Jeremiah : Caring About the Things of God
Importance: The Jewish people themselves thought Jeremiah was the most important prophetic book after Isaiah. In Jeremiah’s time there were a number of false prophets and corrupt priests. Jeremiah 8:11 says of the prophets and priests, “They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.” In the time of many successful and self-appointed excusers of God, one man was called by God to give an unpopular message nobody wanted to hear. It was a negative message of disaster for the ungodly people of the time; yet future believers would see within that message consolation and promises of hope. Strangely, despite all of the false prophets of God, Hananiah, Pashur, etc. who did not receive any revelations from God, the voice of one man, who was serious about God, rings clear over 1600 years later.
A danger today is that the gospel message can be told in such a watered down fashion that its seriousness and urgency are lost, which dress the wounds of sin as though they were not serious. We can be so distracted by pop psychology, trends, and other things that we lose sight of the seriousness of counting the cost for Christ and we stop communicating the urgency of the Gospel.
The land of Judah was all that was left after the Assyrians devastated the kingdom of Israel and carried off its inhabitants in 722 B.C. Jerusalem was miraculously saved, but would God save again against the Babylonians. The people needed an answer, and God provided it through Jeremiah: NO WAY. For those who have forsaken God and followed after their own creations, do not trust on where you go to church or what religion you belong to save you. God will allow formerly godly organizations, churches, and even His temples to be destroyed before ceasing to take rebellion seriously.
Jeremiah was a prophet from about 627 B.C. to 582 B.C., about 45 years. We think he died around 570 B.C.. Jeremiah tells more about his own life than other prophets. Jeremiah is often called the weeping prophet. Should we not get emotional? – Jeremiah was very emotional! He was forged by God as a combination of being both gently, tenderly passionate and an immovable, unbending man of steel. He poured his heart and persistence in warning the Jews of their impending destruction. As The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1123 well puts it, “…Jeremiah was the blazing torch who, along with Ezekiel in Babylon, exposed the darkness of Judah’s sin with the piercing brightness of God’s Word. He was a weeping prophet to a wayward people.” As The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.367 says, “A vein of sorrow and sadness runs throughout the book. Touch the work where you will, and it will weep.”
We don’t know for sure how Jeremiah died. The Christian writers, Tertullian, Jerome, and Epiphanius of Salamis said that the Jews stoned him in Egypt. However, the Jewish Seder ol. Rabb. C.26 says that he and Baruch were carried from Egypt to Babylon and died there. See the Keil-Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament vol.8 part 1 p.17 for more info.
Jeremiah was a fairly common name; there are seven other people in the Old Testament named Jeremiah. The prophet Jeremiah himself is mentioned nine times outside of this book: 2 Chronicles 35:25; 36:12; 36:21,22; Ezra 1:1; Daniel 9:2; Matthew 2:17; 16:14; 27:9. He was of a priestly family from the Levite town of Anathoth, almost three miles north of Jerusalem. Traveling eastward, Anathoth is the last town before the barren desert bordering the Dead Sea. David had exiled the priest Abiathar to Anathoth in 1 Kings 2:26, and Jeremiah was probably descended from him.
See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.358-359, the MacArthur Bible Commentary p.844, Light Beyond the Darkness – A Study of Jeremiah p.6, and Derek Kidner’s The Message of Jeremiah p.24 for more info.
World Population in Jeremiah’s Time and Ours
|
Date |
World |
Egypt + Sudan |
Mideast |
% world |
China |
Indopak+ Afghan. |
U.S. |
|
600 B.C. |
180 M |
4 M |
20 M |
13 % |
47 M |
68 M |
< 1 M |
|
1 A.D. |
260 M |
5 M |
24 M |
11 % |
71 M |
100 M |
< 1 M |
|
1995 |
5,720 M |
88 M |
196 M |
5 % |
1195 M |
1,119 M |
266 M |
|
2025 |
8,167 M |
182 M |
374 M |
7 % |
1,416 M |
1,786 M |
374 M |
Major Events in Jeremiah’s World
Jeremiah lived during very troubled times. There were major power struggles between the collapsing Assyria, the ascendant Babylon, and opportunistic Egypt, with the Medes, Cimmerians, Lydians, on the periphery. Here are Major Middle Eastern events.
653 B.C. Scythians dominate the Medes and kill Khshathrita the Mede
653 B.C. Coup in Elam. Assyria and Elam were friendly before this.
653 B.C. Assyria defeated Elam. Egypt is free form Assyria.
653 B.C. Cimmerians defeat Lydia
652-643 B.C. Assyrian Civil War. Shamash-shum-ukin tries to rebel against his brother Ashurbanipal.
c.650 B.C. Messenian revolt against Spartans
650 B.C. Scythians and Cimmerians combine to raid Palestine
648 B.C. Assyrians sack Babylon
646 B.C. Ashurbanipal the Assyrian exiles Elamites
642-639 B.C. Assyrians attack Elam, sack Susa, and behead King Teumann
641 B.C. The bad king Amon of Judah succeeds Manasseh, who was exiled to Babylon
640 B.C. The good Reforming king Josiah (8 years old) began to reign over Judah
633 B.C. Assyrian sack Thebes in central Egypt
632 B.C. Kylon tried to take Athens from Megakles
c.631/627 Medes under Kyaxares besiege Nineveh
628-571 B.C. Lydians fight Cimmerians
627 B.C. Jeremiah called to be a prophet in Jeremiah 1
626 B.C. Babylonians gain independence from Assyria
625 B.C. Kyaxares the Mede gains independence from Scythians
622 B.C. The Temple was repaired under King Josiah and the law was discovered
615 B.C. Arrapkha in Assyria captured
614 B.C. Medes capture Asshur and try to take Nineveh
612 B.C. Medes conquer Armenia
612 B.C. Medes sack Nineveh, Assyria’s capital (Babylonians arrive too late)
612-609 B.C. Last of the Assyrian military annihilated.
611-605/604 B.C. Babylonians sack Philistine town of Ashkelon
610-605 B.C. Egyptian Pharaoh Necho II fights in Syria to support the Assyrians against Babylon
609 B.C. Medes capture Tuspa, the Urartian capital.
609 B.C. Egyptians attack Philistine town of Gaza.
609 B.C. Josiah killed in battle against the Egyptians; Egyptians destroy Megiddo.
609 B.C. Jehoahaz (23 years old) rules for three months. Taken captive to Egypt
609 B.C. Jehoiakim (25 years old) rules 11 years. Drought in Jer 14. Taken captive to Babylon
609-608 B.C. Babylonians raid northern Israel
605 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar becomes king of Babylon.
604 B.C. At Carchemish (in Syria) Babylonians plus Medes defeat Egyptians
603 B.C. Babylonians sack Philistine town of Ekron
601 B.C. Babylon fights Egypt just inside their border. They tie with heavy losses.
601 B.C. Jehoiakim rebels against Nebuchadnezzar (bad move)
599-598 B.C. Babylonians fight Arabs
598 B.C. 18-year old Jehoiachin succeeds Jehoiakim for three months then exiled
598 B.C. Zedekiah (21 years old) king of Judah for 11 years until he rebels. 1.5 year siege
3/16/597 B.C. Babylonians capture Jerusalem but don’t destroy it.
596 B.C. Babylonians fight the Elamites east of them
595-594 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar II puts down revolt
593 B.C. Egyptian Psamtik II + Greek, Phoenician, and Jewish mercenaries defeat Cushites in Sudan
591 B.C. Egypt invades Nubia in the Sudan
589-587 B.C. Jews rebel against the Babylonians. 30-month siege of Jerusalem.
587 B.C. Jerusalem is destroyed. Part of Jews exiled. Gedaliah becomes governor
587 B.C. Ishmael assassinates Gedaliah, Johanan son of Kereah takes Jews to Egypt
> 587 B.C. Tradition says Jeremiah delivered one more message than the Jews could stand.
586/5-573 BC Babylonians besiege king Ethbaal II of Tyre.
585 B.C. War ends between the Medes and Alyattes of Lydia with eclipse in 5/28/585 B.C.
584-573 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar II besieges Tyre
582-581 B.C. More Jews from Judah exiled to Babylon
570 B.C. Greeks in Cyrene defeat Apries of Egypt
568-567 BC. Babylonians and Apries conquer Egypt
561 B.C. Jehoiachin (now 55 years old) is released from Babylonian imprisonment
…later
539 B.C. Persians sack Babylon and add the Babylonian empire to their own
538 B.C. As Jeremiah prophesied, the Jewish exiles are allowed to return home
Main themes
Jeremiah has the most Hebrew words of any book in the Old Testament, if you count 1, 2 Samuel, 1, 2 Kings, and 1, 2 Chronicles as two books each.
The Trumpet of God. Jeremiah 6:17
Disaster is coming from the north. Jeremiah 6:1,22; 10:22
Disaster in general. Jeremiah 45:5
Water Jeremiah 2:13,18; 6:7; (poisoned)9:15
They killed and oppressed the poor. Jeremiah 2:34; 5:26-28
They forgot God. Jeremiah 2:6,8,32; 3:21
They had no shame. Jeremiah 3:3; 6:15
They had no awe or fear of God. Jeremiah 2:19; 5:22,24; 3:8
Justified themselves. Jeremiah 2:23
The exiles will return.
Jeremiah alludes to 66 passages from Deuteronomy
Death during labor. Jeremiah 4:31
Sword, famine, and plague. Jeremiah 5:12,17; 44:12,27
Injury and sickness: Jeremiah 10:19
Lord of armies/hosts (82 times in Jeremiah)
Chapter 2 itself has a number of images.
…Slave/plunder 2:14,16,20
…Prey: 2:15, 2:30, 4:7; 5:6; 20:25
…Vine 2:21; 5:10; 6:9
…Dirty hands and heart 2:22; 4:14
…She-camel/donkey, stallions 2:23-25; 5:8
…Loose woman 2:20,21,22; 3:1-13; 4:30
…Wood consumed by fire. Jer 5:14
Verses relating to Jesus
According to Jay P. Green’s Literal Translation p.976, the following verses of Jeremiah are quoted or alluded to in the New Testament relating to Jesus.
Jer 6:21 1.c) Mk 8:18
Jer 7:11 Mt 21:13; Mk 11:17; Lk 10:46
Jer 17:10 Rev 2:23
Jer 32:17 Mt 19:26
Here are the Christian Pre-Nicene Writers who refer to verses in Jeremiah. The underlined ones say by Jeremiah.
|
Epistle of Barnabas (c.70-130 A.D.) |
Hippolytus (222-235/6 A.D.) |
|
2 Clement (120-140 A.D.) |
Origen (225-254 A.D.) |
|
Shepherd of Hermas (115-155 A.D.) alludes to Jeremiah/Zechariah |
Treatise Against Novatian (254-256 A.D.) |
|
Justin Martyr (c.138-165 A.D.) |
Cyprian of Carthage (c.246-258 A.D.) |
|
Athenagoras (177 A.D.) |
Adamantius (c.300 A.D.) |
|
Melito/Meleto of Sardis (170-177/180 A.D.) |
Victorinus of Petau (martyred 307 A.D.) |
|
Hegesippus (170-180 A.D.) |
Peter of Alexandria (306,285-311 A.D.) alludes to Jer 3:23 |
|
Theophilus of Antioch (168-181/188 A.D.) |
Methodius (270-311/312 A.D.) |
|
Irenaeus of Lyons (182-188 A.D.) |
Lactantius (c.303-c.325 A.D.) |
|
Clement of Alexandria (193-217/220 A.D.) |
Eusebius of Caesarea (c.318-325 A.D.) |
|
Tertullian (198-220 A.D.) |
|
The rest of the Bible quotes from Jeremiah in seven places.
|
Verses quoting from Jeremiah |
Verses in Jeremiah |
|
Daniel 9:2 |
Jeremiah 25:11,12; 29:10 |
|
Matthew 2:18 |
Jeremiah 31:15 |
|
Matthew 27:9 |
Jeremiah 18:2; 19:2,11; 32:6-9 |
|
1 Corinthians 1:31 |
Jeremiah 9:24 |
|
2 Corinthians 10:17 |
Jeremiah 9:24 |
|
Hebrews 8:8-12 |
Jeremiah 31:33-34 |
|
Hebrews 10:6 |
Jeremiah 31:33-34 |
Here are the earliest manuscripts of Jeremiah.
|
Dead Sea Scroll 4Q70 (=4QJer(a)) |
Theodotion the Jew’s OT Translation |
|
Dead Sea Scroll 4Q71 (=4QJer(b)) |
Vaticanus (=B) (325-350 A.D.) |
|
Dead Sea Scrolls 4Q72 (=4QJerC)) |
Sinaiticus (Si) (340-350 A.D.) |
|
Dead Sea Scroll 4Q71a (=4QJer(d)) |
Alexandrinus (=A) (c.450 A.D.) |
|
Dead Sea Scroll 4Q71b (=4QJer(e)) |
|
The Dead Sea Scrolls preserve 350 out of the 1363 verses of Jeremiah (25.7%). The Hebrew Masoretic and Greek Septuagint of Jeremiah differ more than any other Old Testament book: Jeremiah is about 1/8 shorter in the Septuagint.
An Outline of the Book of Jeremiah
Jeremiah is not in chronological order, but seems to be organized by themes. Here is an outline along with suggested dates.
God Watches and Warns : Jeremiah 1-10
1 - When God Gets Serious - With You 625 B.C.
2 Reasons for Wrath 625 B.C.
3-4:4 Plea for the Faithless & Unfaithful 625 B.C.
4:5-31 Disaster Descends 625 B.C.
5 The Absence of the Upright 625 B.C.
6 The Attack of Terror 625 B.C.
7-9 The Temple Gate Sermon 606 B.C.
10 Explanations and Lessons 606 B.C.
Broken Covenant, Ruined People : Jeremiah 11-19
11-12 Jeremiah and the men of Anathoth 620 B.C.
13 Jeremiah and the ruined Sash 598 B.C.
14-17 God’s Judgment of the Drought 605 B.C.
18-19 The Potter’s House and the Earthen Flask: Religion Gone to Pot 605 B.C.
Reactions of Man and God : Jeremiah 20-29
20-22 Different Kinds of Evil 605 B.C., 597 B.C. 608 B.C., 598 B.C.
23 The Righteous Branch & Bad Prophets 597 B.C.
24 When the People Do Not Give a Fig 597 B.C.
25-29 Seventy Years in Babylon & Bad Prophets 604 B.C., 608 B.C., 593 B.C.
The Book of Consolation : Jeremiah 30-33
30-31 The Future Promise 596 B.C.
32 The Field of Dreams 586 B.C.
33 Promise of Restoration 586 B.C.
The Book of Personal Memoirs : Jeremiah 34-45
34 The False Freedom of Sin 586 B.C.
35 The Recabite Response 604 B.C.
36 Jehoiakim burns God’s warning scroll 603-604 B.C.
37 Jeremiah warns against trusting in Egypt and he is then imprisoned. 586 B.C.
38 Jeremiah thrown into a cistern 585 B.C.
39-44 The 587 Fall of Jerusalem 585 B.C.
45 Message to Baruch 604 B.C.
The Book of Foreign Oracles: News for Nine Nations : Jeremiah 46-51
46 About Egypt 604 B.C.
47 About the Philistines 604 B.C.
48 About Moab 604 B.C.
49 About Five Other Nations 604 B.C., 595 B.C.
50-51 About Babylon 590 B.C.
Review of the Destruction of Jerusalem 587 B.C. : Jeremiah 52
The estimated dates are from The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1126.
Jeremiah 1 – When God Gets Serious, with you
Memory verse: Jeremiah 1:18a “Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land….”
1. In Jer 1:1, was Jeremiah's father Hilkiah the high priest, who found the Torah in 2 Ki 22:?
2. In Jer 1:2-3, what is significant about the time Jeremiah prophesied?
3. Does Jer 1:5 show that Jeremiah was made a prophet before his birth?
4. In Jer 1:5, does this show that Jeremiah was a person between conception and birth?
5. In Jer 1:6, how can telling God you cannot do something be good?
6. In Jer 1:6, how can telling God you cannot do something be bad?
7. In Jer 1:8 and Jer 1:19, do you think Jeremiah would feel comforted or disturbed about these verses?
8. In Jer 1:9 and Isa 6:6-8, why did God need to have these prophets’ mouths touched?
9. In Jer 1:9, Isa 6:6-8, and Jms 3:5-12, how might you need to have God touch your mouth?
10. In Jer 1:9-10, how did this define Jeremiah’s ministry?
11. In Jer 1:10, should a believer be more of a builder or more of a destroyer?
12. In Jer 1:11-12, what is the connection here with the almond tree?
13. In Jer 1:13-16, what is the point of the boiling pot?
14. In Jer 1:17-19, what was God’s command, promise, and warning given to Jeremiah here?
Jeremiah 2 –From Honeymoon to Betrayal
1. In Jer 2:2-3, why did God remember the Israelites in the wilderness as devoted and loving Him, since most of them rebelled?
2. In Jer 2:5; 8:19; 10:3, and Jon 2:8, can worshipping idols be an imperfect way to worship the True God?
3. In Jer 2:5-8, how did a faithful people fall so far and betray their God?
4. In Jer 2:9-12, why is God “bringing charges” here?
5. In Jer 2:11,19,21, why does a predominantly godly/Christian nation turn away from God?
6. In Jer 2:13, in this metaphor, what exactly is wrong with having your own cistern (well)?
7. How does Jer 2:13 summarize the charges against God’s people back then?
8. In Jer 2:16, where were Noph and Tahpanes?
9. In Jer 2:20-25, what is God saying about these metaphors of the prostitute, the dromedary camel and the donkey?
10. In Jer 2:22, what is God saying about washing yourself with soap here?
11. In Jer 2:26, what is the one word here that you never hear in the news today about wrongdoing?
12. In Jer 2:26, how many thieves are cleverer than they think, and how many are less clever than they think?
13. In Jer 2:31-33, why is God saying Judah was forgetful?
14. What is Jer 2:36-37 say
about their fickleness?
Jeremiah 3 – A Halfway Marriage
1. In Jer 3:1-2, how can God’s people prostitute themselves with many lovers, both then and today?
2. In Jer 3:2, what is the point of the “Arab in the Desert”?
3. In Jer 3:7, how were Israel and Judah like two sisters?
4. In Jer 3:11, why was Israel more righteous than Judah?
5. In Jer 3:12-14 and Hos 14:1-4, can someone who showed belief and Christ, and later leaves the faith, ever come back?
6. In Jer 3:14, why are just one or two mentioned to return?
7. In Jer 3:15, what is the promise about their leaders here?
8. In Jer 3:15-22, what is interesting about this literary style?
9. In Jer 3:20a, what is curious about this phrase?
10. In Jer 3:15-17, why would the Ark of the Covenant not be missed?
11. In Jer 3:15-17, how can Christian symbols today have a positive use?
12. In Jer 3:15-17, how can Christian symbols today have a negative use?
13. In Jer 3:16, what happened to the Ark of the Covenant?
14. In Jer 3:22, how does God cure people of backsliding?
Jeremiah 4 – If you will return … almost the last chance
1. In Jer 4:3 what does it mean to break up the unplowed (fallow) ground, and how should we do so today?
2. In Jer 4:4, why did God tell them to wash the evil from their heart, since washing would not help in Jer 2:22?
3. In Jer 4:4, what does the Bible say about God’s wrath?
A: Here is some of what the Bible says.
Slow to anger. Ex 34:6; Num 14:18; Neh 9:17; Ps 86:15; Ps 103:8; Ps 145:8; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2; Nahum 1:3; 2 Peter 3:9
Not be slow to repay those who hate him. Dt 7:10
Fierce wrath/anger. Jer 6:4; 1 Sam 28:18; Lam 1:12
Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath. Mt 3:7; Lk 3:7
All without Jesus remain as objects of God's wrath. Rom 2:5-6; 5:9; 9:22; Eph 2:3; Jn 3:36
Lord’s wrath remains upon him. Jn 3:36
Rom 2:5 storing up wrath
God bears with patience objects of His wrath. Rom 9:22
We are by nature objects of wrath. Eph 2:3
Rescues us from the coming wrath. 1 Th 1:10
God did not appoint us to suffer wrath. 1 Th 5:9
Save us from the wrath of the Lamb! Rev 6:16
The winepress of God’s wrath. Rev 14:19-20; 19:15; Isa 63:1-4; Lam 1:15; Joel 3:13
He has poured out His wrath like fire. Lam 2:4; Ps 50:3-6; Dt 29:20; 2 Sam 6:8
For the Son’s wrath can flare up in a moment. Ps 2:12
Stiff-necked after many rebukes will be destroyed suddenly. Prov 29:1
Drinking the wine of wrath. Job 21:20; Rev 16:19; 14:10; Jer 25:15; 51:7
God setting aside His wrath and fierce anger. Ps 85:3
“For my own sake I delay my wrath” Isa 48:9
Even God's wrath brings Him praise. Ps 76:10; Ex 9:16;~10:1-2;14-15; Jdg 5; Rom 9:17
God does not delight in the death of the wicked, but rather desires that they turn from their wickedness and live. Ezek 18:23,32;33:11; 2 Pet 3:9; 1 Tim2:5; Mt 18:14
God is not slow in keeping His promises, but patient, not wanting any to perish. 2 Pet 3:9
4. In Jer 4:5-13, what threats is God making here?
5. In Jer 4:6 and Jer 11:11, how does God bring evil?
6. In Jer 4:6-7, could these invaders be the Scythians?
7. In Jer 4:9, how do the hearts of the political and religious leaders fail?
8. In Jer 4:10, who preached peace to these people?
9. In Jer 4:10, why does Jeremiah mention that “the sword touches the throat” here?
10. In Jer 4:11-12, how is God’s judgment going to be like a scorching wind?
11. In Jer 4:15 and Jer 8:16, what is the significance of armies from the region of Dan?
12. In Jer 4:19, could a faithful obedient believer ever have an uncontrolled panic attack?
13. In Jer 4:22, 8:16, how were the people of Judah foolish and like little kids without any sense?
14. In Jer 4:30-31, how do some people, like Judah, totally misread the situation today?
Jeremiah 5 – When you can’t find even one
1. In Jer 5:1, how does this “divine scavenger hunt” compare to Abraham’s pleading for Sodom and Gomorrah in Gen 18:20-33?
2. In Jer 5:1 and Gen 18:26-33, do these passages relate to Jer 15:1 and Ezek 14:14?
3. In Jer 5:2-3; 6:13, are there different degrees of dishonesty?
4. In Jer 5:4-5, what was the point of distinguishing between the poor and the great?
5. In Jer 5:10, the people were so far from God; so why didn’t God want to destroy them completely?
6. In Jer 5:12,20-22, how do many so-called Christians today not take God seriously?
7. In Jer 5:14, how were Jeremiah’s words like fire and the people like wood?
8. In Jer 5:15, could this ancient nations be the Scythians?
9. In Jer 5:21, how do people have eyes that see not and ears that hear not?
10. In Jer 5:22, what is the point of the sand?
11. In Jer 5:25, how do people’s sins keep good things from them?
12: In Jer 5:26-27, what is the point of fowlers catching birds?
13. In Jer 5:27, how are their houses full of deceit as a cage is full of birds?
14. In Jer 5:31f, why is this a good verse for counseling?
Jeremiah 6 – When you tell God you won’t listen, run for your life!
1. In Jer 6:1, what is the structure of this chapter?
2. In Jer 6:1, what is the point about fleeing from Jerusalem instead of to Jerusalem?
3. In Jer 6:1, why is Beth-Haccarem specifically mentioned here?
4. In Jer 6:3-4, who are the shepherds here?
5. In Jer 6:10, why is it wrong that they did not delight in the word of the Lord?
6. In Jer 6:13, what is so wrong with covetousness?
7. In Jer 6:14, Ezek 13:10, in what ways can people today say “peace, peace when there is no peace”?
8. In Jer 6:15, what are some ways today people can be lulled into having no shame about anything?
9. In Jer 6:17 and Ezek 33:1-20, what is a watchman?
10. In Jer 6:17, what were the consequences of them telling God, “we won’t listen”?
11. In Jer 6:17, what are some ways people today tell God, “we won’t listen”?
12. In Jer 6:20, 7:22-23, why did God not like their sacrifices here?
13. In Jer 6:27, how does God sometimes use Christians to test other people?
14. In Jer 6:30, how were some people’s lives like “scum silver” or the waste after silver refining?
Jeremiah 1 – When God Gets Serious, with you – Some brief answers
Memory verse: Jeremiah 1:18a “Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land….”
1. In Jer 1:1, was Jeremiah's father Hilkiah the high priest, who found the book of the law in 2 Ki 22:8?
A: Very likely not. Despite what Clement of Alexandria, Jerome, and some rabbis thought, it is very unlikely because Jeremiah was a priest from the village of Anathoth, not Jerusalem. Abiathar was the priest exiled to Anathoth in David’s time, and the high priests were from the line of Zadok, not Anathoth.
See The Believer's Bible Commentary p.995, the Keil-Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament vol.8 part 1 p.38, The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1123,1129, and The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.358-359 for more info.
2. In Jer 1:2-3, what is significant about the time Jeremiah prophesied?
A: Spiritually, Jeremiah lived in varied times. He started his prophetic career when the good king Josiah reigned. After that, the kings were bad, though in differing degrees.
Militarily, Jeremiah saw the Babylonians besiege Jerusalem for 30 months and exile the Jews.
Jeremiah was a man with a message. His timeless message was as much for the Jews in exile and those who later returned as it was for the people of his own time.
3. Does Jer 1:5 show that Jeremiah was made a prophet before his birth?
A: It does not say Jeremiah was “made” a prophet. Rather, God appointed that Jeremiah would be a prophet, not only before his birth, but even before he was formed in the womb. Actually God ordained who prophets would be before the world we even created.
4. In Jer 1:5, does this show that Jeremiah was a person between conception and birth?
A: No. While it is tempting to say yes, actually the last half of Jeremiah 1:5 does not show that Jeremiah was a person then any more than the first half of Jeremiah 1:5 shows that Jeremiah existed as a person prior to conception.
5. In Jer 1:6, how can telling God you cannot do something be good?
A: Jeremiah was terrified, and he was actually correct here. Being 15 to 20 years old Jeremiah knew he had no experience and was ill-equipped. On his own power, Jeremiah was not capable of doing this, and it is good to recognize our own human limitations. Sometimes the people who are ill-equipped, and they know it such that they must rely on God, are the people God seeks to use.
See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1130 and The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.363 for more info.
6. In Jer 1:6, how can telling God you cannot do something be bad?
A: It is only bad if you say that you cannot do it on your own ability, therefore you cannot do it at all. This assumes God is unwilling or unable to empower you to do His will. Instead of asking God, “How can I do this?”, a better question is: “What is your will for me to do, with your spirit empowering me?”
See Derek Kidner’s The Message of Jeremiah p.26 and The MacArthur Bible Commentary p.848 for more info.
7. In Jer 1:8 and Jer 1:19, do you think Jeremiah would feel comforted or disturbed about these verses?
A: Did Jeremiah feel comfort in God’s promise to save him from harm? Or was Jeremiah wondering how he would get into situations where he would need to be rescued from harm? It is comforting to know that God will always be there. However, it might make Jeremiah pause to know that God’s intervention would be necessary to rescue him.
Today, if it appears to us that everything we can do for God is easy to do within our own power, then our vision is too shortsighted. God does not work primarily for our ease, comfort, or even earthly happiness (just ask Job). God works primarily for His glory; but we do have the promise of great happiness, - in heaven.
8. In Jer 1:9 and Isa 6:6-8, why did God need to have these prophets’ mouths touched?
A: There are at least four possible reasons.
Cleansing: Their mouths would need to be cleansed of unhelpful, proud, or self-promoting speech.
God’s message: God put His words in them for them to speak.
God’s inerrant message: Combining the first two reasons, God not only gave them His message, but God ensured that when they were speaking as prophets, they would not say anything was from God that was not really from God.
Passion: God not only gave them the content to say, but God gave them His heart in determining how to say it.
9. In Jer 1:9, Isa 6:6-8, and Jms 3:5-12, what are some ways you might need to have God touch your mouth?
A: Like Jeremiah, we should not think that on our own, we will say the right things, not mix God’s truth with error, and saying the truth the proper way in love. There are three distinct parts. First we need to stop saying evil, mean, or otherwise ungodly things God does not want us to speak. This is regardless of how funny it might be, how good we think we might feel getting back at someone, or how much we want to say them. Second, we need to speak only godly, helpful things for building up others. Third, we need to speak less and not dilute our godly words with things that may not be so bad, but aren’t really helpful either.
10. In Jer 1:9-10, how did this define Jeremiah’s ministry?
A: God appointed Jeremiah such that God’s words spoken through Jeremiah would destroy many kingdoms and also build up God’s people. Jeremiah was given some powerful words!
Many times a Christian will be given a verse that will be a dominate motif in their life, or God’s special purpose for them.
11. In Jer 1:10, should a believer be more of a builder or more of a destroyer?
A: Jeremiah was commanded to be both a destroyer and then a builder. In western culture we want to be only builders. But we can’t sow the seed to grow a crop if the soil is covered in concrete. Sometimes we have to be a destroyer first and then we can be a builder.
See Light Beyond the Darkness – A Study of Jeremiah p.8 for more info.
12. In Jer 1:11-12, what is the connection here with the almond tree?
A: Almond trees are native to the Mideast and Anathoth had almond orchards. The words for almond and watching are shaqed and shaqad. The almond tree could be considered the “watchful tree”, because it “watched for spring” in that it blossomed in January towards the end of winter, before the other trees in Palestine that all blossomed in spring. In other words, this is a pun. Many times in the Bible God uses puns, such as in Micah 1:10-15. However, these are not used for humor but to drive home a point and make it easier to remember.
See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1131, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.385, Light Beyond the Darkness – A Study of Jeremiah p.9, the Keil-Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament vol.8 part 1 p.42, The MacArthur Bible Commentary p.848, the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.999, Derek Kidner’s The Message of Jeremiah p.27, and The Tony Evan’s Bible Commentary p.682 for more info.
13. In Jer 1:13-16, what is the point of the boiling pot?
A: You do not want scalding water poured on you, and there was an obvious, visible disaster that was poised to happen.
See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1131, The Tony Evan’s Bible Commentary p.682, and The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.385 for more info.
14. In Jer 1:17-19, what was God’s command, promise, and warning give to Jeremiah here?
A: Regardless, God is telling Jeremiah “I don’t want to hear you complain any more about your inabilities since I have not only prepared you, but also enabled you. You don’t have to wonder if it will be a tough fight with those who oppose you; - it will be. So put on your big boy pants and get to work!”
Instead of just praying for easy lives of safety, pray for the faith, hope, and love for you and your family to be effectively used by God to glorify Him.
See The Tony Evan’s Bible Commentary p.683, Light Beyond the Darkness – A Study of Jeremiah p.11, and the New International Bible Commentary p.768 for more info.
Jeremiah 2 –From Honeymoon to Betrayal – some brief answers
1. In Jer 2:2-3, why did God remember the Israelites in the wilderness as devoted and loving Him, since most of them rebelled?
A: God was remembering those who were devoted and sensitive to God. Jeremiah 2:2-3 does not mention coming out of Egypt. God likely meant the desert-born Israelites who did not rebel after the report of the ten spies. Jeremiah 2:1-3 is the explanatory background for the oracles after this to a wayward and insensitive people
See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.387-388, the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.522, The MacArthur Bible Commentary p.849, and the Keil-Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament vol.8 part 1 p.49-50,51 for more info.
2. In Jer 2:5; 8:19; 10:3, and Jon 2:8, can worshipping idols be an imperfect way to worship the True God?
A: Not at all! It is an abomination to God.
1. Idols are acknowledged as created (Romans 1:20-26).
2. It disobeys two of God’s ten commandments (Exodus 20:3-4, Deuteronomy 5:6-7).
3. Idols were distressing to Paul (Acts 17:16).
4. 1 Corinthians 10:20 says that sacrifices to idols are actually sacrifices to demons.
Most unfortunately C.S. Lewis taught this false teaching in the last book of the series The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: The Last Battle p.163-165.
3. In Jer 2:5-8, how did a faithful people fall so far and betray their God?
A: Over time, as they continued to take things for granted, the object of their devotion was gradually changed from God to idols. Despite God providing for them, and bringing them into a good land, the Israelites were not satisfied, saying it is not enough. So they turned to idols. The idols did not help them, any more than the idols helped the Canaanites before them, or the Egyptians who opposed them. But the idols offered illusory promises of helping them.
Beyond this, Jeremiah gives a four-part answer: in the people and their parents (2:5-7), in the priests (2:8a), the political leaders (2:8b), and in the prophets (2:8c), i.e. prophets of Baal. On one hand, you could blame their religious leaders, their priests and prophets, for turning them away. You could also blame the government leaders, who allowed the false prophets to flourish. But on the other hand, the sin lay with the people themselves, who were dissatisfied with God and were open to following other options.
See Derek Kidner’s The Message of Jeremiah p.30, The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1132, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.683, and The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.388-389 for more info.
4. In Jer 2:9-12, why is God “bringing charges” here?
A: The purpose of a human court is supposed to be to find out the truth of the charges and set any punishment. God uses this metaphor as He brings to light the evil they have done, and why the impending punishment is appropriate. He even points out that other people’s have not changed their gods, only Israel. The thought here is similar to an earlier prophecy in Isaiah 3:13-15.
A person does not have the guilt of their parents according to Ezekiel 18. However, if a person follows in the footsteps of their parents, including the same sins, then they have the same guilt.
See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1132, Derek Kidner’s The Message of Jeremiah p.31, and The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.390 for more info.
5. In Jer 2:11,19,21, why does a predominantly godly/Christian nation turn away from God?
A: Remember, nations do not go to Heaven, people do. Often the issue is not individuals turning away from God en masse, but parents losing the next generation, due to other enticements, their own shortcomings, or other factors. Of course, no one comes to God without God’s grace, but as God desires that all come to Him, the responsibility of someone not coming to God is his or her own.
6. In Jer 2:13, in this metaphor, what exactly is wrong with having your own cistern (well)?
A: Palestine has a west and dry season, and it is important to store some of the abundance in the wet season for the dry season. Archaeologists have found numerous cisterns. A cistern is a pit or container that can hold a large amount of rainwater. However, if the cistern develops a crack or a hole, or if part of the cistern is material water can drain through, then the cistern is useless, no matter how large it is.
They gave up the fresh spring for the stale cistern water, and the cistern was not usable at that. After a few months the stagnant water in the cistern would look brownish and tasted like the dirt or plaster holding it. You would give up fresh spring water for this?
Everybody feels the need for water. If they turn away from living waters then they will seek out their own water. In a similar way, if they turn away from the Living God, they will seek out idols to fill the void. 1 John 2:16 says that we have at least three classes of temptations: the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life.
Likewise the reason many people turn away from God is that they think the soon to be dry cistern they have found is a better alternative.
See 735 Baffling Bible Questions Answered p.174, The MacArthur Bible Commentary p.849, Light beyond the Darkness – A Study of Jeremiah p.13, Derek Kidner’s The Message of Jeremiah p.31-32, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.391, and The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1132 for more info.
7. How does Jer 2:13 summarize the charges against God’s people back then?
A: Like many people today, they only did two things wrong. In their words, actions, and hearts, They turned away from God and what was right, and they turned to their own substitutes and things that were wrong.
8. In Jer 2:16, where were Noph and Tahpanes?
A: These were two prominent Egyptian cities; Tahpanes was the city the Greeks called Daphnai/Daphne. The NIV Study Bible p.1122 and the skeptical Asimov's Guide to the Bible p.559 say that the ruins of Tahpanes are under the mound called Tel Defneh/Defenneh just south of Lake Menzaleh in the eastern Nile Delta region.
Noph is known to us today as the ruins of the ancient capital city of Memphis. Originally the name Memphis meant “enduring and beautiful”. It is about 20 miles (32 km) south of Cairo. It is in lower (northern) Egypt, but close to upper (southern) Egypt.
See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.391, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis,_Egypt, the New International Bible Commentary p.768 and the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.523 for more info.
9. In Jer 2:20-25, what is God saying about these metaphors of the prostitute, the dromedary camel and the donkey?
A: God is bringing to light that they are committing spiritual adultery. You can’t have love if you are just following the money, or following your lust. The prostitute sets her affection on whoever has money. But if you appear to love every man who has money, you really love no one, except yourself and money, your idol. Similarly if a person just follows their lust, they are not really loving anybody.
According to the Keil-Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament vol.8 part 1 p.67 the wild, untamable donkey was a symbol of the boundless love of freedom.
See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1133 and The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.393-394 for more info.
10. In Jer 2:22, what is God saying about washing yourself with soap here?
A: In ancient times they made a form of soap using lye (very alkaline, like dilute Drano) boiled with animal fat. If you did not use enough animal fat then it could be more effective than soap today, if you don’t mind the caustic dissolving the outer layer of your skin. But God is saying that no matter how you wash yourselves with soap on the outside, you cannot get rid of your sinful desires on the inside.
See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.393-394 for more info.
11. In Jer 2:26, what is the one word here that you never hear in the news today about wrongdoing?
A: Given the previous section about a prostitute, camel, and wild donkey, plus the caught thief here, the point God is highlighting is the shame of sin. Judah will be put to shame, by Egypt just like they were by Assyria.
Today in the news, no matter what scandal your hear about, or what massive frauds have occurred, the news never mentions the word “shame”. You hear that it is wrong, they should be sued or go to jail, but they don’t ever seem to say the wrong-doers are “shameful”. It seems our society has lost all sense of shame. It might have been getting that way in Jeremiah’s time too.
See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.394 and the Keil-Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament vol.8 part 1 p.70 for more info.
12. In Jer 2:26, how many thieves are cleverer than they think, and how many are less clever than they think?
A: It is always the second way. Few thieves think they are going to get caught and it turns out they are not; they would not have tried to steal if that was the case. On the other hand, most thieves that are caught thought they were clever enough not to get caught. What is true for stealing here is true of sin in general.
See Derek Kidner’s The Message of Jeremiah p.33 for more info.
13. In Jer 2:31-33, why is God saying Judah was forgetful?
A: God is not saying there is a physical problem with their memory. Rather, they are not remembering, or rather choosing not to remember their past relationship with God. Today people can “forget” things they have not forgotten. Rather, they willingly choose to ignore what was done for them in the past, when it is convenient for them to do so.
14. What is Jer 2:36-37 say about their fickleness?
A: First Judah “loved” Assyria, and then they “loved” Assyria’s enemy Egypt. The only consistent factor was that they “loved” what seemed to be the winner at the time. They neglected to consider that both Assyria (whose mascot was the lion Jeremiah 2:15) and Egypt (whose mascot was the crocodile) could see through that.
When people act fickle in their loyalty today, there can be an underlying, consistent factor. It might be that they are trying to follow what appears to be the most successful for them now, not considering how the people they claim to be loyal to will treat them since they can see through their vacillating unfaithfulness.
See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1133 for more info.
Jeremiah 3 – A Halfway Marriage – some brief answers
1. In Jer 3:1-2, how can God’s people prostitute themselves with many lovers, both then and today?
A: They were comfortable being called God’s people, but they were also comfortable worshipping other gods, and engaging in wicked practices. A man would not be impressed with a potential wife who insisted that she had to still see other men after marriage. If a husband asks his wife if she was unfaithful with another man, and she responds with “which one” that is not a good sign. But that is what Judah did. If a wife is unfaithful, then there is a divorce, and then she marries someone else, the husband cannot go back to her again according to Deuteronomy 24:1-4. But what about when Israel has not just committed spiritual adultery with Baal, but now she is even married to Baal? In some respects, being God’s people is similar to being spiritually married to God. But the people took it as a marriage only when convenient. A problem is that when forgiveness is free, sometimes people can be prone to take it for granted. Some people are moral, nice, and appear loving, only when convenient. Character means commitment to stay the course, even when something appearing better comes around.
See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1134, the New International Bible Commentary p.769, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.683-684, the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.523, Derek Kidner’s The Message of Jeremiah p.35, The MacArthur Bible Commentary p.849, the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1000, and the Keil-Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament vol.8 part 1 p.79 for more info.
2. In Jer 3:2, what is the point of the “Arab in the Desert”?
A: Even in ancient time Arab bedouins were known for ambushing travelers according to Diodorus Siculus’ Bibliotheca Historica 2.48 (60-30 B.C.) and Pliny the Elder’s Natural History 6.28 (-77 A.D.).
See the Keil-Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament vol.8 part 1 p.80 for more info.
3. In Jer 3:7, how were Israel and Judah like two sisters?
A: They had common parentage; but there is also more than that. They knew each other very well, and the path that one of them would take the other would likely follow. Of course, nothing says that sisters necessarily get along.
See the Keil-Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament vol.8 part 1 p.97-98 for more info.
4. In Jer 3:11, why was Israel more righteous than Judah?
A: A key word in this chapter is “faithless”. While Israel was worse, in the sense of completely turning away from God, at least they were honest about it, and did not follow God in pretense, as Judah did. If you are going to commit to turning away from God, at least don’t hypocritically pretend to be faithful to God. As Jeremiah 3:13, Israel was faithless, similar to a woman leaving her husband. Judah was unfaithful, like a woman cheating on her husband. Also, Judah had the additional advantage of being able to learn from the example of Israel, but sadly they did not.
See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.400, Derek Kidner’s The Message of Jeremiah p.35-36, The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1136, and The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.684 for more info.
5. In Jer 3:12-14 and Hos 14:1-4, can someone who showed belief and Christ, and later leaves the faith, ever come back?
A: Yes, I have known a number
of cases where a person was an evangelical Christians, left and became a
______, and later repented and came back to Christ.
I have personally seen “blank” filled in with Mormon, Muslim, and skeptic.
Jeremiah 3:12-14 and Hosea 14:1-4 are not pleas to those who have no knowledge of God. As pleas to those who know about God, they are not so much pleas to come to God as pleas to come back to God. See 1001 Bible Questions Answered p.436-437 for more info.
6. In Jer 3:14, why are just one or two mentioned to return?
A: The thought here is that even if only one or two return from a family or a village, God will restore even those few. Don’t ever think that so many people turn away from God there is no point for me to follow him either.
See the Keil-Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament vol.8 part 1 p.91 for more info.
7. In Jer 3:15, what is the promise about their leaders here?
A: Shepherds after God’s own heart does not mean leaders who never make mistakes and don’t have any shortcomings. But rather, like David, they have God’s heart to glorify Him, and God’s heart for the people. They will feed the people with knowledge and wisdom.
See the Keil-Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament vol.8 part 1 p.92 for more info.
8. In Jer 3:15-22, what is interesting about this literary style?
A: The first part of the chapter is accusatory about what Judah has done. But in Jeremiah 3:15-19 there is an abrupt change to a pleasant image, about the good things in store for them, even now, if they return and repent. But then Jeremiah 3:20-22 is a very abrupt change about what Judah will become if she does not change.
9. In Jer 3:20a, what is curious about this phrase?
A: You might expect it to say a woman treacherously leaves her husband, but no it says treacherously leave her lover. She was already treacherous towards her husband, but now she would be treacherous towards her lover too. It is amazing is easily people can think that if someone is treacherous towards someone else, they won’t be treacherous towards them.
10. In Jer 3:15-17, why would the Ark of the Covenant not be missed?
A: There are two reasons.
1. Those who turned away from God would not miss anything related to the worship of God.
2. In New Testament times, believers have the Holy Spirit inside of them. They do not need the ark of God’s presence, as one could think of us having the ark of God’s presence inside our hearts.
11. In Jer 3:15-17, how can Christian symbols today have a positive use?
A: They can be a reminder to pray and to continue practicing the presence of God. It can be an encouragement to see others that are believers, too.
12. In Jer 3:15-17, how can Christian symbols today have a negative use?
A: They can have a bad use if:
1. People think they contain any magic.
2. People think using a symbol will make God more pleased with them.
3. They pray to it, or worship or venerate the symbol instead of God.
13. In Jer 3:16, what happened to the Ark of the Covenant?
A: First two observations, and then two possible answers.
The Babylonians took all the gold and furnishings they found in Solomon's Temple.
The ark appeared in Heaven in John's vision in Revelation 11:19.
Answers: Either there was only one ark, and God carried it up to Heaven (perhaps as God's glory left the Temple in Ezekiel 10), or the earthly ark was a copy of the Heavenly one, as many items in earthly worship were copies of Heavenly things according to Hebrews 8:5.
14. In Jer 3:22, how does God cure people of backsliding?
A: In extreme cases, God cures backsliding by death, as He did for Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11. In most cases, it appears God gives us all a responsibility to examine ourselves (2 Corinthians 13:5) persevere (Hebrews 10:23,26) and to watch and test others, especially leaders (Revelation 2:2,20; Matthew 7:15-20; 2 Corinthians 11:2-6,13-5).
Jeremiah 4 – If you will return … almost the last chance – some brief answers
1. In Jer 4:3 what does it mean to break up the unplowed (fallow) ground, and how should we do so today?
A: Land was extremely valuable back then. With effort, farmland would return a good crop, and the land would be available for the same each and every year after that. But if the land is not planted, then no crop and there is no benefit to having the land that year.
Metaphorically we might have time, gifts, and skills that theoretically would be useful in God’s service, but they are not useful because we are not choosing to put them into action. “Like clouds and wind without rain is the man who boasts of gifts never given.” Proverbs 25:14 (Berean Bible)
However, as the rest of this verse shows, even if you do decide to sow on the uncultivated ground, it still might not do any good. If you sow on the hard ground without breaking it up first, the seeds do not grow but are just eaten by birds as Jesus said in the parable of the soils (Mark 4:3-20). Also, if this ground is filled with thorns they choke out the good plants. So step 1 is to desire to sow on the unplowed ground, step 2 ot use the plow of repentance and obedience to break up the hard ground, and finally in step 3 you sow.
See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.405, The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1135, the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.524, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.684, and The MacArthur Study Bible p.850 for more info.
2. In Jer 4:4, why did God tell them to wash the evil from their heart, since washing would not help in Jer 2:22?
A: Jeremiah 2:22 says they would use soda, but they needed to clean up their actions in Jeremiah 2:23-28 They were not clean on the inside, and they had the responsibility to “circumcise their hearts” and ask God to change them. See When Critics Ask p.275 for more info.
3. In Jer 4:4, what does the Bible say about God’s wrath?
A: Here is some of what the Bible says.
God is slow to anger. Ex 34:6; Num 14:18; Neh 9:17; Ps 86:15; Ps 103:8; Ps 145:8; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2; Nahum 1:3; 2 Peter 3:9
God will not be slow to repay those who hate him. Dt 7:10
Fierce wrath/anger. Jer 6:4; 1 Sam 28:18; Lam 1:12
Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath. Mt 3:7; Lk 3:7
All without Jesus remain as objects of God's wrath. Rom 2:5-6; 5:9; 9:22; Eph 2:3; Jn 3:36
Lord’s wrath remains upon him. Jn 3:36
Some people are storing up God’s wrath. Rom 2:5
God bears with patience objects of His wrath. Rom 9:22
We are by nature objects of wrath. Eph 2:3
Jesus rescues us from the coming wrath. 1 Th 1:10
God did not appoint us to suffer wrath. 1 Th 5:9
Save us from the wrath of the Lamb! Rev 6:16
The winepress of God’s wrath. Rev 14:19-20; 19:15; Isa 63:1-4; Lam 1:15; Joel 3:13
He has poured out His wrath like fire. Lam 2:4; Ps 50:3-6; Dt 29:20; 2 Sam 6:8
For the Son’s wrath can flare up in a moment. Ps 2:12
People who are stiff-necked after many rebukes will be destroyed suddenly. Prov 29:1
Drinking the wine of wrath. Job 21:20; Rev 16:19; 14:10; Jer 25:15; 51:7
God setting aside His wrath and fierce anger. Ps 85:3
“For my own sake I delay my wrath” Isa 48:9
Even God's wrath brings Him praise. Ps 76:10; Ex 9:16;~10:1-2;14-15; Jdg 5; Rom 9:17
God does not delight in the death of the wicked, but rather desires that they turn from their wickedness and live. Ezek 18:23,32;33:11; 2 Pet 3:9; 1 Tim2:5; Mt 18:14
God is not slow in keeping His promises, but patient, not wanting any to perish. 2 Pet 3:9
4. In Jer 4:5-13, what threats is God making here?
A: If they do not repent, God is promising to send that Babylonians as a lion, a hot dry wind, clouds, a whirlwind, and eagles.
See the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1001 for more info.
5. In Jer 4:6 and Jer 11:11, how does God bring evil?
A: God causes evil in the sense of the “physical evil” of catastrophes, but He does not do moral evil. However, this does not completely answer all the issues this verse raises.
Even knowing how evil the Babylonians were, God deliberately planned that they would come to power and conquer Judah. The Bible shows both that God never does evil Himself, but God even uses evil people and demons as He wishes, as a part of His ultimate plan. See the discussion on Habakkuk 1:13 for more on God not only permitting, but also using the moral evil of others.
6. In Jer 4:6-7, could these invaders be the Scythians?
A: No. While the Scythians were attacking Anatolia and the Medes in Iran, and they went down the Philistine Coast to plunder a Philistine temple in Ashkelon according to Herodotus’ History book 1 p.104-106. However, there is no record that they fought against Judah. The Scythians had cavalry, no chariots in Jeremiah 4:13 and they did not know how to do city sieges in Jeremiahs 4:16. It also says it is the Babylonians in Jeremiah 20:4.
See the Keil-Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament vol.8 part 1 p.105-107 (footnotes), Derek Kidner’s The Message of Jeremiah p.38-39, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.406, and The MacArthur Study Bible p.850 for more info.
7. In Jer 4:9, how do the hearts of the political and religious leaders fail?
A: The immediate context is the prophecy that they will shudder with fear as an invading army spells their impending doom. We can read a firsthand account of this in the Lachish Letters we have preserved right before Lachish fell around 588 B.C.
But in another sense, their hearts failed long before this when they turned away from God and their hearts refused to repent.
See the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.525, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.407, and The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1135 for more info.
8. In Jer 4:10, who preached peace to these people?
A: There is no record that Jeremiah himself every preached that the rebellious people will have peace. But Jeremiah is lamenting because God allowed the people to heard peace preached to them by prophets claiming to bring a message from God. These were false prophets, but the people chose to believe the false prophets. Even today, there are many people, who all claim to be Christians saying many different things.
See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1136, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.407, and New International Bible Commentary p.769 for more info.
9. In Jer 4:10, why does Jeremiah mention that “the sword touches the throat” here?
A: Throat (and what comes out of it) is a synonym for breath, as it is in Ugaritic literature. Throat is also mentioned in Isaiah 5:14. Jeremiah is poetic here; he is saying the sword will be pressed against the very same throats that uttered these false prophecies.
See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.407 for more info.
10. In Jer 4:11-12, how is God’s judgment going to be like a scorching wind?
A: Wind was often a good and useful thing; it brought moisture in the dew. A farmer could throw up a mixture of good wheat and chaff, and the light breeze would blow the chaff away. – but not this wind. This was a very strong dry wind from the desert. Imagine trying to separate wheat from chaff in a desert sandstorm. This would blow away the wheat as well as the chaff. A whirlwind could be a desert “dust devil” all the way up to a tornado. In Jeremiah 4:13, the God’s judgment again evildoers is not to provide discipline and correction, but rather to ruin.
See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1136, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.407, the Keil-Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament vol.8 part 1 p.110, and The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.684-685 for more info.
11. In Jer 4:15 and Jer 8:16, what is the significance of armies from the region of Dan?
A: Dan was the northernmost tribe, and an invasion from the north would pass through Dan first.
In addition, dispensationalists see this as implying the Antichrist will be a Jew descended from the tribe of Dan. However, the only other support for this is that Dan is not mentioned as one of the 12 tribes the 144,000 comes from in Revelation 7:5-8. This interpretation of Jeremiah 4:15; 8:16 goes all the way back to Irenaeus of Lyons (wrote 182-188 A.D.) in Against Heresies book 3 chapter 30.
12. In Jer 4:19, could a faithful obedient believer ever have an uncontrolled panic attack?
A: Yes, it sounds like Jeremiah did in Jeremiah 4:19. He was panicked not because he was not looking to God, but rather because he was looking to god and Jeremiah a panicked about what God showed him. It should have been the people of Judah who were panicking, not just Jeremiah.
See Derek Kidner’s The Message of Jeremiah p.38-39 for more info.
13. In Jer 4:22, 8:16, how were the people of Judah foolish and like little kids without any sense?
A: Hebrew does not have a word for fool; it actually has five words (including a slothful person). The word for fool here, ‘ewil, is not for a naïve simple fool, and it is not for a hardened unredeemable fool. It is sort of in between, a morally evil fool without common sense. They were smart in knowing all about evil, but not very smart in knowing about the good.
Little children have no sense of how important danger might be. They might be afraid of lightning they can hear, but not of an invading army that cannot yet see. Little kids have no perspective of history based on the past. They have little experience to judge things.
See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1136, the Keil-Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament vol.8 part 1 p.116, and The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.409 for more info.
14. In Jer 4:30-31, how do some people, like Judah, totally misread the situation today?
A: Women would use makeup with antimony to make their eyes look larger with dark “eyeshadow” to try to look more attractive. She thinks looking attractive and desirable will help her win over those she considers her lovers. In fact, they do desire her; they desire to destroy her. Sometimes in a difficult situation a person takes certain actions to try to help, but the actions have the opposite effect. But when a person is not following God, often they cannot even tell up from down.
See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.411, the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.525 and The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1137 for more info.
Jeremiah 5 – When you can’t find even one – some brief answers
1. In Jer 5:1, how does this “divine scavenger hunt” compare to Abraham’s pleading for Sodom and Gomorrah in Gen 18:20-33?
A: God did not see even ten righteous people among the pagan towns of Sodom and Gomorrah. It is sad that in this time, Jeremiah could not find even one righteous man walking the streets of this city of the Lord. God is asking the question: “then why should I forgive you?” in Jeremiah 5:7.
This does not just mean that a lot of evil occurred. Rather, evil was so normalized that a whole generation grew up being taught that “everybody does it” for things that God said were evil and no one should do. For example, Jeremiah 5:3,6,7 says that everybody was dishonest, swears by pagan gods, go to prostitute’s houses and their neighbor’s houses to commit adultery. To top it off, Jeremiah 5:31 says that the people loved it this way.
But contrary to that, 1 Peter 1:14 says, “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written: “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (NASB 2020)
See the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1001, The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1137, The MacArthur Bible Commentary p.851, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.685-686, and Derek Kidner’s The Message of Jeremiah p.43 for more info.
2. In Jer 5:1 and Gen 18:26-33, do these passages relate to Jer 15:1 and Ezek 14:14?
A: No. Jeremiah 15:1 and Ezekiel 14:14 says that not even men as righteous as Moses, Samuel, Noah, Daniel, and Job would be righteous enough to save another.
In Jeremiah 5:1, Jeremiah is not looking for some one to give righteousness to another, but rather seeing if he can find enough honest people so that God would not destroy everyone in the city. Similarly, in Genesis 18:26-33 Abraham pleads with God to spare Sodom if he can find ten to fifty righteous people.
Thus, God would avert or postpone the destruction if he found enough godly people, but a godly person cannot save another, because none of us are God, and none of us are sinlessly perfect.
3. In Jer 5:2-3; 6:13, are there different degrees of dishonesty?
A: Yes. Some people believe the slogan “honesty is the best policy”. It is OK to keep secrets sometimes, but Christians should not lie but be known for having words that can be trusted. Christians are to tell the truth, even when it hurts. The only qualification is that we are to speak the truth in love in Ephesians 4:15. Other people might be generally honest, but they will lie when they can have an advantage in doing so.
Jeremiah 5:2 specifically mentions people who swear falsely by God’s name, contrary to Leviticus 19:12.
But there is another level, and I have met at least two people who were like this. When you can be honest or dishonest about anything, they would choose dishonesty, even if there is very little advantage in doing so. The people around them don’t say anything, except perhaps think it is funny, so they keep on doing it. It is not that they tell lies. Rather, their very inner being is a productive “lie-factory” and they normalize lying as what you have to do to get by in business and in life. If someone is that way, and they have lied to others, but you have not seen them lie to you yet, that just means you have not observed them very thoroughly. Don’t trust people like that at all.
See the Keil-Delitzsch Commentary on the Bible vol.8 part 1 p.121 for more info.
4. In Jer 5:4-5, what was the point of distinguishing between the poor and the great?
A: Sometimes there are very different social and cultural dynamics between the poor and wealthy. The poor are often less educated, and they are more concerned about daily necessities than the rich. The rich have more education and more time to ponder things. Jeremiah saw that the poor had all abandoned God to pursue their own selfish ends. Jeremiah thought that that was just the poor; the rich would be different. Jeremiah reports that he was mistaken though; the rich and poor here were all the same in abandoning God.
See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1137 for more info.
5. In Jer 5:10, the people were so far from God; so why didn’t God want to destroy them completely?
A: There are many once powerful, but now lost and forgotten nations: the Elamites, Minni, Mitanni/Hurrians, Pechenegs, Sarmatians, Scythians, and Urartu. The people of Israel and Judah were deserving of going the way of other once powerful but now lost and forgotten nations. But God promised Abraham that he would a lasting nation with descendents as the stars of the sky. God keeps His promises, even when people break theirs. See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.414 for more info.
6. In Jer 5:12,20-22, how do many so-called Christians today not take God seriously?
A: They did not make any changes in their lives based on what the prophets said. We want enough of God to make us feel cozy and comfortable, but not enough to challenge us. We want God to help us in this life, but we don’t want to serve Him. We even want to give God gifts (like Cain), but not give Him our love and obedience. We want God to lead us to heaven, but we refuse to follow Him now. Som some people are halfway serious about God, but that really Is not being any more serious about God than about a vending machine.
One frequent characteristic of the New Age Movement is a desire for spirituality without any obligation or responsibility.
See Derek Kidner’s The Message of Jeremiah p.44,46 and The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.414 for more info.
7. In Jer 5:14, how were Jeremiah’s words like fire and the people like wood?
A: God would fulfill the words of judgment He spoke through Jeremiah. This would lead to the destruction of the Israelites, such that only a remnant would be left.
8. In Jer 5:15, could this ancient nations be the Scythians?
A: No, because according to the Greek historian Herodotus History book 4 ch.5 the Scythians said that theirs is the youngest of nations. Rather, this nations would be the Babylonians, who reached dominate about 1500 B.C., and came from Amorites plus Sumerians who were about 1,500 years before Abraham.
See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.416 for more info.
9. In Jer 5:21, how do people have eyes that see not and ears that hear not?
A: Physically, blind and deaf people still have eyes and ears. people with vision have both the ability to see and the responsibility not to bump into others and use their sight wisely. Likewise, the people had both the ability and responsibility to choose right over wrong and follow God.
They were ignorant. Sometimes ignorance is a valid excuse for unintentional things, but not here. This was willful ignorance.
See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1137 for more info.
10. In Jer 5:22, what is the point of the sand?
A: There are two points actually. First, why sand? A handful of sand cannot stop anything, but less water. But have a bit more sand and you can make a sandbag to defend against flooding. But a whole lot of sand, on a beach with dunes, can stop the flow of seawater. Second, God has the power to stop even the raging sea, and God can even do it by the unlikeliest of means: sand.
See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.417 for more info.
11. In Jer 5:25, how do people’s sins keep good things from them?
A: God does not give them the blessings or the good things they would otherwise receive, for at least four of reasons.
Discipline for a believer
Example for others
Punishment and just consequences for a reprobate unbeliever.
Protection from the sins they would commit if they had the resources of more material blessings.
12: In Jer 5:26-27, what is the point of fowlers catching birds?
A: Instead of killing birds for food, these fowlers catch birds to imprison them as pets. They would have a cage with tame birds, and when the wild birds would come into or near the tame birds, they could be caught. In a similar way, we can be deceived into entering a spiritually dangerous place by seeing people already there who seem to be doing OK.
See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.418 for more info.
13. In Jer 5:27, how are their houses full of deceit as a cage is full of birds?
A: In verse 26, the birds represent those caught by deceit. A cage holds a bird-catchers work, livelihood, and in what he takes pride. Are there any “trophies” or things you take pride in that are not good?
14. In Jer 5:31f, why is this a good verse for counseling?
A: Chuck Swindoll, in counseling many situations where a marriage partner was unfaithful to another, was struck by one common denominator; they did not fully consider the future repercussions of their actions. Besides recalling the past history, and looking at the present situation, a key part of making wise decisions is foreseeing (as best we can) what the consequences will be, or the consequences when someone is caught. And then they can ask themselves; is it worth taking the chance?
Jeremiah 6 – When you tell God you won’t listen, run for your life! – some brief answers
1. In Jer 6:1, what is the structure of this chapter?
A: This chapter have five related focal points, each one starting with This is what the Lord says. These are in verses 6, 9, 16, 21,22.
See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.419 for more info.
2. In Jer 6:1, what is the point about fleeing from Jerusalem instead of to Jerusalem?
A: Fleeing to Jerusalem would seems to make more sense. Jerusalem was high up on a mountain, with strong walls, and hard to capture. But Jeremiah is prophesying that the role of Jerusalem, as well as their confidence, will change. It will change from becoming a shelter to becoming a trap. People from Benjamin, north of Jerusalem, should flee through Jerusalem as far as Tekoa, about 12 miles south of Jerusalem. Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Tekoa for a straight line, north to south. Tekoa is the last town before the desert begins.
See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1138, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.419, and Derek Kidner’s The Message of Jeremiah p.45 for more info.
3. In Jer 6:1, why is Beth-Haccarem specifically mentioned here?
A: This small village was on the highest hill between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. A watch fire on the hill could signal when Jerusalem has fallen. Tekoa was twelve miles south of Jerusalem and the verses says they should flee Jerusalem and retreat to there.
See the New International Bible Commentary p.770 and The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1138 for more info.
4. In Jer 6:3-4, who are the shepherds here?
A: These are attacking commanders who have Judah and Jerusalem in their sights.
See The MacArthur Bible Commentary p.851 for more info.
5. In Jer 6:10, why is it wrong that they did not delight in the word of the Lord?
A: Psalm 119 shows the attitude and feeling they (and we) are supposed to have toward God’s word. For many, God’s word is either offensive, because it tells them not to do things they want to do, and it reminds them of their guilt and future punishment. For others, God’s knowledge and commands are irrelevant to people who do not want to know God or obey him. See also the discussion on Jeremiah 6:27 for more info.
Isaiah 61:10-11 shows one reason we can delight in the Lord is because of our hope in God's promise of what He is going to do.
6. In Jer 6:13, what is so wrong with covetousness?
A: Besides the fact that it is displeasing and disobedient to God (Exodus 20:17 and Deuteronomy 6:21), it is harmful to us, too. Jealousy of others can eat away at a person’s happiness. Discontent at what they do not have can rob people of the simple joys of what they do have.
7. In Jer 6:14, Ezek 13:10, in what ways can people today say “peace, peace when there is no peace”?
A: I’m OK You’re OK is the title of a well-known pop psychology book. In response, one T-shirt a Christian wore showed Christ in agony on the cross and the words, “If I‘m OK and you’re OK, who did this?” If you want to say that people are OK without God, just realize that your teaching is diametrically opposed to God’s Word.
There is a common, deep-felt desire for people who claim to speak with spiritual authority saying you are OK just as you are, and there is no need to change anything. Unfortunately, I have heard the message to “take it easy” even in a couple of Christian songs. God loves us where we are, but God loves us too much to keep us where we are. Instead of saying that Jesus already won the fight, so we don’t need to fight, because we are saved by the love of God we should say with Paul, “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:6-7), or “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession before many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:12), and “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to take the prize. Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable. Therefore I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight like I am beating the air. No, I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27) Quotes are from the Berean Bible.
John White wrote a good book about the Christian Life called “the Fight”. See also The MacArthur Bible Commentary p.852 for more info.
8. In Jer 6:15, what are some ways today people can be lulled into having no shame about anything?
A: Like the proverbial story of the frog in the gradually oiling water never jumping out, people can gradually become more and more accustomed to accepting more and more. This also happens to criminals who commit a little fraud and get away with it, and then commit more and more fraud until they are stopped by the law.
See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.422 for more info.
9. In Jer 6:17 and Ezek 33:1-20, what is a watchman?
A: A watchman would stand guard on the city wall and warn when an enemy was approaching. Jeremiah and Ezekiel served as watchmen for spiritual dangers attacking God’s people.
10. In Jer 6:17, what were the consequences of them telling God, “we won’t listen”?
A: Their sacrifices to God would be unacceptable. God would not listen to their prayers or cries for help. The abandoned God, so God would abandon them.
See The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.686 for more info.
11. In Jer 6:17, what are some ways people today tell God, “we won’t listen”?
A: One way is for people can consciously and deliberately tell God and others they refuse to do things God’s way. A quieter way to rebel is to not tell anybody anything, but just refuse to do what God says.
12. In Jer 6:20, 7:22-23, why did God not like their sacrifices here?
A: Wicked people who sacrifice to God, but deliberately still choose to continue in their wickedness should not think God is pleased with their sacrifice. See the discussion on Isaiah 1:11-17 for more info.
13. In Jer 6:27, how does God sometimes use Christians to test other people?
A: As we share the Gospel, people will respond, one way or another. 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 says that to some we smell of life, and to others we smell of death. 2 Peter 2:20-22 says that it would have been better for a person not to have known the way of truth, then to know it and turn their back to it.
14. In Jer 6:30, how were some people’s lives like “scum silver” or the waste after silver refining?
A: Silver in nature is usually mixed with lead. When you heat up the mixture to a liquid , the lead oxidizes and the other material besides the silver stays with the lead. Only pure silver is left. But this verse refers to the waste that is left after silver is refined. It still has small quantities of silver in it, but it is not available. This valuable metal, diluted in this form, is worthless to others. As people reject worthless highly diluted silver, so God will reject them and their “diluted” obedience.
See Derek Kidner’s The Message of Jeremiah p.47, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.6 p.425, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.686, The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1139, and the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.526 for more info.
Jeremiah 7 – When the ballon of religiosity is punctured – some brief answers
Q: In Jer, what were the idols the people worshipped?
A: The Jews provoked God with their images and idols in Jeremiah 8:19. Here are some of them.
Queen of Heaven (Ashtarte). Jeremiah 7:18, 44:17-19,25
Heavenly bodies. Jeremiah 8:2
Baals. Jeremiah 9:14
Wood idols Jeremiah 2:27; 10:3-9
Stones. Jeremiah 2:27
As many gods as towns. Jeremiah 11:13
Jeremiah 52 is nearly identical to 2 Kings 24:18-25:30, written after 561 B.C.
See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1123 for more info.
Jehoiakim was a political chameleon.
See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : Old Testament p.1127 for more info.
The name Manasseh (Menasi) is on an Assyrian treaty table in 672 B.C., where each vassal king swore to treat the Assyrian god Asshur as his own god. ANET p.288.
See Derek Kidner’s The Message of Jeremiah p.14 for more info.
No attitudes had changed; only opportunities.
Derek Kidner’s The Message of Jeremiah p.17
The prophet Uriah was killed.
Derek Kidner’s The Message of Jeremiah p.18
Josiah the reformer, Jehoiakim the tyrant, and Zedekiah the chameleon.
Derek Kidner’s The Message of Jeremiah p.23
Zedeiah was a puppet; in fact, he was everybody’s puppet.
Derek Kidner’s The Message of Jeremiah p.19
God commanded Jeremiah not to marry. Jeremiah 16:1-4
2 Maccabees 2:4 ff says that when Jerusalem was destroyed Jeremiah hid the ark, the holy fire, and the incense, its altar, and tabernacle, in a cave of the mountain where Moses saw the land. This might be why in Matthew 16:14 some thought Jeremiah will appear before the Messiah comes.
See the Keil-Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament vol.8 part 1 p.18 for more info on this theory.
Not living their destiny.