Jeremiah was a prophet to Judah (the southern kingdom) prior to their exile to Babylon in 586 B.C. He was instructed by God not to marry or have children (Jeremiah 16:2). He prophesied faithfully for 40 years but in the end he was personally carried off to Egypt by his fellow Jews where he likely died at their hands (Mark 6:4).
Words: 2307 / Time to read: 12 minutes
Jeremiah was from Anathoth, a Benjamite town four miles north of Jerusalem in the southern kingdom. He was raised in a priestly home and was called by God to be a prophet as a young man. He prophesied during the reigns of the last five kings of Judah beginning under King Josiah. This was a chaotic time politically, morally, and spiritually. His prophetic ministry began in 627 and extended up to 587 B.C. during the period when Egypt, Babylon and Assyria all battled for world supremacy. Though he prophesied faithfully for many years, he never saw his people repent. Even the revival started under King Josiah faded and was replaced with spiritual apathy and outright rebellion during his tenure as prophet. This wore him down to the point where he even doubted the Lord at one point (Jeremiah 15:18). Jeremiah was an emotional person and his heartfelt prayers and words are recorded throughout the Book of Jeremiah as well as Lamentations which he also authored. His emotional disposition and soft heart earned him the moniker, “The Weeping Prophet.”
Jeremiah warned that failure to repent would result in Judah’s exile and even predicted that the exile would last 70 years (Jeremiah 25:11). Other pre-Babylonian prophets include Nahum, Zephaniah and Habbukuk. Their collective message was deemed offensive and social injustice and idolatry were commonplace. However, Jeremiah was consistent and faithful with his message and ministry. He was God’s sovereign choice to serve in this special role as prophet and was also assured of divine protection against those who did not want to hear what he had to say.
The word of the Lord came to me [Jeremiah] , saying,
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”
But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.
Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”
The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?”
“I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied.
The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.”
The word of the Lord came to me again: “What do you see?”
“I see a pot that is boiling,” I answered. “It is tilting toward us from the north.”
The Lord said to me, “From the north disaster will be poured out on all who live in the land. I am about to summon all the peoples of the northern kingdoms,” declares the Lord.
“Their kings will come and set up their thrones
in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem;
they will come against all her surrounding walls
and against all the towns of Judah.
I will pronounce my judgments on my people
because of their wickedness in forsaking me,
in burning incense to other gods
and in worshiping what their hands have made.
“Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them. Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 1:4-19
The Consequences of Sin Fulfilled
The exile of Judah served as a sign of God’s righteous judgment on the rebellious nation of Israel. They were given clear instructions in the law of Moses on how to conduct themselves, however, generations of idolatry and rebellion led to God’s discipline. Sinful behavior always has consequences. Babylon was the tool used by God for judgment against Israel. The Babylonian attacks came in waves and there were actually several different times during this period when groups of several thousand Jews were taken as captives to Babylon. During these sieges, many Jews were killed and by the time they were done, the temple was destroyed and Jerusalem was in ruins.
After a period of 70 years Babylon fell to the Medo-Persian Empire. Cyrus, the King of Persia, miraculously released the Israelites back to their homeland and they were able to complete the restoration of their city and temple. The Biblical record confirms that this favorable treatment from Cyrus was a fulfillment of the Word of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah (Ezra 1:1-2). It is noteworthy that Isaiah had also prophesied this and even mentioned Cyrus by name about 150 years prior to its fulfillment, quite an astonishing miracle indeed (Isaiah 45:13).
The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy. He brought up against them the king of the Babylonians, who killed their young men with the sword in the sanctuary, and did not spare young men or young women, the elderly or the infirm. God gave them all into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar. He carried to Babylon all the articles from the temple of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the Lord’s temple and the treasures of the king and his officials. They set fire to God’s temple and broke down the wall of Jerusalem; they burned all the palaces and destroyed everything of value there.
He carried into exile to Babylon the remnant, who escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and his successors until the kingdom of Persia came to power. The land enjoyed its sabbath rests; all the time of its desolation it rested, until the seventy years were completed in fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah.
In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:
“This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:
“‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up, and may the Lord their God be with them.’”
2 Chronicles 36:15-23
Message of Hope
The Weeping Prophet did indeed warn against the coming doom and spent much of his life rejected and mourning for his people but he did offer hope (Jeremiah 29:11). The high point of Jeremiah’s prophetic ministry revolved around the hope of restoration with God through repentance and forgiveness of sins. This is seen throughout the section recorded in Jeremiah chapters 30-33 and is concisely stated in the promise of a New Covenant which stands in stark contrast with the old covenant given through Moses which stood against them and condemned them. Moses clearly foretold the promise of blessing for obedience or cursing for disobedience as in Deuteronomy 28:1; 15 ff. But Jeremiah offered hope and spoke of a new covenant of grace – not works. An unconditional covenant was a blessing as opposed to the familiar conditional covenant of works.
“The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“when I will make a new covenant
with the people of Israel
and with the people of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant
I made with their ancestors
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant,
though I was a husband to them,”
declares the Lord.
“This is the covenant I will make with the people 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.
No longer will they teach their neighbor,
or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,”
declares the Lord.
“For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.”,
Jeremiah 31:31-34
The New Covenant is a stumbling block for many in the church today because it was recorded in relation to Israel but then mentioned again in the New Testament in relation to the Church, that is believers of the gospel whether Jew or Gentile. This confusion often pegs people to one extreme or the other as to whether the New Covenant is for the Church or for Israel. However, the answer is not at either end but rather right in the middle as there is one New Covenant that provides hope for Israel as well as the Church. It was originally given to Israel but because of their continued disobedience it was expanded to include the Gentiles who believe in Christ as their Savior. Israel and the Church are two different entities with different origins, members and destinies, but the New Covenant covers true believers from both groups.
All the major and minor prophets point, at times, to a future Millennial Kingdom on earth. This occurs after the second coming of Christ to the earth where he will reign for 1000 years. It is during this period that all Israel will be saved. Israel will enjoy the fulfillment of their prophecies related to blessings on this earth and the Church, which at that time will have been removed via the rapture, will reign with Christ over the Millennial earth. Once that common principle of grace for both Israel and the Church is understood and accepted, the New Covenant prophecy poses no problem and can be applied appropriately to both entities without conflict. Israel, as a nation, will be regathered and restored to their land and serve Christ the King. The Church will serve alongside their King and are referred to as his bride (Revelation 19:7–9; 21:1-2). The earthly kingdom will continue for 1000 years after which a rebellion will occur and the entire universe, heavens and earth, will be destroyed (2 Peter 3:12-13). The redeemed of Israel and the Church will live eternally with Christ in a new heaven and a new earth. Many of the major and minor prophets allude to this climatic end to our world. The New Testament harmoniously confirms the same end (Revelation 21:1-3).
Jeremiah was privileged to announce succinctly the terms of the New Covenant in no uncertain terms and identified clearly that it was a covenant promise from God to Israel. Many generations later, Jesus himself was the one who included the Church under it as well (Luke 22:20). Jesus, of course, is the mediator of the New Covenant which is based on his death and resurrection (Hebrews 9:15). Mankind may not have anticipated that he would extend the covenant to include the Church until he did, but we can be certain that he knew he would do it and is just and righteous in doing so. It is consistent with the promise of John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Summary
Jeremiah was chosen by God to be a prophet with a message his people did not want to hear. He lived a tough life as he watched people repeatedly ignore his sincere warnings. Nevertheless Jeremiah spoke of hope for Israel in spite of their rebellion. The nation fell completely and Jeremiah was taken to Egypt with other Jews (Jeremiah 43-45). As it turns out, those Jews may have ended up stoning him for his unwanted messages from the Lord. Various extra biblical sources provide the basis for church tradition that alludes to the possibility that he was stoned in Egypt and may be among those referenced in Hebrews 11:32, 37. He may have suffered much in this life but rest assured he has been rescued and is present with the Lord and held in high esteem. The weeping prophet’s tears have likely turned to joyful praise and worship. His resilience and faith serves as an example for all the Lord’s people.
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”
Lamentations 3:22-24
All Scripture quoted from:
New International Version (NIV)
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Bonus Content:
For more information, check my post about The Millennial Kingdom.
