The BOOK – After the Fall

From Jeremiah 39 to 52 we see in the fourth year of the reign of Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzar invaded Judah and Jehoiakim was put into chains. Only the poor were left in Jerusalem now. Jeremiah likens them to bad, worthless figs, in contrast to those who had gone who were good figs (Jeremiah 24). The men who left were so weak and degenerate that the prophet could see nothing but doom for Jerusalem. Jeremiah incurred the displeasure of the prophets who had gone to Babylon because, in a letter to the exiles, he directly opposed their prediction of an early return from captivity (Jeremiah 29:1-14). Neither did the prophets in Jerusalem like it because they thought that soon they could throw off the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar.

Nebuchadnezzar swiftly marched against Jerusalem and the final siege began. As the siege proceeded, the hostility of Jeremiah’s enemies became more intense. They charged him with desertion and thrust him into prison. They even petitioned the King to put him to death (Jeremiah 38:4). They chose a worse thing for Jeremiah. They lowered hi chords into a miry dungeon, and left him to die of starvation and exposure. But God was with him and rose up a friend to deliver him (Jeremiah 38:6-13). 

After eighteen months of siege, Jerusalem was taken and Jeremiah was given the choice of going to Babylon where freedom and honour awaited him, but he chose to cast his lot with the remnant left in the land (Jeremiah 39:11-12; 40:1-16). At the same time Jeremiah was crying out against Babylon for the heinous crime in destroying God’s children. He told them Babylon would be demolished and would be in ruins forever (Jeremiah 51:37-43). By the time of Christ, Babylon’s power had gone, and in the first century AD, it was mostly in ruins. 

When the first deportation of Jews to Babylon occurred, Jeremiah wrote predictions which are seen throughout Jeremiah 24 to 49.

·         Concerning God’s future dealings with Judah (Jeremiah 23, 31)

·         Conquest of land by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon (Jeremiah 20:4)

·         Judah’s exile or captivity in Babylon and return after seventy years (Jeremiah 25 and 26)

·         Concerning the Messiah (Jeremiah 23:6; 30:4-11; 33:14-26)

·         Israel will be scattered among all the kingdoms of the earth (Jeremiah 24)

·         Final recovery of Israel (Jeremiah 23:1-40; 32:37-41)

Jeremiah 23 is dear to the Jews; God’s chosen people and dear to the heart of God. It tells of the future of Judah, redeemed through the work of their Messiah. Jesus, the good shepherd, is promised (Jeremiah 23:1,3). He will gather his sheep from every corner of the earth and they will return to their own country, the Promised Land. This will take place when the King shall come and sit upon the throne of David (Jeremiah 23:5).

Other prophets in the Bible had at least occasional success to cheer their hearts in the midst of difficulties, but Jeremiah seemed to be fighting a losing battle to the very end. Disaster, failure and hostility were rewards for his work. He preached to deaf ears and seemed to reap only hate in return for his love for his people. In life he seemed to accomplish little. He was broken hearted. But God has given us a record that makes him one of the greatest prophets. God delights to trust a trustworthy child with a trial. When we go through tough times, stay connected with the love of God, even though you don’t see any results. May this book remind you to be a faithful child of God even when your prayers are not answered. Amen.