Bible Study Notes in Jeremiah- Chapter 37

Jeremiah 37

 

-At the point and time of this chapter being narrated, Zedekiah had been named king in Judah by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, in place of Coniah, the son of Jehoiakim. “But, neither he (Zedekiah) nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of the LORD which He spoke through Jeremiah the prophet (Jeremiah 37:1-2).” Yet, Zedekiah asked Jeremiah to pray for the people of Judah and Jeremiah had freedom at this point to go in and out among the people. Meanwhile, the plot thickened as Pharaoh’s army from Egypt set out to confront the Chaldeans who had been besieging Jerusalem. When the Chaldeans heard of this, they temporarily lifted the siege of Jerusalem to pay military attention to their foe. However, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Jeremiah at this time warning that the Chaldeans of Babylon would be back as the Egyptian army would return to its own land in Egypt (Jeremiah 37:3-7). God’s word was stark, “The Chaldeans will also return and fight against this city, and they will capture it and burn it with fire. Do not deceive yourselves, saying, ‘The Chaldeans will surely go away from us,’ for they will not go. For even if you had defeated the entire army of Chaldeans who were fighting against you, and there were only wounded men left among them, each man in his tent, they would rise up and burn this city with fire (Jeremiah 37:8-10).”

-As the Babylonian siege was indeed lifted at this time because of Pharaoh’s army, Jeremiah went to the land of Benjamin in order to take possession of some property there among the people (more than likely this is a prequel occurrence of the narrative in Jeremiah 32:6-44). When he came to the gate of the city a captain of the guard whose name was Irijah arrested the prophet accusing him of going over to the Chaldeans as a treasonous act. Jeremiah vehemently denied the accusation as a lie, yet the authorities were angry with him with demonic fury and beat him and put him in jail in the house of Jonathan the scribe in a dungeon, which was a vaulted cell (probably cut out of rock). Jeremiah, the Bible says, stayed there in confinement many days (Jeremiah 37:11-16). He was eventually rescued by King Zedekiah when he sent for him and brought him back to Jerusalem to secretly ask if there was a prophetic word from the LORD. Jeremiah said, “There is!” Then he proclaimed emphatically, “You will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon (Jeremiah 37:17)!” He then questioned the king as to what way he had personally sinned against him, his servants, and his people to be treated with disdain and thrown into prison like he indeed was. He then mocked the false prophets with derision saying, “Where then are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, ‘The king of Babylon will not come against you or against this land?’” After this he pleaded with the king to allow him to stay in Jerusalem and not have to return to the house of Jonathan the scribe because he feared they would kill him there with a slow and torturous death. To his credit, Zedekiah gave commandment and Jeremiah was committed to the court of the guardhouse being given a loaf of bread daily from the baker’s street until all the bread was gone under the Babylonian siege. So Jeremiah remained in confinement in the court of the guardhouse (Jeremiah 37:18-21). Jeremiah had a tough ministry assignment. *Application* God directs our steps and actions as we surrender our will to His in every dimension. Often, as we see here in this passage, there is pain in the offering. But let us examine the attitude and courage of the man of God. He never backed down from what he knew the LORD was telling him, and God eventually provided and took care of His servant. Here is an example of a surrendered life that has complete faith and dependence on what God is doing even in dire circumstances. Brothers and sisters, keep faith and the charge of the Living God in all you are called to during this life. Notice too how even those who do not listen to God will eventually come around and ask your opinion and advice on important matters and benefit you like King Zedekiah did. O stay strong my fellow soldier in Christ, stay strong and be blessed!

 

Verses to Memorize: Jeremiah 37:8-9, 19

Bible Study Notes in Jeremiah- Chapter 36

Jeremiah 36

 

-Jeremiah, during the reign of Jehoikiam in his fourth year, was commanded by God to take a scroll and write all the words which He spoke on it concerning Israel and Judah and all the nations from the day He first spoke to His prophet up until the present day (Jeremiah 36:1-2). The LORD is absolutely clear as to the reason for this. It was to perhaps give His chosen people another chance to turn from their evil ways so that He could forgive them and restore them and not bring calamity (Jeremiah 36:3). Jeremiah called Baruch to transcribe the material as God had ordered and deliver it to the house of the LORD (the Temple) since he was not allowed to do that by the authorities. Baruch was told to do this on a fast day before all the people for the purpose of allowing them the chance to make supplication before the LORD in a solemn occasion reducing the LORD’s wrath and anger towards them for their wicked deeds (Jeremiah 36:4-7). Baruch obeyed the prophet and did it in the fifth year of Jehoikiam in the ninth month when the people came for a fast before the LORD. When the people heard the message from the prophet of God, they went down to the king’s house, into the scribe’s chamber, to have the higher officials hear the word. After these men heard the word, they had Baruch, along with Jeremiah, go and hide so that they could present the material to the king in earnest (Jeremiah 36:8-19). The scribes brought the message before the king’s court to the scribe Elishama. As a part of an official delegation, the scribe Jehudi read the prophetic word in the king’s presence with all his officials around. The king, who was in his winter house in the ninth month, was sitting by a fire burning in the brazier. Only three or four columns into the word the king took the scroll, cut it, and threw it into the fire until it was totally consumed by the blaze. “Yet the king and all his servants who heard these words were not afraid, nor did they rend their garments (a sign of lamentation and repentance, Jeremiah 36:20-24).” There were men pleading with the king not to burn the scroll, but he would not listen to them. The king commanded that Baruch and Jeremiah be seized, but the LORD hid them (Jeremiah 36:25-26).

-After this the LORD came to Jeremiah again with words to write down, the former words plus some additional words for Jehoiakim because of his disobedience and rebellious response. “He shall have no one to sit on the throne of David, and his body shall be cast out to the heat of the day and the frost of the night. I will also punish him and his descendants and his servants for their iniquity… (Jeremiah 36:27-31a). All the calamity that God had declared would come upon them because they simply would not listen and heed the prophetic message so as to turn from their sin, idolatry, and depravity. So Jeremiah rewrote the Word of God and the added words, which the LORD gave him (Jeremiah 36:31b-32). *Application* Defiance is not a quality God desires from anyone, much less His own people. What message have you gotten from Him and choose to disbelieve and disobey? This is a serious matter with the Sovereign. Listen and take heed to the things He is trying to straighten you out on. Rebellion will only cost you everything in the end. Don’t metaphorically toss the Word of God into the fire.

 

Verses to Memorize: Jeremiah 36:23-24

 

Bible Study Notes in Jeremiah- Chapter 35

Jeremiah 35

 

-In the days of Johoiakim, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, God sent Jeremiah to the Rechabites with a message to bring into the house of the LORD and to give them wine to drink. The issue here was a family command that they have received from their forefathers, namely a man of God, Igdaliah. They had been commanded in their family not to drink wine forever as to their sons, wives, or daughters. They were nomads dwelling in tents, and they did not build houses or plant crops or vineyards. This was done for dwelling long in the land and for mobility and agility (ability to move with quick easy grace, resourceful, adaptable, Jeremiah 35:6-7). The Rechabites had persisted in obedience to this familial order all their days and were now being used as an example to contrast with the disobedience, spiritually speaking, in Israel and Judah in particular. God had spoken to His people again and again through His servants the prophets, but they would not amend their evil ways and deeds to turn back to Him in repentance. They went after other gods in rebellion and distrust, which would now bring disaster upon them all because they refused to listen and answer when God called them for potential blessing (Jeremiah 35:8-17). For the obedient Rechabites, the reward would be great as they would have a man of theirs before the LORD forever for their obedience (Jeremiah 35:18-19). *Application* We see here the importance of being compliant for the favor and blessing of God Almighty. Listen to the voice of your authorities and heed their commands. The ultimate obviously is the LORD, which has eternal value. Do not turn unto your own systems and situational values. Follow the ancient Godly paths (Jeremiah 6:16; 18:15).

 

Verse to Memorize: Jeremiah 35:15

Bible Study Notes in Jermiah- Chapter 34

Jeremiah 34

 

-God’s promised judgment arrives now in this chapter as the armies of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, are fighting against Jerusalem and all the cities of Judah. God tells Jeremiah to go and proclaim His word to King Zedekiah that he will be taken alive and face Nebuchadnezzar eye to eye and speak to him personally. The prophet predicts the king’s dying in peace in a foreign land under captivity with some honor and dignity from his own countrymen (Jeremiah 34:1-5). Jeremiah spoke all these words to the king in Jerusalem as the army of Babylon was attacking the last two fortified cities of Lachish and Azekah in Judah (Jeremiah 34:6-7).

-The LORD then instructed Jeremiah to speak after Zedekiah had made a covenant with the people to let their male and female servants go free, which the people accepted but then rescinded that covenant. God related it to His bondage breaking act of release from Egypt, and His command to let servants go at the end of seven years of service. The rebellion in not letting servants go free is in the LORD’s eyes a turning from Him and it profanes His Name. Their disobedience causes the LORD to release the sword of the enemy, pestilence, and famine upon them making them a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth. God promises to give the men who have transgressed His covenant and not fulfilled the words of it into the hand of the enemy and into the hand of those who seek their life. Their dead bodies will feed the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth. The cities of Judah will be attacked ruthlessly, taken, and burned with fire leaving it a desolation without inhabitant (Jeremiah 34:8-22). *Application* We in the same way cannot rescind our covenant with the LORD without disastrous consequences (Hebrews 10). The security of the believer is the perseverance of the believer. Stay devoted to the LORD and don’t forsake any of the promises you make unto Him. He is always faithful, and God expects our faith to be true too. Keep your promises. In the end, you really can’t fool God. Don’t trample on His grace.

 

Verse to Memorize: Jeremiah 34:3

Bible Study Notes in Jeremiah- Chapter 33

Jeremiah 33

 

-Restoration is again promised to the prophet Jeremiah a second time as he was still confined in the court of the guard during the siege of Jerusalem during the Babylonian invasion. The LORD, who made the earth, will answer His people when they call to Him. He will tell them great and mighty things, which they do not know (Jeremiah 33:1-3). While God hid His face because of their wickedness at this time, He will heal them and bring them back to health revealing His abundance of peace and truth (Jeremiah 33:4-6). He promises to restore the fortunes of Judah and Israel to rebuild them as they were at first (Jeremiah 33:7, 11). They will again experience cleansing, pardon, joy, praise, and glory before God and all the nations of the earth. God guarantees that He will again do good exceedingly to them as joy, gladness, and wedding sounds in thanksgiving will occur in the restoration (Jeremiah 33:8-11). All the places that were laid low will be inhabited once again in the land (Jeremiah 33:12-13). *Application* The LORD’s everlasting love for His children should help us walk in security and joy all the days of our lives. Call out to God, and He will answer you too, showing you great and mighty things, which you don’t yet know! Trust in His goodness!

-The Davidic Kingdom is once again assured in the remaining verses of this chapter as the Word of the LORD (Jeremiah 33:14-26). God promises to fulfill His Word even though the circumstances look really bleak in the nation at this time. The restoration will one day come in the Righteous Branch of David, who will spring forth and execute justice and righteousness on the earth (Jeremiah 33:15). David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel, and they will dwell in safety (2 Samuel 7:8-17, Jeremiah 33:16-17). The Levitical priests will also never lack a man before the LORD to offer burnt and grain offerings and prepare sacrifices continually (Jeremiah 33:18). His covenant will be established forever and His people will multiply (Jeremiah 33:19-22). God will restore their fortunes and have mercy on His people (Jeremiah 33:26). This has partially been fulfilled in the first incarnation of Christ Jesus as He established righteousness by faith in Him alone for salvation for the Jews and Gentiles alike. He is coming again to secure His nation Israel and rule with absolute authority over His Kingdom. This is when we will see the complete consummation of these prophecies given by Jeremiah. *Application* Accept the Davidic King Jesus who is the righteous Branch. He executes justice and righteousness as the Son of Man and the Son of God, only begotten from the Father (John 1:1-18; 3:16). All who trust in Him will have His peace and truth and will reign with Him forever securely.

 

Verses to Memorize: Jeremiah 33:3, 15

Bible Study Notes in Jeremiah- Chapter 32

Jeremiah 32

 

-In the tenth year of Zedekiah and the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar Jerusalem was besieged by the Chaldeans and Jeremiah was imprisoned in the court of the guard by Zedekiah for his prophecies of their doom (Jeremiah 32:1-5). Jeremiah, at this time, gets another word from the LORD to buy some property at Anathoth from Hanamel the son of Shallum, who was his uncle. The reason for this commanded purchase, as God revealed, was because they would be back in the land to own houses and fields and vineyards at some point (Jeremiah 32:6-15). After Jeremiah makes his purchase and had given the deed to Baruch to be put in the earthenware jar, the prophet prayed to the LORD with a massive praise to the Creator for His power and ableness and lovingkindness and justice and counsel and signs and wonders to make a Name for Himself (Jeremiah 32:16-20). He went on to tell the historical accomplishments of the saving God and the work He accomplished in bringing His children out of Egypt. Then he describes the disobedience of the unthankful and ungrateful children, which has brought on all this calamity. He reiterates the fact that the sword, the famine, and the pestilence that he predicted is now coming to pass for all to see (Jeremiah 32:21-24, 36). The vengeance of the LORD is upon His children for correction after a long time of rebellion. Nothing is too difficult for Him because He is the God of all flesh (Jeremiah 32:27). He was provoked to anger by the idolatry and rejection (Jeremiah 32:28-36), but He hints at future restoration just when all seems lost.

-He will gather His children back from where He has driven them in His anger, wrath, and indignation to dwell in safety. They will always be His people, and He will be their God with one heart and one way, fearing only Him always for their own good and their children’s good after them. God at that time will make an everlasting covenant with them to do them good and will never turn away from them. The LORD will rejoice over them to do them good and will faithfully plant them in this land with all His heart and with all His soul. For just as the LORD brought all this great disaster upon His people, so will He bring on them all the good that He is promising them. Fields will again be bought in this land, signing and sealing deeds and calling in witnesses according to the law in the land of Benjamin, Jerusalem, Judah, the hill country, the coastal lowland, and the cities of the Negev (south country). God will restore their fortunes by His own declaration (Jeremiah 32:37-44).

-*Application* God’s plan includes not only the Jewish people, to whom He will never forget and keep every promise, but He also includes us as believing Gentiles because of the work and New Covenant promises in Christ Jesus. No matter what God takes us through in His corrective discipline, He will restore and give back out of His love and compassion. Our choices as His children are what make things difficult or easy. If we will simply fear the LORD and keep faith with Him in every decision, we will cultivate His favor and complete goodness. Consequences are real as we can see in this chapter. Even though God will bring His children back in the end, the chastising of a curative God is difficult to go through, so it is best to obey Him and go His way from the get-go.

 

Verses to Memorize: Jeremiah 32:17-20, 40, 42

Bible Study Notes in Jeremiah- Chapter 31

Jeremiah 31

 

-Israel’s mourning will be turned into joy as God becomes their Lord again, and He makes them His people. God has loved them with an everlasting love and appeared to them from afar, building them up again from their deportation and giving them cause to celebrate extravagantly back in the Promised Land (Jeremiah 31:1-6). The LORD tells them to praise Him with gladness and shouts for His saving work in the regathering. Even the blind and lame will return, the woman with child, a great company will again be present in the land. With weeping they will come with the overflowing emotion of the ingathering, and by supplication God will lead them. They will have all the resources they need to sustain themselves again on a straight path with no stumbling because God is their Father (Jeremiah 31:7-9). “He who scattered Israel will gather him and keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock (Jeremiah 31:10).” The LORD, Himself, has ransomed and redeemed His people from a strong enemy, and the people will return with joy on the height of Zion, radiant over the bounty of the LORD. New grain, wine, and oil will flow, the herds will be young and plentiful, and their life will again be like a watered garden with no languishing forevermore (Jeremiah 31:11-12). There will be dancing of marriage festivities with young and old together as their time of mourning will be over and joy indeed will reign. The priests will have souls filled with abundance, and God’s people will be satisfied with His goodness (Jeremiah 31:13-14). The rendering of lamentation and woe, which Matthew picks up on with the slaying of the young at the time of Christ (Matthew 2:18), at this point and time in the prophecy will be forgotten. For the LORD tells them to restrain their voice from weeping now and their eyes from tears. Their work will be rewarded as they return from the land of the enemy into the hope and destiny of God’s chosen people. Repentance is a big part of this transformation as we see in Jeremiah 31:19. God’s instruction caused them grief, shame, and humiliation as they bore His reproach, but God has not forgotten His children and will always yearn for them with His heart and give them mercy by His very own declaration (Jeremiah 31:15-20). God does not want them drifting forever in the futility of their own deceptions and false ways of their own mind. He desires faith and dependence on Him, which will bring the comeback (Jeremiah 31:21-22). God’s refreshing Word continues with restoration of the people’s fortunes as they bless the LORD of righteousness on His Holy Hill (Jerusalem). They will dwell in unity and be generous with pleasant-sweet sleep and rest (Jeremiah 31:23-26).

-Jeremiah describes the New Covenant in Old Testament prophetic form in the remaining verses of the chapter. These are future events, partially fulfilled in Christ’s first incarnation and the sending of the Holy Spirit to indwell the believer. God is watching over His people to discipline them with plucking up, breaking down, overthrowing, destroying, and bringing disaster, but He will also oversee their building back up and the planting work in the rebirth of their nation. In this time, they will take on their own responsibility for iniquity. The days are coming when the LORD will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel (which will be opened up to all the nations) and the house of Judah. This covenant (promise, testament), inaugurated in the work of the Messiah will not be like the one which He made with the ancient fathers in the days of Moses when they came out of Egypt. This covenant was broken even though God had been a faithful husband to them. In the New Covenant, God will put His law within believers and on their heart (not stone tablets like the Mosaic Covenant). He promises in this dispensation to always be their God and they His people. They will have Him as their teacher because of a true and lasting relationship in which they will “know” Him. From the greatest to the least their iniquities will be forgiven by faith in the righteous One of Israel, and He will remember their sin no more! This is a guaranteed promise of the Creator to His nation and people. He will NOT cast them off even though they have transgressed His ways. The city (Jerusalem) will be rebuilt, and “it will not be plucked up or overthrown anymore forever (Jeremiah 31:27-40).” *Application* Jeremiah’s prophecy is reassuring and accurate as we see the rebirth of Israel in our modern times. The best is yet to come! The fact that one day, God’s people will return to Him and their true Messiah, Jesus Christ, is exciting news (Zechariah 8; 12:10)! While Christ has already made atonement and initiated the New Covenant in His blood (Matthew 26:28, Mark 14:24, Luke 22:20), there remains a time of restoration that will show that God is indeed good and compassionate towards His people and all who receive Him as their Savior.

 

Verses to Memorize: Jeremiah 31:16, 33