Weekly Sermons

Jeremiah Overview

Jeremiah is the 24^th book of the Old Testament and the Bible, the second in the section known as the prophets.

The prophetic books are mostly made up of the sermons that prophets preached during the time of the divided kingdom and exile.

Most Mentioned Men in the Old Testament       

David           1118 times

Moses          740

Aaron          339

Saul             338

Abraham      306

Jacob           270

Joseph         208

Joshua         197

Joab             137

Jeremiah      136

Samuel         135

Isaac            127

 

- Wilmington’s Book of Bible Lists

Read 1:1-3             Background

 

Jeremiah’s name literally means “Yahweh throws.”  

 

Jeremiah – son of Hilkiah, one of the priests living in Anathoth (Benjamin).

Anathoth is not far from Jerusalem. Jeremiah was born around 647 B.C.

 

What does he have in common with Paul and Barnabas from the New Testament?

He ministered as a single man (chapter 16)

 

Jeremiah preached during the times of the last 5 kings of Judah: Josiah, Jehoahaz (brief), Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin (brief), and Zedekiah  

So Jeremiah was preaching around 60 years after the death of Isaiah!

 

Jeremiah himself was around 20 years old when he started preaching, and had a 50 year ministry between 627 and 575 B.C. That includes all three deportations to Babylon (605 BC, 597 BC, and 586 BC). Babylon had defeated Assyria in 612 BC).

 

His basic message was that because of their sins, judgment was coming to Judah at the hands of Babylon. He cried out for the people to repent, with the certain hope that if they would repent and return to the Lord, He would be gracious to them!

 

Theme: Repent, Judah, for the judgment of God is at hand!

 

In chapter 29 Jeremiah gives an important prophesy that even though the nation will be carried into captivity by Babylon, a remnant would return to Jerusalem after 70 years.

 

Jeremiah put his money where his mouth was by purchasing real estate as the captivity was beginning, showing his confidence that the land would one day be worth something!

 

Jeremiah’s ministry was hard, because the hearts of his hearers were hard and they didn’t want to repent of their sins. They had plenty of other preachers telling them they were just fine as they were.

 

Jeremiah urged them to unconditionally surrender to Babylon or else the consequences for them would be worse. That was as unpopular then as it would be for us today. 

 

Jeremiah has been called the “weeping prophet.” The book presents God and Jeremiah as broken-hearted over sin and its consequences. Lamentations then shows the extent of Jeremiah’s grief that what he had predicted came true.

 

I can speak from personal experience that speaking to people about sin in their life and the need to repent and turn to or back to God, that’s exhausting.

 

Jeremiah is very much a reluctant, yet faithful prophet, and that means a lot to me as a reluctant preacher trying to be faithful!

 

King Josiah feared God like Jeremiah, but the next four kings Jeremiah served under were wicked men and did not like Jeremiah at all!

 

Twice Jeremiah was arrested and thrown into prison. He has to rewrite his scroll after King Jehoiakim had the original destroyed! Actually, he dictated his prophecies to his secretary, Baruch! He was forced to go to Egypt by those left in the land – and that’s probably where he died.   

 

Jeremiah’s greatest contribution to the entire Bible’s revelation is his words about the coming New Covenant God will bring through the Messiah.

Key words/ phrases: Thus says the Lord; Return (37x); Remnant (19x) – Most in the Bible! 

One thing that is clear as you read through Jeremiah is that it is not laid out in chronological order. Over 20 times it tells us the ruler and year that Jeremiah received a prophecy, and they go back and forth between the rulers.

Outline of the Book of Jeremiah:

 

The Prophet’s Call         (Chapter 1)

         

Prophecies of Doom concerning Judah (Chapters 2-20)

 

Nebuchadnezzar’s shadow (Chapters 21-29)

 

The New Covenant (Chapters 30-33)

 

The siege and fall of Jerusalem (Chapters 34-39)

 

After the fall of Jerusalem (Chapters 40-44)

 

Prophecies about foreign nations (Chapters 45-51)

 

Recap of the Fall of Jerusalem (Chapter 52)

 

A Look at some of Jeremiah’s passages:

 

1:4-13         Precious words about Jeremiah’s call!

 

Chosen BEFORE formed in the womb!        Psalm 139    Pro-Life verse!

 

Chosen!       Set apart!     Appointed!

 

Verse 6 – Jeremiah protests! I am just a youth!

 

I personally believe if a man isn’t initially reluctant about the ministry there is a big problem.

 

Verse 7 –I love what YHWH says to Jeremiah

 

Don’t focus on who you are, J – Focus on who I am, and how I will be with you!

 

Greatest promise in the Bible!

 

Look at verse 10 –

 

As he speaks Jeremiah will: Uproot, Tear Down, Destroy, Demolish

 

False views that lead to living a lie!

 

But also: Build, Plant!

 

Truth that will lead to a flourishing life!

 

We’d all rather do the second! But the first is necessary work! The bad news goes before the good news!

 

Verses 11-13

 

Two visions:

 

First vision: Branch of an almond tree – reminder of how God watches over His word to accomplish it! Blossoms when other trees are still dormant, indicating spring has come.

 

Second vision: A boiling pot, pouring out from north to south.

 

OH-OH: here comes Babylon, God’s instrument of judgment on Israel.

 

2:11-13

 

Damning indictment! Picturesque language!

 

He could be speaking about America, couldn’t He?! Rampant idolatry!

 

5:18-19

 

Even in those days, I will not finish you off!

 

6:13-16                  Repeated in 8:11

 

Contra false prophets who say everything is going to be okay and don’t call for repentance – Joel Osteen

 

 “God is for you!” Not if you don’t repent He’s not!

 

7:4-15

 

Don’t rely on the Temple when you won’t repent and do what God commands.

 

The Temple at Jerusalem in Judah will be destroyed just like the Tabernacle at Shiloh in Ephraim.

 

11:21-23

 

What about the people of Anathoth?

 

No remnant for them! Nobody from his home-town would be among the remnant!

 

Perhaps Jesus had this in mind later when He said no prophet is honored in his home town!

13:1-11

 

God has Jeremiah buy some underwear and then hide it in a rocky crevice in the Euphrates, 400 miles from Jerusalem in Babylon!

 

DO What, Lord?! That’s a long way for an illustration, isn’t it?! Then God had him go back and get it – and it was ruined! Just like that, God says He’ll ruin the pride of both Judah and Jerusalem!

 

Then He had Jeremiah fill jars with wine and smash them! Just like God is going to do with His people! Starting with the king and queen – verse 18

 

Judgment and captivity is coming from Babylon!

 

How do you think that sermon was received in Jerusalem?!

 

About as well as it would be in Washington, D.C.!

 

God had Jeremiah preaching treasonous words!

 

14:11-15

The tough call of Jeremiah: stand alone saying things other prophets were not saying!

Note that false teaching is referred to as an act of evil in Heaven. Put it side by side with things God calls an abomination!                   12:5

14:20-21

Jeremiah confesses their sin, mirroring Abraham’s earlier intercession for Sodom on behalf of Lot. In verse 21 he refers to God’s covenant promises He has made.

Again God’s response is that that he will judge unrepentant individuals and the nation as a whole for a season. Unfortunately, repentant individuals (the remnant) will be caught up in this judgment but will not be forgotten.

15:1-4

Even if Moses and Samuel were interceding, judgment is still coming.

16:1ff

No marriage or children for Jeremiah

17:9-10      

Key verses to help us understand total depravity!

19:1ff

Jeremiah brings a crowd together and shatters a clay jug – “This is what’s about to happen to Jerusalem.”

20:1ff

Pashhur the priest has Jeremiah sent to what the communists would call: “re-education camp.” Jeremiah gets beaten. The next morning, he calls for Jeremiah to see if it worked. Jeremiah changes his name from Pashhur to Magor-missabib.

That sounds nasty doesn’t it? Magor-missabib. It means “terror is on every side.”

But as often happens with the man of God, Jeremiah then complains bitterly to the Lord. 20:7ff

Look at the heart of a reluctant preacher in 20:9

If I say I won’t preach anymore, His message becomes a fire burning in my heart.

22:30           The curse of Jehoiachin

The throne goes on, but this man’s descendants won’t sit on it! Jehoiachin had many sons, but none of them became king. His son Zerubbabel became governor of Judah but not king.

I love how accurate the scriptures’ prophecies are. In Matthew 1 we see Joseph’s lineage roll through Jehoachin, called Jekoniah. But in Luke 1 we read that Mary, herself descended from the tribe of Judah but not from Jehoiachin. Thus the physical line of Christ was not subject to the curse of Jehoiachin!

23:5-8         The Coming Messiah!

Put this one right beside the best prophecies about the Messiah being a Son of David and Israel being back in the land promised to Abraham!

The Lord is our Righteousness!           2 Cor. 5:21

In Jeremiah 25:11 he predicts the Babylonian Exile will last exactly 70 years.

This is one of those places where we see that Bible people took God’s words seriously! 67 years later Daniel was reading this and went, “Hallelujah! Our time of captivity is almost over!” (See Daniel 9)

25:15           The cup of my wrath

Jesus refers to drinking that cup in the gospels!

In chapters 27-28 Jeremiah’s message to submit to Babylon is contrasted with Hananiah’s false prophecy.

27ff Jeremiah is told to make and wear a yoke to illustrate how the nations will serve Babylon.

Hananiah then comes along and looks at Jeremiah within the yoke and says, “No, within two years, the yoke of Babylon will be broken.” Hananiah doesn’t like what Jeremiah says, so he breaks his yoke!

Jeremiah then says, as only a wild west prophet could back then, “the wooden yoke will be replaced by an iron one for us, and you will die within the year.” 7 months later, Hananiah was dead. WOW!

Chapter 29 is one of favorites! What I like about it is that the promises of verses 11-14 are given in the context of their present captivity!

Read verses 4-6; Read verses 11-14

Most of them would not live to see the return to the Promised Land; they would live their lives in godless cultures.

But as people like Daniel, Mordecai, Esther, Ezra and Nehemiah served God in their godless cultures, the way would be paved for the return to the Promised Land.

There are so many parallels with our land and generation. Perhaps our efforts will be part of a revival and awakening in America. Or perhaps for us the Promised Land will be Heaven.

30:1-3         Restoration to the land is coming!

 

30:8-11       Restoration of David’s throne coming!

 

Since there have been no Jewish kings since time of Jewish captivity, this promise is still clearly future!

 

31:1-9         Assurance of God’s everlasting love to Israel

 

31:31-34     The New Covenant is coming!

 

This is a key passage, because it shows the conditional covenant of the Mosaic Law/ Covenant, and the unconditional covenant the Messiah will bring.

 

All under the New Covenant will know God and have the law written inside them on their hearts.

 

Chapter 32   Jeremiah buys a field to “put his money where his mouth is.” There will be a day coming after the captivity it won’t be “worthless.”

 

32:37-41     The Restoration and New Covenant again emphasized

 

33:14-25     Guarantee that God will keep His promises to David and Abraham.

 

In Chapter 36 Jeremiah dictates a scroll that King Jehoiakim doesn’t like and burns!

 

Since Jeremiah is banned from the temple, his scribe Baruch has to go and read it there! God bless Baruch, he did!

 

And the scribes who heard it said, “We’ve got to tell the king what this says!”

“But before we do, you and Jeremiah better hide!”

 

The king didn’t like what it said and threw it into the fire! And then he ordered the capture of Jeremiah and Baruch.

 

What did the Lord have Jeremiah do?

 

He re-wrote the scroll and added a line: King, as you destroyed the scroll, so Babylon will destroy us!

 

Chapters 37-38 feature more persecution of Jeremiah

 

Chapter 39 The Fall of Jerusalem to Babylon

 

39:11-12      Jeremiah treated better by Babylon’s king then Judah’s

 

In Chapters 40-45 Jeremiah stays with those who are left in Judah.

 

A man named Gedaliah is left in charge by Nebuchadnezzar. He proves to be a gullible leader. He gets intel that a man named Ishmael is wanting to assassinate him, and doesn’t take him seriously.

 

Chapter 41 opens with Ishmael assassinating Gedaliah and killing lots of others.

It ends with Ishmael fleeing before Johanan son of Kareah. Many of those following him are now concerned and want to flee to Egypt.

 

In Chapter 42 they ask Jeremiah to pray and bring them back a word. Jeremiah says, “don’t go to Egypt.”

 

In Chapter 43 they reject Jeremiah’s word from God and go to Egypt. Jeremiah goes with them, but makes clear that Babylon will rule Egypt soon also!

 

The last section of Jeremiah really shows the end of all who worship idols

Prophecies against the Nations: Egypt

Chapter 46           Prophecies against Egypt; Philistines; Moab; Ammon; Edom; Syria; Arabia; Elam; Babylon   

46:27-28     Future hope for Israel!

48:47 There will be hope even for Moab in the last days!

49:6 Hope for Ammon in the last days!

No prophecy is given of future restoration for Edom; After A.D. 70 it disappeared from history

49:39 Some type of restoration is also promised to Elam (Iran)  

50:17-20     The coming return of the remnant!

51:11 Jeremiah predicts the Medes will knock off Babylon! Medes-Persians did!

Chapter 52           Recounting of the Fall of Jerusalem

Verse 28 is interesting, detailing the taking of the Jews to Babylon; 3,023 men; 2 Kings 12 lets us know that 18,000 total were taken.