Jeremiah Simplified

Title and Author

We Get the Title from the Name of the Book’s Author

Jeremiah 1:1 (NASB)

The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin,

Jeremiah was from a Priestly Family Who Lived in Anathoth

Anathoth = a Small Town Northeast of Jerusalem

We Learn in Jeremiah 1:6 that He is a Youth

This Meant that He was Still Being Provided for by His Parents

Though Jeremiah is the Prophet of God, He had Right-Hand Man Who Helped Him, Named Baruch

Baruch Acted as a Secretary, Scribe, and Orator on Behalf of Jeremiah

He was the One to Write Down All of Jeremiah’s Words

And on Occasions, He Would Read Those Words When Jeremiah Himself Couldn’t Do so Himself

We First Meet Baruch in Chapter 32

Context

Jeremiah 1:2–3 (NASB)

to whom the word of YHWH came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.

It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month.

Jeremiah Began Prophesying During the Reign of King Josiah

And He Would Continue Prophesying During and After the 3 Babylonian Invasions and Captivities

He Filled the Role of a Prophet for Over 40 Years

We can Read About the Context of These Years in 2 Kings 22 Through the End of the Book and 2 Chronicles 34 Through the End of the Book

Jeremiah Became a Prophet in the 13th Year of Josiah’s Reign

2 Chronicles 34:3 (NASB)

For in the eighth year of his reign while he was still a youth, he began to seek the God of his father David; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherim, the carved images and the molten images.

When God Called Jeremiah, Judah had a Righteous King

But Josiah Would be the Last Good King

And Things Would Continue to Go Downhill from There

Jeremiah Had a Very Difficult Life

His Messages Were Not Well Received

Jeremiah 26:1–11 (NASB)

In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from YHWH, saying,

“Thus says YHWH, ‘Stand in the court of YHWH’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah who have come to worship in YHWH’s house all the words that I have commanded you to speak to them. Do not omit a word!

Perhaps they will listen and everyone will turn from his evil way, that I may repent of the calamity which I am planning to do to them because of the evil of their deeds.’

“And you will say to them, ‘Thus says YHWH, “If you will not listen to Me, to walk in My law which I have set before you, to listen to the words of My servants the prophets, whom I have been sending to you again and again, but you have not listened;

then I will make this house like Shiloh, and this city I will make a curse to all the nations of the earth.” ’ ”

The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of YHWH.

When Jeremiah finished speaking all that YHWH had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, “You must die!

Why have you prophesied in the name of YHWH saying, ‘This house will be like Shiloh and this city will be desolate, without inhabitant’?”

And all the people gathered about Jeremiah in the house of YHWH. When the officials of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to the house of YHWH and sat in the entrance of the New Gate of YHWH’s house.

Then the priests and the prophets spoke to the officials and to all the people, saying, “A death sentence for this man! For he has prophesied against this city as you have heard in your hearing.”

His Hometown Plotted Against Him

Jeremiah 11:18–23 (NASB)

Moreover, YHWH made it known to me and I knew it; Then You showed me their deeds.

But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter; And I did not know that they had devised plots against me, saying, “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, And let us cut him off from the land of the living, That his name be remembered no more.”

But, O YHWH of hosts, who judges righteously, Who tries the feelings and the heart, Let me see Your vengeance on them, For to You have I committed my cause.

Therefore thus says YHWH concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, saying, “Do not prophesy in the name of YHWH, so that you will not die at our hand”;

therefore, thus says YHWH of hosts, “Behold, I am about to punish them! The young men will die by the sword, their sons and daughters will die by famine; and a remnant will not be left to them, for I will bring disaster on the men of Anathoth—the year of their punishment.”

He Endured Much Persecution Because Of His Ministry

Jeremiah 20:1–6 (NASB)

When Pashhur the priest, the son of Immer, who was chief officer in the house of YHWH, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things,

Pashhur had Jeremiah the prophet beaten and put him in the stocks that were at the upper Benjamin Gate, which was by the house of YHWH.

On the next day, when Pashhur released Jeremiah from the stocks, Jeremiah said to him, “Pashhur is not the name YHWH has called you, but rather Magor-missabib.

For thus says YHWH, ‘Behold, I am going to make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends; and while your eyes look on, they will fall by the sword of their enemies.

So I will give over all Judah to the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will carry them away as exiles to Babylon and will slay them with the sword.

I will also give over all the wealth of this city, all its produce and all its costly things; even all the treasures of the kings of Judah I will give over to the hand of their enemies, and they will plunder them, take them away and bring them to Babylon.

And you, Pashhur, and all who live in your house will go into captivity; and you will enter Babylon, and there you will die and there you will be buried, you and all your friends to whom you have falsely prophesied.’ ”

Jeremiah Also Suffered with Imprisonment and was Lowered Down into a Muddy Pit Where He Would Have Starved to Death

He Never Married Because Of God’s Command

Jeremiah 16:1–4 (NASB)

The word of YHWH also came to me saying, “You shall not take a wife for yourself nor have sons or daughters in this place.”

For thus says YHWH concerning the sons and daughters born in this place, and concerning their mothers who bear them, and their fathers who beget them in this land:

“They will die of deadly diseases, they will not be lamented or buried; they will be as dung on the surface of the ground and come to an end by sword and famine, and their carcasses will become food for the birds of the sky and for the beasts of the earth.”

Only 2 People Ever Responded Favorably To His Preaching

Baruch, His Scribe

And Ebed-Melech, an Ethiopian Eunuch Who Served the King

Jeremiah is Unfortunately Well-Known as the “Weeping Prophet”

He is Seen Weeping for Israel’s Condition on a Few Occasions

He Cared so Much about Israel’s Well-Being and Faithfulness to God

But this Title is Very Misleading

Jeremiah was One of the Most Courageous, Toughest, Dedicated, Longsuffering Characters in All of the Bible

It Would Be Nice if He was Known as the “Persevering Prophet”

Purpose

Jeremiah 1:4–10 (NASB)

Now the word of YHWH came to me saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

Then I said, “Alas, Lord YHWH! Behold, I do not know how to speak, Because I am a youth.”

But YHWH said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ Because everywhere I send you, you shall go, And all that I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, For I am with you to deliver you,” declares YHWH.

Then YHWH stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and YHWH said to me, “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, To pluck up and to break down, To destroy and to overthrow, To build and to plant.”

God Comes to Jeremiah and Tells Him that He Knew Him and had Set Him Apart for His Work as a Prophet Before He was Ever Born.

His Work will be to Speak on Behalf of God to “the Nations”

But Jeremiah Feels that He is Unable to Do this Because He is Still a Youth

But God Tells Him that that Means Absolutely Nothing

God will Send Him Places and Give Him All the Right Things to Say

And He Doesn’t Have to be Afraid of the Wicked World He Finds Himself Surrounded by

God will Deliver Him Out of His Many Trials and Sufferings

God Touched His Mouth (Similar to Isaiah’s Lips Being Touched by Coals)

And this Simbolized that God’s Words Were Now Within Him

Jeremiah’s Purpose and Message to the Kingdoms and Nations of the World was Going to:

Uproot and Tear Down

Destroy and Annihilate

But Also to Build and Plant

Jeremiah’s Message was to Tell Judah and the Nations that There is Coming Destruction, Devastation, and Judgement

But There is Also Coming Renewal and Salvation

The Purpose of the Book itself Seems to:

Leave Behind a Written Record of the Tumultuous Times that Jeremiah and Baruch Lived in

Leave Behind a Written Record of God’s Message to the People of that Time

Leave Behind a Written Record of God’s Message for the Future of Israel and All the Nations

Outline

Key Themes

Why We Need Jeremiah

Jesus In Jeremiah