Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

Back in the way-back machine to the days of Jehoiakam, son of Josiah. God told Jeremiah to go to the house of the Rekabites (2 Kings 10:15; 1 Chronicles 2:55) and bring them into the Temple, take them into one of the chambers, and offer them wine. He did. They refused. They had been charged years and years previous by Jonadab not to drink wine forever (about 300 years). They held to their vow. They didn’t plant vineyards, build houses, or sow seeds. They were tent dwellers and would be forever. They had obeyed so far and they would continue to do so. The Lord wasn’t tempting them to sin, but using their example: there were still godly people in the nation and the whole nation COULD have chosen to be godly. The nation could have been inspired by these Rekabites and repented of their ungodly ways. But they had not. The Lord pointed out that these men obeyed a mere man’s command, but the people had turned away from the words of God Himself. God looked on the Rekabites and said that they would never lack people to stand before God in their obedience, forever.

During this same period of Jehoiakim – but this chapter specifically in the fourth year of his kingship – the Lord told Jeremiah to write the words God had spoken against Israel and against Judah and against all the nations on a scroll. Everything that God had spoken to Jeremiah for the last twenty-two years. The reason was to inspire people to repent so that He could turn the judgment from them, forgive them, and forget their iniquity and sin. Jeremiah called in Baruch, his friend, and had him write the words Jeremiah dictated. Then Jeremiah told him that since he was confined, he needed Baruch to take the scroll to the temple and read it to the people. Maybe they would turn from their evil ways right there. Baruch did as he was asked to do.

Michaiah heard the words and got the princes together so they could hear the words. They all had Baruch read to them. And they asked him where he got the words and Baruch told them. The princes told Baruch and Jeremiah both to hide and not tell anyone where they were. They took the scroll to the king. The king had Jehudi read it to him in an inner chamber with the princes around them. Once Jehudi had read a section, the king cut it off and burned it. When they were done, the scroll was destroyed. He totally rejected God’s words. AND although three of the princes begged him not to destroy it, none of them tore their clothes or feared God or repented. The king sought Jeremiah and Baruch, but the Lord hid them.

The Lord spoke to Jeremiah again. He told him to rewrite all the words on a new scroll. The Lord told Jeremiah to tell the king that his line was cursed and would no longer sit on the throne of David because he had despised the Lord and burnt the scroll. The king would be punished and so would his servants. And the people of the land who had heard the words, but ignored them, would also be punished.

Jeremiah took another scroll, Baruch sat down, and they did it all over again.

Time has passed and Zedekiah is king. The Chaldean’s assault of Jerusalem was paused so that they could go fight Egypt who had come out of their lands against the Chaldeans. Jeremiah was no longer stuck home, but could walk around. The Lord told Jeremiah the Chaldeans were coming again and WOULD take the city. Jeremiah proclaimed it.

Shortly after that, Jeremiah set out from Jerusalem to the land of Benjamin to take possession of his property there (Jeremiah 32:6-15). But when he got to the gate, Irijah seized him. Irijah figured he was defecting to the Chaldeans. Jeremiah protested his innocence, but Irijah had him thrown into a dungeon for many days. The officials sided with Irijah because no one liked what Jeremiah was prophesying. After awhile, Zedekiah got Jeremiah out and had a secret audience with Jeremiah. He asked if there was a word from the Lord. Jeremiah told him yes. And told him the truth: the Chaldeans were taking them all. Jeremiah also asked him how exactly he (Jeremiah) had sinned against the officials or the government that he was locked up? He ONLY spoke what the Lord said. Verbatim. Jeremiah asked him if he (Jeremiah) could not be returned to the dungeon. Zedekiah did not set him free, but gave him the run of the prison courtyard and a ration of one piece of bread from the baker’s street – at least until the bread ran out because of the siege.

Summary

Key Players: God, Jesus, Jeremiah, Rekabites, Michaiah, Jehudi, Irijah, Zedekiah

Key Verse(s): Jeremiah 35:6-11, 17-19; 36:1-3, 16-26, 30-32; 37:6-10, 14-17, 21