Study of Jeremiah Chapter 36

Study of Jeremiah
Chapter 36

(Jer 36:1) And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,

(Jer 36:2) Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day.

(Jer 36:3) It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.

I stand amazed at the mercy of God here. Imagine, over and over again, God instructs Jeremiah to tell the house of Judah to repent so that they will not reap judgment. I've heard of some who have read the Old Testament and get a picture of a God of judgment and wrath, but I do not see God that way at all. I see a God who sends judgment only as a last resort. I see a God who tries everything else possible first. I see a God of compassion. I see a God who wants so much to forgive iniquity and sin so that He can dwell among His creation. I do not see a God who sits in Heaven hoping for us to make a mistake so that He can send judgment. I see a God who wants to save.

(Jer 36:4) Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah: and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD, which he had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book.

(Jer 36:5) And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I am shut up; I cannot go into the house of the LORD:

(Jer 36:6) Therefore go thou, and read in the roll, which thou hast written from my mouth, the words of the LORD in the ears of the people in the LORD'S house upon the fasting day: and also thou shalt read them in the ears of all Judah that come out of their cities.

Baruch was instructed to read this before all in the house of the Lord.

(Jer 36:7) It may be they will present their supplication before the LORD, and will return every one from his evil way: for great is the anger and the fury that the LORD hath pronounced against this people.

Even though Jeremiah was shut up in the court of the prison and could not leave and even though he was persecuted for presenting the word of God, Jeremiah still desired that the people repent. Surely this was a man after God's own heart. He did not desire to see the people suffer so that he could gloat and say, "I told you so."

(Jer 36:8) And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of the LORD in the LORD'S house.

(Jer 36:9) And it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, in the ninth month, that they proclaimed a fast before the LORD to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all the people that came from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem.

(Jer 36:10) Then read Baruch in the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the LORD, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the higher court, at the entry of the new gate of the LORD'S house, in the ears of all the people.

(Jer 36:11) When Michaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard out of the book all the words of the LORD,

(Jer 36:12) Then he went down into the king's house, into the scribe's chamber: and, lo, all the princes sat there, even Elishama the scribe, and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, and Elnathan the son of Achbor, and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the princes.

(Jer 36:13) Then Michaiah declared unto them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the book in the ears of the people.

(Jer 36:14) Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, unto Baruch, saying, Take in thine hand the roll wherein thou hast read in the ears of the people, and come. So Baruch the son of Neriah took the roll in his hand, and came unto them.

(Jer 36:15) And they said unto him, Sit down now, and read it in our ears. So Baruch read it in their ears.

(Jer 36:16) Now it came to pass, when they had heard all the words, they were afraid both one and other, and said unto Baruch, We will surely tell the king of all these words.

(Jer 36:17) And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou write all these words at his mouth?

(Jer 36:18) Then Baruch answered them, He pronounced all these words unto me with his mouth, and I wrote them with ink in the book.

(Jer 36:19) Then said the princes unto Baruch, Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah; and let no man know where ye be.

I believe these men know ahead of time that Baruch and Jeremiah would be in danger after the king heard their words so they instructed the men to hide before they read the words to the king.

(Jer 36:20) And they went in to the king into the court, but they laid up the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and told all the words in the ears of the king.

(Jer 36:21) So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll: and he took it out of Elishama the scribe's chamber. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes which stood beside the king.

(Jer 36:22) Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month: and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him.

(Jer 36:23) And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.

(Jer 36:24) Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words.

The king did not fear to destroy the roll with the word of God. This was a blatant rebellion against the word from God.

We see this attitude in today world. How it has changed from just 75 years ago when even non-Christians had respect for God's word. The word of God is not held in high esteem like it once was. I'm reminded of the words in Daniel:

Dan 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased

And in 2 Timothy

2Ti 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

We are continually learning but are really missing the essential truths of God's word. We strive for great education, success, and prosperity but we miss the only thing that counts for eternity. We seek to gain the whole world but most will loose their souls.

(Jer 36:25) Nevertheless Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the roll: but he would not hear them.

(Jer 36:26) But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet: but the LORD hid them.

(Jer 36:27) Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, after that the king had burned the roll, and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of Jeremiah, saying,

(Jer 36:28) Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath burned.

(Jer 36:29) And thou shalt say to Jehoiakim king of Judah, Thus saith the LORD; Thou hast burned this roll, saying, Why hast thou written therein, saying, The king of Babylon shall certainly come and destroy this land, and shall cause to cease from thence man and beast?

(Jer 36:30) Therefore thus saith the LORD of Jehoiakim king of Judah; He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost.

(Jer 36:31) And I will punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring upon them, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and upon the men of Judah, all the evil that I have pronounced against them; but they hearkened not.

(Jer 36:32) Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah; who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire: and there were added besides unto them many like words.

Another roll was sent to the king with even further words of judgment. His family would lose the throne of David. He would die and his body cast out, and the evil pronounced upon Judah would come to pass. They had their chance and then lost it.

The same God then is God now and He still prefers to save rather than destroy. He sent His only Son into the world to pay the final sacrifice for sins and usher in eternal life to all who will repent of sins and accept Jesus Christ. This gospel has been preached now for over 2000 years. Many have responded to the gospel but the majority of the world throughout history have not come to Christ. The bible says:

Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

If we tend to follow the majority, we are most likely to be wrong.

Just as the king who burnt Jeremiah's roll, he was given a chance to repent and lost that chance, one day the open door to salvation by faith in Jesus Christ will finally close. If you miss your chance of eternal salvation by rejecting Jesus Christ in your lifetime, there will be no more opportunities. It will be over. Now is the day of salvation. Now is the day to repent of sin and receive Jesus Christ.

Study of Jeremiah 37

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