320 likes | 631 Views
The Book Of Jeremiah. St. Mina Coptic Church Hamilton, On. Jeremiah. About the Prophet Jeremiah. Began young, and could say, from his own experience, that it is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth, the yoke both of service and of affliction
E N D
The Book Of Jeremiah St. Mina Coptic Church Hamilton, On
About the Prophet Jeremiah • Began young, and could say, from his own experience, that it is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth, the yoke both of service and of affliction • God touched Jeremiah’s mouth, who was yet but young, nothing was said of the purging of his iniquity (1:9), reason of his tender years, he had not so much sin to answer for • Continued long a prophet, 50 years • Began in the thirteenth year of Josiah, when things went well under that good king • he continued through all the wicked reigns that followed
About the Prophet Jeremiah • A reproving prophet, sent in God’s name to tell Jacob of their sins • To warn them of the judgments of God that were coming upon them • A weeping prophet; commonly called • A mournful observer of the sins of his people and of the desolating judgments that were coming upon them • Those who imagined our Saviour to be one of the prophets thought him to be Jeremiah (Matthew 16:14), because he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief • Persecuted by his own people more than any of the prophets
Outline of the Book • The Call of Jeremiah (1) • Prophecies to Jerusalem and Judah (2-35) • Warnings and Exhortations to Judah • Promises of Restoration • The Sufferings of Jeremiah (36-38) • The Fall of Jerusalem • Prophecies to Foreign Nations (46-51) • Historical Appendix (52)
Introduction • “’This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,’ declares the LORD. ‘I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts I will be their God, and they will be my people’” (31:33) • Jeremiah means (“Yahweh lays a foundation.”) • Date: 626 BC ~ sometime after 586 • Written, was destroyed (by King Jehoiakim), rewritten in a state of constant turmoil and danger • Theme: The Judgment of God
Kings • Josiah (640-609) Jeremiah came in the 13th yr of his reign • Jehoahaz (609) • Jehoiakim (~597): A king under Egypt and Babylon. • Revolted against Nebu. Died in captivity. • Burned the scroll of God’s word. (36) • Jehoiachin (597) A political prisoner in Babylon for 37 yrs • Zedekiah (~587) • Jeremiah pleaded to submit to Babylon. Caused a famine. (32:36) • Imprisoned Jeremiah. Jeremiah prophesies 70 yrs of exile (25). • His sons were slain and his own eyes were put out. • Carried in chains to Babylon.
Invasions • Josiah (640-609) • Jehoahaz (609) • Jehoiakim (~597) • Babylon becomes a super power nation. • Babylon’s 1st invasion (606) – Daniel… • Jehoiachin (597) • Babylon’s 2nd invasion (598) • Zedekiah (~587) • Babylon’s 3rd invasion (588) • The Fall of Jerusalem (586) – Jeremiah…
Prophets • Contemporary Prophets • Beginning: Nahum, Zephaniah, and Habakkuk • End: Daniel and Ezekiel • There were false prophets • Preached good things to the people (14, 23, 30-34) • Prophesied lies in God’s name. • People loved to hear them. • Prophets were persecuted and killed • i.e. Uriah prophesied against the people of Judah and fled in fear to Egypt. But he was caught in Egypt and brought back. The king Jehoiakim had him struck down with a sword.(26)
Prophecies • Judah’s Forsaking God / Idolatry God forsakes them. • Coming Destruction • Warnings Repentance • The Broken Covenant • Drought, Famine, Sword, and Captivity • Messages about Egypt, the Philistines, Moab, Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar, Hazor, Elam, and Babylon (46-51)
Judah In Prophecies • Idolatry: sacrifices to other gods (7:18), idols inside the temple (7,32) • Sacrificed their own children!!! (7:31) • No One Is Upright (5:1) • Godless and Lying Priests & Prophets (23) • “Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.” (8:11) • Use their power unjustly (23:10) • Prophesied by Baal and led people astray (23:25)
Judah In Prophecies (cont.) • Kings, priests, and his people refused to accept Jeremiah’s message. • “They made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent” (5:3) • “A wild donkey sniffing the wind in her craving -- in her heat…” (2:24) • An unfaithful wife (3:20) • Well fed lusty horses (5:7-9)
Prophecies • Promises of the Messiah • “’when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch,’” (23:5) • “I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line;” (33:15) • “The LORD Our Righteousness” (23,33) • Restoration & Deliverance (30,33)
Fulfillments of Prophecies As a result… • Jerusalem was besieged by Babylonian army (588-586) • By the sword, famine and plague the city of Jerusalem was destroyed • The fall of Jerusalem (586) • Judah went into captivity. (3,023 people including King Zedekiah)
Fulfillments of Prophecies • Restoration & Deliverance • Zerubbabel (538 BC) • Ezra (457) • Nehemiah (445) • The temple was rebuilt (515) • Eventually by the Messiah (Righteous Branch)
Jeremiah – The Man • Seventy years after the death of Isaiah • A native of Anathoth, from a priest’s family • A priest and prophet • When he was very young, God called him.(1:5,6) • Ordained by God • 1:17~19 imply how hard his life of mission would be. • Single (16:2) • Forty years with great faithfulness (626 BC ~ sometime after 586)
Jeremiah’s Struggle • No prophet wrote much about his own agony except Jeremiah. (12, 20) • “O Lord , you deceived me, and I was deceived; you overpowered me and prevailed.” (20:7) • “Cursed be the day I was born!” (20:14) But • “You are always righteous, O Lord” (12) • “But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior” (20:11)
Jeremiah = We • Called when we were very young. • Kingdom of priests – Bible teachers • Carrying unpopular messages • Rejected and ignored many times
Jeremiah – His Sufferings • Threatened and persecuted by people • “Do not prophesy in the name of the Lord or you will die by our hands” (11:21) • Social rejection, Betrayed by his own relatives • Mocked and ridiculed by people. • Accused of treason, beaten, and imprisoned • Thrown into a muddy cistern, sank in the mud, and left starving for dead • (Stoned to death in Egypt tradition)
God In Jeremiah • “Why does the way of the wicked prosper? • Why do all the faithless live at ease?” (12) • Creator of all things (10:12-16; 51:15-19) • Omnipotent (32:27; 48:15; 51:57) • Omnipresent (23:24) • Sovereign Deliverer (20:11, 32:17-25) • Lord of the Nations (5:15; 18:7-10; 25:17-28; 46-51): The Potter and the Clay(18)
What I learn • People like good things to hear. They deceive themselves having false security. (military power & economy) • How terrible idolatry is! It brings God’s wrath! • Importance to accept the messages of warning and repentance • Having spiritual insight about my life and the world. • Jeremiah’s life of mission - used wholly as God’s instrument. - delivered messages from God to his people faithfully - Obedience to the will of God until he died • God’s yearning heart toward Judah “Obey me and I will be your God and you will be my people” (7:23)