Jeremiah - Lesson 51D-52

• Chapter 51 Babylon was used as the cup of wrath on Judah but in the future will receive the cup of wrath from the LORD poured out on the city, the kingdom and the spiritual entity behind the scenes of power. The LORD refines His people. There will be a future day when the LORD’s people will be called to leave Babylon before her final destruction. There will be praise in heaven when the judgment of Babylon is complete.

Jer. 51:52 “Therefore behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD,
“When I will punish her idols,
And the mortally wounded will groan throughout her land.
Jer. 51:53 “Though Babylon should ascend to the heavens,
And though she should fortify her lofty stronghold,
From Me destroyers will come to her,” declares the LORD.
Jer. 51:54 The sound of an outcry from Babylon,
And of great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans!
Jer. 51:55  For the LORD is going to destroy Babylon,
And He will make her loud noise vanish from her.
And their waves will roar like many waters;
The tumult of their voices sounds forth.
Jer. 51:56  For the destroyer is coming against her, against Babylon,
And her mighty men will be captured,
Their bows are shattered;
For the LORD is a God of recompense,
He will fully repay.
Jer. 51:57 “I will make her princes and her wise men drunk,
Her governors, her prefects and her mighty men,
That they may sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake up,”
Declares the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts.
Jer. 51:58  Thus says the LORD of hosts,
“The broad wall of Babylon will be completely razed
And her high gates will be set on fire;
So the peoples will toil for nothing,
And the nations become exhausted only for fire.”

• Verse 52 This verse begins with ‘therefore’ and this directs the focus back to what had just been revealed.

  • The end of the last lesson was an overview of how the Jews were called to come back to God and Jerusalem. The reality that the temple in Jerusalem has been violated by foreigners (aliens) brought reproach and disgrace to the LORD’s people.

• Now the LORD declares, ‘the days are coming’ which directs the focus of events into the future. This phrase often indicates the future events associated with the Tribulation and the end of the ‘age of the Gentiles’.

  • This is a time when the LORD will punish Babylon’s idols.

    • This was also presented in Jeremiah 51:47

Jer. 51:47  Therefore behold, days are coming
When I will punish the idols of Babylon;
And her whole land will be put to shame
And all her slain will fall in her midst.

• Verse 47 The LORD is going to deal with then by causing shame for the whole land of Babylon, contrasted with the shame brought on the LORD’s people for what was done in the LORD’s house.

  • All her slain will fall in her midst.

• Verse 52 Now a similar warning is given that the mortally wounded will groan throughout her land.

  • There appears to be something that has happened which causes those in the land to groan for a time before their inevitable deaths, described as ‘mortally wounded’.

    • There is a possible interesting connection in Rev. 16:10-11

Rev. 16:10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues because of pain,
Rev. 16:11 and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they did not repent of their deeds.

• Verse 10 Indicates the bowl is on the throne of the beast; this throne will be in the city of Babylon.

  • Next there is a reference to the beast’s kingdom becoming darkened and the people gnawing their tongues because of the pain.

• Verse 11 Those suffering will blaspheme the God of heaven.

  • The reason they blaspheme is because of their pain and their sores. They know it is from the God of heaven.

  • They also refuse to repent of their deeds. The specific deeds are not given but it would be a logical conclusion that they have given themselves over to the worship of idols and the harlotry of Babylon later dealt with in Revelation, chapters seventeen and eighteen.

• Jer. 51:53 Babylon appears to seek what is described as ascending to the heavens.

  • Babylon also has fortified her lofty stronghold.

  • These two defenses Babylon has engaged in will not stop the destroyers the LORD is sending against her.

    • This was also seen at the beginning of the building of Babylon in Genesis 11:3-4.

Gen. 11:3 They said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly.” And they used brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar.
Gen. 11:4 They said, “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”

• Their desire is to build for themselves a city and a tower whose top will reach into heaven.

  • Our previous study highlighted this desire of mankind to create their own path to eternity and reject the path given by God.

  • Those of Babylon in the future have the same desire to ascend to the heavens and build fortified and lofty strongholds.

• Jer. 51:53 In response to what those in Babylon desire to do the LORD declares He is sending destroyers to her.

  • Verse 54 When the destroyers come on Babylon, there will be the sound of an outcry from her.

    • There will be the sound of great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans.

  • Verse 55 These things happen in Babylon in the land of the Chaldeans because the LORD is going to destroy Babylon.

    • He will make her loud noise vanish from her.

    • The noise of their outcry and destruction will eventually go silent.

    • The destroyers coming on Babylon are compared to waves that roar and their voices are described like a tumult.

  • Verse 56 The LORD says these roaring waves are from the destroyer coming against Babylon.

    • Her mighty men will be captured and their weapons destroyed.

    • This takes place because of what Babylon has done, and this is payback from the LORD.

    • This is what Babylon deserves; the LORD is perfect in His justice.

  • Verse 57 The LORD says He will make her princes, wise men, governors, prefects and mighty men drunk. This was also described in Jeremiah 51:39

Jer. 51:39 “When they become heated up, I will serve them their banquet
And make them drunk, that they may become jubilant
And may sleep a perpetual sleep
And not wake up,” declares the LORD.

• Verse 39 The result of what is described as drunkenness is that they become jubilant.

  • Both verses demonstrate the result of this will be these men will sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake up. They will die.

• Verse 57 The result is now described as declared by the King.

  • A King whose name is the LORD of hosts.

    • David gives insight into this King in Psalm 24:8-10

Psa. 24:8  Who is the King of glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
The LORD mighty in battle.
Psa. 24:9  Lift up your heads, O gates,
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
That the King of glory may come in!
Psa. 24:10 Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of hosts,
He is the King of glory.  Selah.

• Isaiah reveals this King is also his Redeemer Isaiah 44:6

Is. 44:6 “Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts:
‘I am the first and I am the last,
And there is no God besides Me.

• Jesus is described as the King of Israel in John 1:49.

John 1:49 Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.”

• Jer. 51:57 The King who is the LORD of hosts has spoken and declared this judgment on Babylon.

  • Verse 58 Next the LORD of hosts says, “The broad wall of Babylon will be completely razed”.

  • The inference can be made that the future Babylon will have a broad wall, and it will be removed completely.

    • The gates in the wall will be set on fire.

    • This is exactly what Babylon did to the walls and gates of Jerusalem.

  • The people and the nations toiled and became exhausted in their building of the wall and gates of Babylon and all that work will be for nothing because of the fire that consumes them.

    • Their works create the fuel for their judgment.

Jer. 51:59 The message which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the grandson of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah to Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. (Now Seraiah was quartermaster.)
Jer. 51:60 So Jeremiah wrote in a single scroll all the calamity which would come upon Babylon, that is, all these words which have been written concerning Babylon.
Jer. 51:61 Then Jeremiah said to Seraiah, “As soon as you come to Babylon, then see that you read all these words aloud,
Jer. 51:62 and say, ‘You, O LORD, have promised concerning this place to cut it off, so that there will be nothing dwelling in it, whether man or beast, but it will be a perpetual desolation.’
Jer. 51:63 “And as soon as you finish reading this scroll, you will tie a stone to it and throw it into the middle of the Euphrates,
Jer. 51:64 and say, ‘Just so shall Babylon sink down and not rise again because of the calamity that I am going to bring upon her; and they will become exhausted.’” Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.

• Verse 59 Jeremiah commands Seraiah, the quartermaster, to bring a single scroll with him on a trip he is taking to Babylon with Zedekiah the king of Judah.

  • Seraiah is the brother of Baruch. Jer. 32:12.

Jer. 32:12 and I gave the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah.

• Seraiah becomes the chief priest of Judah given in Jer. 52:24.

Jer. 52:24 Then the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest…..

• The reason Zedekiah went to Babylon is not given here but Nebuchadnezzar was known for a continual demand for a of display loyalty to be given to him. This was especially true because there were a lot of uprisings and rebellions to his authority at the beginning of his reign.

  • There is the account given in Daniel chapter three with Nebuchadnezzar’s demand of complete obedience being challenged by Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, also known as Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. They were punished for not giving total obedience to Nebuchadnezzar.

  • Jer. 51:60 In this scroll are all the words of calamity the LORD had revealed to Jeremiah concerning Babylon. This may refer to what is recorded in Jeremiah Chapters 50 & 51.

• Verse 61 Jeremiah tells Seraiah as soon as he gets to Babylon he is to read the scroll aloud.

  • Verse 62 Seraiah is to end with a pronouncement, ‘You, O LORD, have promised concerning this place to cut it off, so that there will be nothing dwelling in it, whether man or beast, but it will be a perpetual desolation.’

    • This would be an encouragement to those suffering in Babylon to know that the LORD has not forgotten them and He will bring judgment.

  • Verse 63 After Seraiah has read the scroll he is to tie it up and attach a stone to it and then cast it into the middle of the Euphrates.

  • Verse 64 After Seraiah has cast the scroll he was to say, ‘Just so shall Babylon sink down and not rise again because of the calamity that I am going to bring upon her; and they will become exhausted.’

    • The immediacy of reading the scroll and then depositing it in the Euphrates would be wise counsel because if the scroll were found it would have resulted in immediate action from the Babylonian authorities for being treasonous.

  • Seraiah is one of the priests encouraging Zedekiah to rebel from Nebuchadnezzar and he would have had no problem delivering this message to the exiles in Babylon.

    • His desire was for the exiles to believe they would not be in Babylon very long.

  • The verse ends by stating these were the words of Jeremiah so far.

• Jeremiah did not know if the LORD was going to speak more to him on the topic of Babylon.

  • This event takes place in the fourth year of the reign of Zedekiah.

  • Jeremiah Chapters 27 & 28 also take place in that same year.

• Chapter 27 covers Jeremiah wearing a yoke to demonstrate how the LORD was giving instruction to the people of Judah and the surrounding nations that they were to submit to Nebuchadnezzar.

Jer. 27:6 “Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant, and I have given him also the wild animals of the field to serve him.
Jer. 27:7 “All the nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson until the time of his own land comes; then many nations and great kings will make him their servant.
Jer. 27:8  “It will be, that the nation or the kingdom which will not serve him, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and which will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the sword, with famine and with pestilence,” declares the LORD, “until I have destroyed it by his hand.

• There was also a warning to those who would bring a different message to the people.

  • Jeremiah Chapter 28 revealed how a false prophet came at this same time with a message that Babylon would be broken in two years, and everyone would go home with their king Jeconiah and all the things Babylon had taken. That false prophet died two months later.

  • Jeremiah seems to be sending this message to those in Babylon to reassure them the LORD has a plan for Babylon and for His ultimate justice.

    • The people were to submit to Nebuchadnezzar for now and take comfort and trust their God.

Jer. 52:1 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.
Jer. 52:2 He did evil in the sight of the LORD like all that Jehoiakim had done.
Jer. 52:3 For through the anger of the LORD this came about in Jerusalem and Judah until He cast them out from His presence. And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
Jer. 52:4 Now it came about in the ninth year of his reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, camped against it and built a siege wall all around it.
Jer. 52:5 So the city was under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.
Jer. 52:6 On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land.
Jer. 52:7 Then the city was broken into, and all the men of war fled and went forth from the city at night by way of the gate between the two walls which was by the king’s garden, though the Chaldeans were all around the city. And they went by way of the Arabah.
Jer. 52:8 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho, and all his army was scattered from him.
Jer. 52:9 Then they captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he passed sentence on him.
Jer. 52:10 The king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and he also slaughtered all the princes of Judah in Riblah.
Jer. 52:11 Then he blinded the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him with bronze fetters and brought him to Babylon and put him in prison until the day of his death.

• These verses give the general highlight of King Zedekiah when he became king. He was a bad king; he rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, bringing a siege on Jerusalem.

  • Zedekiah tried to escape when Jerusalem fell but was captured, blinded and bound, then taken to Babylon where he was held in prison until he died there.

Jer. 52:12 Now on the tenth day of the fifth month, which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, who was in the service of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem.
Jer. 52:13 He burned the house of the LORD, the king’s house and all the houses of Jerusalem; even every large house he burned with fire.
Jer. 52:14 So all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down all the walls around Jerusalem.
Jer. 52:15 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away into exile some of the poorest of the people, the rest of the people who were left in the city, the deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon and the rest of the artisans.
Jer. 52:16 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and plowmen.

• These verses highlight the destruction of Jerusalem and its walls and how the people were taken into exile to Babylon.

Jer. 52:17 Now the bronze pillars which belonged to the house of the LORD and the stands and the bronze sea, which were in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans broke in pieces and carried all their bronze to Babylon.
Jer. 52:18 They also took away the pots, the shovels, the snuffers, the basins, the pans and all the bronze vessels which were used in temple service.
Jer. 52:19 The captain of the guard also took away the bowls, the firepans, the basins, the pots, the lampstands, the pans and the drink offering bowls, what was fine gold and what was fine silver.
Jer. 52:20 The two pillars, the one sea, and the twelve bronze bulls that were under the sea, and the stands, which King Solomon had made for the house of the LORD — the bronze of all these vessels was beyond weight.
Jer. 52:21 As for the pillars, the height of each pillar was eighteen cubits, and it was twelve cubits in circumference and four fingers in thickness, and hollow.
Jer. 52:22 Now a capital of bronze was on it; and the height of each capital was five cubits, with network and pomegranates upon the capital all around, all of bronze. And the second pillar was like these, including pomegranates.
Jer. 52:23 There were ninety-six exposed pomegranates; all the pomegranates numbered a hundred on the network all around.

• These verses detail the things which were taken from the temple to Babylon.

Jer. 52:24 Then the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah the second priest, with the three officers of the temple.
Jer. 52:25 He also took from the city one official who was overseer of the men of war, and seven of the king’s advisers who were found in the city, and the scribe of the commander of
the army who mustered the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land who were found in the midst of the city.
Jer. 52:26 Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah.
Jer. 52:27 Then the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was led away into exile from its land.
Jer. 52:28 These are the people whom Nebuchadnezzar carried away into exile: in the seventh year 3,023 Jews;
Jer. 52:29 in the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar 832 persons from Jerusalem;
Jer. 52:30 in the twenty-third year of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried into exile 745 Jewish people; there were 4,600 persons in all.

• These verses detail those who were put to death and the people that were exiled to Babylon.

  • Verse 24-25 List the priests (chief priest Seraiah), officials and advisors from Jerusalem as being gathered and brought to Nebuchadnezzar before they are killed. It would seem these were the men encouraging Zedekiah to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar.

  • Verse 30 The reference to more exiles taken by Nebuzaradan in the twenty-third year of Nebuchadnezzar is only recorded here in the scriptures. Those Jews who had been left in the land of Judah appear to continue to rebel against the authority of Nebuchadnezzar.

Jer. 52:31 Now it came about in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-fifth of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, showed favor to Jehoiachin king of Judah and brought him out of prison.
Jer. 52:32 Then he spoke kindly to him and set his throne above the thrones of the kings who were with him in Babylon.
Jer. 52:33 So Jehoiachin changed his prison clothes, and had his meals in the king’s presence regularly all the days of his life.
Jer. 52:34 For his allowance, a regular allowance was given him by the king of Babylon, a daily portion all the days of his life until the day of his death.

• Verse 31 The final event recorded in Jeremiah is thirty-seven years after the exile of Judah.

  • Jehoiachin king of Judah, is removed from his prison in Babylon.

• Verse 32 Jehoiachin receives the honor of having his throne set above the thrones of the other kings with him in Babylon.

  • Verse 33 Jehoiachin ate with the king of Babylon regularly.

  • Verse 34 Jehoiachin was provided for by the king of Babylon until his death.

    • This man is important in the overarching genealogy found in the Old Testament scriptures as he is in the line of Jesus the Messiah. This was covered in our study of Jeremiah chapter twenty-two.

  • This is the only place in the book of Jeremiah this man is called Jehoiachin; in the other references he is called Coniah.

  • This final chapter of Jeremiah may have been authored by Jeremiah or may have been completed by Baruch or another disciple of Jeremiah.

• The details found in the final chapter are also found in other scriptures in 1Kings and 2Kings; those were the scriptures used when using scriptures to interpret scriptures. As a rule, our practice is not to move ahead in the current book study but wait to understand those scriptures in the book in sequential order.

  • The details of what happened to Jerusalem, the temple and the people all demonstrate the truth that Jeremiah was indeed a prophet sent from the LORD to His people.

  • The final chapters of Jeremiah do focus attention on the ultimate King of Israel.

    • Jesus is the ultimate King of Israel and forever King. 1 Timothy 1:15-17

1Tim. 1:15 It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.
1Tim. 1:16 Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.
1Tim. 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

• Verse 15 Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

  • Verse 17 Paul recognized Jesus Christ as the King; eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God.

  • Paul again speaks of Jesus Christ as King. 1 Timothy 6:12-16.

1Tim. 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
1Tim. 6:13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate,
1Tim. 6:14 that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,
1Tim. 6:15 which He will bring about at the proper time — He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,
1Tim. 6:16 who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.

• Verse 14 Paul instructs the believers to keep the commandments…until the appearing of our LORD Jesus Christ.

  • Verse 15 This appearing of our LORD Jesus Christ will happen at the proper time.

    • He is the blessed and only Sovereign.

    • He is the King of kings

    • He is the Lord of lords.

• The book of Jeremiah has continually brought forward the truth that the LORD is sovereign in all His creation and He has a plan that will unfold according to His perfect will.

  • Our final Jeremiah review is detailed but hopefully will be useful.

• Chapter 1 began by establishing Jeremiah was called by the LORD as a prophet to the nations during the last five kings of Judah.

  • The Kingdom from the North would bring the LORD’s judgment to Judah.

• Chapters 2 & 3 Israel rejected the LORD who birthed them, worshiping false gods like an unfaithful wife. The LORD desires faithfulness in actions not in words alone.

• Chapter 4 The destruction of Judah is in response to their rejection of the LORD—but not for a complete destruction of Judah.

• Chapter 5 Not one righteous man found in Jerusalem; the apostasy was staggering.

• Chapter 6 The LORD’s people are warned to flee Jerusalem before the siege ramp is built.

• Chapter 7 Jeremiah compares the impending destruction of the temple and Jerusalem to what was done at Shiloh.

• Chapter 8 & 9 The spiritual leaders of that day led the people to worship false gods and the LORD expresses sadness because the discipline is necessary for His people.

• Chapter 10 The LORD’s people are not to worship or fear signs in the heavens or idols made from the created world. The LORD God, who is the Creator, is the only God to be worshipped.

• Chapter 11 The LORD’s people have willingly violated their covenant with Him, including the worshipping of other gods continually.

• Chapter 12 Jeremiah asks the LORD why it seems the wicked prosper in this life.

• Chapter 13 Jeremiah buries a linen garment, again prophesies the LORD’s judgment is coming and calls out the leaders of Judah specifically the king and queen mother.

• Chapter 14 The people did not remove the false prophets but followed them into greater sin. He does not accept their false worship or prayer from Jeremiah to spare them.

• Chapter 15 The LORD reaffirms judgment will fall on Judah because of the sins practiced by king Manasseh in Jerusalem. Jeremiah laments his calling as prophet to the LORD’s people.

• Chapter 16 Jeremiah is told he will not take a wife or have children.

• Chapter 17 The heart is wicked and deceitful. Jeremiah seeks the LORD’s protection.

• Chapter 18 The LORD is the sovereign ‘potter’ over all creation.

• Chapter 19 The LORD will destroy Judah and Jerusalem like useless pottery because of the shedding of innocent blood and child sacrifice.

• Chapter 20 Jeremiah is persecuted for the message he brings to the people’s leaders; he brings his grief before the LORD.

• Chapter 21 King Zedekiah seeks a miracle from the LORD who performs wondrous acts.

• Chapter 22 The LORD prophecies concerning each of the last kings of Judah.

• Chapter 23 The LORD speaks of the future for Israel, when He will gather them from all the nations of the world and provide them a righteous ruler, the Messiah.

• Chapter 24 The good figs represent Jews that go into exile, the bad figs are those who refused to leave and instead rebel.

• Chapter 25 The seventy-year exile is prophesied.

• Chapter 26 Judah warned to repent or suffer the same fate as Shiloh.

• Chapters 27 & 28 Jeremiah wears a yoke to demonstrate how the people should submit to Nebuchadnezzar’s rule and not rebel; this is a message to all the surrounding kingdoms through their ambassadors.

• Chapter 29 Jeremiah writes to the Babylonian exiles to prepare to stay for a long time and ignore the false prophets counseling anything different. Power struggles continue from the false prophets and leaders.

• Chapters 30-33 Review: These chapters are often referred to as the Book of Consolation as they are filled with promises for the LORD’s people –

  • Promises of the LORD’s people being regathered and brought back to a specific land as a nation to live in safety with hearts of flesh and not stone, served by priests, ruled by a king and living in prosperity. All of this is possible because Jesus their Messiah has redeemed them and will be their King.

• Chapter 34 The Jewish leaders renege on a covenant to release Hebrew servants.

• Chapter 35 The obedience of the Rechabites is contrasted to the disobedience of the LORD’s people.

• Chapter 36 Jeremiah’s scroll is burned by King Jehoiakim.

• Chapter 37 Jeremiah is rescued from death in a cistern by a servant of the king.

• Chapter 38 Zedekiah seeks a new word from the LORD.

• Chapters 39-44 Review: Jerusalem falls, Zedekiah is taken into exile; Gedaliah, the governor of Judah is killed.

  • The remnant of Judah disobeys the word of the LORD to remain in Judah and not fear Nebuchadnezzar, choosing to go to Egypt in rebellion. Egypt and the remnant from Judah will experience the judgement of the LORD brought by Nebuchadnezzar. The remnant vows to continue their worship of the false gods because they did not understand the true reason for their judgement in the land of Judah.   

• Chapters 45-49 Review:

  • The LORD speaks to Baruch through Jeremiah. The LORD speaks concerning judgment on Egypt, the Philistines, Moab, Edom, Damascus and Elam.

• Chapters 50 & 51 The LORD uses Babylon to judge His people, yet He will judge Babylon in a future time in a similar way.

• Chapter 52 The details of what happened to Jerusalem, the temple and the people all demonstrate the truth that Jeremiah was indeed a prophet sent from the LORD to His people.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org