JEREMIAH | Lesson 8 | Lesson Notes / Talking Points
Read Jeremiah, chapters 37-44
MAKING THE CONNECTIONS & SETTING THE CONTEXT
1/ I told you in our last lesson that this section we’re going to survey now is called by Bible teachers ‘Jeremiah’s Via Dolorosa’ because it describes at least some of the sorrows and travails Jeremiah suffered as a faithful prophet of Yahweh. [See also chs 25-26.] In ch 36, we saw how Jeremiah’s life was threatened again by King Jehoiakim after he burned the scroll that Baruch had written at Jeremiah’s inspired dictation from Yahweh because he didn’t like the judgments Yahweh had pronounced against him and Judah.
2/ Hang on and put on your fast-listening ears because what we want to do in this lesson is do a quick survey of seven of the next chapters. All we will be able to do is give you the ‘CliffsNotes’ summary of each chapter. But in those quick summaries, we will see more of the sufferings that this faithful prophet experienced as he was true to Yahweh’s word and the prophetic mission he had been sent to fulfill.
3/ NOTE: we are going to fast-forward about twenty years from our last lesson from ch 36 which occurred during the reign of King Jehoiakim [609-597 BC]. However, these next chapters will transpire during the reign of King Zedekiah. He was the last king of Judah and was reigning when the Babylonians invaded Jerusalem, destroyed the city, burned the Temple, and deported masses of the people to captivity in Babylon [this was the third deportation over the past twenty years]. He reigned for eleven years [597-586 BC]. You’ll find his story in 2 Kings 24.18-25.21. This King Zedekiah is a common character in these stories we will survey – along with a number of other characters who followed him during the post-captivity years that followed.
4/ I’m calling this lesson ‘Intrigue, Conspiracies, & Assassination’ because that is the common theme that runs throughout all these chapters and stories. [We could also add ‘coups,’ ‘atrocities,’ et. al.] I am using ‘intrigue’ in the sense of ‘make secret plans to do something illicit or detrimental to someone.’ What we will witness is a nation that persisted in their rebellion against Yahweh, their covenant God, abandoned all spiritual precepts and principles, and descended into chaos, anarchy, and violence under the judgments of God’s Holiness, righteousness, and justice.
5/ So, here we go as we follow Jeremiah’s faithful commitment to Yahweh’s Word and the sufferings that this ‘man of sorrows’ endured as he dealt with a faithless people who opposed Yahweh and His prophet.
I / chapter 37 / Jeremiah warns Zedekiah of Yahweh’s judgments and is thrown into prison
1/ vv 1-10 / Zedekiah came to power under the appointment of Nebuchadnezzar [‘puppet-king’] after he [Nebuchadnezzar] had already taken other Jerusalemites into captivity in Babylon [see 2 Kings 24.8-17]. They still refused to respect Yahweh’s words of warning through his prophet, Jeremiah. He did, though, ask and pretend to want Jeremiah to pray for them. This came about during a brief spell when the Babylonians were distracted and diverted away from their on-going siege against Jerusalem [v 5]. Zedekiah had secretly conspired against the sieging Babylonians by sending an offer to the Egyptians to come to his aid and help Judah fight against the Babylonians. When they came up from Egypt, Nebuchadnezzar had to interrupt his siege of Jerusalem to go and fight against the Egyptians. But Yahweh warned Zedekiah through Jeremiah that they would be back shortly. They did return and finish the job of destroying Jerusalem as Yahweh had warned.
2/ vv 11-21 / During this brief lull in the siege, Jeremiah attempted to go to his nearby home village to take care of some personal family business. Zedekiah’s guards accosted him and accused him of trying to defect to the Babylonians – in other words, treason. They arrested him, beat him, and threw him into prison for many days. Zedekiah still had the nerve to bring Jeremiah in for a private counsel to ask him Is there any word from Yahweh? Jeremiah assured him there was – the same words he had been delivering to him. But Jeremiah did plead with Zedekiah to please not send him back to the prison. Zedekiah relented and Jeremiah was then confined in a lower security courtyard and given a scant ration of bread.
II / ch 38 / Jeremiah is thrown into a mucky cistern – and then rescued by an Egyptian eunuch
1/ vv 1-6 / This would have happened some short time after Jeremiah’s imprisonment as he continued to deliver Yahweh’s messages of judgment. However, we must note here, that all along, Jeremiah had been telling Zedekiah and the people of Jerusalem that there was a way to enjoy peace and escape death and destruction – surrender to the Babylonians. If they did, the Babylonians would have allowed them to remain in Jerusalem, but under Babylonian sovereignty and rule. They refused to accept Yahweh’s words. So some of Zedekiah’s henchmen again accused Jeremiah of sowing sedition and demoralizing the soldiers and citizens of Jerusalem. They called for Zedekiah to execute Jeremiah – put him to death. Zedekiah again caved in to their demands. So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern [or reservoir] of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down by ropes. And there was no water in the cistern, but only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud.
2/ vv 7-13 / There was a court-servant, an Ethiopian eunuch, by the name of Ebed-melech who had mercy toward Jeremiah. He went to King Zedekiah and interceded for Jeremiah. Again, Zedekiah relented and changed his mind by allowing Ebed-melech to take thirty men with him and rescue him from the cistern.
3/ vv 14-28 / Zedekiah was still panic-stricken and wanted to hear some words of promise from Yahweh through His prophet. He secretly called again for Jeremiah to come and give him advice. Jeremiah did, giving him the same advice he had been giving all along: surrender to the Babylonians, and they will allow you to live…but continue to rebel and resist Yahweh’s judgments against them, and they will die. Zedekiah was trying to play all the sides here. He was afraid that if his officials and advisors found out that Jeremiah was still sticking with Yahweh’s consistent prophecies, they will still put him to death. So he advised Jeremiah to just tell anyone who asked him what he and Zedekiah had talked about, “…then you shall say to them, ‘I made a humble plea to the king that he would not send me back to the house of Jonathan to die there.’” Jeremiah did just that when he was asked, and his life was spared again.
III / ch 39 / The sad account again of the fall of Jerusalem | Jeremiah’s mercy from the Babylonians
1/ vv 1-10 / This historic, pivotal account of the fall of Jerusalem is repeated here again. You will find the same account in Jeremiah 52; 2 Kings 25; and 2 Chronicles 36.17-21. It is well-documented so everyone will know that Yahweh is faithful to His warnings of judgments as well as His promises of salvation and deliverance to everyone who believes in Him, trusts His Word, and obeys Him.
2/ vv 11-14 / The conquering Babylonians know all about Jeremiah. They actually respect and treat him better than the covenant peoples who should have listened to all his words from Yahweh and obeyed their God. 11 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave command concerning Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, saying, 12 “Take him, look after him well, and do him no harm, but deal with him as he tells you.” 13 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, Nebushazban the Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, and all the chief officers of the king of Babylon 14 sent and took Jeremiah from the court of the guard. They entrusted him to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, that he should take him home. So he lived among the people.
- NOTE: we now meet this Gedeliah. We’ll see him again in ch 40.5. He is the new governor that Nebuchadnezzar is appointing to oversee the affairs of Judah and Jerusalem under his command.
3/ vv 15-18 / Yahweh also had a message of commendation, salvation, and deliverance for the Ethiopian eunuch, Ebed-melech, who had been merciful to Jeremiah and interceded for his rescue from the mucky cistern [see ch 38.7-13].
IV / ch 40 / Jeremiah is granted liberty to remain alive in Judah | Johanan warns Zedekiah about the conspiracy to assassinate him
1/ vv 1-6 / Jeremiah was taken to Ramah, which was the staging city for the deportees Babylon had taken from Jerusalem and Judah – before they were marched off to Babylon. As they were processing them for deportation, Nebuzaradan, who was the captain of the guard, took Jeremiah aside and offered him a free choice: he could come to Babylon and be taken care of there, or he could remain in Judah under the custody of Gedaliah, whom Nebuchadnezzar had installed as governor of Judah. Either way, Jeremiah would be protected and provided for by Nebuchadnezzar’s command. Jeremiah opted to remain in Judah. See ch 39.11-14.
2/ vv 7-12 / Governor Gedaliah had set up his governor’s headquarters in Mizpah. When the surviving people who had not been deported, but had been left in Judah [along with others who had fled to surrounding kingdoms] heard that Gedaliah had been appointed as Judah’s governor, they began migrating back there. Gedaliah promised them that if they would live in peace under the sovereignty of Babylonian dominion, they could cultivate the land and prosper. Judah would be a ‘safe place’ if they chose to live in peace. Many did.
3/ vv 13-16 / Among those who migrated back to live in Judah under Gedaliah’s governorship were a couple of power-hungry rogues: a certain Ishmael and Johanan [see v 8]. Johanan went to Gedaliah and told him that Ishmael had been hired by the king of Ammon and was conspiring to assassinate him, stage a coup, and take over the leadership of being governor of the remaining inhabitants of Judah. Gedaliah didn’t believe him. Johanan asked Gedaliah if he would commission him to assassinate Ishmael to prevent Ishmael from assassinating him. Gedaliah refused: But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, “You shall not do this thing, for you are speaking falsely of Ishmael.” That would prove to be the undoing of Gedaliah.
V / ch 41 / Gedaliah is, indeed, assassinated by Ishmael | Johanan, in turn, seeks to assassinate Ishmael, but he escapes
1/ vv 1-3 / Surely by now you’re getting the picture of why I’m calling this lesson ‘Intrigue, Conspiracies, & Assassinations.’ This Ishmael was conspiring against Governor Gedaliah to assassinate him – and he did. And he assassinated Gedaliah as Gedaliah was hospitably hosting him and they were dining together. Not only did Ishmael assassinate Governor Gedaliah, but he also murdered a number of the occupying Babylonian soldiers who were stationed there.
2/ vv 4-10 / The next day, groups of eighty refugees from surrounding cities came to Mizpah, not knowing what Ishmael had done. They were seeking refuge in the newly-established Judah ‘safe-place’ settlement there. Ishmael went out to them pretending to be receiving them, but then when they came into the city, Ishmael turned on them and massacred them and threw their corpses into a large cistern/reservoir from the days of King Asa. Ten of these refugees escaped being slaughtered when they offered Ishmael some food stores they had hidden away. Ishmael then proceeded to kidnap and take hostage the refugees who had settled in Mizpah and set out to go back to Ammon [see ch 40.13-14].
3/ vv 11-18 / Johanan had power-hungry/-seeking plans of his own. So when he heard about Ishmael’s atrocities, he and his band of rival rogues set out to intercept Ishmael. They encountered them at the great pool that is in Gibeon. When the kidnapped hostages from Mizpah saw him approaching, they bolted from Ishmael and ran to join Johanan. Johanan was afraid to go back to Mizpah where all the previous killing had taken place for fear of reprisal from the Babylonians [see vv 1-9]. So they fled to a village near Bethlehem, planning from there to go to Egypt for their safety and survival. Keep in mind: this intention to flee to Egypt was in overt disobedience to Yahweh who had promised them that if they would remain in Judah and submit to the Babylonians, He would preserve them there. These promises are in Yahweh’s messages to them in the next chapter…
VI / ch 42 / Yahweh warns Johanan through Jeremiah NOT to go to Egypt … but he will disobey
1/ vv 1-6 / Johanan again pretends to want to hear from Yahweh through Jeremiah whether they should go to Egypt or stay in Judah. Jeremiah promises them he will ask Yahweh what His will is for them and get back with them in ten days. Johanan and his men solemnly commit to obey Yahweh’s word. They won’t. NOTE: from here on…the repeated reference to ‘obey’ and ‘did not obey.’
2/ vv 7-22 / Jeremiah does bring them word from Yahweh. Yahweh promises to be with them, protect them from the Babylonians, to plant them and make them prosperous if they will obey Him. He will grant them mercy, save them, and deliver them if they will do what He says and remain in the land. IF they disobey Him and flee to Egypt, He will send the Babylonians [whom they are fearing in Judah] down to Egypt, and they will die there. Yahweh has revealed to Jeremiah the deceit and duplicity of their pretenses. He pronounces His solemn judgments: 19 The LORD has said to you, O remnant of Judah, ‘Do not go to Egypt.’ Know for a certainty that I have warned you this day 20 that you have gone astray at the cost of your lives. For you sent me to the LORD your God, saying, ‘Pray for us to the LORD our God, and whatever the LORD our God says, declare to us and we will do it.’ 21 And I have this day declared it to you, but you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD your God in anything that He sent me to tell you. 22 Now therefore know for a certainty that you shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence in the place where you desire to go to live.”
VII / chs 43-44 / Johanan and his crew do flee to Egypt with the hostages they have taken in Judah | They kidnap Jeremiah also and take him with them | Yahweh will follow them there…
1/ vv 1-7 / As soon as Jeremiah delivers Yahweh’s message to Johanan and all the insolent men [as they had asked him to do in the pretense of sincerity], they then proceed to accuse Jeremiah of lying to them. And they also implicate Baruch in their charges – that somehow and for some reason Baruch had exerted his influence on Yahweh’s prophet and led him to make this pronouncement. 4 So Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces and all the people did not obey the voice of the LORD, to remain in the land of Judah. 5 But Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces took all the remnant of Judah who had returned to live in the land of Judah from all the nations to which they had been driven [see ch 41.10]— 6 the men, the women, the children, the princesses, and every person whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan; also Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch the son of Neriah.
2/ vv 8-13 / They were not only devising their own means to escape from the wrath of Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians, but they were also arrogantly and insolently defying the word of Yahweh and His express command through Jeremiah to stay in Judah. They thought that by fleeing to Egypt in disobedience to Yahweh and taking Jeremiah with them, they could exercise their own control over Yahweh’s prophet, Yahweh’s message, and their own destinies. But Yahweh continues to speak through His prophet…even there in Egypt! He commands Jeremiah to perform a ‘sign-act,’ an object lesson in their audience – this object lesson will illustrate what He is going to do: 8 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah in Tahpanhes: 9 “Take in your hands large stones and hide them in the mortar in the pavement that is at the entrance to Pharaoh’s palace in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of Judah, 10 and say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will send and take Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and I will set his throne above these stones that I have hidden, and he will spread his royal canopy over them. 11 He shall come and strike the land of Egypt, giving over to the pestilence those who are doomed to the pestilence, to captivity those who are doomed to captivity, and to the sword those who are doomed to the sword. 12 I shall kindle a fire in the temples of the gods of Egypt, and he shall burn them and carry them away captive. And he shall clean the land of Egypt as a shepherd cleans his cloak of vermin, and he shall go away from there in peace. 13 He shall break the obelisks of Heliopolis, which is in the land of Egypt, and the temples of the gods of Egypt he shall burn with fire.’”
3/ ch 44 / Yahweh delivers an expanded message through Jeremiah to the refugees in Egypt – He will follow them and send His judgments on them there in Egypt … because of their continuing rebellions and disobedience.
~Dave Parks 