Jeremiah 34-39 Crossroads Foursquare Gospel Church God’s Favor May 16,2021 Mike Norton
To understand the rest of Jeremiah it would help if we went to 2Kings 22-23:27, the story of King Josiah. King Josiah died at Megiddo fighting Pharaoh Necho which God did not tell him to do, 2 Kings 23: 29-30 cp. 2 Chronicles 35:20-27. Jehoahaz reigned three months in Jerusalem, v 31. Put in prison by Pharaoh Necho, vs. 32-33, then later took him to Egypt where he died, v.34 cp. To 2 Chronicles 36:1-8. Pharaoh Necho made Eliakim king but changed his name to Jehoiakim, v.34. 2 Kings 24: 1-6. Nebuchadnezzar came and made Jehoiakim a vassal, but he rebelled, so God sent raiding bands of Chaldeans, Syrians, Moabites, People of Ammon because of the sin of Manasseh, vs. 2-4. Jehoiachin reigned next, 24:6-16. Nebuchadnezzar took him prisoner and much of the temple treasure plus the valiant men, craftsmen, and smiths to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar made Zedekiah king, vs. 17-20. See 2 Chronicles chapter 36
Jeremiah 34 Zedekiah’s proclamation of Liberty. 1. Zedekiah was a weak king in that he did not enforce his own commands. 2. They were to free the Hebrew slaves
Jeremiah 35 The examples of the Recabites in the days of Jehoiakim, King of Judah. 1. A tribe, descended from Recab, who are mentioned during the time of Moses (1 Chronicles 2:55; Numbers 10:29-32; Judges 1:16) 2. They adhered to their ancestor’s command. A. Drink no wine, v.6 B. No houses, v.7 C. No sowing, v. 7 D. No vineyards, v. 7. E. To dwell in tents and sojourn, v. 7 F. Every family member adhered to this from generation to generation, vs. 8-10 G. Temporarily in Jerusalem because of the Chaldeans, v.11 3. God’s example to Jerusalem’s disobedience, vs. 12-17 4. God’s reward to the Recabites, vs. 18-19
Jeremiah 36 Jehoiakim burns Jeremiah’s Book. 1. At this time Jeremiah had been prophesying for 23 years, from the 13th year of Josiah to the 4th year of Jehoiakim. 2. He was commanded by God to gather these prophecies into a book so that they can be read to the people, because Jeremiah was imprisoned, v. 5. Baruch did the writing as Jeremiah dictated. 3. It took a year or so to write the book, vs. 1 & 9 4. Some of the officials were impressed, vs. 9-19 5. Jehudi read the scroll to the king, at which time he knifed the scroll and tossed it into the fire, vs. 20-25 6. The king ordered that Baruch and Jeremiah be seized but God hid them, v. 26 7. Jeremiah was ordered by the LORD to write everything on another scroll, vs. 27-32
Jeremiah 37-38 Jeremiah’s Imprisonment. 1. When the Babylonians had temporarily withdrawn, Jeremiah leaves the city to go to Anathoth to claim his property, v. 12 2. Jeremiah was put in the dungeon, vs. 16 3. King Zedekiah takes him out and puts him into the court of the prison, vs. 17-21 4. The princes ask the king to have Jeremiah thrown into the dungeon to die, chapter 38:1-5 5. They put him in the mire of the dungeon, v. 6 6. Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian rescued him, vs. 7-13; 28
Jeremiah 39 Nebuchadnezzar takes the city & sets Jeremiah free 1. The city is taken, vs. 1-3 2. Zedekiah captured, blinded, sons killed, and carried to Babylon, vs. 4-7, all the princes are killed. 3. Burned the city, vs. 8-10 4. Nebuchadnezzar orders that Jeremiah be looked after, vs. 11-14
LAST WORDS : 39:18 God’s promise to Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian to save him , “…Your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me, says the LORD.” GOD CAN RESCUE ALL OF US AS WELL.