Today, in the Bible room, Jeremiah makes his final visit with us, as we conclude the reading of his book. Here is Session 5, the summaries of chapters 45 through 52.
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Jeremiah – Session 5 of 5
Chapter 45. Writer
Jeremiah speaks to his personal secretary, Baruch:
- Baruch has been the writer of all the words spoken by Jeremiah;
- Now, the prophet has some words from the Lord for Baruch;
- Along with Jeremiah, Baruch has seen some rough times;
- The Lord says to him: don’t look for personal possessions;
- Very soon Judah and Jerusalem are going to be destroyed;
- But Baruch will live a long life in peace wherever he goes.
Chapter 46. Against
The Lord has some strong words against nations: Egypt is first:
- The army of Egypt has gone up to Carchemish;
- To face Nebuchadnezzar by the Euphrates River;
- Fear strikes the hearts of the Egyptians who turn back;
- Egypt’s army becomes a sacrifice at the Euphrates River;
- Even a balm from Gilead will not heal the defeated army;
- Later, King Nebuchadnezzar would go to war in Egypt;
- The Lord uses Nebuchadnezzar to punish Egypt;
- Egypt’s mercenary soldiers give up and go home;
- Later, life in Egypt will be restored as in earlier times;
- But Israel, the land of Jacob, should not fear for their safety;
- The Lord will punish them, put them in captivity;
- But He will not totally destroy His people.
Chapter 47. Against
The Lord continues His strong words against nations: here it’s Philistia:
- Jeremiah receives the word of the Lord against the Philistines;
- This is before the Egyptian army attacks Gaza;
- He hears the wailing of the people, the hooves of the horses;
- He hears the rushing of chariots, the rumbling of the wheels;
- Fathers will leave their children and run from the battle;
- The Philistines will be overrun, totally destroyed;
- The prophet asks the Lord how long He plans to destroy.
Chapter 48. Against
The Lord continues His strong words against nations: this time it’s Moab:
- He declares Moab will be overrun, plundered;
- There will be no more praise for Moab;
- Moab will be destroyed, cease to be a nation;
- Every city will be plundered, no one will escape;
- Israel has been a derision to Moab;
- Moab will be a derision to the world;
- Joy and gladness will be taken from the land of Moab;
- The Lord says the year of punishment is coming to Moab.
Chapter 49. Nations
The Lord has strong words against nations:
- The cities of the Ammonites will be plundered, burned;
- Israel will take possession of the land of the Ammonites;
- All wisdom has vanished from the land of Edom;
- The calamity of Esau is coming to Edom;
- Edom will become despised throughout the world;
- Like Sodom and Gomorrah, Edom will become desolate;
- Damascus will be set on fire, including the king’s palace;
- The Lord will send Nebuchadnezzar to punish Kedar, Hazor;
- Hazor shall be left desolate, no inhabitants;
- Elam will be scattered everywhere across the world;
- The Lord says He will consume Elam.
Chapter 50. Sheep
The Lord says His people are like sheep that have been scattered:
- Jeremiah says the Lord has spoken against Babylon;
- He says He will break down the Chaldean nation;
- Israel’s leaders have led them like sheep into wrong-doing;
- And they have been taken captive by Babylon;
- Now, the Lord will send a great force against Babylon;
- And this force will plunder the nation of the Chaldeans;
- The Lord will punish Babylon and restore His people;
- They shall be forgiven for all their prior sins;
- The vengeance of the Lord will be severe against Babylon;
- The whole earth shakes at the fall of Babylon.
Chapter 51. Plan
The Lord has a plan to destroy Babylon:
- He will lift up the Medes as a force to go against Babylon;
- He will repay the Chaldeans for the wrongs done to Israel;
- The army of the Medes will make all of Babylon desolate;
- The judgement of the Lord is coming upon idol worshipers;
- Jeremiah wrote all the words of the Lord against Babylon;
- Seraiah, a priest, had been taken captive to Babylon
- Along with King Zedekiah when Jerusalem was overrun;
- The prophet tells Seraiah to read this scroll aloud in Babylon;
- Then, with a stone, he is to throw it into the Euphrates River;
- He is to proclaim this as a sign of the future of Babylon;
- Like this rock, it will sink and never rise to prominence again.
Chapter 52. Recap
An unknown writer gives a recap of Jerusalem’s fall to Babylon:
- Zedekiah is made king of Judah when he was twenty-one;
- He is a puppet king installed by King Nebuchadnezzar;
- Zedekiah is an evil ruler, turns away from the Lord;
- Babylon’s army places a siege around Jerusalem for two years;
- There comes a time when Jerusalem runs out of food;
- The Babylonian army breaks down the walls, enters the city;
- At night, Zedekiah, and some others, escape from the city;
- The Chaldeans chase them down, take them prisoners;
- They blind the king’s eyes, kill his sons and the officers;
- The former will spend the rest of his life in prison in Babylon;
- In Jerusalem, the temple is burned along with all the houses;
- Some of the poor people are taken captives;
- Others are left in Judah to be farmers and vineyard keepers;
- The treasures of the temple from Solomon’s days are stolen;
- The larger pieces are broken up, everything taken to Babylon;
- Nebuchadnezzar takes 3,023 Jews captive to Babylon;
- Eleven years later he returns, kidnaps 832 more people;
- Five years after that, Nebuzaradan comes and gets 745 more;
- In all, 4,600 Jews are taken captive to Babylon;
- 37 years later, former king, Jehoiachin, is released from prison.
End of Session 5 of 5 of the book of Jeremiah
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