Old Testament Survey:Book of Jeremiah

Background

• One hundred thirty-five years later, Judah followed in Israel footsteps into spiritual adultery.

• Jeremiah worked in the capital of Jerusalem.• Jeremiah was contemporary with Daniel, Ezekiel,

Habakkuk, and Zephaniah.• He was selected to be a prophet when he was

young (1:6).• Lived in Anathoth, north of Jerusalem.• Known as the “weeping prophet.”

• Jeremiah began his work during King Josiah’s reign.• King Josiah sought to reform the religious corruption

of his day.• Forcible repression of the idolatrous and heathen rites• As soon as King Josiah died, his reforms were

removed, and the nation returned to idolatry.• For 18 years, Jeremiah prophesied unhampered

during King Josiah’s rule.• After Josiah’s death, many sought to put Jeremiah to

death.

Background

• While not written in chronological order, the book does have three main divisions that correspond to the reigns of three notable kings under whom Jeremiah prophesied.– First period under Josiah (20 years)– Second period under Jehoiakim (11 years)– Third period under Zedekiah (14 years)

Background

• His message did not change; he called for Judah to leave false worship and immorality and renew allegiance to God.

• Judah’s attitudes were hard—they felt no shame for their conduct.– Jeremiah 6:13-16

• Priests and prophets were responsible for leading Judah into sin.– Jeremiah 5:30,31

Background

• Jeremiah lived about 100 years after Isaiah.• His ministry began in 626 BC.• It lasted 60 years, until Jerusalem fell in 586 BC.• He saw Assyria’s world power fall to Babylon and

also saw Jerusalem fall to Babylon.• Jeremiah tried to save Judah from Babylon.• He prophesied until King Nebuchadnezzar

destroyed Jerusalem and blinded king Zedekiah.

Background

Keys to the Book

• Key words– “Forsake” or

“Forsaken” (24)

– “Backslider” or “Backsliding” (13)

– “Return” (47)

• Key Verses:– “Then the LORD said to me,

‘Backsliding Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say: 'Return, backsliding Israel,' says the LORD; 'I will not cause My anger to fall on you. For I am merciful,' says the LORD; 'I will not remain angry forever.” (3:11,12)

• Key Verses– “We lie down in our

shame, and our reproach covers us. For we have sinned against the LORD our God, We and our fathers, from our youth even to this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.“ (3:25)

• Key Verses:– “An astonishing and

horrible thing Has been committed in the land: The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; and My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?” (5:30,31)

Keys to the Book

• Key Verses– “But this is what I commanded

them, saying, 'Obey My voice,

and I will be your God, and

you shall be My people. And

walk in all the ways that I have

commanded you, that it may

be well with you.‘ Yet they did

not obey or incline their ear,

but followed the counsels and

the dictates of their evil

hearts, and went backward

and not forward.“ (7:23,24)

• Key Verses:– “The harvest is past, The

summer is ended, and we

are not saved! For the hurt

of the daughter of my people

I am hurt. I am mourning;

astonishment has taken

hold of me. Is there no balm

in Gilead; is there no

physician there? Why then

is there no recovery for the

health of the daughter of my

people?” (8:20-22)

Keys to the Book

Message

• Jeremiah prophesied in Judah, with a message for Judah.

• A heartbroken prophet with a heartbreaking message

• For 40 years, Jeremiah prophesied of the doom that was coming.

• He foretold and witnessed Jerusalem’s fall.• He foretold that, after 70 years of captivity, a

remnant would return.

• First, denunciation. Despite all that God had done for Judah, they had forsaken Him.

• Second, note of visitation. Sin must be punished, and God would visit His wrath upon them.

• Third, a note of invitation. Dearly beloved by the Lord, and could yet amend their ways.

• Finally, consolation. Beyond rebellion, there will be repentance. Judah returned from Babylonian captivity.

Message

Jeremiah’s Appeal

• To his generation, and all generations

• A timeless call for men not to trust in themselves, but in God.

• Not to glory in wisdom or wealth, but to glory in the knowledge of God

• To forsake evil and return to God

• His plea—”amend your ways!” (26:13)

Great Lessons from Jeremiah

• God’s call of Jeremiah and his commission to Judah and the nations– (1:4-10)

• The broken cisterns—”forsaken me, the fountain of living waters.”– (2:11-13)

• Prophet and priest dealing falsely– (5:30,31; 6:13,14)

• Unashamed of their conduct– (6:15; 8:12)

• Amend your ways!– (7:3-5; 18:11; 26:13)

• The folly of trusting lying words– (7:4-8)

• The potter and the clay—Israel in God’s hands– (18:1-11)

• The potter’s broken vessel– (19:1-15)

Great Lessons from Jeremiah

• False pastors and shepherds– (23:1-4; 50:6)

• The Branch– (23:5-8)

• The promised return of the faithful remnant after 70 years of captivity– (29:10-14)

• The new covenant– (31:31-34)

Great Lessons from Jeremiah

• Divine inspiration of the scriptures– (1:9; 18:2)

• The mutilation and restoration of God’s word– (36:21-24, 27-32)

• God’s people then and now– (24:7; 31:33)

• Trusted in their own footsteps– (10:23)

Great Lessons from Jeremiah

The Problem of Sin

• Sought wisdom from other sources– (2:13)

• False leadership– (5:30,31)

• Given over to covetousness– (6:13)

• Imaginations of their evil hearts– (3:17; 7:24; 11:8; 16:12;18:12)

• The people rose up early to sin– (Zephaniah 3:7)

• Do evil with both hands and you will perish– (Micah 7:2,3)

• Had not obeyed the Lord’s voice– (3:25)

• Worship was merely a ritual– (7:4-7)

• Truth vanished from their lives– (7:28)

The Problem of Sin

Tragic Results of Sin

• The marred girdle– (13:9,10)

• The potter’s power over the clay and the broken vessel– (18:1-11; 19:1-15)

• Good and bad figs– (24:1-10)

• Jeremiah wearing the yoke around his neck– (27:8)

Jeremiah’s Prayers

• Acknowledging his limitations– (1:6)

• Had he deceived the people?– (4:10)

• Wondering about the way of the wicked– (12:1-4)

• Admitting Israel’s sins– (14:7-8)

• Sought revenge against his persecutors– (14:7,8,21)

• Israel’s hope—forsake sin and be ashamed– (17:13-18)

• Shall evil be recompensed with good?– (18:19-23)

• Would not speak because the people held him in derision– (20:7-9)

Jeremiah’s Prayers

More Good Lessons

• God’s judgment on Judah– Jeremiah pled for

them to repent and return to the Lord—but they refused!

– “But if they do not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation, says the LORD.” (12:17)

– “Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.” (7:24)

– “For though you wash yourself with lye, and use much soap, yet your iniquity is marked before Me…” (2:22)

• Cause of their downfall– Rejected His

pleading and obeyed men rather than God!

– “…Because they have not heeded My words, nor My law, but rejected it.” (6:19)

– “Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit.” (7:8)

– “…Let my eyes flow with tears night and day, and let them not cease; for the virgin daughter of my people Has been broken with a mighty stroke, with a very severe blow.” (14:17)

More Good Lessons

• The New Covenant– The New

Covenant would be different from the one God made with Israel.

– “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah... But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (31:31,33}

More Good Lessons