babylon to Temple; serve Babylon, do not turn city into desolation; God will see things restored (Jeremiah 27) 12. 597 BCE: Hananiah contradicts Jeremiah, declares yoke of Nebuchadnezzar broken; Jeremiah establishes that true prophets have spoken of disaster, not peace; Hananiah breaks Jeremiah's yoke; word of LORD to Jeremiah: wood broken, God replaces with iron, nations will serve Nebuchadnezzar, and Hananiah will die for his lie and utterance of rebellion; he dies (Jeremiah 28) 13. Jeremiah writes letter to exiles: build houses in exile, live in them, continue to live as usual, seek welfare of town in which you live; you will not return soon, such is a lie; after seventy years, God will restore people to land; false prophets in land of Babylon, God will punish them, will deliver them into Nebuchadnezzar's hand; to Shemaiah, why not rebuke Jeremiah, since he speaks a contradictory message to your own?; Shemaiah prophesies a lie, will be punished, speaks rebellion (Jeremiah 29) E. Future Promise (Jeremiah 30-33) 1. Words of Jeremiah to be written in book; declaration that God will restore fortunes of Israel one day; after distress, God will redeem His people from bondage; they will serve Him; He will bring them back in the land, make an end to the nations (Jeremiah 30:1-11) 2. Current wound, however, not able to be healed; great sin and guilt; after this, foes will go into captivity; God will restore Jacob's fortunes, great joy; all will be understood then (Jeremiah 30:12-24) 3. God will give grace again; Zion to be rebuilt; Israel and Judah will go up to Zion; praise to God; ingathering of Dispersion; God will redeem Israel, rejoicing (Jeremiah 31:1-14) 4. Rachel weeps for children; Israel not to weep, for there will be redemption; Ephraim will repent, God will take him back in; know the highway, for you shall come back the way you went; fortunes will be restored; Jeremiah refreshed by this; as God will break down Judah, He will build it up; all will die only for their own sin (Jeremiah 31:15-30) 5. Declaration of new covenant, not like before; law written on heart; all will know God; God as Creator, what He establishes will be done; people will be cast off, but will be returned and made to prosper (Jeremiah 31:31-40) 6. 588-587 BCE: Jeremiah imprisoned for his prophecy; told by God to buy field of Hanamel his relative; wants to understand why; God explains that while He is giving Jerusalem into the hands of Babylon, He will gather them back again, will do good for them, and fields will be bought for money (Jeremiah 32) 7. Word of LORD again comes to Jeremiah in prison: God as Creator; Jerusalem to be stricken by Chaldeans, yet God will restore it to health one day, purge it of sin; desolation will again see mirth; shepherds and flocks again on the mountains (Jeremiah 33:1-13) 8. God will honor eternal covenant with David; perpetual king and priest; offspring of David will multiply; God has not and will not reject Israel and Judah; fortunes restored (Jeremiah 33:14-26) F. Disaster on Jerusalem and Its Effects (Jeremiah 34-45) 1. 587 BCE: Word to Zedekiah: city will be taken, you will stand face to face with Nebuchadnezzar; yet he will die in peace; Zedekiah declares Jubilee, then everyone enslaved again; word of the LORD: liberty given to be destroyed by the sword, pestilence, famine; Zedekiah, Judean officials will die by hand of Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 34) 2. ca. 509-598 BCE: Jeremiah to the Rechabites; tells them to drink wine, but they refuse, since their father commanded them not to do so; object lesson: Rechabites obey father's command, but Israel does not obey God; disaster decreed because of it; Rechabites, however, will continue to exist (Jeremiah 35) 3. 605 BCE: Jeremiah to have scroll written of all his prophecies, maybe Judah will repent; Baruch writes scroll, reads it to the people at the Temple; Micaiah hears it, tells officials; officials question Baruch, take scroll, have it read to the king; as it was read, king would cut off part that had been read, threw it into the fire, despite protestation of officials; command for Jeremiah and Baruch to be captured, but LORD hides them; Jeremiah to write scroll again, punishment decreed for Jehoiakim and family (Jeremiah 36) 4. Zedekiah made king, did not listen to words of Jeremiah; king sends to Jeremiah to pray for people; LORD tells Zedekiah that Egypt will return to its land, Chaldeans will come; they will not go away; if only wounded men left, they would burn city down (Jeremiah 37:1-10) 5. ca. 588 BCE: When Chaldeans withdrawn because of Egyptian army, Jeremiah intends to go to own land to receive land; captured by Irijah, claiming that Jeremiah was deserting to Chaldeans; despite Jeremiah's protestations, taken to officials; beat him and imprisoned him; Zedekiah secretly sends to him, wants word of God; delivery into Babylon's hands; Jeremiah demands to know what wrong he has done, why imprisoned; Zedekiah sees to it that he is in the court of the guard, given bread (Jeremiah 37:11-21) 6. Priests, officials, hear Jeremiah's plea to people to go out to Chaldeans to save themselves; seeks for Zedekiah to have him killed; Zedekiah says that he is in their power; they have Jeremiah cast into cistern (Jeremiah 38:1-6) 7. Ebed-melech hears of Jeremiah's fate, begs king to have Jeremiah taken out; Zedekiah authorizes it, Jeremiah pulled out of cistern; Jeremiah in court of guard (Jeremiah 38:7-13) 8. Zedekiah seeks information from Jeremiah; Jeremiah, given security, establishes that if he gives himself up to Babylon, all will be well; if he does not, city will be destroyed, he will not escape; Zedekiah fears Judeans who deserted; Jeremiah tells him to have no fear-- if he does not give himself up, Jeremiah sees his wives led out by Babylonians, city destroyed; ruse established to offset suspicions (Jeremiah 38:14-28) 9. 589/8-586 BCE: siege of Jerusalem; eventual breach in wall; officers of Babylon come; Zedekiah flees, captured; sons killed before him, then he is blinded; officials killed; most people exiled; some poor people remain (Jeremiah 39:1-10; cf. 2 Kings 25) 10. Nebuchadnezzar gives command that Jeremiah should be taken care of; word comes to him for Ebed-melech, establishing that God will take care of him (Jeremiah 39:11-18) 11. Captain of guard tells Jeremiah that he can go to Babylon or remain with Gedaliah; he remains in land; Gedaliah appointed governor, men come to him; he tells them to serve Babylon, all will be well; Ammonites plot against Gedaliah, send Ishmael against him, he does not believe it (Jeremiah 40) 12. 586 BCE: Ishmael comes, kills Gedaliah, Judeans and Babylonians with him in Mizpah; 80 men come, Ishmael has 70 killed; bodies cast into cisterns; Johanan and others went up to fight Ishmael; Ishmael and 8 men escape to Ammon; Johanan and forces collect all the people from the area, intending to go to Egypt for fear of Babylon (Jeremiah 41) 13. Jeremiah asked to seek God's counsel, people will obey it; God says not to fear Babylon, stay in the land; if they go to Egypt, they will suffer famine and die; God's wrath upon them if they go (Jeremiah 42) 14. Insolent men believe that Baruch influences Jeremiah, that God did not say such a thing; people disobey, head to Egypt, compel Jeremiah and Baruch to go also; arrive at Tahpanhes; word of LORD: hide stones in mortar, indicating how Nebuchadnezzar will come and extend rule over Egypt; inhabitants headed for pestilence, captivity, sword; temples in Egypt will burn (Jeremiah 43) 15. Word of LORD to Jeremiah in Egypt: disaster in Judah because of sin of idolatry; prophets left unheeded; yet now people make offerings to Egyptian gods; no humility, fear of God; because of this, remnant in Egypt will be consumed; only a few will return (Jeremiah 44:1-14) 16. Men of wives who did such things refuse to hear Jeremiah, blame problems on no longer serving queen of heaven; Jeremiah confirms again how it was their sins against the LORD that led to the destruction; God will not hear them when they speak of Him, is set against them for evil; Pharaoh will be given into hand of enemies (Jeremiah 44:15-30) 17. Message to Baruch: disaster upon all flesh, but Baruch's life as a prize of war (Jeremiah 45) G. Nation Oracles (Jeremiah 46-51) 1. Egypt, ca. 605 BCE: Egypt will go to Carchemish, at the Euphrates, and be defeated (Jeremiah 46:1-12) 2. Egypt, ca. 570 BCE: prepare for exile; Babylonians will come and defeat Egypt; put to shame; punishment on Amun, god of Egypt; Jacob is disciplined but will be restored (Jeremiah 46:13-28) 3. Philistia, before 605 BCE: men from north will come and destroy; the LORD will destroy Philistia (Jeremiah 47) 4. Moab: woe to Moab, for destruction is coming; weeping and mourning; cast into exile; Moab as at ease, thus he is cursed; he will be broken; calamity is near; judgment has come, make him drunk, he has magnified himself against God: as they derided Israel, so they will be a derision; Moab quite proud; false boasts; God will make an end to them; destroyed and no longer a people since he magnified self against the LORD; people undone; Moab's fortunes later to be restored (Jeremiah 48) 5. Ammon: Ammonites have taken possession of Transjordan Israelite land; God will make Ammon desolate; Israel will return to the land; Ammon will mourn for its destruction; boasted in valleys and treasures, yet God brings terror upon them; fortunes later to be restored (Jeremiah 49:1-6) 6. Edom: Punishment to come; will drink of cup; they now inspire horror, but will be made a horror; Edom will be thoroughly cast down, humiliated (Jeremiah 49:7-22) 7. Damascus: Panic, fear; destruction on that day (Jeremiah 49:23-27) 8. Kedar, Hazor: Flee, for destruction upon them; Nebuchadnezzar comes against them; a haunt of jackals (Jeremiah 49:28-33) 9. Elam: Elam's bow to be broken; scattered to winds; destroyed; fortunes later restored (Jeremiah 49:34-39) 10. Babylon: nation from north will make her a desolation; Israel and Judah, weeping, seek to know way to Zion; command to flee from Babylon, Chaldea to be plundered; although they exult, they will be disgraced; vengeance on her for what she has done; punishment for Babylon as Assyria punished; Babylon as a horror among nations; LORD fights against them; vengeance declared in Zion; archers around Babylon, let none escape; humiliation and devastation; Judah's Redeemer strong, a sword for Babylon and all that is hers; wild beasts will live there; who can stand before God? (Jeremiah 50) 11. Babylon: destruction, land winnowed; guilt before God; flee from Babylon; Judah vindicated; Medes stirred up against Babylon; prepare for war, for God is coming; God as Creator, in control of creation, will break all into pieces; Babylon will be repaid for what was done to Jerusalem; God against them, Medes His agent of wrath; violence of Zion upon Babylon; cities now a horror, dried up; God's people to flee; images of Babylon to be punished, land put to shame; judgment executed; God comes in His vengeance; ca. 594 BCE, Jeremiah wrote all these things in book, gave it to Seraiah, to read it to people; when finished, tie stone to it, cast it into Euphrates-- indication how Babylon will sink (Jeremiah 51) H. Conclusion: Recounting the Fall of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 52; cf. 2 Kings 25, 2 Chronicles 36) 1. Zedekiah king; rebels against Nebuchadnezzar; siege; city breached; Zedekiah flees, captured, taken to Nebuchadnezzar; sons slaughtered before him, eyes then blinded; Temple, city burned; most people exiled; only a few poor left; metal objects of Temple broken down, taken to Babylon; people exiled, numbers provided (Jeremiah 52:1-30) 2. ca. 562 BCE: Jehoiachin elevated in days of Evil-merodach; given regular allowance (Jeremiah 52:31-34) IV. Jeremiah: Important Passages A. Jeremiah 1:5 B. Jeremiah 6:13-16 C. Jeremiah 9:23-24 D. Jeremiah 10:23-24 E. Jeremiah 31 1. v. 15 / Matthew 2:18 2. vv. 29-30 3. vv. 31-34 / Hebrews 8:8-12, 10:16-17 F. Jeremiah 50-51 / Revelation 17-18 V. Conclusion A. Jeremiah: the downtrodden, depressing prophet 1. Overall message of despair, upcoming condemnation 2. People refuse to hear, pay penalty 3. Some message of hope; not as pronounced B. Interesting insights into people of day 1. False prophets, activities described 2. Aspersions cast on Jeremiah, others 3. People justify idolatry even after destruction! 4. Constant rebellion of Israel C. Let us not rebel like Israel and Judah, but serve God in that new covenant! D. Invitation/songbook