Bible

Today in the Bible room, we begin reading the book of Jeremiah, summarizing this longest book in the Bible into five sessions, beginning here with Session 1, chapters 1 through 11.

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Jeremiah – Session 1 of 5

Introduction to Jeremiah:

Writer: ‘The words of Jeremiah’ dictated to, and recorded by, his personal secretary, Baruch. It is not known who wrote the final chapter of this book.

Scope: Jeremiah’s prophetic writings are primarily related to the impending invasion and subsequent captivity of Judah by the Babylonian Empire. His work began during the reign of King Josiah in Jerusalem sometime around 626 b.c., and continues for about forty years to the end of King Zedekiah’s reign. Nothing is known concerning the prophet’s final years, or the time and manner of his death. Portions of Jeremiah’s writings do not appear in chronological order.

(Note: The kings of Judah are listed with the summary of the book of 2 Kings posted previously in this blog.)

Chapter 1. Prophet

These are the words of Jeremiah which he received from the Lord:

• Jeremiah is a priest from the land of Benjamin;
• The Lord speaks to Jeremiah during the reign of King Josiah;
• And continues into the reign of King Zedekiah,
• Until Judah is attacked and many are taken captive to Babylon;
• The Lord tells Jeremiah he has been ordained to be a prophet;
• He was ordained as a prophet even before he was born;
• Jeremiah tells the Lord he is too young to be a prophet;
• The Lord assures him of Divine guidance and protection;
• He is to be a prophet to Judah and all the nations;
• And he will hear from the Lord what he is to prophecy;
• The Lord tells Jeremiah that judgement is coming to Judah;
• Because of the idol worship and wickedness, calamity is coming;
• The prophet is to tell everyone these severe words of the Lord;
• He will be hated and they will try to stop him from speaking;
• But the Lord will give him strength to persevere.

Chapter 2. Charges

Jeremiah is called as a prophet of the Lord to His people:

• He begins by telling Jerusalem: “Thus says the Lord;”
• He recalls how Judah followed the Lord in the wilderness;
• But now they have strayed into idol worship;
• The Lord had led them into the rich land of promise;
• But now they have defiled the land and made it an abomination;
• The Lord says their transgressions are astonishing;
• So now He is presenting charges against them;
• And extending these charges against their children;
• His people have not only forsaken the Lord of living water;
• They have also hewn themselves cisterns with no water;
• The Lord had set them free from the yoke of slavery;
• And they promised they would always remain true to Him;
• But now they have fallen into the perversion of idolatry;
• His people have become like a house of shame;
• Praying to a tree for help or asking a stone to save them;
• His own people have forgotten their Lord;
• You have even taught wicked people to be more evil;
• You think you have allies, but the Lord has rejected them.

Chapter 3. Return

The Lord tells Jeremiah to plead with Judah and Israel to return to Him:

• Israel had abandoned the Lord’s way and they were cut off;
• Jeremiah is to ask backsliding Israel to return to the Lord;
• And the Lord will forgive and take them back;
• When that happens Judah and Israel will be united again;
• But Israel has fallen away from the Lord in shame.

Chapter 4. Disaster

The Lord says disaster is coming soon to Judah and Jerusalem:

• Jeremiah is to declare the word of the Lord to His people;
• The Lord is bringing disaster and destruction to Judah;
• He is using horses and chariots to bring His judgement;
• His people can do evil very well, but unable to do good;
• Their hearts are filled with bitter wickedness;
• The whole Earth will mourn the death and desolation.

Chapter 5. Rebellious

At heart, the Lord’s people have become defiant and rebellious:

• He tells them to search everywhere throughout Jerusalem;
• Try to find anyone in authority who looks for truth;
• If there is just one, the Lord will hold His judgement;
• But they have all backslidden from the truth they once knew;
• The Lord says He must punish His people for their evil ways;
• He says He will not completely destroy Israel and Judah;
• He will trim them as branches are trimmed from a tree;
• He says He will bring a foreign nation against them;
• An ancient and mighty people who speak an unknown language;
• They will kill your animals, devour your food;
• They will destroy your cities that you think are so strong;
• But the Lord will not completely annihilate Judah;
• Judah has been serving foreign Gods in their own land;
• Soon Judah will be serving foreigners in a land not their own;
• God’s people have developed a defiant and rebellious heart;
• They have gone beyond wicked, and yet they are prospering;
• Even the priests and prophets have been corrupted;
• Their evil is truly astonishing.

Chapter 6. Warning

The Lord continues giving His warning of the coming invasion of Judah:

• People of Jerusalem should be sounding alarms;
• And making plans to escape the city and the invading army;
• Men, women, and children will be taken away captive;
• These cruel, merciless invaders will come with a great roar;
• These are men of war with bows and arrows and swords;
• They will be on galloping horses; it will sound like the sea;
• Fear will be gripping everyone in the face of the plunderer;
• The Lord will use these invaders to test His people;
• But these enemy captors are not a part of God’s people;
• He has already rejected them.

Chapter 7. Repent

The Lord of Hosts tells Jeremiah to call for Judah to repent:

• Jeremiah is to stand at the door of the temple and preach;
• He is to tell Judah: If they will repent, the Lord will forgive;
• They must change their evil ways of treating other people;
• Stop the murdering, stealing, lying, adultery, and idol worship;
• And return to obeying the laws of the Lord;
• But the Lord tells Jeremiah these people will not repent;
• For many years they have walked away from their God;
• They have ignored all the Lord’s prophets which he has sent;
• And now they will continue to ignore you as well;
• They have fallen into such evil they burn their children in fire;
• Many people will die at the hands of the invaders;
• There will be no more joy or laughter in Judah or Jerusalem.

Chapter 8. Backsliding

The Lord says Jerusalem is in a state of forever backsliding:

• No one ever truly repents of their wrong doing;
• They claim to be wise but they reject the word of the Lord;
• They have no shame even for the worst abominations;
• The Lord says He will send biting snakes among them;
• Jeremiah mourns:  Is there no balm in Gilead?

Chapter 9. Wailing

Jeremiah says he could weep day and night for his people:

• They have all become “an assembly of treacherous men;”
• Everyone will cheat his neighbor, even his own brother;
• A man will speak peaceably, but hold deception in his heart;
• The Lord says He will turn Jerusalem into a city of ruins;
• All Judah will be abandoned to become a place of desolation;
• And His people will be scattered among the Gentiles;
• Skilled wailing women should be called in to mourn;
• And their children should be taught how to wail;
• The end is coming for all those who are evil at heart.

Chapter 10. Idolatry

The Lord tells Judah they should not learn the ways of the Gentiles:

• The Gentiles are involved in all manner of idol worship;
• They cut down a tree, decorate it, then worship it;
• Those who do such things are foolish, dull-witted;
• But those nations will not survive the anger of the living God;
• Neither will all those false gods that people worship;
• Israel is the chosen of the true God who made all things;
• The prophet can hear the noise of the coming invasion;
• Judah is going to be devastated, abandoned.

Chapter 11. Obedience

The Lord tells the prophet: Tell the people obedience is mandatory:

• Those who do not obey the covenant are cursed;
• The Lord’s people will be those who obey the covenant;
• Long ago, the Lord urged His people to obey His words;
• But this present generation has reverted to idol worship;
• They had established a different god in every city in Judah;
• And every street in Jerusalem had a pagan sacrificial altar;
• Jeremiah says calamity will soon fall on Judah, Jerusalem;
• A group of young men begin to threaten Jeremiah’s life;
• The Lord says they will all die by the sword;
• And their sons and daughters will all die by famine.

End of Session 1 of 5 of the book of Jeremiah