Jeremiah – Rev

Commentary to the Book of Jeremiah – Rev. John Schultz 1 JEREMIAH Introduction: J. Sidlow Baxter, in Explore the Book, observes about Jeremiah: “The man and his message and his times are inseparably bound together, and must be interpreted together.” He calls Jeremiah “one of the bravest, tenderest, and most pathetic figures in history.” Jeremiah came on the scene of Israel’s history eighty or one hundred years after Isaiah’s death and carried on his prophetic ministry for more than forty years, covering the reign of Judah’s last five kings. Baxter compares Jeremiah in character to our Lord Jesus Christ, saying: “I know of no man who reveals a truer heart-likeness to Jesus Himself than does Jeremiah, in his suffering sympathy both with God and men, in his un-retaliating forbearance, his yearning concern for his fellows, his guileless motive, his humility, his willingness for self-sacrifice, and his utter faithfulness, even to the point of unsparing severity in denunciation.” And: “No man ever shrank from publicity as did Jeremiah; yet singularly enough, it is this man, who, of all the prophets, gives us the fullest revelation of his own character. This is because the man and his message are in such passionate oneness under such tragic circumstances.” The Name: According to Hitchcock’s Bible Names Dictionary, the name Jeremiah means: “exaltation of the Lord.” According to The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia the name “signifies either ‘Yahweh hurls’ or ‘Yahweh founds.’” R. H. Harrison, in Jeremiah & Lamentations, states more cautiously: “The name Jeremiah appeared in Hebrew either as yirmeya or yirmeyahu, which was rendered by the LXX as Ieremias and by Latin versions Jeremias. The precise meaning of the name is unknown, with suggested interpretations including ‘the Lord found,’ ‘the Lord exalts’ and ‘the Lord throws down.’” Jeremiah identifies himself as the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin.”1 Anathoth was a village three miles northeast of Jerusalem. Historical background: Jeremiah prophesied during the reigns of Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah; his prophecies covered a period of 41 years (627 BC – 586 BC). He continued to prophesy in Egypt which means that he may have been active for over 50 years. Jeremiah began his ministry during the reign of King Josiah, who was God-fearing and endeavored to reform Judah’s spiritual condition and bring the nation back under God. According to The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia Jeremiah “left in doubt of the fact that the catastrophe of the judgment of God over the city would soon come (Jer 1:11 ff); and when, after a few years, the Book of the Law was found in the temple (2 Kings 22 and 23), Jeremiah preached ‘the words of this covenant’ to the people in the town and throughout the land (11:1-8; 17:19-27), and exhorted to obedience to the Divine command; but in doing this then and afterward he became the object of much hostility, especially in his native city, Anathoth. Even his own brethren or near relatives entered into a conspiracy against him by declaring that he was a dangerous fanatic (Jer 12:6). However, the condition of Jeremiah under this pious king was the most happy in his career, and he lamented the latter’s untimely death in sad lyrics, which the author of Chronicles was able to use (2 Chron 35:25), but which have not come down to our times. Much more unfavorable was the prophet’s condition after the death of Josiah. Jehoahaz-Shallum, who ruled only 3 months, received the announcement of his sentence from Jeremiah (Jer 22:10 ff). Jehoiakim (609 BC - 598 BC) in turn favored the heathen worship, and oppressed the people through his love of luxury and by the erection of grand structures (Jer 22:13 ff). In addition, his politics were treacherous. He conspired with Egypt against his superior, Nebuchadnezzar. Epoch-making was the 4th year of Jehoiakim, in which, in the battle of Carchemish, the Chaldaeans gained the upper hand in Hither Asia, as Jeremiah had predicted (46:1-12). Under Jehoiakim 1. Jer. 1:1 © 2008 John Schultz – All Rights Reserved Published by Bible-Commentaries.Com – Used with Permission Commentary to the Book of Jeremiah – Rev. John Schultz 2 Jeremiah delivered his great temple discourse (7-9; 10:17-25). The priests for this reason determined to have the prophet put to death (chapter 26). However, influential elders interceded for him, and the princes yet showed some justice. He was, however, abused by the authorities at the appeal of the priests (chapter 20). According to 36:1 ff, he was no longer permitted to enter the place of the temple. For this reason the Lord commanded him to collect his prophecies in a book roll, and to have them read to the people by his faithful pupil Baruch (chapter 36; compare chapter 45). The book fell into the hands of the king, who burned it. However, Jeremiah dictated the book a second time to Baruch, together with new additions. Jehoiachin or Coniah (Jer 22:24 ff), the son of Jehoiakim, after a reign of 3 months, was taken into captivity to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, together with a large number of his nobles and the best part of the people (Jer 24:1; 29:2), as the prophet had predicted (22:20-30). But conditions did not improve under Zedekiah (597 BC - 586 BC). This king was indeed not as hostile to Jeremiah as Jehoiakim had been; but all the more hostile were the princes and the generals, who were now in command after the better class of these had been deported to Babylon. They continually planned rebellion against Babylon, while Jeremiah was compelled to oppose and put to naught every patriotic agitation of this kind. Finally, the Babylonian army came in order to punish the faithless vassal who had again entered into an alliance with Egypt. Jeremiah earnestly advised submission, but the king was too weak and too cowardly as against his nobles. A long siege resulted, which caused the direst sufferings in the life of Jeremiah. The commanders threw him into a vile prison, charging him with being a traitor (37:11 ff). The king, who consulted him secretly, released him from prison, and put him into the ‘court of the guard’ (37:17 ff), where he could move around freely, and could again prophesy. Now that the judgment had come, he could again speak of the hopeful future (chapters 32, 33). Also chapters 30 and 31, probably, were spoken about this time. But as he continued to preach submission to the people, those in authority cast him into a slimy cistern, from which the pity of a courtier, Ebed-melech, delivered him (39:15-18). He again returned to the court of the guard, where he remained until Jerusalem was taken. After the capture of the city, Jeremiah was treated with great consideration by the Babylonians, who knew that he had spoken in favor of their government (Jer 39:11 ff; 40:1 ff). They gave him the choice of going to Babylon or of remaining in his native land. He decided for the latter, and went to the governor Gedaliah, at Mizpah, a man worthy of all confidence. But when this man, after a short time, was murdered by conscienceless opponents, the Jews who had been left in Palestine, becoming alarmed and fearing the vengeance of the Chaldaeans, determined to immigrate to Egypt. Jeremiah advised against this most earnestly, and threatened the vengeance of Yahweh, if the people should insist upon their undertaking (42:1 ff). But they insisted and even compelled the aged prophet to go with them (43:1 ff). Their first goal was Tahpanhes (Daphne), a town in Lower Egypt. At this place he still continued to preach the word of God to his fellow-Israelites; compare the latest of his preserved discourses in 43:8-13, as also the sermon in chapter 44, delivered at a somewhat later time but yet before 570 BC. At that time Jeremiah must have been from 70 to 80 years old. He probably died soon after this in Egypt.” R. K. Harrison, in Jeremiah & Lamentations, dates Jeremiah’s oracles against the following historical background: a. Under Josiah1:1–9; 2:1 – 3:5; 3:6 – 6:30; 7:1 – 10:25; 18:1 – 20:18 b. Under Jehoiakim 11:1 – 13:14; 14:1 – 15:21; 16:1 – 17:27; 22:1– 30; 23:1– 8, 9– 40; 25:1– 14, 15– 38; 26:1– 24; 35:1– 19; 36:1– 32; 45:1– 5; 46:1– 12; 13– 28; 47:1– 7; 48:1– 47 c. Under Jehoiachin 31:15–47 d. Under Zedekiah 21:1 – 22:30; 24:1–10; 27:1–22; 28:1–17; 29:1–32; 30:1 – 31:40; 32:1–44; 33:1– 26; 34:1–7; 8–11; 12–22; 37:1–21; 38:1–28; 39:1–18; 49:1–22, 23–33, 34– 39; 50:1 – 51:64 e. Under Gedaliah 40:1 – 42:22; 43:1 – 44:30 f. Historical Appendix 52:1–34 © 2008 John Schultz – All Rights Reserved Published by Bible-Commentaries.Com – Used with Permission Commentary to the Book of Jeremiah – Rev. John Schultz 3 Character of Jeremiah: The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia states: “The Book of Jeremiah gives us not only a fuller account of the life and career of its author than do the books of the other prophets, but we also learn more about his own inner and personal life and feelings than we do of Isaiah or any other prophet.

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