Jeremiah 51:59-52:34

Dear RTB’ers,

Today we finish Jeremiah. We’ll have a lot to talk about at our RTB gathering on Sunday after coffee hour in Nathan Hall. (Recall that April’s first Sunday of the month was Easter Sunday, so we rescheduled.)

Today’s six verses in chapter 51 are a bit confusing. Jeremiah sends a message in a book (scroll) with Seriah (Baruch’s brother, see Jer. 31.12) as Seriah and Zedekiah travel to Babylon during Zedekiah’s fourth year. It was Zedekiah’s eleventh year that Jerusalem was overthrown, so presumably this trip was simply a meeting between Zedekaih and Nebuchadnezzar. Seriah is ordered to read the message (possibly the words that Jeremiah had spoken in chapters 50 and 51), then destroy the scroll. The message was about the final destruction of Babylon. But to whom did Seriah read these words? To Nebuchadnezzar? That seems a bit scary, to tell the king that his nation would be overthrown! Or was Seriah reading to the Jewish exiles already in Babylon? Words of comfort for them…? Either way, Seriah would be spared and he would be able to complete his mission by destroying the scroll.

Finally, the fall of Jerusalem. We had already read a shortened version of some of the details of this destruction back in Jeremiah 39:1-10. Here we also get an exact count of the number of exiles sent to Babylon from Jerusalem during Nebuchadnezzar’s seventh year, which was the first year of Zedekiah’s reign, then eleven years later (the year of the fall and Zedekiah’s exile), and then again five years after the fall. The total number of exiles, 4,600, is probably far short of the number of residents of Jerusalem when Zedekiah began to reign. No doubt many had died or been killed during the siege and the ensuing battle, plus a number of people had been left behind to tend to the land, including Jeremiah. As we read further accounts of life in Babylon during the exile, keep in mind that the Jewish population there is only 4,600.

And so we end Jeremiah, fittingly spoken in verse 51:64b, “Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.”

See you Sunday, I hope!

Blessings.

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See also:

• August 4 (2023) / II Kings 25:4-21; Jeremiah 52:7-27; 39:1-10
• August 16 (2023) / Ezekiel 29:17-30:19; II Kings 25:27-30; Jeremiah 52:31-34

Jeremiah 51:1-58

Dear RTB’ers,

The destruction of Babylon. As with yesterday’s post, today we have a number of references to Israel and Judah, even more than yesterday. See Jeremiah 51:5-6, 10, 11b, 19, 34-36a, 45, 49, 50-51. God makes it clear that Babylon is being judged for what they did to Israel:

The LORD has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because His purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it, for that is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance for His temple.

Jeremiah 51:11b

Babylon must fall for the slain of Israel, just as for Babylon have fallen the slain of all the earth.

Jeremiah 51:49

We are put to shame, for we have heard reproach; dishonor has covered our face, for foreigners have come into the holy places of the LORD’s house.

Jeremiah 51:51

Lest there be any question as to Who is in charge:

It is He Who made the earth by His power,
Who established the world by His wisdom,
and by His understanding stretched out the heavens.
When He utters His voice there is a tumult of waters in the heavens,
and He makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth.
He makes lightning for the rain,
and He brings forth the wind from His storehouses.

Jeremiah 51:15-16

Babylon has fallen.

Blessings.

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See also: July 21 (2023) / Jeremiah 50-51 (again).

Jeremiah 49:34-50:46

Dear RTB’ers,

Today, a brief prophecy against Elam, then a long oracle against Babylon, to be continued tomorrow. Mixed in the oracle against Babylon we see a number of references to Israel and Judah, mostly concerning their return from exile in Babylon. (Jer. 50:4-8, 17, 19-20, 28, 33-34) One of those early verses caught my attention: My people have been lost sheep.… All who found them have devoured them, and their enemies have said, ‘We are not guilty, for they have sinned against the LORD…’ (vv. 6a, 7a) Essentially the devouring nations are claiming that Israel and Judah deserved what they got because they sinned against the Lord. Truly, “the pot calling the kettle black”!

According to my Study Bible, this prophecy against Babylon came to pass when they were conquered by Persia in 539 BC. Recall that Babylon had destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC, so their time of power was relatively short by Old Testament standards.

More judgment on Babylon tomorrow.

Blessings.

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See also: July 21 (2023) / Jeremiah 50-51.

Jeremiah 49:1-33

Dear RTB’ers,

Weeks ago, when we started reading Jeremiah I had suggested that many scholars argue that the chapters and verses in Jeremiah were not to be read chronologically. These prophecies to the nations in chapters 46 to 49 certainly fall into that category. I went back to the Chronological Study Bible (CSB) to find the order in which they had placed various readings. CSB had 22 days in which Jeremiah was read (included with other Kings, Chronicles, Daniel and Ezekiel books also). The Lord’s prophecies against Egypt (the first half of chapter 46) and the Philistines (chapter 47) were read on the 6^th day in the CSB; against Moab (chapter 48) and Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar, Hazor, and Elam (chapter 49) on the 14^th day; finally, their reading where Babylon is mentioned in the prophecy against Egypt (the last half of chapter 46) is on their 19^th day. So yes, these prophecies do appear to be out of order and out of context. (See also additional notes in our STS book on all these nations.) But, as John noted yesterday, “…the LORD is clearly the One bringing all the calamity.” It’s His will, His judgment. So let’s keep that in mind when we read these prophecies against these nations.

Blessings.

Jeremiah 48

Dear RTB’ers,

Chapters 46 to 49 are the Lord’s prophecies against Israel’s neighbors, then in chapters 50 and 51, against Babylon. I don’t have a lot to say about these prophecies; a lot of cities and gods are mentioned – good fodder for Old Testament scholars, but not so much for us. I abdicated fully yesterday, but then again, Easter Sunday only comes once a year!!

One small item worth noting… Therefore my heart moans for Moab like a flute, and my heart moans like a flute for the men of Kir-hareseth. (v. 36) Here we have the ESV translation, where the “my” adjectives are not capitalized as they are in the NASB. So is this Jeremiah speaking or is it the Lord? If the Lord, then He is mourning for Moab, even though He has allowed for their destruction. Confusing. But then again, He allows us to fail when we are off in a wrong direction, and I feel certain that He “mourns” as we reap the fruits of our waywardness. So it may be the Lord or it may be Jeremiah mourning. I would suggest – Jeremiah.

Hang on! Only four more chapters, four more days of Jeremiah…

Blessings.

Jeremiah 46-47

Dear RTB’ers,

Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how He told you, while He was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise. (Luke 24:5b-7)

Happy Easter, y’all!!

Blessings.

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See also: July 9 (2023) / Jeremiah 47; 46:1-12; 13:1-14; 18:1-17.

Jeremiah 44-45

Dear RTB’ers,

Holy Saturday. Jesus in the tomb. Or not…??!! Ponder and pray.

Jeremiah in Egypt, having been taken there against his will. Someone (any of us?) reading this book for the first time has to wonder what will become of him. The Lord has promised destruction (the sword, famine, and pestilence) to all those who feared Babylon and fled to Egypt: …none of the remnant of Judah who have come to live in the land of Egypt shall escape or survive or return to the land of Judah, to which they desire to return to dwell there. For they shall not return, except some fugitives. (v. 44:14) Might Jeremiah be one of those “fugitives”? Stay tuned!

Holy Saturday. Jesus in the tomb. Ponder and pray.

Blessings.

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See also: August 7 (2023) / II Kings 25:22-26; Jeremiah 39:11-44:30 (again).

Jeremiah 42-43

Dear RTB’ers,

Good Friday. Think on that a bit. Ponder and pray. To quote John, “I’ll wait…”

So yesterday we left Jeremiah in Mizpah. The Babylonians had left some people behind: Nebuzaradan …left in the land of Judah some of the poor people who owned nothing, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time. (Jer. 39:10) They were told by Gedaliah, their leader, “Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you. … gather wine and summer fruits and oil, and store them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that you have taken.” (Jer. 40:9b-10) In spite of the civil unrest that we read about yesterday, with Gedaliah murdered and Johanan the “de facto” leader, it was looking good for this remnant left behind. They even asked Jeremiah to seek the Lord on their behalf, confident in His response: Whether it is good or bad, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God to whom we are sending you, that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the Lord our God. (v. 42:6) Looking good…!

Sadly, the leaders did not follow through on their commitment. When Jeremiah reported God’s word to them that they should remain on the land and that He would watch over them, their fear of the Babylonians was greater than their fear of the Lord. 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. And they came into the land of Egypt, for they did not obey the voice of the LORD. (vv. 43:4, 7) Jeremiah is effectively taken captive with them and we find him continuing to speak the word of the Lord, but now in the land of Egypt.

Will the Lord deliver Jeremiah from his Egyptian captivity? Stay tuned!

Blessings.

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One other item: Good Friday. Think on that a bit. Ponder and pray…

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See also: August 7 (2023) / II Kings 25:22-26; Jeremiah 39:11-44:30.

Jeremiah 39-41

Dear RTB’ers,

A long narrative today. Jerusalem falls to the Babylonians; Zedekiah meets a horrible end; Jeremiah is spared; and chaos follows in neighboring cities.

Yes, Jeremiah is spared. The Babylonian leaders knew of Jeremiah’s prophecies against Jerusalem and his encouragement to the people to surrender to Babylon, so he was brought out of prison and allowed to choose between going to Babylon or staying in neighboring cities. He chose to stay behind and lived in Mizpah with Gedaliah, who had been appointed by the Babylonians to oversee the people and the land. The rest of our reading today tells of the assassination of Gedaliah and more murders of innocent pilgrims, and the ensuing battle and the escape to Ammon of the conspirators.

Jerusalem is destroyed, Zedekiah is deported to Babylon, and Jeremiah is safe among the Jewish people who remain behind. And we still have eleven chapters and eight more days before we finish Jeremiah.

Blessings.

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See also: August 4 (2023) / II Kings 25:4-21; Jeremiah 52:7-27; 39:1-10.

Jeremiah 37-38

Dear RTB’ers,

Good morning and welcome to April! I don’t have any April Fool’s jokes for you, and neither did Jeremiah! He told them again and again that Jerusalem would be overthrown by the Babylonians, and it happened just as he said.

After doing battle with King Jehoiakim in yesterday’s reading, today Jeremiah finds a friend – a savior, even – in King Zedekiah. First, Zedekiah calls to Jeremiah seeking prayer (Jer. 37:3); then he calls him to the court a second time and delivers him from a horrible prison to the court of the guard (Jer. 37:17, 21); then he arranges for Jeremiah to be rescued from the cistern in which he had been dumped and returned again to the court of the guard (Jer. 38:10-13). All along Zedekiah had feared the leading Jewish officials, and in between those previous events, sadly, the king had feared the leading Jewish officials and allowed them to mistreat Jeremiah (Jer. 38:5-6). But mostly (as far as we have read), Jeremiah has an ally in Zedekiah. That will make it more difficult for us to see what happens to Zedekiah when he later ignores Jeremiah’s warnings.

I have spoken with admiration for Jeremiah’s courage in speaking the word of the Lord, especially his persistence in doing so in the face of opposition from Jewish officials. But that’s not to say that it’s been all “peaches and cream” for Jeremiah. Just the opposite, in fact! First we see him wrongly arrested, beaten, and thrown into a horrible prison (Jer. 37:13-15). Then we see him pleading with Zedekiah not to be returned to that prison (Jer. 37:20). Finally, he is again taken by Jewish officials and thrown into a muddy cistern (Jer. 38:4-6). Upon his rescue from that ordeal, he will spend the rest of his Jerusalem days imprisoned in the court of the guard. Yes, I admire Jeremiah’s courage and persistence, but I also feel for him in having to go through his many sufferings.

I can imagine that Peter, Paul, and other New Testament followers must have had Jeremiah in mind when they went through sufferings and even martyrdom in their faithfulness to Jesus’ teachings. Even today we pray every week for Christians in the “Persecuted Church” who might be looking back on Jeremiah and those New Testament leaders. Lastly, they (and we) have Jesus’ own Holy Week sufferings to reflect upon. No doubt, their prayer through these times is Paul’s own perspective on all that he went through: So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. (II Corinthians 4:16-18a)

We need to pray more for those who suffer for Christ’s sake.

Blessings.

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See also: July 26 / Jeremiah 23:1-8; 38.