2.05. Chapter 5 - Baruch (Jer_36:1-32)
Chapter 5 - Baruch (Jeremiah 36:1-32) The events of this chapter take place in the fourth and fifth year of the reign of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar’s army had already invaded the land. A first deportation including Daniel and his companions had taken place (Daniel 1:1-4). A number of the vessels of the temple had been carried away. The king, however, still lived in Jerusalem, and his reign was to last a few more years.
Jeremiah’s prophecies which had been proclaimed for twenty-three years had been ignored. The Lord commands him to write “all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel, against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spoke to you from the days of Josiah, even to this day” (Jeremiah 36:2). Perhaps Judah upon hearing these warnings will give heed to their reading. So the prophet dictated all the words of the Lord to Baruch his friend, who wrote them down on a scroll. This work evidently took a long time, since the book was not read publicly to the people before the ninth month of the fifth year of Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 36:9). One can well visualize the two men in the house where Jeremiah lived. Under the guidance of the Spirit of God, the prophet carefully dictates the words of the Lord while Baruch applies himself to the task of writing on the scroll. All the while the two men are fully aware that they are transmitting the very words of God to those who would read the message. On account of the seriousness of the prevailing circumstances, a fast before the Lord is proclaimed in the ninth month of the fifth year of Jehoiakim’s reign. All the people of Judah who come to Jerusalem will be present. Baruch seizes the opportunity and reads the words of Jeremiah “in the house of the Lord, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the upper court, at the entry of the new gate of the house of the Lord, in the ears of all the people” (Jeremiah 36:10). Shaphan, along with Hilkijah, had found the book of the law at the time when repairs were made in the temple. Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, seems to have followed in the steps of his pious father (Jeremiah 36:26). His own son, Micah, hears “out of the book all the words of the Lord” as they are read aloud by Baruch. He is so impressed by them that he goes down into the scribe’s chamber where all the princes had gathered, and declares to them all the words that he has heard (Jeremiah 36:13). (In the same way, young people who are able to attend meetings might have a desire to convey what has been read, or said to ailing or aged persons who are confined to their homes. Such secret service is so useful and greatly appreciated by those to whom it is rendered!) The princes send for Baruch himself, asking him to bring along the roll, so that they might hear from his own mouth the text read to the people.
We may be surprised that this reading of the prophecies which Jeremiah had declared so many times seems to be something entirely new for the princes. Maybe they had seldom heard the prophet, personally. In any case, this incident illustrates the power of the written Word of God. While the Gospel may be preached, it is only the Word of God (“the seed” as the Lord Jesus called it) which is “living and powerful”. It is this Word which confronted the princes of Judah that day. When they seek assurance of how the scroll was written, Baruch gives them express confirmation: “He pronounced all these words unto me with his mouth, and I wrote them with ink in the book.”
Knowing the king’s instability, the princes advise Jeremiah and Baruch to hide themselves. Then they immediately proceed to the king’s court to report to Jehoiakim the prophet’s word’s, leaving the scroll in the room of Elishama the scribe. Desiring to hear the prophet’s words himself, Jehoiakim has Jehudi bring the scroll. The messenger then reads the prophecy “in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes that stood beside the king.”
“Now the king was sitting in the winterhouse in the ninth month, and with the fire-pan burning before him.” A certain majesty marks the scene. On the face of these men an expression of terror appears. From experience, they know too well the terrible power of the Babylonian king who is about to pounce down upon their land.
Scarcely has Jehudi read three or four columns, when Jehoiakim is seized with passion. With the scribe’s knife he shreds the scroll and throws it into the fire “until all is consumed.” Three men, including Gemariah the son of Shaphan, urge the king not to burn it but he “would not hear them.” On the contrary, he commands some men to arrest Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet; ‘but the Lord hid them.”
Jehoiakim had not listened to Jeremiah when on several occasions he had spoken to him. Now he rejects the inspired Word, written upon the roll, and destroys it. How tragic it will be for those who, after hearing the gospel of grace, voluntarily reject it. “Of how much worse punishment, think ye, shall he be judged worthy who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and esteemed the blood of the covenant … common, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?” (Hebrews 10:29).
All through the centuries Satan has tried relentlessly, but in vain, to destroy the Bible. God has seen to it that the Word should be safely preserved up to our own days. Throughout Israel’s dispersion since the destruction of Jerusalem, the Scriptures have been preserved, copied again and again, and transmitted. In the early years of Christianity the fierce persecutions against the Christians failed to do away with the copies of the Scriptures. During the centuries faithful copyists transcribed the existing texts with utmost care. At the time of the Reformation the invention of printing allowed mass production of the scriptures which until then had been in the hands of only a few privileged people. A short time later, however, there arose a relentless pursuit of everyone who possessed a Bible. How tenacious the efforts to destroy the Scriptures as well as its readers! Even today vast areas of the world can receive Bibles and New Testaments only in very small quantities at one time. In spite of all, “the Word of God is not bound.” Through the art of printing, through all the means that God uses to spread the Scriptures, the Bible is more widely distributed today than ever. It has been translated in whole or in part into thousands of languages and dialects. Devoted men and women persevere in this task. God uses available technology to spread His Word everywhere and thus enable a constantly increasing number of people to come into contact with it.
Satan uses other expedients in order to discredit the Scripture. He spreads doubts (“Has God really spoken?” - Genesis 3:1-24) or promotes the idea that the Bible contains the Word of God, but is not the Word of God, as some theologians state. Others employ human reasoning, supposedly to explain the Bible. Some strike passages out of it, others add to it, and still others warp or pretend to edit it. But God watches over His Word. He brings about the salvation of those that receive it by faith, and it provides food and edification to God’s elect. “Every Scripture is divinely inspired, and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness … Proclaim the Word; be urgent in season and out of season, convict, rebuke, encourage with all long suffering and doctrine” (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Timothy 4:2). At all times, in every place and under every condition the Word is available to us. It operates in the souls of men as the Sword of the Spirit; as a fire and a hammer; as the source of life; as joy and light.
Jeremiah was deeply affected when he learned of the destruction of the roll that had required so much effort to write. Once more his ministry has been rejected. The word of the Lord, however, comes to him, “Take another scroll and write on it all the former words that were in the first scroll which Jehoiakim the king of Judah has burned” (Jeremiah 36:28).
Jeremiah and his friend set to work again to duplicate the destroyed scroll “and there were added besides unto them many like words” (Jeremiah 36:32). The Lord Jesus Himself said, “Heaven and the earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away” (Mark 13:31).
Baruch took deeply to heart what he was writing. Oppressed by fear, he could not sleep and grew weary with his sorrow and grief (Jeremiah 45:3). One day while he is writing, Jeremiah interrupts his dictation and tells his friend that the Lord, the God of Israel, has a special message for him; everything will be overthrown in the entire land; evil will come upon all flesh, “But I will give your life to you as a prize in all places, wherever you go” (Jeremiah 45:5). Thus Baruch obtained the assurance that his life would be spared. On the basis of this promise, he could take to heart the exhortation given him, “And do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them.”
We, too, know that frightful judgments will come upon this world. However, we live in the hope that before they break loose, the Lord will return to take away His own. This is an even greater consolation than the one given to Baruch.
Thinking Things Through
1. What lessons for your own life can you learn from the close relationship between Jeremiah and Baruch as friends and co-laborers?
2. Imagine Baruch’s feelings when the king destroyed in a few seconds the scroll which he had diligently worked on for many days and months. How do the king’s actions illustrate the efforts of Satan throughout the centuries to destroy the Word of God?
3. Notice the little word to a discouraged Baruch, “Do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them.” Compare with the Lord’s words about discipleship in Luke 9:23-26.