Weekly Reading and Bible Study

Monday Reading: Jeremiah 1

[Picture This: A Call, An Almond Tree, and a Boiling Pot]

1.1-3: Introduction
The first three verses provide an introduction to Jeremiah, his call, and the time in which he
prophesied. The information given in 1.1-3 is important for understanding the book of Jeremiah as
a whole.
1.1: Anathoth was a priestly city (Josh 21.18) located 3 miles northeast of Jerusalem. The
walls of Jerusalem would have been visible from Anathoth.
Hilkiah, means Yah(weh) is protection. It is a fitting name for the
NAME:
father of a prophet who will proclaim Yahwehs protection to a people
In the Ancient Near
who believe that Egypt and idols, not Yahweh, are their protection
East someones name
against the power of the Babylonian empire.
1.2
was vital to his/her
627--587/6 Jeremiah

identity because it
signified his/her
character or reputation.

722 B.C
Assyria Invades
Israel (Northern Kingdom)

640 B.C.
Josiahs
Reign Begins

587 B.C.
Fall of Jerusalem to
Babylon and Beginning of Babylonian
Exile

1.2: The word of the Lord came to him. This phrase is often at the opening of a prophetic
book. (Hos. 1.1, Joel 1.1, Mic. 1.1)
1.2:Josiah tried to reform Judah after finding the Book of the Law (2 Kings 22); however,
when Josiah dies in a battle with Pharaoh Neco in 609 B.C, his reforms die with him. The
people had been willing to follow the Josiahs changes but their hearts remained unchanged.
1.3 Jeremiah prophesied to five kings: Josiah, Jehoaikim, Jehoahaz, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah. Besides Josiah, each of the kings rejected Jeremiahs message.
1.4-10: Jeremiah's Call
1.4: Dabar (translated word) means word,
Prophet:
thing, or action in Hebrew. Within ancient IsSpeaking
in
the name of Yahweh
rael a spoken word and performed action were
and against the background of Yahwoven together into the same lived-experience.
wehs covenant with Israel, the
1.5: Jeremiahs call is filled with wonder and with
prophets
evaluate the life of Yahwehs
Gods omniscience. God knows Jeremiah before
people
from
a divine perspective."
he is born and has determined to call him as a
prophet. (Psalm 139.15-17)
-Karl Mller
To learn more about the Prophetic
1.5: While many prophets focused specifically on
Gods people, they often also have a broader
Office in Ancient Israel, Read Deucalling. Jeremiah is specifically called to be
teronomy 18:14-22
prophet to the nations. He will proclaim that God
is God of all and bring judgement against the nations for their disobedience. (chs. 46-51) never just the God of a single people. As God of
all he makes demands on all nations to follow him.
1.6: Jeremiahs responds to Gods call by declaring his inadequacy to be a prophet. His protest closely resembles Moses objection in Exodus 4.10. But Moses said to the LORD,
"Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue." Exodus 4.10 (NIV)
1.6: Child- Jeremiah also objects to Gods call because he believes he is too young.
1.8: God assures Jeremiah that he will go with him and rescue him. God does not guarantee freedom from suffering or death, but God promises His presence to reassure Jeremiah and to free him from the fear of following Gods call. God also promises his presence to Moses, he calls Joshua to be bold and courageous for God will be with him, and

Jesus tells us to go and make disciples knowing that he will be with us to the very end of
the age.
1.9: God is commissioning Jeremiah and consecrating him to speak the words of God. Peter writes, For prophesy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God
as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1.21 (NIV)
1.10: Jeremiah is called to proclaim a message of destruction, but he also announces hope
for restoration in the midst of Judahs destruction.
1.11-16: Almond Tree and a Boiling Pot
1.11: What do you see? The pictures/images throughout the book of Jeremiah are vivid.
Jeremiahs message is both heard and seen by the people.
1.11-12: Picture This: an Almond Tree. Almond trees, one of the first
trees to blossom in the Spring, were commonly grown in Anathoth
Picture This:
and surrounding areas. God is a picture to make it clear that he will
Jeremiah's message
fulfill Jeremiahs prophetic words soon.
is often conveyed
1.13: Picture This: A Boiling Pot spilling its boiling liquid. The picthrough metaphor
ture of a boiling pot (a common cooking pot) being tilted from the
and symbolic action.
north (and on to the land of Judah) is a terrifying image because it is an image of the
land of Judah being scorched by the boiling
liquid of Babylon.
1.15: Although Babylon lay east of Judah, the natural roads and
trade route came from the north. Furthermore, because of
where Jerusalem is located topographically, the city is the most
vulnerable to a northern attack.
1.16: God is pronouncing rightful judgement and punishment on
the people in relation to their covenantal disobedience.
1.16: hands have made- The people of Judah worshipped gods of
their own making. By worshipping idols, the people of Judah
broke the covenant they had entered into with God. (Exodus 24,
and the Book of Deuteronomy)
Blessing and Curses of the Covenant
When Yahweh establishes His covenant with Israel, He enters into a relationship with Israel. He promises to be Israels God, and Israel promises to be faithful to Yahweh. Understanding the covenantal
relationship formed between Yahweh and Israel is essential to understanding the context of Jeremiahs rebuke against Israel. To learn more about this relationship, particularly the blessing and
curses associated with obedience and disobedience (which are important to understanding Jeremiah)
read the book of Deuteronomy.
If you fully obey the LORD your God and Carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the
LORD you God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you
and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God...The LORD will establish you as a holy people,
as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the LORD your God and walk in his ways.
However, if you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and
decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you...The Lord will
send on you curses, confusion and rebuke, in everything you put your hand to, until you are destroyed and come to sudden ruin because of the evil you have done in forsaking him.
Deuteronomy 28.1-2,15,20

1.17-19: Profound Call, Profound Assurance

1.17: Get yourself ready- this phrase was used to call soldiers to go to war or to prepare
workers for harsh labor. God is calling Jeremiah to get ready for an incredibly difficult
prophetic ministry.
1.17: Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them or Do not break
down before them, Lest I break you before them. If Jeremiah forsakes his call, God

will bring a curse on Jeremiah. (Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am
compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 1 Corinthians 9.16 NIV)
1.18: fortified city...iron pillar...bronze wall- After warning Jeremiah to not forsake his
call, God assures Jeremiah that he has been given incredible strength. This strength
does not mean an absence of struggles or tears. If Jeremiah is the author of Lamentations then the words of Lamentations 3 must have been particularly close to his heart, 19
I remember my affliction and my wandering the bitterness and the gall, 20 I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. 21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I
have hope: 22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 I say to
myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." Jeremiah 3.19-24 NIV

Questions for thought and reflection

How does the presence of God give Jeremiah power to live out his call to prophesy to Judah?

God takes his call on Jeremiah very seriously (1.17). Do you think God takes the call he puts
on your life as seriously? Why or why not?

Tuesday Reading: Jeremiah 2-3.5

[Picture This: God takes Judah to Court]

The picture in Jeremiah 2-3.5 is of God taking his people
filing for a divorce in a covenantal lawsuit because they
have been unfaithful.
2.1-3: A Past of Devotion?
2.2: God recalls the faithfulness of Israel when she became His bride. The stunning and
ironic claim of Jeremiah is that Israels actions in the dessert could be considered faithful
compared to the present state of Judah.
2.3: Holy to the LORD...firstfruits were common terms used within Israels worship. To be
holy to the LORD meant to be set apart for/dedicated to Gods service. Firstfruits (the
first yield of the harvest) were supposed to be given to God as an offering and to use
them for yourself was to bring a curse upon yourself. The nations who fought against
Israel when the people entered the land faced destruction. (See Deuteronomy 2-3.)
2.4-13: Present Failure
2.4: Hear- The people are summoned to Gods heavenly court and possible judgement.
2.5: Wrong (awel) The Hebrew word awel implies that some fault caused Israel to depart
from God, but the rhetorical context of awel shows God as faultless.
Worthless (hebel) The word translated as worthless is the same word translated as
meaningless/vanity in Ecclesiastes.
Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher,
vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
Ecclesiastes 1.2 ESV
"Meaningless! Meaningless! says the Teacher.
"Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless."
Ecclesiastes 1.2 NIV

By going after hebel Israel became hebel. Israel failed to be

Gods covenant people and became worthless in fulfilling the
Israels Mission
purpose for which they were called.
God called Israel to be His
2.7: The Torah teaches that the land itself can be defiled by
people for the sake of His
idolatry and injustice. In 2 Chronicles the cleansing of the land is
connected to Gods action of judgement upon Judah. 20 He carworld. Israel was a particular
ried into exile to Babylon the remnant, who escaped from the
people, called into a particular
sword, and they became servants to him and his sons until the
relationship (the covenant),
kingdom of Persia came to power. 21 The land enjoyed its Sabfor the sake of the whole
bath rests; all the time of its desolation it rested, until the seventy
years were completed in fulfillment of the word of the LORD spoworld (all nations).
ken by Jeremiah. 2 Chronicles 36 NIV
The New Testament also teaches that the creation longs to be
restored from the effects of human sin. Paul writes, 19The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20For the creation
was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and
brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. Romans 8. 19-21 NIV
2.8: Israels priests, those who know the law, rulers, and prophets have all gone astray and
lead the people astray. Note the incredible irony that those who know the Law dont
know God. In the New Testament, Jesus faced this when talking with the Sadducees
who had memorized the scripture but did not understand its meaning (see Matthew
22.29ff).
2.9: Picture This: God takes his people to court and charges them with unfaithfulness.
2.10-11: Kittim...Kedar- These are locations that represent lands to the east and west. In a
polytheistic culture nations would often absorb the gods of other nations while retaining
their original gods. God finds it unthinkable that the nations around Israel are able to
maintain faithful worship to idols while Israel cannot remain faithful to God.
2.12: The heavens and earth are often called as witnesses against the people of Israel.
2.13 Isaiah 55.1 tells us that God is the only source of living water. (John 4.10, 7:37-39)
As a land with few sources of fresh water, cisterns were incredibly important to the Israelites. Cisterns collected and stored rain in order to provide water for the people throughout the year; however, cisterns needed to be well plastered and constantly cleaned or
"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters;

Isaiah 55.1a
the cistern would fail. Judah had both forsaken the source of living water and chosen to
dig cisterns that could not hold any water.

2.14-19: Punishment/Consequences
2.15: Lions represent the enemy of the people.
2.16: Memphis Tahpanhes are Egyptian cities.
Shaved the crown could refer to the death of Josiah at the hands of Pharaoh Neco in 609
BC.
2.18: Israel and Judah formed political alliances with powerful empires to save themselves.
By forming such alliances, Israel and Judah placed their trust in neighboring instead of
God. In 2 Kings 18:31-35, the King of Assyria boasts that he is more powerful then the
Lord as a provider of Judahs needs. 31 "Do not listen to Hezekiah. This is what the king
of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then every one of you will
eat from his own vine and fig tree and drink water from his own cistern, 32 until I come
and take you to a land like your own, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and
vineyards, a land of olive trees and honey. Choose life and not death! "Do not listen to
Hezekiah, for he is misleading you when he says, 'The LORD will deliver us.' 33 Has the
god of any nation ever delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? 34 Where
are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena and

Ivvah? Have they rescued Samaria from my hand? 35 Who of all the gods of these
countries has been able to save his land from me? How then can the LORD deliver Jerusalem from my hand?"Throughout Israel and Judahs history In a powerful affront to
Yahweh, the people seek help from the very nation that God defeated in order to deliver
them. 2 Kings 18.31-35 NIV
2.19: Awe of me can also be translated fear of me. To fear the Lord means to be filled
with wonder, reverence, and awe in from of the living God. Old Testament Wisdom Literature (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job) teach that the fear of the Lord is the beginning
of wisdom. The people of Judah have turned away from the fear/awe of the Lord and are
no longer wise.
Up to this point, each section of prophesy ends with the words, declares the LORD, however, this section ends with, declares the LORD, the LORD Almighty (Yahweh of hosts/
angel armies.) Whenever this name for God is used in the OT, it affirms that God is a
glorious king who is ruler over all the kingdoms of the earth, whose rule encompasses
the entire world, and who is over every force or army, heavenly, cosmic and earthly.
Jeremiah 2.20-28: Turn to Idolatry the Worshiping the gods of Canaan
2.20: High Hills and Spreading Trees were places of pagan worship. Canaanite worship
would take place in these locations and often included ritual prostitution.
2.21: Israel is often compared with a vine. In John 15 Jesus tells his disciples that they are
the vine and he is the branches. Paul in Romans 3 reminds his gentile readers that they
are wild shoots that have been grafted into the vine.
2.23: Valley This is most likely the Hinnom Valley located to the south of Jerusalem where
the Israelites worshiped Baal and Molech. The worship of Molech included child sacrifice.
2.24: A female donkey in heat becomes almost violent
and chases after the male donkey.
2.26: The leaders who rebelled against God and were
involved in leading the people astray (Jer. 2.8) are
now disgraced along with Israel.
2.27: to the wood refers to an Asherah pole, but
Asherah is the female deity. A male deity would have
been made of stone. Jeremiah points out just how
confused the worship of Israel has become.
2.28: Each town in the Ancient Near east typically had its
own local deity and occasionally a town was named for the god it worshipped.
Jeremiah 2.29-3.5: The Faithless Bride
The picture of Judah as an unfaithful bride continues in this section of Jeremiah, but Judah
does not recognize her guilt and continues to claim innocence.
2.30: God has found his past punishments to be ineffective, now he has to go to the last
step: divorce.
2.31: A bride forgetting her jewelry or wedding ornaments is unthinkable, yet Judah had
done the unthinkable--they had forgotten God.
2.34: lifeblood...poor This language refers to the oppression of the weak by the poor. The
theme of the strong oppressing the weak is prominent in the prophetic ministry of Amos.
One could defend himself from a robber if that person was breaking into his house, but
the people of Judah had killed without excuse. 1"If a man steals an ox or a sheep and
slaughters it or sells it, he must pay back five head of cattle for the ox and four sheep for
the sheep.2 "If a thief is caught breaking in and is struck so that he dies, the defender is
not guilty of bloodshed; 3 but if it happens after sunrise, he is guilty of bloodshed." A
thief must certainly make restitution, but if he has nothing, he must be sold to pay for his
theft. Exodus 22.1-3 NIV
22.35: The people not only sin but deny their sin.
22.36-37: Israel and Judah trusted Assyria and Egypt as allies who would provide for all
their needs; however, Assyria had recently conquered Israel and laid heavy tributes on
Judah. Egypt will disappoint Judah just ask Assyria had failed Israel and Judah.
hands on head i.e. Judah will leave as prisoners.
God makes it clear that he is control of the nations. Those Israel has turned to for help,
God has rejected--so they will be of no help.

 3.1: Judah is presented as an adulterous which, according to the law, is a legitimate means
for divorce. Deuteronomy 24.1-4 forbids a woman who has divorced her husband to remarry him.
Divorce in the Old Testament
1 If a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him
because he finds something indecent about her, and he writes
her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his
house, 2 and if after she leaves his house she becomes the wife
of another man, 3 and her second husband dislikes her and
writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her
from his house, or if he dies, 4 then her first husband, who divorced her, is not allowed to marry her again after she has been
defiled. That would be detestable in the eyes of the LORD. Do
not bring sin upon the land the LORD your God is giving you as
an inheritance. Deuteronomy 24.1-4

3.2. The sins of the people have defiled the land.

3.3: The withholding of rain is a covenant curse designed to draw Judah back to God, but
they have ignored his warnings. Solomon mentions this covenant curse in the dedication
of the temple, 26 "When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your
people have sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place and confess your
name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, 27 then hear from heaven
and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live,
and send rain on the land you gave your people for an inheritance. 2 Chronicles 6.26-27
3.3: The NIV says that Judah has the brazen look of a prostitute. A more literal rendering of
the text is, you have the forehead of a whore. When Gods people are completely renewed and restored to a right relationship with Him, 3No longer will there be any curse.
The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4
They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. Revelation 22.3-4 NIV
3.4-5:
Judah tries to make amends with God by acting as if they are repenting when trouble

comes, but their heart has not really changed.

Questions for thought and reflection

What do you make of the fact that God files for divorce against his bride?

Does the land continue to pay a price for peoples sins? How might God give the land rest
today?

Picture This: Why does this prophesy from God come within a court room? Does it create a
more powerful picture of disobedience?

Wednesday Reading Jeremiah 3.6-4.4

[Picture This: If You Would But Return]

Jeremiah contrasts Judah with Israel to show Judah how displeased God is with Judah;
however, Gods call for repentance is present throughout Jeremiahs message.

Turn and Return: The Past, Present, and the Future

The backdrop of Gods covenantal relationship with Israel is essential to understanding Jeremiahs message to Judah-- particularly Jeremiahs constant call for Judah to repent and return to
a right relationship with God. As you read through the prophetic passages in Jeremiah pay attention to the themes of turning and returning in Israels past, its present, and its future.

Jeremiah 3.6-11: Faithless

3.6 Faithless The literal translation of faithless is backsliding/turning away from the Lord.
3.7-10 In 722 B.C. the Neo-Assyrian Empire conquered Israel and took the people into exile.
Judah witnessed Gods punishment of Israel but refused to return to God. 1 The word of
the LORD came to me: 2 "Son of man, there were two women, daughters of the same
mother. 3 They became prostitutes in Egypt, engaging in prostitution from their youth. In
that land their breasts were fondled and their virgin bosoms caressed. 4 The older was
named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah. They were mine and gave birth to sons
and daughters. Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem. Ezekiel 37.1-4
3.9:
Stone and Wood (idols)

3.10:
During the reign of King Josiah a great revival took place within Judah; however, the

revival did not penetrate Judahs heart, only her outward actions.
3.11: To the North (Israel) Israel was more righteous because she honestly admitted her sin
against Yahweh. Judah feigned faithfulness while continuing to run after other gods.

Baal Statue
Found At Ras Shamra

Israel and Judah

Jeremiah 3.12-18: If You would But Repent

3.12: Return, faithless Israel can also be translated come back, backslidden Israel. God
calls those who have turned away to turn back for He will accept them upon return.
Thompson writes concerning this verse, Here is a beautiful statement of the divine concern that his people should repent and of his willingness to receive the penitent.
3.13: The return of Israel was bound up with admitting that she
sinned against Yahweh and recommit herself to obeying
Obedience
the covenant. 24 "When your people Israel have been
The importance of obeying
defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against
Gods covenant is a theme
you and when they turn back and confess your name,
praying and making supplication before you in this temthroughout the Old Testament
ple, 25 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your
and is present within the
people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to
prophesies of Jeremiah.
them and their fathers. 2 Chronicles 6.24-25 NIV

 3.14: While the return of Judah from Babylon would eventually be a large event, the return of
Israel will occur in small numbers.
3.15: Shepherd One of the features of restoration would be that Gods people would have
good/faithful leaders and teachers. The theme of faithful shepherds/teachers for the
people is also present in Isaiah. 20 Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity
and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you
will see them. 21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice
behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Isaiah 30.20-21 NIV Jeremiah and
Isaiah show faithful teachers as a blessing God gives to his people. One of the central
tasks of Jesus is being a teacher, and in being a teacher Jesus becomes the fulfillment
of Isaiah and Jeremiahs promise of a good teacher.
3.16-17: The ark was the throne of God but in days to come all of Jerusalem would be His
throne, and His rule would extend over all nations. In Matthew 5 Christ extends this idea
when he reminds us that heaven is Gods throne, the earth his footstool, and Jerusalem
the city of the great King. Matthew 5.33-37

Jeremiah 3.19-4:4: Really If You Would but Find True Repentance

3.19-20: Yahweh deeply desires for His people to live within the bounds of their covenant
obligations so that He might bless them (and through them, bless others), but the people
continually turn away from Him. The Old Testament is filled with stories of Gods people
turning away from Him. For example, in 2 Chronicles 25 King Amaziah is given the
power to defeat his enemy but then he worships the gods of the enemy he has just defeated.
3.22-25: In these verses Jeremiah offers a confession containing the sins of the people;
however, if these words were absent of action they would not constitute true repentance.
4.1-4: God responds to the confession in 3.22-25 by calling for Judah to truly return to Him
by obeying the covenant in word and deed.
4.2: As surely as the Lord lives is an oath formula in the Old Testament that can only be
made by those within the covenant who acknowledge Gods sovereignty. To make this
oath while rejecting God and his covenant would be to break the law. 7(I) "You shall not
take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless
who takes his name in vain. Exodus 20.7 ESV
The nations will be blessed. If Israel truly repented, it would bless the nations. Gods
covenantal relationship was with Israel for the sake of the whole world. 1Now the LORD
said[a] to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your fathers house to the
land that I will show you. 2And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and
make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you,
and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be
blessed." Genesis 12.1-3
4.4: The picture of a circumcised heart is one of the marks of the new covenant (Jeremiah
31.33-34.) A person whose heart is circumcised has a will (the heart represents the will)
is under Gods control. "This is the brand-new covenant that I will make with Israel when
the time comes. I will put my law within themwrite it on their hearts!and be their
God. And they will be my people. They will no longer go around setting up schools to
teach each other about God. They'll know me firsthand, the dull and the bright, the smart
and the slow. I'll wipe the slate clean for each of them. I'll forget they ever sinned!" God's
Decree Jeremiah 33.33-34

Questions for thought and reflection

How do you know if the name of God is written on your forehead?

Jeremiah 3.23 points out the foolishness of what happens in the worship of idols on the hills and
that God is the true salvation of Israel. What foolish worship do you engage in when you should
be looking to God as your salvation.

Yahweh continually calls the people to repent and turn back to him in obedience. Based on your
knowledge of the covenantal relationship (including the blessing and curses involved), why does
God so desperately desire for His people to be obedient.

Thursday Reading: Jeremiah 4.5-31

[Picture This: Devastating Destruction]

Jeremiah 4.5-18: Disaster Comes! Sound the Trumpets!
4.5: Sound the Trumpet The blowing of trumpet (shofar)
was used as a warning system in Israel.
During an attack, those who lived in the countryside
would flee to the nearest walled city (fortified city) for
safety. Judah had 46 fortified cities.
4.6: God tells invasion coming from the north.
4.7: Picture This: The land is ruined, the walls of cities are
ruined, and all the inhabitants of the city are dead. The
destruction coming upon Judah will be terrible.
Shofar
4.8: Sackcloth was a course linen garment worn by
A
shofar
is
an instrument
mourners or as a sign of repentance (ex. Jonah 3.8).
However, Judahs morning and repentance is too late-made out of a rams horn
the fierce anger of God will not turn from them at this
and is commonly translated
time.
as trumpet into english.
4.9: In that day is a phrase used by the prophets to deWithin the life of Israel, the
scribe the time when prophesies would come to fruition
shofar had a wide variety of
and God would bring justice. Israel and Judah longed
for the time of fulfillment to come; however, God conuses.
tinually warned them that the day would not only bring
destruction upon their enemies but also upon them because of their sin.

18 Woe to you who long

for the day of the LORD!
Why do you long for the day of the LORD?
That day will be darkness, not light.
19 It will be as though a man fled from a lion
only to meet a bear,
as though he entered his house
and rested his hand on the wall
only to have a snake bite him.
20 Will not the day of the LORD be darkness, not light
pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness? Amos 5.18-20 NIV

4.10: Jeremiah responds to the news of destruction in anguish and asks Yahweh if he
has deceived the people. Jeremiahs response is likely based on a false prophets proclaimed a message of peace. Thompson writes, Jeremiah protests that the words of
the false prophets, which supposedly came from Yahweh and which he had allowed
them to speak, had mislead the people. There was also a commonly held belief in Judah that God would never allow the defeat and destruction of Jerusalem. The various
false prophets and the history of Judah up to Jeremiah's time had provided grounds for
such a widespread belief. (For historical examples of Jerusalems evasion of destruction see 2 Chronicles 20 and 32). Jeremiahs message stands in direct contrast with the
message of peace proclaimed by the false prophets.
4.11-12: A scorching wind The sirocco is a hot, intense wind that carries air from the
Sahara Desert into the Mediterranean region in the Autumn and Spring. A sirocco
makes it impossible to winnow wheat because the wind carries away both the chaff and
the wheat. In the coming destruction, both the righteous and the unrighteous will be
caught up in the Babylonian invasion. The fulfillment of this prophesy can be seen in
the capture of Daniel, a righteous man.
4:13: Clouds...whirlwind...eagles are images from nature which represented the incredible military might, strength, and speed of the destroyer of Judah.
4.15: Dan was the northernmost city in Israel; it and would be the first city to sound a
warning of an invasion.
4.18: how it pierces to the heart (NIV) or it has reached your very heart (ESV) Judah
cannot blame her destruction on anyone but herself. It is Judahs breach of the covenant that has brought the covenant curses to fruition.

Jeremiah 4.19-22: Jeremiahs Despair over the Destruction

4.19-21: Jeremiah laments because he sees disaster after disaster falling upon Judah.
His lament is for his people, but it is also deeply personal in an instant my tents are
destroyed, my shelter in a moment. (vs. 20)
4.21: How long? is a common plea in the psalms of lament.
4.22: The people have trained themselves in evil, rather than training themselves in wisdom and understanding. They have ignored the words of the book of Proverbs 1.7 The
fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Jeremiah 4.23-28: Destruction that Undoes the Order of Creation
4.23-26: Picture This: In the coming destruction the very order of creation is undone. The
23-26 I looked at the earth
book of Jeremiah is filled with a rich and deep
it was back to pre-Genesis chaos and emptiness.
understanding of creation and humanitys
I looked at the skies,
charge to care for creation. In these verses,
and not a star to be seen.
Jeremiah recalls the creation and laments
I looked at the mountains
how Gods judgement undoes the order of
they were trembling like aspen leaves,
creation, bringing the land back to primordial
And all the hills
rocking back and forth in the wind.
chaos. NT Wright
4.27: Although the coming destruction will be
I lookedwhat's this! Not a man or woman in sight,
and not a bird to be seen in the skies.
great, Yahweh promises that it will creation not
I lookedthis can't be! Every garden and orchard
be completely undone. God gives hope in the
shriveled up.
midst of the impeding destruction of judgeAll the towns were ghost towns.
ment.
And all this because of God,
because of the blazing anger of God.
27-28 Yes, this is God's Word on the matter:
"The whole country will be laid waste
still it won't be the end of the world.
The earth will mourn
and the skies lament
Because I've given my word and won't take it back.
I've decided and won't change my mind."
Jeremiah 4.23-28 The Message

Jeremiah 4:29-31: Judah the Harlot

4.30: Judah is described as a harlot who continues to pursue dismissive lovers. Judah as
a harlot is a common and vivid metaphor in Jeremiah.
4.31: Judah cannot believe that she has been turned on or abandoned by those whom
she thought would rescue her.

Questions for thought and reflection

10But when the Day of God's Judgment does
come, it will be unannounced, like a thief. The sky
will collapse with a thunderous bang, everything
disintegrating in a huge conflagration, earth and
all its works exposed to the scrutiny of Judgment.
11-13Since everything here today might well be
gone tomorrow, do you see how essential it is to
live a holy life? Daily expect the Day of God, eager for its arrival. The galaxies will burn up and
the elements melt down that daybut we'll hardly
notice. We'll be looking the other way, ready for
the promised new heavens and the promised new
earth, all landscaped with righteousness.
2. Peter 3.10-12 The Message

10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.

The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and
everything in it will be laid bare.[a]
11Since everything will be destroyed in this way,
what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to
live holy and godly lives 12as you look forward to
the day of God and speed its coming.[b]That day
will bring about the destruction of the heavens by
fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13But
in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home
of righteousness.
2 Peter 3.10-12 NIV

Does Jeremiah 4.23-28 foreshadow 2 Peter 3.10-12?

What have you noticed about the creational themes in Jeremiah in chapters 1-4?

How does the picture of the world falling apart and Jeremiahs horror over it connect with your
heart for those who dont know Jesus?

The metaphor of Judah as a harlot is a tough, vivid picture of Judah disobedience. Why is
this so disturbing? How does it compare with the picture of Israel presented in Hosea? Why was
the alternative (following Yahweh) so much better? What is the picture of faithfulness?

Friday Reading: Jeremiah 5

[Picture This: A Good Man is Hard to Find]

In Jeremiah 5 God commands Jeremiah to perform his first symbolic act.

Jeremiah 5.1-9: Wondering the Streets and Finding Nothing But Sin
5.1: Vs. 1 is an allusion to Genesis 18 which tells the story of Abraham having a
conversation with God about whether righteous men could be found in
Sodom and Gomorrah. Jeremiah is to search throughout the city, and if
one person of justice and truth can be found in Jerusalem then God will
forgive the city.
5.2: See Note on 4.2
5.3: Despite Gods punishment, the people are determined to turn away
from God.
5.4-5: Poor...Foolish The words poor and foolish lie parallel to one another in vs. 4. Jeremiah is not referring to economic poverty in but
poverty of knowledge. The book of Proverbs teaches that 7 The fear of the
LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline
Proverbs 1.7 NIV. Jeremiah is looking at those who are poor in knowledge and do not
possess wisdom, so he turns his attention to the leaders (lit. great ones) with the expectation that they will know the ways of the Lord. But, Jeremiah finds that even the
leaders, those who were supposed to teach the people the ways of the Lord, have
turned away from the covenant. See Note on 3.15 for a discussion on the importance of
teachers.
5.6: God sending wild animals against the people was one of the curses for a breach of
covenant. 18 " 'If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins
seven times over. 19 I will break down your stubborn pride and make the sky above you
like iron and the ground beneath you like bronze. 20 Your strength will be spent in vain,
because your soil will not yield its crops, nor will the trees of the land yield their fruit. 21 "
'If you remain hostile toward me and refuse to listen to me, I will multiply your afflictions
seven times over, as your sins deserve. 22 I will send wild animals against you, and they
will rob you of your children, destroy your cattle and make you so few in number that
your roads will be deserted. Leviticus 26.18-22 NIV
5.9: Should I not punish them? Yahwehs appeals alludes to unnamed witnesses in a
courtroom.

Jeremiah 5.10-19: The Consequences of Judahs Sin

5.10: This verse is a picture of a delicate balance--God proclaims punishment but not
complete destruction. Gods covenantal promises to Israel remain intact and for his plan
of salvation can continue to go forward.
5.12-13: The people are confident God will not bring disaster--certainly not on Jerusalem.
They have forgotten that covenantal disobedience brings covenantal curses upon them.
Moreover, prophets have been declaring a false message of peace (Jer. 28.2-4); yet,
God declares the prophets words as meaningless wind because they are not speaking
His words.

 5.15: The distant nation is most likely Babylon. 45 All these curses will come upon you.
They will pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, because you did not
obey the LORD your God and observe the commands and decrees he gave you. 46
They will be a sign and a wonder to you and your descendants forever. 47 Because you
did not serve the LORD your God joyfully and gladly in the time of prosperity, 48 therefore in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and dire poverty, you will serve the enemies the
LORD sends against you. He will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed
you. 49 The LORD will bring a nation against you from far away, from the ends of
the earth, like an eagle swooping down, a nation whose language you will not understand. Deuteronomy 28.49 NIV
5.17: Devour...Devour...Devour Vs. 17 relays the horror and completeness of the coming
attack. Each thing devoured is a specific blessing given for covenantal obedience.
5.18: Again, God promises to stave off complete destruction.
5.19: Jeremiah wants the people of Judah to fully understand why Judah goes into exile, so
he rehearses the sins of Israel again.
Jeremiah 5.20-31: Judahs Injustice
5.21: Foolish The people are foolish/poor (note 5.4-5) for they have rejected Gods
wisdom and knowledge in favor of other gods.
5.22: Sea In Ancient Near Eastern mythology there was constant conflict between the gods and the chaos monster (sea). According to the Canaanites
Baal could not control the sea. The Creator God declares His power over the
sea--His superiority over Baal and all the other false gods of Canaan.
5.26: The wicked set traps to destroy the innocent. The people have become
foolish (see Proverbs 1.8-19).
5.28: fat and sleek reflects those who are self-focused and self-absorbed
both in how they obtained and use their wealth.
5.28: Those with wealth and power should use their power to assure justice for the weak in
society. 28 At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year's produce
and store it in your towns, 29 so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance
of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may
come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the
work of your hands. Deuteronomy 14.28-29
5.29: Vs. 29 repeats 5.9. In vs. 9, Yahweh condemns the people for their idolatry. In vs. 29
Yahweh condemns the people for their lack of justice.
5.31: The entire religious, economic, and social system is corrupt--and the people like it
that way.

Questions for thought and reflection

Have you ever become more obstinate when you were punished? Why?

The book of Jeremiah continually rehearses the themes of fidelity and justice. Why are
these things so important to God?