READ IT! - Introduction to Jeremiah 36-42

Readings for this week

Monday: Jeremiah 36
Tuesday: Jeremiah 37
Wednesday: Jeremiah 38
Thursday: Jeremiah 39
Friday: Jeremiah 40
Saturday: Jeremiah 41

Sunday: Jeremiah 42

Introduction to Jeremiah 36-42

Chapter 36 

God told Jeremiah to prepare a scroll that contained all of his prophecies. Jeremiah dictated the words to Baruch, his scribe, who carefully copied them. Baruch took the scroll and had it tread to Jehoiakim and Judah’s officials. Jehoiakim cut out the parts he didn’t like and threw them in the fire. He tried to arrest Jeremiah and Baruch, but they managed to hide and escape. Jeremiah prepared another scroll as a testimony to that generation and to future generations. 

Chapters 37-38 

When Egypt’s army invaded the land to stop the Babylonians’ advance, the Babylonian army temporarily lifted the siege from Jerusalem. Zedekiah requested Jeremiah’s prayers for the city, but Jeremiah said once the Egyptians left, Nebuchadnezzar would return. When Jeremiah tried to go to Benjamin on business, he was accused of desertion and arrested. Later, Zedekiah summoned him and asked for a message from God. Jeremiah said Babylon would soon take Judah captive. He also complained about having been kept in prison. Zedekiah put Jeremiah in the guard’s courtyard and made sure he was fed every day.

Jeremiah preached to the soldiers in the courtyard, and they threw him in a cistern. A Cushite eunuch named Ebed-Melek and 30 other men rescued him and he remained in the courtyard of the guard.

Zedekiah was nervous and secretly met with Jeremiah. Jeremiah told him to surrender to Nebuchadnezzar and he’d be better off, but Zedekiah was too afraid. 

Chapters 39-42 

Chapters 39–44 describes the Fall of Jerusalem and other related events. The Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem. They killed Zedekiah’s sons and poked out his eyes. The Babylonians freed and protected Jeremiah. They liked how he had prophesied against his own people. Nebuchadnezzar appointed Gedaliah as governor over Judah, but he was assassinated by the people after a short time. The few who remained in Judah were afraid of Nebuchadnezzar’s wrath and fled to Egypt against Jeremiah’s warning. They dragged Jeremiah along with them. Jeremiah prophesied that Nebuchadnezzar would soon also destroy Egypt and told the people to turn to Yahweh. They instead worshiped “The Queen of Heaven” and told Jeremiah to shut up.