JEREMIAH CHAPTERS 35-37 CHAPTER 35 – (v.1, 2) Jehoiakim was Zedekiah’s brother and reigned sometime before Zedekiah (2Kings 24; 2 Chron.36). Jehoiakim: His name means, “He whom Jehovah has set up.” Satan’s goal is to tear down those whom God has “set up.” Jehoiakim did evil in the sight of the Lord. Here God instructs Jeremiah during the reign of Jehoiakim to summon the house of the Rechabites, to illustrate a point regarding the disobedience of Judah. (Easton’s Bible Dictionary). RECHABITES — The Rechabites were a Jewish tribe convinced it was easier to live a godly life as nomads than in the settled life of the cities, where they would be tempted to compromise with idolatry and immorality. They did not drink wine or any other intoxicating drink; they chose to live in tents rather than houses; and they refused to plant crops or own vineyards. This strict life- style was similar to the law of the NAZIRITE (Numbers 6:1-21). (Nelson's Illustrative Bible Dictionary). The issue here has nothing to do with wine but obedience to God’s will! God was demonstrating the Rechabites’ allegiance to the words of their earthly father, yet Judah would not heed the words of their heavenly Father! Are we guilty of the same? Willing to obey the voice of men - our friends, peers, etc. - but giving scant obedience to the voice of God? It’s amazing what people will do on the show “Fear Factor,” obeying the voice of the host for some temporal monetary gain, yet, people - when they hear the voice of God, His word which yields eternal benefits - will protest vehemently against it. CHAPTER 36 (v.1-8) The fourth year of Jehoiakim was 605 B.C., the year of the fateful Battle of Carchemish when Pharaoh Necho defeated King Josiah and made Judah a vassal (subservient) to Egypt. Jeremiah 46:2; 2 Chronicles 35:20-27. Jehoiakim had gotten his throne only because Egypt had deposed his brother Jehoahaz. Jeremiah had been ministering for 23 years, and now God commanded him to write his messages in a scroll so they would be permanent and could be read by others. (The Bible Exposition Commentary). God orders Jeremiah to summarize all the messages which he had spoken to Judah over the past 23 years in hopes that Judah will turn from their evil ways, back to God. In the same manner God has given us not only the Bible - a summary of His dealings with mankind in hopes that we would hear and repent - but also His only Son. God’s judgment of mankind will be just: Not only has He spoken His word and manifested His word (Christ), but He has written His word down. Thus, those who reject His word can have no hope of salvation. (ttt) Hebrews 10:28-31. (1 Peter 4:18) Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?" Baruch, Jeremiah’s scribe, is assigned the task of cataloging Jeremiah’s messages for the nation of Judah, because Jeremiah is in prison, at this time due to the wrath of a priest (Jer. 20); Pashhur, the son of Immer the priest, had Jeremiah imprisoned. The words of Jeremiah would be read on “the day of fasting”- a day when there would be a good crowd in the temple, when a fast was proclaimed, probably because of the impending Babylonian invasion (The Bible Exposition Commentary). Distractions would be minimized on such a day, and Baruch would have the attention of the people. (v.9-15) Several months later, Baruch delivers the message in the upper court at the entry of the New Gate (the East Gate) of the temple. (Geneva Notes). Michaiah hears the message and goes to tell the princes of the king’s house what he has heard; (v.14, 15) they summon Baruch to come and read the words of the scroll to them. (v.16-19) Here we have the response of the godly. These princes, after hearing the word of God, were gripped by fear; here we have a godly response to the word of God. (Isaiah 66:2b) “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word.” (v.19) They instruct Baruch and Jeremiah to hide themselves, Jeremiah probably having been released from prison, but still banned from entering the temple. (v.20-26) Here we have the response of the ungodly. (v.27-32) God instructs Jeremiah to re-write the words Jehoiakim destroyed, and to add to them an addendum of judgment against the wicked king and his cronies. The word which Jehoiakim “burned” would “burn” Him! The word of God which mankind seeks to destroy will destroy mankind. Indeed, Jehoiakim would not have any of his sons after him sit on the throne of David (reign as king); or at least not anyone God would recognize. In fact, his son Coniah (Jehoiachin), who really didn’t reign but was a “paper tiger” (made king by Nebuchadnezzar and not God), briefly reigned after him, for only three months (2 Kings 24:6-16). He was carried away captive into Babylon, by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar; after him, his uncle Zedekiah reigned. The world’s response to the word of God is not to see if it is true, but rather to destroy st it and all who are associated with the word. (1 examples). (Hebrews 4:12) For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. As believers, the word of God must live within us, or the hypocrisy of our lives will become a stench to the word; rather than infusing the fragrance of Christ. (2nd examples). (Colossians 3:16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. CHAPTER 37 (v.1-10) Here we see Judah making the mistake of judging their relationship with God by the circumstances around them. Just because our situation is favorable doesn’t mean things are always “right” with God. Judah thinks the Chaldeans (Babylonians) are fleeing from the Egyptians. God must have heard our prayer; we must be OK with God! But their hearts are still set on evil, like many people who walk in rebellion to the word of God and yet think they are OK with God because they receive a raise, promotion, or some other material gain. Although God does and will bless us with material things, material things or favorable circumstances should never become a substitute for obedience. Jesus said: (Matthew 5:45b) “…for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” King Saul (1 Sam. 15) defeated the king Amalek, but his heart was still filled with “witch craft” - rebellion. Samuel rebuked him sharply, declaring, (1 Samuel 15:22b) “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. “ (v.11-15) Jeremiah is going to claim that which was rightfully his and is assaulted in the process. It’s illustrative of how Satan, when it comes to the promises of God, will assault any believer who will dare to “claim” them. But all of God’s promises are “Yes” and “Amen” in Christ (2 Cor. 1:20). Despite the demonic interruptions we might face, Satan cannot keep us from God’s “promises.” Balaam discovered (Numbers 23:20b) “He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.” (v.16-19) Even when it seems like the king is being favorable to Jeremiah, he never watered down his message - God’s word. How many of us, when the world lavishes upon us accolades and praise, would be tempted to water down God’s word? Some believers in the world arena are reluctant to magnify Christ, for fear they will lose favor with the world. They capitulate by referring to God in the generic, and refrain from speaking the name “Jesus,” publicly. (Mark 8:38) “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." (v.20, 21) Jeremiah pleads for his life. (v.20) Jonathan the scribe was trying to kill the prophet. .