The Book of Jeremiah

Purpose of The Book of Jeremiah:
Jeremiah was written to warn God's people of the danger of placing trust in anything other than Him, but also to comfort God's people that God will not abandon them no matter how far they have strayed.

Major Characters of The Book of Jeremiah:
God, Jeremiah, Baruch the Scribe, King Josiah, and King Jehoiakin.

Summary of The Book of Jeremiah:
Jeremiah was called to minister to the last surviving tribe of Israel, Judah, in a time of political and spiritual decay. He was born during an age of blessing and restoration as King Josiah reinstituted God's law in the land and freed them from the oppression of Assyria, but succeeding kings forsook God's law, presumed upon God's mercy, and suffered under the heavy hand of Babylon. Jeremiah exhorted God's people to repent of their dependence upon alliances with foreign countries and to renew their faith in the God who promised to defend and prosper them.

When those warnings fell on deaf ears, he warned of the destruction that would certainly fall upon Judah as a consequence of their disobedience, but reminded them that God would not abandon them forever. Even when the capital city of Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians, Jeremiah preached hope that God would indeed restore Israel to its former glory.

In the same way, Christians face some menacing obstacles and suffer through seasons of faithlessness. Despite the disappointment, pain, and destruction our sin may yield, we know through Jeremiah's ministry that God does not abandon His people but rather promises to restore us when we return to Him. In the midst of Jeremiah's preaching, he also recounts in detail some of the significant events in his own life, particularly the persecution that he suffered because of his unwelcome message. In this book we have a vivid depiction of the life of a reluctant but faithful prophet in a dark season of Israel's history. Moreover, we have a fellow minister that we can relate to and learn from as we are called to preach a sometimes unpopular message to a stubborn people.

Author and Dates of The Book of Jeremiah:
Jeremiah ministered during the fall of Assyria and rise of Babylon, which places his ministry in the several years surrounding 600 B.C.

Outline of The Book of Jeremiah:

1. Oracles Concerning Judah (Jeremiah 1-25).
2. Biographical Narrative #1 (Jeremiah 26-29).
3. Book of Comfort (Jeremiah 30-33).
4. Biographical Narrative #2 (Jeremiah 34-45).
5. Oracles Concerning Foreign Nations (Jeremiah 46-51).

Themes of The Book of Jeremiah:
Sovereignty: Jeremiah stresses God's ultimate control over the chaotic world events occurring in his day.
God's Word: Jeremiah was not a bold orator, but God promised to give him His words to say. Judah was overconfident in their standing before God and forgot that they were called to listen intently to His word delivered through His prophets.
Sin: Jeremiah is called the weeping prophet, and spends much of his ministry lamenting Judah's continuing sin.
Holiness: The reason why Judah's sinfulness disturbed Jeremiah so deeply was because He had a profound sense of God's holiness, his perfection in righteousness, justice, and mercy.
Covenant: Jeremiah uses many different images for Judah to illustrate that she is in an intimate relationship with God: His bride, His vineyard, His flock, and His inheritance.
The Un-Moses: Jeremiah, like Moses, was called by God but hesitated because of his lack of oratory skill. Moses was called to intercede for his people through prayer and save them from judgment; Jeremiah was commanded to stop interceding for his people because judgment was imminent. Moses left Egypt, but at the end of Jeremiah's life he returned to Egypt. This displays Israel's failure to reach their full destiny as the people of God.
Hope: Even when facing the direst circumstances, Jeremiah asserted God's faithfulness and encouraged Judah to hope for a bright future.