The Major Prophets: Jeremiah Part 1 "Committed and Unwavering"

What do you know about the prophet Jeremiah? If you are like me, he may be a Bible character you know little about. The more I study him, and his life, the more I am swept up in the account of his mission as a prophet, his constant and unwavering faith, and his total commitment to his God.

In some ways, the times they were living in during his lifetime, were like the times we are in now. Many of the people had forsaken the worship of Yahweh in the country of Judah. The Northern Kingdom of Israel had already fallen to the Assyrians. In Jerusalem, the politicians were corrupt, and the people were worshipping false Gods. A remnant of the followers of Yahweh were gathering in homes, gathering information from "underground" sources. Jeremiah's scrolls were censored and destroyed, and no one wanted to hear the truth. I believe you will be totally swept away by his life story and prophecies... just like me!

Jeremiah's book is somewhat difficult to study, because the text is not always chronological. Therefore it is important to know the order of the last five kings as you read the book. I have told the story in chronological order, but the text is not always written that way. I have included a list of the kings and their reigns in order in the link below.

Enjoy this 12 minute video, written in narrative form. It is narrated by Jeremiah's sister, a fictional character named Hannah. In this first session, Hannah tells of portions of Jeremiah's life recorded in Jeremiah 1-29. While it is impossible to teach in detail all of the scriptures in the book of Jeremiah in two sessions, I believe you will find the overview helpful in your understanding of the prophet. Then, you may be inspired to dig into studying the book in depth! Thank you, Rachelle Ann, my lovely daughter-in-law for narrating these two lessons! For lesson plans for Jeremiah Pt. 1 and notes click here.

Scriptures: Jeremiah 1-29, 2 Chronicles 34, 35, 2 Kings 22-24, Jeremiah 7:28, 29

Questions: First Half

1. What did Jeremiah do, even in the midst of a declining spiritual culture?

2. What does Jeremiah 6:16 mean for us today? “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it. Then you will find rest for your souls."

3. What was Jeremiah’s main message?

4. Was the culture similar to the one we are living in today? Why or why not?

5. Why do you think Jeremiah was constantly put in prison, but not Baruch?

6. How can we determine who is a real prophet of God, and who is a false one?

Second Half Questions:

1. How do we know from the text that Jeremiah was unwavering in his faith, even though he asked God questions?

2. What was the one way out of total destruction that God made for the remaining people of Judah? What is the one way out of total destruction that God has made for us? How are these two ways similar? How are they different?

3. What did the remnant of Yahweh living in Jerusalem do in the last days of the nation to not lose heart? What did the remnant of Yahweh living in Babylon do? What can we do?

4. How does the illustration of the good and bad figs help explain why some of the Jews are treated so poorly in places around the world?

5. What do you think the believers in exile thought of Jeremiah’s letter?

6. What was it that made the people of Judah so prideful that they would not believe they could ever be attacked and overtaken? What is it about America?

Watch this video clip (3:51) , showing Jeremiah speaking to the people at the temple. So good!!

A copy of the text is written below:

Jeremiah Part 1 “Jeremiah was Committed and Unwavering!”

My brother, Jeremiah, was born when I was three years old, and from the moment he was born things were different. His name means, “The Lord Exalts”. My name is Hannah, which means, “Favored.” We had three other brothers, too, but Jeremiah was my favorite. Our father was the high priest of Yahweh under young king Josiah, the grandson of King Manasseh. Josiah brought sweeping reforms to our country of Judah, tearing down the altars of the Baals

(2 Chronicles 34) , cleansing the temple of Yahweh, and repairing it for proper use again. During this process, our father, Hilkiah, found the Book of the Law in the temple!! What an amazing find!! Because my father was often found in the palace of King Josiah, my brothers and I were often allowed to accompany him.

About five years before this happened, in 629 BC, Jeremiah was called by the Lord to be His prophet. We were living at that time in the priest city of Anathoth. He was just a wiry teenager, then, full of life and love for Yahweh. God revealed to him that he had been chosen, even from inside our mother’s womb, to be His prophet! He was surprised at the calling at such a young age, and afraid. But God reassured him that indeed he would speak for Him, because he was putting HIS words in Jeremiah’s mouth, and that he would set him over the nations.

Together we pondered these words from Yahweh. What could this mean? It did not take long for us to figure it out. Soon after his calling, God began to speak to Jeremiah, giving him prophecies for Judah and Jerusalem. His main message then, was, “Return to Me…” as God was calling out for his people to come home to him. While King Josiah was doing all he could to turn the nation back to God, the people still had “a defiant and rebellious heart. They had revolted and departed.” ( 5:23) Even though Israel, the Northern Kingdom, had been “put away” or divorced from Yahweh, the people of Judah did not learn. They still did not fear Yahweh! They did not believe judgement could possibly come to them. They would say, “ Evil will never come upon us. Neither shall we see sword, or famine. Jeremiah and the other prophets are lying!” (5:12)

God’s next word through Jeremiah was a tough one. Babylon’s army was coming to Judah! He was not the first prophet to warn of this coming destruction. Isaiah, Micah, Zephaniah, Habakkuk, and others had also prophesied this. The Chaldeans would possess their homes and lands, destroy their cities and eat up their harvest. Then, the survivors would be taken into captivity to different parts of the Babylonian empire. The inhabitants of Jerusalem would be “gleaned” as a vine. 6:9. The old, the young, the husband and wife...all would be taken. Jeremiah pleaded with the people, “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it. Then you will find rest for your souls. 6:16 But they were not willing. This was a nation that would not obey the voice of the Lord their God, , nor receive correction. 7:28

By now, the so-called “prophets” and “priests” had started a propaganda campaign against the teachings of Jeremiah. What they promoted sounded logical, but was from their own minds, not the mind of God. The opposition was intense! I feared for Jeremiah’s life, and the life of all true Yahweh believers. These prophets were prophesying falsely and the priests were ruling by their own power (5:31). Yet, Jeremiah preached on! He stood in the gate of the Lord’s house and warned them over and over… “Amend your ways and your doings and I will cause you to dwell in this place!" He cut off his hair and cast it away, and took up a lamentation for Judah on a bare mountain top.. The evil the people had done was severe. God was going to make Judah and Jerusalem a desolation. Jeremiah began to be known as the “Weeping Prophet.” No one could comfort Him, as the Lord himself was pouring out his sorrow through him. He was told to send for wailing women, to mourn the death of Judah. Judgment was coming!

Soon, a plot was formed by the men of Anathoth to kill Jeremiah! But Yahweh himself intervened and revealed the plot to us! Even our own brothers were lying to Jeremiah, and turning others against him! (12:5-6). At this point, Jeremiah moved from being sorrowful to discouraged and I heard him cry out to God. “Why does the way of the wicked prosper?” God answered him, but it wasn't the answer he wanted to hear. God said something like this back to him…”If you have fought for me this far, with the footmen, and they have worn you out, how will you contend with the battle horses when they arrive?” In other words, things are going to get worse before they get better! The battle had not yet begun! Armor up!

Over time, God had Jeremiah do some strange things, to “act out” what would be happening to Judah. There was the time he had to bury a linen sash in the Euphrates river, and dig it up again. Another time he had to go to the potter’s house and have him turn a marred vessel into a brand new one. He also was charged to go to the elders of the people with a flask and break it in front of the people. All of these things were pointing to the idea that the end was near, and God was not changing his mind. Jeremiah became less and less tolerated by the people, most of whom did not follow Yahweh. I begged him to not go out anymore. He was under derision daily and constantly mocked.(20:7). He was beaten and put in the stocks. (20:2) But he could not be persuaded. The Lord’s words were in his heart like a burning fire. (20:9 ) Although Jeremiah was often thrown into prison for speaking Yahweh’s words, God sent him a helper. His friend, Baruch, would often dictate his words, writing them on a scroll, and he would go to the temple and read them. The word kept going out… even though Josiah’s son, King Jehoiakim, obtained the scroll and burned it! They could not quench the spirit! Jeremiah and Baruch rewrote the words of Yahweh on a new scroll and kept spreading them!

Break--- Answer First Half Questions

My brother Jeremiah was a prophet during the death throes of Judah, and he prophesied under five kings: Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah. Josiah, as I mentioned earlier, was such a wonderful king! His son, Jehoahaz, was not. He was taken captive to Egypt after reigning just three months, and the country placed under Egyptian control. After that, Nebuchadnezzar, a Chaldean who was king of Babylon, came up against Judah three times. The first time, under wicked King Jehoiakim, another of Josiah’s sons, we were attacked and now placed under tribute to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzer took captive 3320 of the finest men of Judah, including a strong lover of Yahweh from the royal family, Daniel, and many of the other princes. We were a vassal state, and no longer our own country.

But there was not very much of Judah left, anyways. Three years later, King Jehoiakim decided to rebel against Babylon and refused to pay the tribute. Jeremiah had warned him not to! He reminded the king, that if he did not submit to Chaldean rule, God would send the rest of the people of Judah out of the land. ( Jer 27:5) So the Lord brought against us raiding bands of Chaldeans, Syrians, Moabites, and Ammonites! We were getting hit from all sides! While we endured the constant warfare, you can imagine that Jehoiakim was not the most popular king! He did not bring justice to the poor, or listen to the Lord’s prophets. He practiced oppression and violence.

Next, Jehoiachin, his son, ruled for three months. During his short reign, King Nebuchadnezzer besieged Jerusalem for the second time and took the 18 year old king with him, along with another 10,000 captives. This time, he took the entire royal family, the mighty men of war, merchants and craftsmen, as well as many of the articles from the house of the Lord! Even though Jeremiah prophesied this would happen, we still wept when we watched them ransack our precious temple! One of the future prophets, our friend, Ezekiel, was taken with this group. I can still see his precious face, as he was marched out of Jerusalem with the rest of the captives. Oh, how this young man loved Yahweh! Only the poor of the land were left. (2 Chronicles 34-35, 2 Kings 22-24.)

Before leaving, King Nebuchadnesser, placed Zedekiah, another of King Josiah’s sons, and full brother of Jehoiakim, as king in Judah. Of all people! He was an evil king like his brother, and would not listen to the words of Jeremiah. He had warned him with these words from Yahweh...“I myself will fight against you, with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm...I will strike the inhabitants of this city , both man and beast, they will die of great pestilence. Afterward, I will deliver Zedekiah, and anyone who is left, from pestilence, sword and famine into the hand of Nebuchadnezzer, king of Babylon. Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death. He who remains in the city will die… but he who goes out shall live, and his life shall be his prize. I will give this city to the king of Babylon and he shall burn it with fire. God had made only one way out for his people, and the rest would perish.(21:5-10)

How courageous Jeremiah was! He never wavered. He was in a strange position, having to admonish the king to surrender, to yield to a gentile ruler! While he was unpopular and mocked publicly before, now he was seen as treasonous! The false prophets assured the king that Yahweh would save them. Jeremiah kept insisting that only faithfulness to Yahweh could guarantee a nations’ security, and the country had instead chosen the path of idolatry and wickedness.

We were now living in Jerusalem, meeting underground with the remnant of the Yahweh followers. Zephaniah was also there, along with Habakkuk. We knew we needed to surrender! But what kind of life would this be? Without our temple? Our priests? How would we live in a strange land with strange gods? Would we be separated? How would we survive?

God showed Jeremiah two baskets of figs. One contained good fruit, the other basket--rotten. He explained that the “good” figs were his loyal followers, who he would send to Babylon for their own good. He would set his eyes on them and eventually bring them back to this land. He would build them up and plant them. Then He would give them a heart to know Yahweh and they will know Him and return to Him with their whole heart. (24: 1-10.) The bad figs represented Zedekiah, his princes and the “residue” of Jerusalem. They would be delivered to trouble into all the kingdoms of the earth for their harm. They would become a byword, a taunt and a curse in all places where Yahweh would send them. They would be totally consumed from the land of Judah.

There was quite a stir about this word from the Lord, and now we wondered… How long would we be captive in Babylon? The answer God gave us through Jeremiah (25:11) would be 70 years! There would be seventy years from the time of the first attack of the Babylonians until we would be allowed to return. Also, we were not to fret. The other nations surrounding us were also going to be judged, just as many of the other prophets had foretold. So Jeremiah sent off a letter to the captives in Babylon, the true believers of Yahweh, dictated from Yahweh himself. One of our brothers, Gemariah,, was the royal currier that King Zedekiah sent! What a miracle! We had been praying for our friends and family that had been deported. How were they? Were they keeping faith in Yahweh? Through Jeremiah’s letter, God told them, “Settle in! Plant gardens, get married and have families. I will keep the city where you live now in peace. Beware of the false prophets, who are still among you! You will be there 70 years. But after that time, I will have you return home. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord. Thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” 29:11 (chapter 29).

Key Scriptures in Lesson 1: Jeremiah 2:13, Jeremiah 3:1, Jeremiah 6: 16, Jeremiah 12:5-6, Jeremiah 21:5-10, 29:11