Jeremiah 3

Study Guide 60: Jeremiah 1-26 MAN WITH A MISSION Overview The dominant theme of Jeremiah is that of national sinfulness and looming judgment. Jeremiah’ s 40-year ministry spanned the final days of Judah’ s existence as an independent nation. He constantly warned his nation to submit to Babylon, a nation which God had appointed to discipline His people. As a result he was hated as a traitor to his people, and his life was often threatened. Yet Jeremiah lived to see his words come true. This man, often called the weeping prophet because of the personal anguish he knew in his ministry, witnessed the utter destruction of Jerusalem and of the temple that he, like other godly Jews, loved. The Book of Jeremiah is often outlined with the following five divisions.

Outline I. Jeremiah’ s MissionJer. 1-10 II. The Broken CovenantJer. 11-20 III. Judgment NearsJer. 21-29 IV. New Covenant PromisesJer. 30-39 V. Jerusalem FallenJer. 40-51 Historical AppendixJer_52:1-34Jeremiah is difficult to outline because the book is an anthology of sermons, delivered during the rule of various kings of Judah. To teach the book it is probably best to take the approach adopted here: to look at the sermons delivered under each king rather than go chapter by chapter.

Commentary The reign of Manasseh (686-642 b.c.) was the beginning of the end for Judah. The Southern Kingdom, though threatened, survived the Assyrian invasion and had a religious as well as political resurgence under Hezekiah. But Manasseh, Hezekiah’ s son, plunged Judah into the same kind of idolatry that the Northern Kingdom had known under Ahab and Jezebel. The temple was polluted with pagan altars, the occult was promoted by the king, and child sacrifice to Moloch was practiced in the Hinnom Valley near Jerusalem. Tradition tells us that Isaiah spoke out against this king and was executed, as were other pious leaders who dared to protest (2 Kings 21:16). Manasseh’ s reign did not bring prosperity to Judah. In 678 b.c., he and 21 other kings made a compulsory trip to swear allegiance to Assyria. Later Manasseh apparently involved Judah in a rebellion of Moab and Edom against Assyrian control, and was taken to that great empire as a prisoner. There, the Bible tells us, Manasseh “ humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers,” and was returned to Judah by the Assyrians. “ Then,” adds the text, “ Manasseh knew that the Lord is God” (2 Chronicles 33:10-13). Following his release Manasseh attempted to institute his own revival. He cleansed the temple, threw down the centers of idolatry in Jerusalem, and “ ordered Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel” (2 Chronicles 33:16). But the people did not respond. Judah too had passed beyond the edge of judgment, and destruction was now sure.

Jeremiah Jeremiah was born about 648 b.c. and grew up as a contemporary of Manasseh’ s grandson, Josiah. Living only about two miles from Jerusalem, and coming from a priestly family, Jeremiah would have been intimately acquainted with the political situation in Judah. At age 20, in 627 b.c., God told Jeremiah that he was to be His prophet. Jeremiah objected that he was too young, but God answered: Do not say, “ I am only a child.” You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you. Jeremiah 1:7-8Thus commanded, Jeremiah was told that his ministry was to be one of judgment and punishment, but also would bring a unique recovery of hope: See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant. Jeremiah 1:10This call set the tone for Jeremiah’ s long life. Obeying his call, he urged his countrymen to surrender to Babylon, whom God showed him to be the instrument of His chastisement. Such a demand could be viewed only as treason. So Jeremiah was imprisoned, his life threatened, and his ministry constantly rejected by God’ s people. Jeremiah lived and ministered under a succession of kings: first, godly King Josiah, and then a series of ungodly rulers: Jehoiakim, Jehoahaz, Johoiachin, Zedekiah, and Gedaliah. His book can best be understood and the progress of his times viewed if the various messages and sermons are organized according to the king in whose reign each was spoken. In this unit and the next, we will look, through the eyes of Jeremiah, at the last days of the surviving kingdom. We will trace in his words the final sins which brought on the Babylonian Captivity. LINK TO LIFE: CHILDREN Bring a glass milk bottle or metal box to class to make a “ time capsule.” Explain how sometimes people try to save special things so others who live thousands of years from now will be able to see how we lived and what was important to us. Let your boys and girls talk about what they would like to send to people 2,500 years from now. Then think about what could happen to keep your “ time capsule” from reaching the future. It could be lost, destroyed, people then might not be able to read or understand what we send, etc. Then explain: “ Jeremiah’ s prophecy was written over 2,500 years ago! The king then tried to destroy what Jeremiah wrote (cf. Jeremiah 36:1-32). But what Jeremiah said is God’ s Word. God protected His Word. What Jeremiah said came true, and we have his words in our own language today!” The Bible, the Word of God, is itself a miracle, preserved through the ages and kept safe to teach you and me how to love and serve God.

Jeremiah’ s Ministry under Josiah 626-609 b.c.Josiah was 8 years old when he became king. At 16 he began to seek God, and by 20 Josiah initiated a vigorous religious revival. The idols introduced by Manasseh were purged, and Josiah ventured out into the countryside to cleanse the whole land. This four-year project completed, Josiah set about repairing the temple in Jerusalem and, as had happened in an earlier day, the lost books of Moses were again recovered. When the books were read, Josiah was horrified to discover the curses God had placed on the very lifestyle that Judah adopted (Deuteronomy 28:15-68). Josiah set about immediately to find out what God intended. The Prophetess Huldah was consulted, and she told the king that all the judgments would surely come on Judah, but because of his own relationship with God the days of his reign would be peaceful. Josiah was relieved by Huldah’ s words, and even more committed to the Lord. He gathered all the people to hear the words of God’ s Book read aloud. The king himself renewed the covenant with God, promising to respond and keep God’ s words with all his heart. And 2 Chronicles 34:32 tells us that Josiah caused (made!) all present in Jerusalem to take the same promises. Thus, under Josiah, the ancient feasts and worship were reinstituted. Thus too Habakkuk, the troubled Levite whose thoughts are recorded in the book that bears his name, came to Jerusalem and took a leading role in the revival of public worship. But Habakkuk was a worried, deeply concerned man. In spite of the outward signs of revival under Josiah, Habakkuk sensed the deep-seated evil which still revealed itself on the hills of Judah and in the injustices which marred his society. Reading Jeremiah’ s messages, we can see more clearly why Habakkuk was troubled. Very likely he heard Jeremiah speak, witnessed the sins the weeping prophet pointed out, and came to see Judah from the divine perspective. What, then, would Habakkuk have heard as Jeremiah ministered during Judah’ s last revival under godly King Josiah? Jeremiah’ s Messages During Josiah’ s Reign

2:1-3:5On Judah’ s sinful heart 3:6-6:30Jerusalem to be destroyed 7:1-10:25Ruin and exile coming 18:1-20:18Message on the potterJeremiah 2:1-3:5. Jeremiah denounced Judah’ s sin in defiling the land with Baals and other false gods. “ My people have committed two sins,” Jeremiah cried as God’ s spokesman. “ They have forsaken Me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns, that cannot hold water” (Jeremiah 2:13). Jeremiah 3:6-6:30. This impassioned appeal by Jeremiah to return to God supported Josiah’ s attempt at revival. Promising a “ pleasant land,” Jeremiah, in God’ s name, begged his people to return and “ only acknowledge your guilt” (Jeremiah 3:13). Unless there would be such a return, Jeremiah could envision only one future: I looked at the mountains, and they were quaking; all the hills were swaying. I looked, and there were no people; every bird in the sky had flown away. I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert; all its towns lay in ruins before the Lord, before His fierce anger. Jeremiah 4:24-26Jeremiah 7:1-10:25. As the outward signs of return to God began to be seen in the restored temple, Jeremiah stood in its gates and warned against trust in ritual. “ Reform your ways and your actions,” the spokesman cried, “ and I will let you live in this place. Do not trust in deceptive words and say, ‘ This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!’ If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place” (Jeremiah 7:3-7). Again, the choice Judah had to make was fully explained and the consequences examined. If there was no response to “ the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth” (Jeremiah 9:24), then surely Judah would be dragged away into Captivity. Jeremiah 18:1-20:18. This last message associated with the days of Josiah reflected the prophet’ s growing awareness that Judah had made her choice. Whatever God warned or commanded, only one response could be expected. “ But they will reply, ‘ It’ s no use. We will continue with our own plans; each of us will follow the stubbornness of his evil heart’” (Jeremiah 18:12). Watching a potter shape a clay pot on his wheel, Jeremiah saw the vessel spoiled — and the clay remade into another vessel. Unresponsive Israel had not obeyed: now it must become a formless lump which later will respond to the potter’ s hand. Taking a pottery bowl, Jeremiah was sent to confront the leaders and inhabitants of Jerusalem. He broke the jar before them and informed them that God had determined to break the city in just the same way, for it too was beyond repair. When the chief priest heard of Jeremiah’ s words, he had the prophet beaten and put in stocks as a humiliating punishment. Eventually released, Jeremiah defiantly announced destruction of both the city and priest. Yet the last verses of Jeremiah 20:1-18 help us realize how much the prophet himself suffered in his rejection. Very probably these words also reflect his deep despair, for the godly King Josiah had recently been killed in battle. When Josiah fell, Jeremiah’ s hope was also destroyed. The full realization that he must live through the last days of the surviving kingdom, prophesying warnings to a people who would not listen, must have come home with stunning force. No wonder the mourning prophet’ s feelings burst out in agonized expression: Cursed be the day I was born! May the day my mother bore me not be blessed! Cursed be the man who brought my father the news, who made him very glad, saying, “ A child is born to you — a son!” May that man be like the towns the Lord overthrew without pity. May he hear wailing in the morning, a battle cry at noon. For he did not kill me in the womb, with my mother as my grave, her womb enlarged forever. Why did I ever come out of the womb to see trouble and sorrow and to end my days in shame? Jeremiah 20:14-18LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT Open class with a minilecture overview of Jeremiah’ s life and times. Focus on the revival that took place under Josiah. Emphasize the dedication shown by Josiah, without mentioning the general unresponsiveness of Judah. Then have different teams read and discuss the four messages of Jeremiah given during Josiah’ s reign. Each is to seek to determine from the prophet’ s words the depth and nature of this “ revival.” After reports are given, discuss: “ What are valid indicators in our day of true national dedication to the Lord?”

Jeremiah’ s Times 686 — Manasseh becomes sole king 648 — Josiah born 642 — Amon succeeds Manasseh as king 640 — Josiah becomes king 633 — Josiah at 16 seeks after God 628 — Josiah at 20 begins reforms 627 — Jeremiah at 20 called as prophet 621 — Mosaic Law found in the temple 612 — Nineveh destroyed as Nahum prophesied 609 — Josiah slain in battle at Megiddo; Jehoiakim becomes king 605 — Babylon defeats Egypt at Carchemish; Daniel, others taken hostage to Babylon; Nebuchadnezzar becomes king of Babylon 604 — Nebuchadnezzar receives tribute in Palestine 601 — Nebuchadnezzar defeated near Egypt 598 — Jehoiakim set aside; Jehoiachin rules from December 9 to March 16, 597 and is deported April 22 to Babylon 597 — Zedekiah becomes king in Judah 588 — Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem on January 15 587 — Jeremiah imprisoned (Jeremiah 32:1-2) 586 — Zedekiah flees July 18; destruction of city begins August 14; Gedaliah killed and Jews migrate to Egypt against God’ s command October 7 Jeremiah’ s Ministry under Jehoiakim 609-598 b.c. In the fourth year of Jehoiakim’ s reign, Nebuchadnezzar defeated the Egyptians in the battle of Carchemish. This firmly established the Babylonians as the dominant world power. Hostages were taken by the victorious Nebuchadnezzar, whom Jeremiah identified as the servant God had chosen to judge Judah and the other nations of Palestine. He predicted a great Captivity, which would last 70 years. At God’ s command, Jeremiah made a written record of his sermons and his messages. King Jehoiakim ordered the scroll burnt and commanded the arrest of the prophet and his secretary, Baruch. Even under arrest, Jeremiah continued to utter the dire prophecies which God commanded, adding a prediction of the death of Jehoiakim and the certainty of Babylonian victory (Jeremiah 36:27-32). Jeremiah’ s Messages During Jehoiakim’ s Reign

11:1-13:14The broken covenant chap. 14-15Prayers are fruitless chaps. 16-17Jeremiah’ s celibacy Jeremiah 22:1-30The king rejected Jeremiah 23:1-40False prophets charged Jeremiah 25:1-38Nebuchadnezzar, God’ s servant Jeremiah 26:1-24Jeremiah threatened with death Jeremiah 35:1-19Example of the Recabites Jeremiah 45:1-5Promise to Baruch chap. 46-48Against foreign nationsUnder Jehoiakim’ s evil rule the last hope for Judah ebbed away. The messages delivered during these years are full of darkest despair. God’ s heart is moved for His people, yet they will not respond. Jeremiah 11:1-13:14. God’ s covenant and oath given to Israel when His people came up from Egypt to freedom were renewed, and the falseness of this generation to its oath was exposed. God would surely uproot that nation, “ uproot and destroy it” (Jeremiah 12:17). Jeremiah 14:1-15:21. Much of the tone of despair in these messages is rooted in the growing realization that it was now too late for God’ s people to turn to Him. God warned Jeremiah not even to pray for his countrymen, and said, “ Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before Me, My heart would not go out to this people. Send them away from My presence! Let them go!” (Jeremiah 15:1) Four kinds of doom had been determined, and destiny had been sealed. They will go — Those destined for death, to death; those for the sword, to the sword; those for starvation, to starvation; those for captivity, to captivity. Jeremiah 15:2Jeremiah 16:1-17:27. In view of the approaching judgment, Jeremiah was warned against taking a wife or having sons “ in this place.” In the Lord’ s goodness, His faithful servant would be spared the agony of seeing his own flesh and blood suffer in the coming invasion. Jeremiah 22:1-30. Jeremiah visited the king to entreat him to practice justice, and when the king replied that he would not listen, Jeremiah pronounced judgment. No child of Jehoiakim would ever sit on the Davidic throne or rule in Jerusalem. Jeremiah 23:1-40. The religious leaders whom God sent to care for His flock had instead scattered them. Their lying prophecies and promises would bring them everlasting reproach. Jeremiah 25:1-38. Nebuchadnezzar was now identified as the invader about whom Jeremiah had been warning for some 23 years. Not only Judah, but also the surrounding nations, would suffer at his hand, for God had determined to use the Babylonians to punish the sins of Palestine. Jeremiah 26:1-24. Jeremiah related an incident from early in Jehoiakim’ s reign, when he had offered pardon if only the people would return to God and “ listen to Me, and follow My law, which I have set before you, and . . . listen to the words of My servants the prophets, whom I have sent to you again and again” (Jeremiah 26:4-5). The leaders then encouraged all the people to shout for Jeremiah’ s death for the “ crime” of speaking against their city in God’ s name! The one man who dared to speak up in support of Jeremiah, Uriah, was himself hunted down and later killed by Jehoiakim. Yet Jeremiah was delivered, as God had promised at the time of his call. Jeremiah 35:1-19. As an object lesson, Jeremiah gathered a family called the Recabites, who had been commanded generations earlier by their dead clan leader not to drink wine. They had faithfully obeyed. Jeremiah pointed out the tragic difference: the Recabites had faithfully obeyed a man, while Judah faithlessly disobeyed God Himself! For their faithfulness the Recabites were promised God’ s constant favor. And Judah was promised judgment. The nation had made its choice. Jeremiah would live to see the foretold results of his countrymen’ s sins. He would continue to raise his voice to guide them and show them the way of least pain. It was possible that the severity of Judah’ s judgment would bring men to their senses and lead them to return to God.

Only the Words of Jeremiah Will Be Spoken Aloud the Rest of This Session To sense the burden and message of this great prophet, we will speak only Jeremiah’ s own words for the rest of this session. Open to Jeremiah 1:1-19. Each of us will be free to read those sections we have underlined as significant in our reading. I will begin by reading from Jeremiah 1:1-19. Then, as you wish, read aloud from your own underlined portions. We will work through the following chapters in sequence, reading brief sections in or out of order. Jeremiah 1:1-19Jeremiah 2:1-3:5 Jeremiah 7-10 Jeremiah 11:1-13:14 Jeremiah 16-17 Jeremiah 23:1-40Jer_26:1-24 When our reading is complete, we’ ll take a few minutes for silent prayer. Then share any portion of Scripture that you have memorized which seems appropriate to you as a prayer to be offered to God. Teaching Guide Prepare Read several of the sermons that Jeremiah gave during each reign in preparation for this group session.

Explore

1. Give a minilecture of the era of Jeremiah. You may want to reproduce both the chart of Jeremiah’ s times, as well as the charts of Jeremiah’ s sermons during the rule of Josiah and Jehoiakim.
2. Try a truly unique session, which will let your group members sense the dark message of Jeremiah in a powerful way. After giving a brief introduction to Jeremiah’ s times, divide the following chapters among your members: Jeremiah 1:1-19; 2:1-3:5; 7-10; 11:1-13:14; 16-17; Jeremiah 23:1-40; Jeremiah 26:1-24; Jeremiah 35:1-19. Each is to read his or her chapters and underline significant verses. Then distribute the Only Words handout (above), and together do as it directs.

Expand

1. Or have teams read Jeremiah 14-15, 16-17, Jeremiah 23:1-40, and Jeremiah 26:1-24. Each team should reconstruct the spiritual condition of Judah from its chapter(s).
2. Or focus on Jeremiah as a person. How must it have been for a godly person like Jeremiah to minister in such a sick and sinful society? Let Jeremiah 20:14-18 sensitize your group further to the prophet’ s despair. Then read selections from chapters 16-17 and Jeremiah 1:1-19. What does Jeremiah’ s personal suffering teach us about how to deal with our own times of depression or despair?

Apply Review the story of the Recabites (Jeremiah 35:1-19). God honors faithfulness. As the Recabites were faithful to the command of their clan leader, we are to be faithful to the Word of our living God.