jeremiah

Background

Authorship.   Jeremiah’s authorship is claimed throughout the book itself, and has never been seriously challenged.

The personal life of the prophet is so intrinsically related to his prophecy that more is known of Jeremiah than of any other OT prophet. Born in the priestly town of Anathoth around 647, he was son of Hilkiah a priest (not necessarily the Hilkiah who found the book of the law during Josiah’s reign). He was called by God to the prophetic office in Josiah’s thirteenth year (627; 1:2; 25:3), and forbidden to marry as a sign of the imminent destruction of Jerusalem (16:2ff). He was involved in two real estate transactions (32:6–14; 37:12), one as a prophetic sign of hope.

Composition of the book.   The composition of the book has long mystified scholars. It seems Bright is probably partly right when he styles the book an anthology. It does appear to be composed of messages delivered at various times, though arranged intelligently to convey a logically developed and unified message. It indicates that it was composed in a number of stages, when it speaks for instance in 25:13 of the book of Jeremiah’s prophecies, perhaps referring to the present chapters 46–51 (which in the LXX are inserted here at 25:13); the book of consolation (30:2); and the book which Baruch wrote (45:1) and which Jehoiakim destroyed (36:23), which Baruch subsequently rewrote (36:32; 605 BC). The content of this last “book” may well be substantially preserved in our chapters 2–25. Also the fifty-second chapter seems like a late addition—note 51:64: “Thus far the words of Jeremiah”—borrowed from 2 Kings 24:18—25:30, including a reference to the release of Jehoiachin, which occurred in about 561. This event was some sixty-six years after Jeremiah’s prophetic call, and therefore rather unlikely to have been seen and recorded by him. Perhaps the final shape of the book—including chapter 52—was largely the product of the faithful Baruch.

Date of composition.   As the preceding shows, the composition of the book was an exceedingly complex process, beginning in the reign of Josiah and continuing a few years past the fall of Jerusalem, and including a chapter (52) borrowed from another source dated at least twenty-five years after that fall. Also the differences observed in the LXX edition suggest different circulating editions of the book. La Sor’s arguments against LXX and for MT priority (p. 410) lead to a final, formal composition date probably soon after 561, and likely before 539, Cyrus’s decree.

Historical setting.   Following the reformative reign of Hezekiah (729/715–695/686—coregencies) came the disastrously decadent and idolatrous half-century of Manasseh (695/686–642) and his son Amon (642–640). (Jeremiah 15:4 blames the great judgment of 586 on Manasseh.) Josiah (640–609) proved a faithful and reforming king himself. He began to seek the Lord at about age sixteen (632), initiated a local purge of idols four years later, and with the temple repair and consequent discovery of the book of the Law in the temple (622), began a valuable, though historically insignificant revival of Mosaic religion (2 Chron. 34–35). However, his untimely death in 609 meant the end of reformation. His three sons and one grandson who succeeded him were all unfaithful by Mosaic standards.

Internationally, the last half of the seventh century witnessed the decline of the great and vicious Assyrian empire matched by the rise of the powerful Babylonian. For a time there was a relative vacuum of imperial power, so that Josiah was free to pursue his reforms. Babylon’s international domination began to be felt in 612 with the sacking of Nineveh. Egypt, long opposed to Assyria, decided a weakened Assyria could well serve her interests as a buffer between herself and Babylon, and in 609 Pharaoh Neco set out to assist the limping Assyrian army against Babylon. Josiah realized an Egyptian-Assyrian alliance would mean Jerusalem’s vassalage to it, so he attempted to intercept Neco at Megiddo. Judah was defeated and Josiah killed. Neco’s efforts to aid Assyria failed, though Egypt assumed control of Israel as far as Carchemish (deposing Josiah’s son, Jehoahaz, and replacing him with his brother, Jehoiakim).

In 605 Nebuchadnezzar defeated Egypt at Carchemish, and would have marched even in Egypt. However, when he got word of the death of King Nabopolassar, he hastily returned home to claim the throne. On the way he stopped by Jerusalem and took as hostages the cream of the youth (including Daniel and his three friends) to assure Judah’s continued loyal vassalage.

In 601 Nebuchadnezzar sought to pick up where he left off in 605. However, he was roundly defeated, whereupon Jehoiakim switched his loyalty to Egypt. But three years later Nebuchadnezzar returned to teach Judah an unforgettable lesson (one which was soon forgotten). During the attack (597) King Jehoiakim died and was succeeded by his son, Jehoiachin, who soon surrendered. The city was looted, Jehoiachin was taken captive to Babylon, and his uncle Zedekiah was installed as vassal king. Also taken to Babylon were Ezekiel and some 10,000 other leading Jews (2 Kings 24:10–17).

When a new Pharaoh, Hophra, came to the throne of Egypt (589?), Zedekiah threw in his lot with him, arousing the ultimate wrath of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar’s army set up its siege in January 588, and broke through and overran Jerusalem in July–August 586.

Argument

It was Jeremiah’s unenviable lot to serve as God’s primary spokesman at the darkest time of the history of God’s people, Israel: the fall of the city of Jerusalem (586 BC). His message consisted of the following major components: prediction of the destruction of the city by Babylon, coupled with an appeal to repent (and submit to Babylonian exile for seventy years); prediction of an ultimate restoration of Israel-Judah, to be organized under a New Covenant; and predictions of judgment on a number of heathen nations around Judah.

The book begins with the historical context (1:1–3), followed by an account of the call (1:4–10) and commission (1:11–19) of the prophet.

The bulk of the book (ch 2–45) consists of prophetic messages relative to Judah. The fate of Jerusalem is announced in a series of oracular messages in chapters 2–25. In the first message God recalls first a time of faithfulness in Israel’s past (2:1–3), and asks how she came to turn from him (2:4–8). Such infidelity cannot be excused or escape judgment (2:9—3:5).

The second message (3:6—6:30) develops the bad example of Israel and her past destruction (3:6—4:2), and announces to Judah her certain judgment inasmuch as she has proven incorrigible, and unresponsive to calls to repent (4:3—6:30), identifying her destroyer as Babylon (5:14–17), and the military strategy as siege (6:1–8).

The third message (7–10) begins with the famous Temple address. Judah’s confidence in her temple and rituals was misplaced (7:1–7) when she ignored the moral requirements of the covenant, being loveless toward fellow Israelites (7:8–11). This principle was born out in history (7:12–15), and Judah’s guilt was undeniable (7:21—8:17; 9:2–9). No prayer could forestall (7:16–20) the coming desolation (9:10–22; 10:19–22).

The fourth message (11–12) ties the coming judgment directly to the Mosaic covenant, predicting its prescribed curses (11:1–17). For the first time in the book the people’s response is heard, and it is murderous (11:18–23). In Jeremiah’s complaint to God that they seem to get away with injustice (12:1–6), he shows that appearances deceive: God assures him and the people through him that he has forsaken and will destroy even his own people when they fail to listen (12:7–17).

The fifth message (13) reemphasizes God’s certain judgment of Judah’s incorrigibility by means of the enacted parable of the decayed girdle (13:1–7), followed by its explanation (13:8–11). The wine jug parable turns the people’s false confidence into a prediction of judgment (13:12–14). The exhortation unto humility (13:15–19) shows the path of righteousness, while the next paragraph affirms that Israel is confirmed in her sinful ways, so that judgment is inevitable (13:20–27).

The thrust of the sixth message (14–15) is that God will not be moved by pleas for mercy from the ravages of a contemporary drought (14:1–6), showing the divine determination to judge. The reasons for God’s hardness are given as the deception of the false prophets (14:13–18) and the sinful ways brought in by Manasseh (15:1–4). The reality of the coming judgment is again driven home (15:5–9), and the divine source of that message is underscored by the prophet’s reluctance to speak it (15:10–18). In the promise of his escape from death the prophet shows the way of escape for any who would be true to God (15:19–21).

The restrictions on Jeremiah’s life (16:1–9) telegraph the message to the people that this was an abnormal era of history, because of the imminence of judgment (16:10–18). The prediction of Gentiles coming to Yahweh should shame Israel for her apostasy, and prompt her to repent (16:19–21). While the national fate was irreversible (17:1–4), that of the individual depended solely on that individual’s faith (17:5–8), a matter which God was qualified to judge (17:9–11). When the prophet appealed to God to make a distinction between him and the wicked of the nation, he was urging his readers likewise to distance themselves from their wicked ways (17:12–18).

This eighth general message (17:19–27) is a brief one rehearsing the keys to blessing and cursing: they are Mosaic, and represented by the sign of Sabbath-keeping.

The ninth message, concluding this group of general messages, is longer, comprised of three parts (18, 19, 20), two of which are built around symbolic acts. By the lesson at the potter’s house (18) God affirms his right to destroy his chosen Israel. The sermon at the valley of Ben-Hinnom, punctuated by the shattering of the pot (19), demonstrates the certainty and the tragic violence of the coming destruction, and links it with its cause, national religious infidelity. The fact that this kind of preaching was not Jeremiah’s idea and was therefore divine in origin is again emphasized by the report of Jeremiah’s complaint at the opposition he endured (20). It was an unwelcome message which Jeremiah himself sought to repress, but could not. Babylon is named for the first time (20:4–6), then three times per chapter through chapter 49, then twenty-three times per chapter in the last three chapters (50–52), for a total of 169 times.

The text now turns from general to specific messages announcing the coming fall of Jerusalem (21–23). The section seems to be arranged chiastically, with a message concerning the eventual coming of a Righteous Branch (23:3–8) sandwiched between messages of condemnation on kings and false prophets. The overall point is that the contemporary leaders have proven unfaithful in their stewardships, having rejected the word of God to provide righteousness and justice for the people, and that they would eventually be replaced by the right kind of leaders, and supremely by the Branch predicted by Isaiah (4:2; 11:1).

The vision of figs (24) seems to begin to bring the long section on the announcement of coming judgment (2–25) to a close. As Jeremiah had preached (21:8–10), surrender was the correct response of faith, resistance represented disobedience to God. The twenty-fifth chapter then declares two things to the exile generation: first, that the word of God through Jeremiah was true, having come to pass (25:1–11; dated from 605, Jehoiakim’s fourth year); and second, that exile is not to be the final state of Israel, but that it would last only seventy years (25:11–12). In addition, Babylon and other nations hostile to Israel would ultimately suffer divine judgment (25:12–38).

The long section (2–25) shows how Jeremiah faithfully announced the word of God for many years and in many contexts. The next section (26–36) shows first how that the word of God through the prophet was generally opposed and rejected. Being a kind of chiasmus, however, it also contains, sandwiched between two sections depicting the prevailing national rejection of the word of God through his prophet (26–29; 34–36), the great Book of Consolation (30–33), which together with the willful rejection of the word shows how that the nation’s fate is sealed: in the Book of Consolation judgment is in no way a contingency, but is viewed as a fait accompli.

The sin of rejection of the word was an enduring problem, prevalent in the time of Jehoiakim (26) and of Zedekiah (27–29), and not only in the land of Israel (27–28), but even among the exiles in Babylon (29). Jeremiah’s trial in the time of Jehoiakim shows the intensity of opposition, as Uriah was killed for preaching the same message as Jeremiah (26:20–23), as well as God’s defense of Jeremiah, protecting him from the same fate, according to his promise at Jeremiah’s commission (26:24; cf. 1:19).

The prophetic message in the time of Zedekiah and the debate with Hananiah (27–28) gives Jeremiah occasion to show the rejection at that time to his message of surrender and exile. When the handwriting was on the wall, as it were, the false prophet still managed to concoct a favorable message (28:1–4). But even this message was shown false by the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s word (28:17). Finally, Jeremiah’s message to the exiles (29) was proven trustworthy by a similar condemnation of the false prophet Shemaiah.

The Book of Consolation (30–33) emphasizes God’s unconditional election of Israel and his determination to restore her to blessing and righteousness, which all presupposes the exile from which to be restored. As the cause of the exile was violation of the Mosaic Covenant, an unending restoration would require a New Covenant which Israel would be unable to nullify by faithlessness. Where the first two chapters (30–31) articulate the details of the restoration promise, the latter two (32–33) reaffirm it vividly by the symbolic act of Jeremiah in purchasing land about to be gobbled up by foreigners, and the message of eschatological hope it inspired.

The section on rejection of the word resumes with three stories demonstrating contempt for the covenant (34–35), followed by the most extreme exhibition of contempt for the prophetic word: Jehoiakim’s burning of the scroll (36). The message to Zedekiah (34:1–7) brings the reader back to the pronouncements of impending destruction. The account of the slave owners’ perfidy toward their slaves (34:8–22) is set in contrast to the covenant faithfulness of the Rechabites—even in a relatively trivial matter (35)—showing the prevailing attitude of indifference toward the Mosaic Covenant. The primary message of the thirty-sixth chapter is that rejection of the word had proceeded as far as could be conceived: the king himself physically mutilated and burned the only manuscript of the word of God through his prophet. Secondarily, it shows God’s concern that his word be known and preserved.

Because of that kind and degree of refusal to heed God’s word, the judgment of God must fall; the word of God must be carried out in the promised destruction (37–39). Astonishingly, even after Jerusalem’s destruction the survivors continued to reject the word of God (40–44).

Once again Jeremiah shows that to the end the king and his officers opposed the message of doom, despite a measure of kindly feelings toward Jeremiah personally (37). While opposition was widespread and official (38:1–6), there was an occasional faithful man, seen here in Ebed-melech (38:7–13), an example for all of a right response (which was not forgotten by God; 39:18). Given still one final chance the king again refused the divine directive to surrender (38:14–23), while being used by God to protect the prophet (38:24–28).

Chapter 39 shows the word of God through the prophet being fulfilled in Zedekiah (39:1–7), the city (39:8), the people (39:9–10), Jeremiah (39:11–14), and Ebed-melech (39:15–18).

The anarchic conditions depicted in 40–41 not only relate history, but more importantly betray unchanged hearts in the survivors, in that there was no perceivable righteousness in the land. These people proved to be so like Zedekiah before the fall: seeking the word of the Lord through the prophet, promising to heed it, and proceeding to do precisely what they wanted and had been determined all along to do; namely, go to Egypt (42–43). The prophet’s uninterrupted faithfulness and the people’s corresponding faithlessness are demonstrated in one final episode, as Jeremiah exhorts them to give up their idolatry, and they adamantly insist on retaining it (44). This issue of idolatry was so crucial as the cause of the fall, and equally crucial for restoration from judgment that it forms a fitting and climactic hortatory conclusion (of this major section of the book) to the readers: don’t be like the Judahites before 586 or like those who descended to Egypt after 586. Forsake idols! Worship Yahweh alone!

The chapter on Baruch’s complaint and promise (45) serves to demonstrate his faithfulness and God’s reward for the same, and is probably the equivalent of his signature as recorder of the preceding.

Since Jeremiah’s commission included being a prophet to the nations (1:5), and since the nations around Judah were no less unrighteous than she, God’s word, already proven severe and unbreakable in the case of Judah, is pronounced on them (46–51).

The fifty-second chapter (nearly identical to 2 Kings 25) reiterates the fulfillment of the prophetic word not only in the destruction of Jerusalem, her king and people (52:1–30), but also in the hope of release from exile anticipated by Jehoiachin’s release from arrest (52:31–34).

Outline

I. Introduction  1

A. Background of the prophecy  1:1–3

B. Call of the prophet: Destroy and build (10)  1:4–10

C. Visions of the prophet’s commission  1:11–16

1. The blossoming almond branch: God’s promise to keep his word  1:11–12

2. The boiling pot: Northern destroyer  1:13–16

D. Challenge to the prophet  1:17–19

II. Prophecies concerning Judah  2–45

A. Fate of Jerusalem announced  2–25

1. General messages (nine): to the people, undated  2–20

a) God’s justified condemnation of Judah’s unfaithfulness  2:1—3:5

(1) Israel’s original faithfulness  2:1–3

(2) Her apostasy from Yahweh  2:4–8

(3) God’s indictment against her  2:9–13

(4) His amazement at her preference for Egypt, Assyria  2:14–19

(5) Details of Israel’s unfaithfulness  2:20–28

(6) Israel’s fruitless, false claims of innocence  2:29–37

(7) The necessity of judgment  3:1–5

b) God’s certain judgment of Judah’s incorrigibility  3:6—6:30

(1) The example of Israel  3:6—4:2

(a) Judah’s unfaithfulness worse than Israel’s  3:6–11

(b) Appeal to Israel to repent  3:12–14

(c) Her eschatological faithfulness  3:15–18

(d) Her persistent rebellion  3:19–20

(e) Her shame  3:21–25

(f) God’s promise to bless repentance  4:1–2

(2) The message to Judah  4:3—6:30

(a) Invitation to repent  4:3–4

(b) Warning of coming judgment  4:5–13

(c) The necessary connection between her sin and judgment  4:14–18

(d) Lament over her devastation  4:19–26

(e) Description of her devastation  4:27–31

(f) Her complete lack of righteousness  5:1–9

(g) Her refusal to heed the prophets  5:10–13

(h) The severity of her destruction by Babylon  5:14–17

(i) God’s chastening mercy  5:18–19

(j) Her willful and culpable ignorance  5:20–31

(k) Siege against Jerusalem threatened  6:1–8

(l) Guilt and destruction of all classes of people  6:9–15

(m) Unavoidable disaster for failing to take warning  6:16–21

(n) The merciless destroyer from the north  6:22–26

(o) Jeremiah’s role as assayer of men  6:27–30

c) God’s certain judgment of Judah’s religious defilement (Temple address)  7–10

(1) Endurance in the land based on righteousness  7:1–7

(2) No protection for covenant violators  7:8–11

(3) The example of Shiloh  7:12–15

(4) The inadequacy of prayer in light of Judah’s sins  7:16–20

(5) Israel’s history of disobedience  7:21–26

(6) Her unauthorized (human) sacrifices  7:27–34

(7) Judah’s apostasy without repentance  8:1–7

(8) The shame of the religious spokesmen  8:8–12

(9) God’s wrath against Judah  8:13–17

(10) Lament over Judah because of her judgment  8:18—9:1

(11) Judah’s deceit  9:2–9

(12) Desolation of the land  9:10–22

(a) God’s lament  9:10–11

(b) Cause: covenant violation  9:12–16

(c) The people’s lament  9:17–22

(13) The valid boast of a pure heart toward God  9:23–26

(14) The contrast between God and idols  10:1–16

(15) Announcement of the coming siege and depopulation  10:17–18

(16) The inevitability of judgment  10:19–22

(17) Plea for God’s perfect justice  10:23–25

d) God’s certain judgment for Judah’s covenant violation  11–12

(1) The prophet’s message to the nation  11:1–17

(a) Reminder of the covenant curses  11:1–5

(b) Accusation of covenant violation  11:6–8

(c) Announcement of inescapable infliction of covenant curses  11:9–17

(2) Responses  11:18—12:17

(a) Judah’s murderous antagonism against the prophet  11:18–23

(b) Jeremiah’s complaint: “They prosper in injustice”  12:1–6

(c) God’s answer: “I have forsaken and will uproot them”  12:7–17

e) God’s certain judgment of Judah’s incorrigibility illustrated and emphasized  13

(1) The enacted parable of the rotten girdle  13:1–7

(2) God’s interpretation of the parable  13:8–11

(3) The parable of the wine jugs  13:12–14

(4) The message on sin and its results  13:15–27

(a) Exhortation to humility  13:15–19

(b) Exposure of incorrigibility  13:20–27

f) God’s refusal to alleviate judgment  14—15

(1) The ravages of the drought  14:1–6

(2) The pleading because of the drought  14:7—15:4

(a) The prayer for mercy  14:7–9

(b) God’s refusal to respond  14:10–12

(c) Suffering by all for false prophecies  14:13–18

(d) Renewed plea for mercy  14:19–22

(e) Necessity of judgment for accumulated sin  15:1–4

(3) The fate of Jerusalem  15:5–9

(4) Jeremiah’s complaint  15:10–18

(a) His cursed lot  15:10–11

(b) His message: Judah’s wealth plundered  15:12–14

(c) His righteousness  15:15–18

(5) God’s answer: Be faithful and I will spare you  15:19–21

g) The inappropriateness of normal social relations in light of coming judgment  16:1—17:18

(1) The sign of the prophet’s celibacy  16:1–4

(2) The message of Judah’s distress  16:5–9

(3) The reason for Judah’s distress  16:10–13

(4) The inevitability of Judah’s distress and God’s subsequent restoration  16:14–15

(5) The necessity of complete judgment  16:16–18

(6) Gentiles’ ultimate acknowledgement of God  16:19–21

(7) Judah’s sin and judgment  17:1–4

(8) Contrast of two men  17:5–8

(a) One who trusts in man  17:5–6

(b) One who trusts in God  17:7–8

(9) The source of sin: the heart  17:9–11

(10) The prophet’s expression of faith in God  17:12–18

h) The command to observe the Sabbath: Covenant warning  17:19–27

(1) God’s command to the prophet  17:19

(2) The prophet’s demand for Sabbath-keeping  17:20–23

(3) The pronouncements of blessing and cursing  17:24–27

i) God’s certain judgment of Judah graphically depicted  18–20

(1) The lesson from the potter and his clay  18

(a) The observation of the potter  18:1–4

(b) God’s authority to destroy Israel  18:5–12

(c) Israel’s deserved destruction  18:13–17

(d) Jeremiah’s appeal to God for defense  18:18–23

(2) The message of the shattered jar  19

(a) The setting for the message  19:1–2

(b) The message: The Valley of Slaughter  19:3–9

(c) The jar shattered, as Israel  19:10–13

(d) The message repeated in the Temple  19:14–15

(3) The unpopularity of the message  20

(a) Opposition by Pashhur  20:1–6

i) Jeremiah in stocks  20:1–2

ii) His message to Pashhur  20:3–6

(b) Lament to the Lord  20:7–18

i) The prophet’s ambivalence: unable not to prophesy  20:7–13

ii) His curse against his own birth  20:14–18

2. Specific messages: concerning leadership  21–23

a) Messages concerning Judah’s kings  21–22

(1) To Zedekiah  21:1—22:9

(a) Zedekiah’s inquiry of God  21:1–2

(b) Announcement of the impending fall of Jerusalem  21:3–7

(c) The way of survival: surrender  21:8–10

(d) Ultimatum: Provide justice, or die  21:11—22:5

(e) Warning of destruction due to covenant violation  22:6–9

(2) Concerning Shallum: to die in exile  22:10–12

(3) Concerning Jehoiakim  22:13–23

(a) Indictment of his self-indulgence  22:13–17

(b) Retribution  22:18–23

i) Dishonor at his death  22:18–19

ii) Demise of his city  22:20–23

(4) Concerning Jehoiachin  22:24–30

(a) Exiled in Babylon  22:24–27

(b) Not to be succeeded on the throne by a son  22:28–30

b) Message concerning Israel’s shepherds  23:1–8

(1) Retribution for misrule  23:1–2

(2) Replacement by God’s choice shepherds and Branch  23:3–8

c) Message concerning Judah’s false prophets  23:9–40

(1) Condemnation of false prophecy  23:9–15

(2) Characteristics of false prophetism  23:16–20

(3) The fraudulent mission of the false prophets  23:21–32

(4) The burden of the Yahweh  23:33–40

3. Conclusions  24–25

a) The two baskets of figs  24

(1) The vision  24:1–3

(2) The interpretation  24:4–10

(a) The good figs  24:4–7

(b) The bad figs  24:8–10

b) Announcements to Judah’s people  25

(1) 70 years captivity  25:1–11

(2) Babylon’s recompense  25:12–14

(3) Judgment on many nations  25:15–38

(a) Many nations listed  25:15–26

(b) Declaration of impending disaster  25:27–38

B. Fate of Jerusalem sealed  26–36

1. The immediate sin: Rejection of the message (and messenger)  26–29

a) Rejection in the time of Jehoiakim  26

(1) Jeremiah’s prophecy of Jerusalem’s desolation  26:1–6

(2) His seizure by the people  26:7–9

(3) His trial  26:10–19

(a) Order in the court  26:10

(b) The accusation  26:11

(c) The defense: This message is from Yahweh  26:12–15

(d) The verdict: Not guilty  26:16

(e) Appeal to Micah’s prophecy  26:17–19

(4) Jehoiakim’s opposition to God’s prophet, Uriah  26:20–23

(5) Jeremiah’s protection by Ahikam  26:24

b) Rejection in the time of Zedekiah: conflicting prophecies  27–29

(1) Conflict with false prophets in Judah: yokes  27–28

(a) Jeremiah’s prophecies  27

i) The prophetic command to nations surrounding Judah: submit to Nebuchadnezzar’s yoke  27:1–11

ii) The message repeated to Zedekiah  27:12–15

iii) The message to the people: exile and return are decreed  27:16–22

(b) Hananiah’s debate  28

i) Hananiah  28:1–11

a) Only two years exile  28:1–4

b) Jeremiah’s sign of a true prophet: peace  28:5–9

g) Broken yoke  28:10–11

ii) Jeremiah: Iron yokes, and Hananiah’s demise  28:12–17

(2) Conflict with false prophets in Babylon (hinge to restoration in the Book of Comfort)  29

(a) Jeremiah’s letter to the exiles  29:1–23

i) Circumstances  29:1–3

ii) 70 years exile and then return  29:4–14

a) Settlement urged  29:4–7

b) False prophets refuted  29:8–10a

g) Return promised  29:10b–14

iii) Doom of rebels in Judah  29:15–19

iv) Doom of false prophets in Babylon  29:20–23

(b) Jeremiah’s clash with Shemaiah  29:24–32

i) Shemaiah’s challenge: Silence Jeremiah  29:24–28

ii) Jeremiah’s response: His line’s end  29:29–32

2. The ultimate hope: Book of Consolation  30–33

a) First message: Restoration promised (Poetry)  30–31

(1) Promise of Millennial return  30:1–11

(a) Introduction  30:1–3

(b) Jacob’s distress  30:4–7

(c) Davidic rule promised  30:8–11

(2) Painful chastening because of sin  30:12–15

(3) Promise of restoration to prosperity and joy  30:16–22

(4) Incomprehensible violence from God for the present  30:23–24

(5) Joy in restored Israel  31:1–14

(6) Mercy following chastening  31:15–20

(7) Israel’s return to the land  31:21–26

(8) The New Covenant  31:27–40

(a) Repopulation  31:27–28

(b) Individual accountability  31:29–30

(c) Displaced Old Covenant  31:31–32

(d) New stipulations and promises  31:33–34

(e) Heavenly guarantee  31:35–37

(f) Jerusalem’s permanence  31:38–40

b) Second message: Restoration reaffirmed (Prose)  32–33

(1) Restoration symbolized: Jeremiah’s land purchase  32

(a) Circumstances: Siege, Jeremiah imprisoned  32:1–5

(b) The transaction  32:6–15

(c) Praise to God for miracles on Israel’s behalf  32:16–25

i) Israel’s past victories  32:16–23

ii) Israel’s present predicament  32:24

iii) God’s present expression of hope  32:25

(d) Announcement of God’s plans for the land  32:26–44

i) Introduction: God’s infinite power  32:26–27

ii) The imminent fall of Jerusalem to Nebuchadnezzar  32:28–35

a) Announcement of the fall  32:28–29

b) Cause of the fall  32:30–35

iii) The ultimate restoration of Israel in the Land  32:36–44

(2) Restoration reaffirmed  33

(a) Restoration of the people  33:1–9

(b) Repopulation of the land  33:10–13

(c) Restoration of the Davidic and Levitical lines  33:14–23

(d) Confirmation of the promises  33:24–26

3. The root cause: Opposition to the Word of God  34–36

a) Contempt for the Covenant  34–35

(1) The nation’s attitude of contempt  34

(a) Warning to the King (Zedekiah)  34:1–7

i) City and king to be captured  34:1–3

ii) King to die peacefully  34:4–5

iii) The peril of Jerusalem  34:6–7

(b) Warning to the people  34:8–22

i) Perfidy in regard to slaves  34:8–11

ii) God’s consequent judgment  34:12–22

a) Condemnation of their sin  34:12–16

b) Sentence of destruction  34:17–22

(2) The Rechabites’ attitude of respect  35

(a) The Rechabites’ obedience  35:1–11

(b) Challenge to Israel to similar faithfulness  35:12–17

(c) Blessing on the Rechabites  35:18–19

b) Contempt for prophecy: Jehoiakim and the scroll  36

(1) The writing of the first scroll at God’s command  36:1–3

(2) The public reading of the scroll  36:4–10

(a) Jeremiah’s instructions to Baruch  36:4–7

(b) Baruch’s reading  36:8–10

(3) The response of the officials  36:11–19

(a) Their private audience  36:11–15

(b) Their advice to Baruch: Hide  36:16–19

(4) The response of the king  36:20–26

(a) Scroll burned  36:20–25

(b) Prophet threatened  36:26

(5) God’s response to the king  36:27–32

(a) Judgment on the king  36:27–31

(b) Scroll rewritten  36:32

C. Fate of Jerusalem accomplished; and the people’s continued disobedience  37–44

1. Final disobedience before the fall of Jerusalem  37–38

a) Message to Zedekiah  37:1–10

(1) Zedekiah’s inquiry of Jeremiah  37:1–5

(2) Jeremiah’s answer: Jerusalem will fall!  37:6–10

b) Jeremiah’s imprisonment  37:11—38:28

(1) His arrest and beating  37:11–16

(2) His first private meeting with Zedekiah  37:17–21

(a) Zedekiah’s request for a word from Yahweh  37:17a

(b) Jeremiah’s answer: Babylon will win  37:17b–19

(c) Jeremiah’s improved treatment  37:20–21

(3) His episode in the mud pit  38:1–13

(a) The charge of treason  38:1–5

(b) The confinement in the well  38:6

(c) Ebed-melech’s rescue  38:7–13

(4) His second private meeting with  Zedekiah  38:14–28

(a) Zedekiah’s request and assurances  38:14–16

(b) Jeremiah’s message: Surrender  38:17–23

(c) Jeremiah’s half-true explanation to palace spies  38:24–28

2. Fulfillment of God’s word: Jerusalem’s destruction  39

a) The fate of Zedekiah  39:1–7

b) The fate of the people  39:8–10

c) Jeremiah’s preservation  39:11–14

d) Ebed-melech’s assurance of preservation  39:15–18

3. Continued faithlessness after the fall of Jerusalem  40–44

a) Jeremiah’s permission to remain with Gedaliah  40:1–6

b) Gedaliah’s administration of Judea  40:7–12

c) Anarchy in Judea  40:13—41:15

(1) Assassination of Gedaliah and others by Ishmael  40:13—41:10

(a) His warning unheeded  40:13–16

(b) His murder  41:1–3

(c) Slaughter of pilgrims  41:4–10

(2) Ishmael’s escape from Johanan  41:11–15

d) Flight to Egypt  41:16—44:30

(1) Johanan’s preparation to go to Egypt  41:16–18

(2) Warning against going to Egypt  42

(a) Request for a word from Yahweh  42:1–6

(b) The answer: Don’t go!  42:7–22

i) Blessings for remaining under Babylon  42:7–12

ii) Judgment for fleeing  42:13–18

iii) Judgment emphasized  42:19–22

(3) Rejection of the warning  43:1–7

(4) Jeremiah’s prophecy of Babylon’s conquest of Egypt  43:8–13

(5) Jeremiah’s message to the Jews in Egypt  44

(a) Jerusalem’s fall attributed to covenant infidelity  44:1–10

(b) Warning to repent  44:11–14

(c) People’s outright rejection of the message  44:15–19

(d) Jeremiah’s reply  44:20–30

i) God’s past judgment of idolatry: Jerusalem  44:20–23

ii) God’s future judgment of idolatry: Egypt  44:24–30

D. Message to Baruch  45

1. Complaint of Baruch  45:1–3

2. Comfort to Baruch  45:4–5

III. Prophecies concerning Nations  46–51

A. Introduction  46:1

B. Egypt  46:2–28

1. Military slaughter  46:2–12

2. Invasion and exile  46:13–26

3. Regathering of Jacob  46:27–28

C. Philistia: Destruction by northern force  47(:1–7)

D. Moab  48

1. Her destruction  48:1–10

2. Her complacency shattered  48:11–17

3. Her cities desolated  48:18–28

4. Her pride humiliated  48:29–39

5. Her divine judgment  48:40–47

E. Ammon  49:1–6

1. Judgment for dispossessing Israel  49:1–2

2. Exile for trusting riches  49:3–6

F. Edom: Well-deserved overthrow  49:7–22

G. Damascus: Military destruction  49:23–27

H. Kedar and Hazor: Plundered by Nebuchadnezzar for complacency  49:28–33

I. Elam: Divine destruction and exile  49:34–39

J. Babylon  50–51

1. Her doom announced  50:1–10

2. Her fall described  50:11–16

3. Israel’s restoration  50:17–20

4. Divine judgment on her  50:21–40

5. Her anguish  50:41–46

6. God’s vengeance against her  51:1–14

7. God’s sovereignty over her  51:15–26

8. Call to nations against her  51:27–33

9. Her demise and Israel’s escape  51:34–48

10. Necessity of her fall  51:49–53

11. God’s full repayment  51:54–58

12. Seraiah’s symbolic judgment  51:59–64

IV. Historical supplement  52

A. Jerusalem’s fall  52:1–30

1. The fate of the city  52:1–23

a) Siege of the city  52:1–7

b) Capture of Zedekiah  52:8–11

c) Destruction of the city  52:12–16

d) Destruction of the temple  52:17–23

2. The fate of certain people  52:24–30

B. Jehoiachin’s release  52:31–34