Chronological Bible Study – Aug 12

What I Noticed Today (Jeremiah 18-22)

Jeremiah 18-20

Jeremiah 18-20 is Jeremiah’s ninth message to the people of Judah and concludes the first main section of the book.

Jeremiah 18

Jeremiah 18 contains the parable of the potter.

In verses 1-4, the Lord instructs Jeremiah to go to the potter’s house and watch as he makes pots out of clay. As the potter worked, he saw a flaw in the pot, so he formed the clay back into a lump and started making it into another pot.

In verses 5-12, the Lord compares the potter and the clay to his relationship with Israel. The Lord can tear down any nation or kingdom any time He wants if they do evil and stop listening to Him. The Lord warns them they are bringing judgment upon themselves, but He will relent if they repent and return to Him. The people, however, are stubborn, following their own ways with an evil heart.

In verses 13-17, the Lord condemns the sin of Israel. They have forgotten Him; they have turned to false gods and idols. They have made their land a horror and a scorn to all who pass by.

In verses 18-23, certain people make plans to discredit and reject the words of Jeremiah. Jeremiah responds by asking the Lord to listen to their claims and remember his faithfulness to the Lord. Jeremiah has changed his mind about the people. At first, He asked the Lord not to judge them, but now, Jeremiah says it is time for the Lord to judge them, to deal with them in His time of anger.

Jeremiah 19

In verses 1-6, the Lord directs Jeremiah to buy a clay jar (or flask), gather some of the elders and priests together, and go to the Potsherd Gate to make a proclamation.

The Lord’s proclamation directed to the Kings of Judah and the people of the city was that He was about to bring a disaster to the city because of their idolatry.

In verses 7-9, Jeremiah described the coming disaster saying the people would fall by the sword, their bodies would be eaten by wild animals, and those who survived would resort to cannibalism during the siege of the city.

In verses 10-13, the Lord now tells Jeremiah to smash the clay jar as a symbol of how He would smash the nation of Judah. Jerusalem would become unclean, and the Lord would no longer stay there because of the people’s sin.

In verses 14-15, Jeremiah went to the temple court to give the message previously given to the elders and priests regarding the judgment that was to come against Jerusalem and the surrounding villages because the people refused to listen to Jeremiah and his warning for the people to repent and return to God.

Jeremiah 20

In verses 1-2, Pashhur, son of Immer, who was a chief officer in the temple heard Jeremiah prophesy, seized him, beat him, and put him in stocks near the upper gate of Benjamin where he was ridiculed by the public.

In verses 3-6, Jeremiah was released the following day. Jeremiah told Pashhur that God’s new name for him was “Magor-Missabib” (Terror on every Side). Jeremiah prophesied that he would see God’s judgment as his friends were killed by the sword, and Judah would be conquered by the king of Babylon. Pashhur would see all the wealth of Judah carried off and he would be taken captive and go to Babylon where he would die because he had prophesied falsely.

In verses 7-10, Jeremiah pours out his heart to the Lord in prayer. It seems Jeremiah is accusing the Lord of “deceiving” him, but this word in Hebrew “pathah” means to seduce. So Jeremiah is saying God seduced him into the prophetic ministry where the people ridiculed and rejected him. But when he considered not speaking, the Lord’s words burned inside him, and he couldn’t hold it in. His distress is because the people he trusted the most are now watching and waiting for him to fail.

In verses 11-13, Jeremiah feels a sudden surge of confidence, expressing his trust in God, knowing that God will avenge him, and their dishonor will never be forgotten.

In verses 14-18, Jeremiah plunges back into despair cursing the day he was born as he realizes that the vindication he is hoping for will only come when the people and the city he loves are destroyed

Jeremiah 20-25

The previous chapters relate nine prophecies in which Jeremiah denounces Judah’s sin, and issues a call for the people to repent and return to God. Jeremiah faced opposition several times (11:18-23, 12:6, 15:10, 17:18, 18:19-23) but it did not include physical persecution until Pashhur (Jeremiah 20).

In these next five chapters, Jeremiah’s prophecies take on a decidedly more personal note as he directs his prophecies against specific groups. Judah’s opportunity to repent has passed. God’s judgment is now certain.

Jeremiah 21

Jeremiah 21 jumps forward some 18-years from Jeremiah 20 to about 588 B.C.

In verses 1-2, King Zedekiah sent Pashhur son of Malkijah (also spelled Malchijah, different Passhur than the Pashhur in Jeremiah 20), and Zephaniah son of Maaseiah to Jeremiah to ask about Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon who was making war against Judah.  They hoped Jeremiah’s answer would be positive, that the Lord would save them from Nebuchadnezzar.

In verses 3-7, Jeremiah’s response was that their own weapons would be turned against them. God himself would fight against them, striking down the people of the city. The people who survived the battle, the pestilence (disease), and famine would be taken by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon.

In verses 8-10, Jeremiah presents the people with two choices: either surrender to Nebuchadnezzar and live or be killed (the way of life and the way of death).

In verses 11-14, Jeremiah directs his prophecy to the king and his household. The king said Jeremiah, was supposed to uphold justice but since he had rejected God and Jeremiah’s warnings, he would face God’s judgment.

Jeremiah 22

Jeremiah 22:1-19 jumps backward in time from Jeremiah 21 about 20 years to 607 B.C.

In verses 1-5, the Lord instructed Jeremiah to go to the house of the king with a warning to the king and his household to do justice and righteousness for the oppressed, and do no wrong to the foreigners, widows, and orphans. If the king obeyed, he would continue to be blessed, but if he refused his house would be destroyed.

In verses 6-9, Jeremiah says the king’s house is like Gilead or the summit of Lebanon. The king’s palace in Jerusalem was known as “Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.” After God’s judgment, the palace will be cut up and become desolate. Those passing by will wonder why this happened. It happened because they had forsaken the Lord and worshiped other gods.

In verses 10-12, Jeremiah’s next message is directed to Shallum, son of Josiah (Shallum is another name for Jehoahaz).

In verses 13-14, Jeremiah pronounces a woe upon Jehoiakim who built himself up at the expense of his people.

In verses 15-17, Jeremiah compared Jehoiakim with his father King Josiah, saying Josiah had been just and righteous, but Jehoiakim was dishonest, shed innocent blood, and oppressed the people.

In verses 18-19, Jeremiah says because of these things, Jehoiakim will die, and no one will mourn his passing. He will be dragged outside the city and dumped.

In verses 20-23, (jumping forward about ten years to about 598 B.C.) Jeremiah called on the city to repent and to cry out to God. The cry from Jerusalem will reach Lebanon in the north, Bashan in the northeast, to Abarim in the southeast. Judah’s allies will all be crushed by the Babylonian army.

In verses 24-27, Jeremiah says that Jehoiachin (aka Jehoiakim) will forfeit his kingdom because of his sins. His son, Coniah, will not follow him to the throne because the Babylonians will capture Jehoiachin and take him and his mother (Nahushta) to Babylon.

In verses 28-30, Jeremiah says Jehoiachin and his sons will be removed from their positions and taken to Babylon. People will consider him childless because none of his sons will ascend to the throne of Judah.

Tomorrow: Jeremiah 23-25

What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.