Jeremiah

Outwardly things appeared to be very good in the days of Josiah. However, the rapid decline after his death exposed the inward corruption. While king Josiah zealously followed the Lord, the hearts of the people were unchanged and the recovery to Jehovah was feigned (Jer. 3:6-11).
Jeremiah had the task of prophesying to a nation that refused to hear—to a people that would soon be subdued by a foreign power as ordered by the government of God, against whom they were not to rebel. False prophets, whose words pleased the people, constantly opposed him.
Jeremiah enters into all this personally. His love for the people and his jealousy for a holy God produced a tremendous conflict in his soul, not to mention the physical suffering that he also endured. Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet (Jer. 9:1). He stands in the breach, pleading for the people, though he saw that it was all in vain (Jer. 14:17-22). Jeremiah’s life is woven into the fabric of his prophecies.
The book consists of a number of distinct prophecies. Because they are not ordered chronologically, a moral order must be understood. In the first twenty-four chapters, Jeremiah pleads with the people, appealing to their heart and conscience. These prophecies take us to the siege of Nebuchadrezzar (ch. 21-24), but not beyond.
In chapter 25, we have a general summary of God’s judgments by the hand of Nebuchadrezzar (Jer. 25:8-11), the punishment of the king of Babylon after 70 years (Jer. 25:12), and the judgment of the nations (Jer. 25:31).
The remaining prophecies have much more to do with historic events. Their captivity would be for 70 years (Jer. 29:10). In chapters 30-33, we are taken prophetically to a future time, to the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jer. 30:7). It looks forward to a coming day when God will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and Judah (Jer. 31:31), restore the land to them again, and “cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land” (Jer. 33:15).
In chapter 39, Jerusalem is taken, but Jeremiah chooses to remain among the poor of the land (Jer. 39:10, 40:1-6). In chapters 40-44 we have the final history of the remnant in the land under Gedaliah, his murder by Ishmael, and their escape into Egypt contrary to the word of Lord by Jeremiah (Jer. 42:7-22). Chapters 46-51 give the judgment of the nations, beginning with Egypt and ending with Babylon.