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lesson 22 JEREMIAH I. BACKGROUND 1. Author - Jeremiah, "the weeping prophet" through Baruch his scribe. (36:4, 32) 2. Date - From the 13th year of King Josiah (626 B.C.) until the fall of Jerusalem (587 B.C); during the reign of the last five kings of Judah (Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah): about 100 years after the prophet Isaiah. 3. Setting - The international situation of the time involved a three-fold battle for world power between Assyria, Babylon, and Egypt. Babylon first conquered Assyria and then Egypt. About the middle of Jeremiah's ministry. Babylon became the leading world power. God's people had fallen into idolatry and wickedness which eventually led to the complete destruction of Jerusalem. II. PURPOSE OF THE BOOK 1. Key Verses: 1:9-10; 3:14; 4:22; 5:30-31; 6:16; 7:2-7; 10:10; 23; 11:1-8; 12:2; 17:9-10; 18:5-10; 23:5-6; 25:1-14; 31:31-34 2. Theme: Prophesying during the last 40 years of the kingdom of Judah (southern kingdom). Jeremiah continuously called the people to repent. This call was directed to kings, priests, prophets, and citizens. Jeremiah also predicted the destruction of Jerusalem (and all Judah) by God through Babylon and the coming of a new covenant system. A major part of the book is the very human struggle in Jerusalem as he tried to understand God's activities, as he presented God's messages of people he loved: the leaders, prophets, and people of Jerusalem and Judah. 1) The Call to Repentance a. Forsake idol worship: 2:5-13; 4:1-2; 10:3-5; 13:10 b. Do no depend on the Temple or Law: 7:1-15; 8:8-9 c. Obey God: 3:23-25; 6:19-20; 7:21-26; 9:13-16; 11:1-8 d. Come to know God: 2:8; 4:22; 9:3-6; 23-24; 31:34 2) Prophecies of: a. Destruction: 1:12-16; 4:5-9; 5:14-19; 6:22-23; 25:1-14 b. New Covenant: 31:31-34 c. Other Nations: chapters 46-51 III. ABOUT THE MESSIAH 1. 23:5-6 - The Christ would be of the seed of King David. He too would be a king. 2. 30:9 - The Christ would be a king like David 3. 33:14-16 - The Christ would be of the seed of David and would be a just and righteous king. IV. APPLICATIONS - LESSONS 1. We are never too young to serve God. - 1:1-10 2. God will forgive and bless us when we repent - ch. 5 - 7 3. God watches our hearts - 17:10 4. Sacrifice without obedience is rejected by God - 6:19-20 5. Stubbornness and rebellion enslaves God's people - 5:18ff 6. Idolatry anf immorality are sins in the eyes of the Lord - 7 7. If we do not repent of our sins, we will be punished - 8 8. Sin destroys the people of God - 9:25-26 9. We must teach God's word, even if we are persecuted - 20 10. God will bless and restore His faithful remnant - 32 - 33 JEREMIAH QUESTIONS 1. When did God select Jeremiah to be a prophet? 1:4-5 2. What two excuses did Jeremiah offer God for why he felt he should not accept God's commission? - 1:6 3. What three things led to the downfall of God's people in the days of Jeremiah? - 5:30-31 4. What did God require of His people in order for them to find rest from their problems? 6:16 5. Explain the difference between the mouth and heart of God's people in the day of Jeremiah? - 9:8 6. How does Jeremiah describe God in 10:10? 7. Who can we not trust to direct our lives? - 10:23 8. What was the difference between the mouth and heart of the people according to 12:1-22? 9. Explain what made the prophets and priests of the land worthless to God and useless to the people. - 14:18 10. How did the word of God affect Jeremiah's heart? 15:16 11. Because the results of Israel's sins were to be so terrible, what did God tell Jeremiah not to do? 16:1-4 12. What warning did God give us about the heart? - 17:9-10 13. When a nations repents of their evil ways, what will God do? 18:7-8 14. When a nation ceases to do good, what will God do? - 18:9-10 15. What made Jeremiah sometimes want to quit preaching? 20:7-9 16. How did Jeremiah feel when he tried to quit preaching? 20:9 17. What was the difference between the old covenant and the new covenant? 31:31-34 18. What did King Jehoiakim do when the written words of Jeremiah were read to him? 36:20-24 19. When is a man cursed for doing the work of God? 48:10 |