Jeremiah3

you only as a temporary resource? 21;13
Jerusalem was built on a plateau with valleys on three sides. Because of its strategic location, the inhabitants thought they were safe. 22:1-5
Chapters 22–25 may not be in chronological order. In 21:8-10 God implied that it was too late for repentance. In 22:4, however, God said that there was still time to change. The events to which this chapter refer occurred before those of chapter 21.
22:3
God gave the king the basis for rebuilding the nation—turn from evil and do right. Doing what is right is more than simply believing all the right doctrines about God. It means living in obedience to God. Good deeds do not save us, but they display our faith (James 2:17-26). 22:10-12
Good King Josiah had died at the battle of Megiddo (2 Kings 23:29); his son Jehoahaz reigned for only three months in 609 B.C. before being taken away to Egypt by Pharaoh Neco. He would be the first ruler to die in exile. The people were told not to waste their tears on the death of Josiah but to cry for the king who was taken into exile and would never return.
22:15-16
God passed judgment on King Jehoiakim. His father, Josiah, had been one of Judah’s great kings, but Jehoiakim was evil. Josiah had been faithful to his responsibility to be a model of right living, but Jehoiakim had been unfaithful to his responsibility to imitate his father. God’s judgment was on unfaithful Jehoiakim. He could not claim his father’s blessings when he had not followed his father’s God. We may inherit our parents’ money, but we cannot inherit their faith. A godly heritage, a good education, or a beautiful home doesn’t guarantee moral character. We must have our own relationship with God. 22;21
Jehoiakim had been hardheaded and hard-hearted since childhood. God warned him, but he refused to listen. His prosperity always took a higher priority than his relationship with
God. If you ever find yourself so comfortable that you don’t have time for God, stop and ask which is more important—the comforts of this life or a close relationship with God.
22;24-25
A signet ring was extremely valuable because a king used it to authenticate important documents. Jehoiachin’s sins spoiled his usefulness to God. Even if he were God’s own signet ring, God would depose him because of his sins (see 24:1). 22;30
Zedekiah reigned after Jehoiachin but died before him (52:10-11). Jehoiachin was the last king of David’s line to sit on the throne in Judah (1 Chronicles 3:15-20). He had seven sons, but not one served as king. Jehoiachin’s grandson Zerubbabel ruled after the return from exile (Ezra 2:2). He was only a governor, not a king. 23:1-4
Those responsible to lead Israel in God’s path were the very ones responsible for Israel’s present plight, and so God had decreed harsh judgment against them. Leaders are held responsible for those entrusted to their care. Whom has God placed in your care? Remember that you are accountable to God for those you influence and lead. 23:5-6
Jeremiah contrasted the present corrupt leaders with the coming Messiah, the perfect King, who would come from David’s line to reign over Israel. The King is called a righteous Branch because he will sprout up from the stump of David’s fallen dynasty (Isaiah 11:1). This new growth will have God’s own characteristics. Like the Creator, the Branch will be righteous. 23:9-14
How did the nation become so corrupt? A major factor was false prophecy. The false prophets had a large, enthusiastic audience and were very popular because they made the people believe that all was well. By contrast, Jeremiah’s message from God was unpopular because it showed the people how bad they were. There are four warning signs of false prophets—characteristics we need to watch for even today: (1) They may appear to speak God’s message, but they do not live according to God’s Word. (2) They water down God’s message in order to make it more palatable. (3) They encourage their listeners, often subtly, to disobey God. (4) They tend to be arrogant and self-serving, appealing to the desires of their audience instead of being true to God’s Word.

23;14
Sodom and Gomorrah were sinful cities destroyed by God (Genesis 19:23-24). In the Bible they typify the ultimate in depraved, sinful behavior and rebellion against God. 23:20
In the days to come, you will understand all this very clearly” means that the people would see the truth of this prophecy when Jerusalem fell.

23:28
True prophets and false prophets are as different as chaff and wheat. Chaff is useless for food and cannot compare to nourishing wheat. To share the gospel is a great responsibility because the way we present it and live it will encourage people either to accept it or reject it. Whether we speak from a pulpit, teach in a class, or share with friends, we must accurately communicate and live out God’s Word. As you share God’s Word with friends and neighbors, they will look for its effectiveness in your life. Unless it has changed you, why should they let it change them? If you preach it, make sure you live it!
23;33-40
People mocked Jeremiah by saying sarcastically, “What prophecy has the LORD burdened you with now?” It seemed that Jeremiah brought nothing but God’s sad news of condemnation. But this sad news was the truth. If they had accepted it, they would have had to repent and turn to God. Because they did not want to do this, they rejected Jeremiah’s message. Have you ever rejected a message or made fun of it because it would require you to change your ways? Before dismissing someone who brings sad news, look carefully at your motives.
24:1
In 597 B.C. Jehoiachin was taken to Babylon, and Zedekiah became king. Often royal officials were exiled to keep them from exerting power and starting a rebellion. Skilled craftsmen were taken because they were valuable for Babylon’s building program. Jeremiah foretold this event in 22:24-28. 24;2-10
The fresh, ripe figs represented the exiles to Babylon, not because they themselves were good, but because their hearts would respond to God. He would preserve them and bring them back to the land. The spoiled figs represented those who remained in Judah or ran away to Egypt. Those people may have arrogantly believed they would be blessed if they remained in the land or escaped to Egypt, but the opposite was true because God would use the captivity to refine the exiles. We may assume we are blessed when life goes well and cursed when it does not. But trouble is a blessing when it makes us stronger, and prosperity is a curse if it entices us away from God. If you are facing trouble, ask God to help you grow stronger for him. If things are going your way, ask God to help you use your prosperity for him.
24:6
The exiles in Babylon were cared for by the Lord. Although they were moved to a foreign land, their captivity was not enslavement. The people could function in business and own homes. Some, like Daniel, even held high positions in the government (see Daniel 2:48). 25;1-3
Jeremiah gave this message in 605 B.C., the year Nebuchadnezzar came to power. From verse 3 we learn that the beginning of Jeremiah’s ministry was in 627 B.C. He predicted the 70 years of captivity a full 20 years before they began. 25:2-6
Imagine preaching the same message for 23 years and continually being rejected!
Jeremiah faced this; but because he had committed his life to God, he continued to proclaim the message “Turn from the evil road you are traveling and from the evil things you are doing.” Regardless of the people’s response, Jeremiah did not give up. God never stops loving us, even when we reject him. We can thank God that he won’t give up on us, and, like Jeremiah, we can commit ourselves to never forsaking him. No matter how people respond when you tell them about God, remain faithful to God’s high call and continue to witness for him.

25:12
This event is further described in Daniel 5. The troops of Cyrus the Great entered Babylon in 539 B.C. and killed Belshazzar, the last Babylonian ruler. 25;15-38
Judah would not be the only nation to drink the cup of God’s anger. Here Jeremiah listed other wicked nations that would experience God’s wrath at the hands of Babylon. Finally, Babylon itself would be destroyed because of its sin. 26:1-24
The events described in this chapter took place in 609–608 B.C., before the events described in chapter 25. Jehoiakim was a materialistic and self-centered king who persecuted and murdered innocent people (36:22-32; 2 Kings 23:36–24:6). Chapter 26 describes how and why Jeremiah was on trial for his life. 26:2
God reminded Jeremiah that he wanted his entire message given—”Include every word.” Jeremiah may have been tempted to leave out the parts that would turn his audience against him, sound too harsh, or make him sound like a traitor. But by God’s command, he was not to delete parts of God’s message to suit himself, his audience, or the circumstances in which he found himself. Like Jeremiah, we must never ignore or exclude important parts of God’s Word to please someone. 26:2-9
Shiloh was where the Tabernacle had been set up after the conquest of Canaan (Joshua 18:1). It was destroyed in 1050 B.C. by the Philistines. God said he would destroy the Temple as Shiloh had been destroyed. When Jeremiah said that Jerusalem, the city of God, would become an object of cursing and the Temple would be destroyed (26:6), the priests and false prophets were infuriated. The Temple was important to them because the people’s reverence for it brought them power. By saying that the Temple would be destroyed, Jeremiah undermined their authority. Jesus also infuriated the religious leaders of his time by foretelling the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple (Matthew 24:2). 26;11
Jeremiah was branded a traitor because he prophesied the destruction of the city and the Temple. But the “courageous” people advocated a foreign alliance to fight Babylon and retain their independence. 26;17-19
The wise old men remembered the words of the prophet Micah (Micah 3:12), which were similar to the words Jeremiah spoke. When Micah called the people to repent, they turned from their wickedness. Although these people did not kill Jeremiah, they missed the main point—that the application of the story was for them. They spared Jeremiah, but they did not spare themselves by repenting of their sins. As you recall a great story of the Bible, ask how it can be applied to your life. 26:20-23
Uriah is an otherwise unknown prophet who was executed for faithfully proclaiming God’s words. This shows us that God has had other prophets whose words are not included in the Bible. :27:1-8
The year was 593 B.C., and Nebuchadnezzar had already invaded Judah once and had taken many captives. Jeremiah wore a yoke (a wooden frame used to fasten a team of animals to a plow) as a symbol of bondage. This was an object lesson, telling the people they must put themselves under Babylon’s yoke or be destroyed. 27:5-6
God punished the people of Judah in an unusual way, by appointing a foreign ruler to be his “servant.” Nebuchadnezzar was not appointed to proclaim God’s message, but to fulfill God’s promise of judgment on sin. Because God is in control of all events, he uses whomever he wants. God may use unlikely people or circumstances to correct you. Be ready to accept God’s guidance, even if it comes from unexpected sources. 27:12-18
Zedekiah was in a tough spot. Jeremiah called on him to surrender to Nebuchadnezzar at a time when many of the other leaders wanted him to form an alliance and fight. It would be disgraceful for a king to surrender, and he would look like a coward. This was a great opportunity for the false prophets, who kept saying that the Babylonians would not defeat the great city of Jerusalem and that God would never allow the magnificent, holy Temple to be destroyed. 27:19-22
When Nebuchadnezzar invaded Judah, first in 605 and then in 597 B.C., he took away many important people living in Jerusalem—including Daniel and Ezekiel. Although these men were captives, they had a profound impact on the exiles and leaders in Babylon. Jeremiah predicted that more people, and even the precious objects in the Temple, would be taken. This happened in 586 B.C. during Babylon’s third and last invasion.
28:8-17
Jeremiah spoke the truth, but it was unpopular; Hananiah spoke lies, but his deceitful words brought false hope and comfort to the people. God had already outlined the marks of a true prophet (Deuteronomy 13; 18:20-22): A true prophet’s predictions always come true, and his words never contradict previous revelation. Jeremiah’s predictions were already coming true, from Hananiah’s death to the Babylonian invasions. But the people still preferred to listen to comforting lies rather than painful truth. 29:4-7
Jeremiah wrote to the captives in Babylon (29:4-23) instructing them to move ahead with their lives and to pray for the pagan nation that enslaved them. Life cannot grind to a halt during troubled times. In an unpleasant or distressing situation, we must adjust and keep moving. You may find it difficult to pray for those in authority if they are evil, but that is when your prayers are most needed (1 Timothy 2:1-2). When you enter times of trouble or sudden change, pray diligently and move ahead, doing whatever you can rather than giving up because of fear and uncertainty. 29;10
Scholars differ on the exact dates of this 70-year period in Babylon. Some say it refers to the years 605–538 B.C., from the first deportation to Babylon to the arrival of the first exiles back in Jerusalem after Cyrus’s freedom decree. Others point to the years 586–515 B.C., from the last deportation to Babylon and the destruction of the Temple until its rebuilding. A third possibility is that 70 years is an approximate number meaning a lifetime. All agree that God sent his people to Babylon for a long time, not the short captivity predicted by the false prophets. 29:11
We’re all encouraged by a leader who stirs us to move ahead, someone who believes we can do the task he has given and who will be with us all the way. God is that kind of leader. He knows the future, and his plans for us are good and full of hope. As long as God, who knows the future, provides our agenda and goes with us as we fulfill his mission, we can have boundless hope. This does not mean that we will be spared pain, suffering, or hardship, but that God will see us through to a glorious conclusion.
29:12-14
God did not forget his people, even though they were captives in Babylon. He planned to give them a new beginning with a new purpose—to turn them into new people. In times of dire circumstances, it may appear as though God has forgotten you. But God may be preparing you, as he did the people of Judah, for a new beginning with him at the center. 29:13
According to God’s wise plan, his people were to have a future and a hope; consequently, they could call upon him in confidence. Although the exiles were in a difficult place and time, they need not despair because they had God’s presence, the privilege of prayer, and God’s grace. If we seek him wholeheartedly, he will be found. Neither a strange land, sorrow, persecution, nor physical problems can break our fellowship with God. 29:21
These false prophets, Ahab and Zedekiah, should not be confused with the kings who had the same names. Their family connections clearly identify them.

29:24-28
These verses describe the reaction of Shemaiah, a false prophet exiled in 597 B.C. who had protested about Jeremiah’s letter. To discredit Jeremiah, Shemaiah accused him of false prophecy. Although Jeremiah’s message was true and his words were from God, the people hated him because he told them to make the most of the Exile. Jeremiah’s truth from God offered temporary correction and long-range benefit, while the false teachers’ lies offered only temporary comfort and long-range punishment. 30;1-22
Chapters 30 and 31 show that Jeremiah spoke of hope and consolation as well as trouble and gloom. The people would one day be restored to their land, and God would make a new covenant with them to replace the one they broke. Whereas once they sinned and disobeyed, eventually they would repent and obey. 30:8-9
Like Isaiah, Jeremiah associated events of the near future and those of the distant future. Reading these prophecies is like looking at several mountain peaks in a range. From a distance they look as though they are next to each other, when actually they are miles apart. Jeremiah presents near and distant events as if they will all happen soon. He sees the Exile, but he sees also the future day when Christ will reign forever. The reference to David is not to King David, but to his famous descendant, the Messiah (Luke 1:69). 30:12-13
The medical language here conveys the idea that sin is terminal. Sinful people cannot be cured by being good or being religious. Beware of putting your confidence in useless cures while your sin spreads and causes you pain. God alone can cure the disease of sin, but you must be willing to let him do it. 30:15
Judah protested its punishment, even though the sin that caused the pain was scandalous. But punishment is an opportunity for growth because it makes us aware of sin’s consequences. The people should have asked how they could profit from their mistakes. Remember this the next time you are corrected.

30:18
This prophecy that Jerusalem would be rebuilt was not completely fulfilled by the work of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Zerubbabel. The city was indeed rebuilt after the captivity, but the final restoration will occur when all believers are gathered in Christ’s Kingdom. This restoration will include buildings (30:18), people (30:19), and rulers (30:21). 30:21
This verse refers to the restoration after the Babylonian captivity as well as to the final restoration under Christ.
31:1
This promise is to all the families (tribes) of Israel, not only to the tribe of Judah. The restoration will include all people who trust God. 31;3
God reaches toward his people with kindness motivated by deep and everlasting love. He is eager to do the best for them if they will only let him. After many words of warning about sin, this reminder of God’s magnificent love is a breath of fresh air. Rather than thinking of God with dread, look carefully and see him lovingly drawing us toward himself. 31;14
This means that many sacrifices will be made at the Temple so that the priests will have a feast with their portion. It is also a symbol of life and prosperity (Psalms36:8; 63:5; Isaiah 55:2).
31:15
Rachel, Jacob’s favorite wife, was the symbolic mother of the northern tribes, which were taken into captivity by the Assyrians. Rachel is pictured crying for the exiles at Ramah, a staging point of deportation. This verse is quoted in Matthew 2:18 to describe the sadness of the mothers of Bethlehem as the male children were killed. The weeping was great in both cases.
31:18-20
These words picture grief and mourning. Although Israel, the northern kingdom, had sunk into the most degrading sins, God still loved the people. A remnant would turn to God by repenting of their sins, and God would forgive. God still loves you despite anything you may have done. He will forgive you if you turn back to him. 31:29-31
The people tried to blame God’s judgment on the sins of their fathers. One person’s sin does indeed affect other people, but all people are still held personally accountable for the sin in their own life (Deuteronomy 24:16; Ezekiel 18:2). What excuses do you use for your sins?
31;33
God would write his law on their hearts rather than on tablets of stone, as he did the Ten Commandments. In 17:1 their sin was engraved on their hearts so that they wanted above all to disobey. This change seems to describe an experience very much like the new birth, with God taking the initiative. When we turn our life over to God, he, by his Holy Spirit, builds into us the desire to obey him. The old covenant, broken by the people, would be replaced by a new covenant. The foundation of this new covenant is Christ (Hebrews 8:6). It is revolutionary, involving not only Israel and Judah but even the Gentiles. It offers a unique personal relationship with God himself, with his laws written on individuals’ hearts instead of on stone. Jeremiah looked forward to the day when Jesus would come to establish this covenant. But for us today, this covenant is here. We have the wonderful opportunity to make a fresh start and establish a permanent, personal relationship with God (see 29:11; 32:38-40).
31:35-37