Hierarchical Précis
Major Prophets
Jeremiah
Jeremiah’s name means “Jehovah throws”, in the sense of laying down a foundation, or “Jehovah establishes, appoints, or sends.”
Jeremiah
served
as
both
a
priest
and
a
prophet.
He
prophesied
primarily
to
Jews
in
Judah
during
the
reigns
of
Judah’s
last
kings,
beginning
around
627
B.C.,
during
the
reign
of
the
last
good
king
Josiah
(640-609
B.C.)
until
Jerusalem’s
fall
in
the
reign
of
Zedekiah
(598-586 B.C.) and some time after, to around 570 B.C.
His
ministry
was
immediately
preceded
by
that
of
Zephaniah.
He
was
a
contemporary
of
Habakkuk
with
Ezekiel
being
a
late
contemporary.
Jeremiah
is
often
called
the
‘weeping
prophet’
because
of
his
situation
and
two
references
to
weeping,
one
his
own
and
the
other
in
the Septuagint introduction to Lamentations.
Jeremiah’s overall theme is judgement upon Judah, yet there will be future restoration in a messianic kingdom.
The
book
of
Jeremiah
mixes
prophecy
and
historical
narrative,
but
not
all
in
chronological
order.
The
following
is
in
the
order
presented in the Bible.
Jeremiah’s calling
[Jer 1]
God
speaks
to
Jeremiah,
calling
him
to
service
and
telling
him
the
nature
and
difficulty
of
His
message
to
the
people,
but
at
the
same
time giving him Encouragement.
Israel’s sin and its consequences
[Jer 2-6]
Jeremiah’s
first
message
to
all
Israel
is
to
remind
them
of
their
original
state,
and
how
they
have
turned
to
sin
and
forsaken
God.
He
tells
Israel
of
their
greatest
sin,
unfaithfulness
to
God
through
their
consistent
worship
of
pagan
gods,
which
are
many,
and
appeals
to
them
to
return
to
their
God.
He
then
focuses
his
message
on
Judah,
warning
them
that
the
consequence
of
ignoring
his
plea
will
be
an
invasion from the north, first of the land of Judah, then the city of Jerusalem.
An
attempt
is
made
to
find
an
example
of
truth
and
justice
among
the
people,
but
none
is
found
and
punishment
is
inevitable.
All
warnings have been ignored. Consequently, His people will be left to suffer the invading army with Jerusalem coming under siege.
Messages given at the temple gate
[Jer 7-10]
Jeremiah
stands
at
the
temple
gate
and
warns
the
people
concerning
their
hypocritical
worship,
telling
them
it
amounts
to
a
false
religion
and
is
worthless.
He
points
to
the
destruction
of
Shiloh
(where
the
tabernacle
was
first
established)
as
an
example
of
how
the
temple
is
not
necessarily
safe
just
because
it’s
the
temple.
Furthermore,
God
declares
their
places
of
pagan
worship
will
become
known
as the ‘Valley of Slaughter’, because their dead will be buried there until the place becomes filled with their bones.
The religious leaders are no better, having deceived the people by their own sin and driven by self interest.
Jeremiah
laments
over
the
sin
of
his
people
and
the
coming
judgement,
then
admonishes
them
for
their
love
of
idols.
He
warns
of
the coming destruction, but also prays for God’s wrath to come.
A broken covenant
[Jer 11-13]
Jeremiah
is
told
to
remind
Judah
of
their
covenant
with
God,
given
at
Sinai
and
still
existing,
a
covenant
they
have
persistently
broken
with their sin and idol worship. God tells Jeremiah not to pray for Judah now as He will not listen to such prayers.
God
lets
Jeremiah
know
that
the
men
of
Anathoth,
Jeremiah’s
hometown,
plot
to
kill
him
because
of
his
prophecies,
but
tells
him
that
He
will
punish
them
and
not
even
a
remnant
will
survive.
Jeremiah
questions
God,
asking
why
the
wicked
always
seem
to
prosper.
God tells him that this is the way of the world, and there is worse to come, but He will punish the wicked and restore the repentant.
Jeremiah
is
given
instructions
concerning
a
linen
belt,
but
doesn’t
realise
he
is
enacting
a
parable.
God
explains
to
Jeremiah
that
the
belt
put
around
his
waist
is
like
the
nation
Israel
bound
to
Himself,
but
like
the
belt
that
rots,
she
will
become
completely
useless
because she has not listened to Him.
God
tells
Jeremiah
to
give
the
people
another
prophecy
concerning
the
fate
of
Judah
and
Jerusalem.
Jeremiah
pleads
with
the
people
to
pay
attention,
not
to
be
arrogant,
and
to
give
glory
to
God
before
He
brings
judgement.
If
they
do
not
listen,
he
will
weep
bitterly because they will be taken captive.
A drought
[Jer 14-15]
There
is
a
severe
drought
and
the
people
plead
to
God,
having
been
duped
by
false
prophets
into
believing
God
will
listen
to
them
and
save
them
from
it.
Jeremiah’s
prayers
for
the
people
are
to
no
avail
and
he
is
filled
with
self-pity,
but
God
encourages
him
and
renews
his confidence as His spokesman.
Disaster and comfort
[Jer 16-17:18]
God
forbids
Jeremiah
to
marry
because
of
the
disaster
that
will
come
upon
the
land.
He
is
also
forbidden
to
take
part
in
any
mourning
for the dead or to associate with the people, as His blessing, love and pity have been withdrawn from them. Even so, God still speaks of
a time of restoration.
The Sabbath
[Jer 17:19-27]
Judah’s
sin
is
great,
but
God
still
offers
an
alternative
to
judgement
if
they
will
only
return
to
Him.
Jeremiah
is
to
remind
them
of
their
failure
to
keep
the
Sabbath,
symptomatic
of
their
disobedience,
and
tells
them
how
they
might
be
restored
as
God’s
people
if
they
would only again hallow the Sabbath.
Lessons from the potter’s house
[Jer 18-19]
Jeremiah
is
sent
by
God
to
a
potter’s
house
where
the
potter
is
seen
discarding
an
unsatisfactory
pot,
then
proceeding
to
make
a
new
one
to
his
satisfaction.
This,
God
explains,
is
how
Israel
is
to
Him;
He
will
discard
and
re-mould
as
He
sees
fit,
according
to
their
faithlessness.
The people again plot against Jeremiah, but this time Jeremiah prays for their punishment.
God
now
instructs
the
prophet
to
purchase
a
clay
jug
from
the
potter
and
take
some
elders
to
the
Valley
of
Ben
Hinnom.
There
he
is
to prophesy concerning the disaster to come upon Judah, then smash the clay jug as a symbol of Judah’s destruction
.
Jeremiah and Pashur
[Jer 20:1-6]
When
Jeremiah
returns
to
the
temple
and
continues
to
prophesy,
the
priest
Pashur
has
him
put
in
the
stocks.
The
next
day,
when
Pashur releases Jeremiah, he foretells Pashur and his family’s exile and death in Babylon.
Jeremiah complains to God
[Jer 20:7-18]
Jeremiah’s
situation
is
causing
him
considerable
distress,
so
much
so
that
he
complains
to
God.
He
was
chosen
to
give
God’s
message
to
Judah,
but
everyone
is
against
him
to
the
extent
that
he
doesn’t
want
to
give
the
message,
yet
the
need
burns
within
him.
His
distress is so great that he wishes he had never been born. No reaction from God is given.
Condemnation of kings, prophets and people
[Jer 21-24]
It
is
now
close
to
the
time
of
Judah’s
exile.
Zedekiah
turns
to
Jeremiah
hoping
for
some
word
that
God
will
save
them,
but
there
are
no
words of comfort forthcoming, only a prophecy of Zedekiah’s defeat.
Jeremiah
also
prophesies
judgement
against
three
evil
kings
of
Judah:
Jehoahaz
(Shallum),
Jehoiakim
and
Jehoiachin.
(These
three
preceded Zedekiah.)
The
leaders
are
rebuked
for
their
misrule,
but
the
return
of
a
remnant
is
spoken
of,
not
just
for
this
present
time,
but
also
for
the
distant future when Jesus will sit on David’s throne.
False
prophets
are
now
singled
out
and
their
judgement
foretold.
These
are
prophets
who
speak
prophecies
and
oracles
as
if
they
were sent by God, but were not.
God
shows
Jeremiah
two
baskets
of
figs.
One
contains
very
good
figs,
representing
the
good
exiled
from
Judah
whom
God
will
restore after the exile. The other contains poor figs, too poor to be eaten, representing those who will not return from the exile.
The Babylonian Exile
[Jer 25-29]
Jeremiah
reminds
the
people
he
has
been
prophesying
to
them
for
twenty-three
years,
but
they
have
not
listened.
Consequently,
God
is
going
to
use
Nebuchadnezzar,
who
He
refers
to
as
His
servant,
to
conquer
Judah
and
take
the
people
into
captivity
in
Babylon
for
seventy years.
God
now
tells
Jeremiah
to
take
His
cup
of
wrath
to
the
nations,
to
be
a
symbol
of
God’s
judgement
on
them.
Jeremiah
is
to
announce
that
divine
judgement.
Judah
is
to
be
judged
first;
then
a
list
of
other
nations
to
be
judged
is
given,
beginning
with
Egypt
and ending with Babylon (Sheshach is the place referred to, but is a Hebrew cryptogram for Babylon).
Now,
early
in
Jehoiakim’s
reign,
when
God
had
instructed
Jeremiah
to
preach
in
the
temple
courtyard,
not
omitting
a
single
word
He
had
given
him,
the
people
turn
against
Jeremiah.
They
seize
him
with
the
intent
to
kill
him,
saying
his
prophecy
is
against
the
city
and
warrants
his
execution.
Some
speak
in
support
of
Jeremiah,
pointing
out
that
Micah
had
prophesied
against
Jerusalem
in
the
time
of
King Hezekiah, but he had not been put to death. Ahikam, a court official, also supports Jeremiah and so he is spared.
The
Babylonians
have
now
taken
some
of
Judah
captive
and
placed
Zedekiah
on
the
throne
as
a
vassal
king.
Jeremiah
is
instructed
by
God
to
walk
the
streets
wearing
a
wooden
yoke
as
a
symbol
of
submission,
and
to
tell
the
people
not
to
resist
the
Babylonians.
He
is
also to warn them against listening to prophets who tell them otherwise, as these prophets are not from God.
One
of
the
false
prophets
is
Hananiah
whose
prophecy
directly
contradicts
Jeremiah’s.
Hananiah
even
takes
the
wooden
yoke
from
Jeremiah
and
breaks
it
in
front
of
the
people
in
symbolic
support
of
his
own
prophecy.
Jeremiah
later
tells
Hananiah
that
he
will
die
that
very year for his false prophecies, which he does.
Jeremiah
sends
a
letter
to
the
first
exiles
in
Babylon,
encouraging
them
to
settle
and
live
normal
lives.
They
are
to
build
houses,
eat
of
the
produce
of
the
land,
have
sons
and
daughters,
give
their
sons
and
daughters
in
marriage
and
to
multiply,
not
decrease.
They
are
not to listen to false prophets, as God is going to restore them to Judah in seventy years.
Shemaiah
then
sends
a
letter
from
Babylon
to
Zephaniah
opposing
Jeremiah,
but
Zephaniah
shows
Jeremiah
the
letter.
Jeremiah
sends
another
message
to
the
exiles,
telling
them
that
because
Zephaniah
is
a
false
prophet
God
will
punish
him,
and
he
will
not
have
any descendants surviving to see the restoration.
Promises of restoration
[Jer 30-33]
At this point, God tells Jeremiah to write all the words He has given him.
Then
we
have
the
statement:
For,
lo,
the
days
come,
saith
the
Lord,
that
I
will
bring
again
the
captivity
of
my
people
Israel
and
Judah, saith the Lord: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.
God’s message of restoration follows with His declaration of a new covenant (31:31–34), quoted in its entirety in Hebrews 8:8–12.
When
Jerusalem
is
under
siege
and
Jeremiah
is
confined
to
the
courtyard
in
the
royal
palace,
he
receives
a
word
from
God
that
he
must
buy
a
field
from
his
cousin
when
asked
to.
He
is
to
draw
up
the
title
deeds,
properly
witnessed
and
sealed,
and
place
it
in
an
earthen
vessel
for
safekeeping.
This
Jeremiah
does,
but
is
puzzled
by
it
and
so
asks
God
in
prayer
why
this
had
to
be
done.
God
tells
Jeremiah
that
the
deed
represents
the
assurance
that
He
will
restore
His
people
to
the
land,
when
they
will
again
prosper
and
buy
and
sell property.
God
then
speaks
further
to
Jeremiah,
reasserting
His
promise
of
restoration,
both
for
these
times
and
for
the
time
when
Jesus
will
sit on David’s throne.
A warning to Zedekiah
[Jer 34]
Jeremiah
warns
Zedekiah
that
Jerusalem
is
soon
to
be
taken
and
that
it
is
his
destiny
to
be
taken
captive.
Perhaps
hoping
for
a
reprieve,
Zedekiah
orders
that
all
slaves
should
be
freed
according
to
God’s
law.
The
order
is
obeyed,
but
only
for
a
time,
as
those
freed are soon brought back into slavery, evoking God’s condemnation of their masters as law-breakers.
The Rechabites
[Jer 35]
Looking
back
in
time
to
the
earlier
siege
of
Jerusalem,
Jeremiah
is
told
to
summon
the
Rechabites
to
a
temple
side
room
to
be
given
wine
to
drink.
When
offered
the
wine,
the
Rechabites
refuse
it,
referring
to
a
command
of
their
forefather
Jonadab
to
live
as
nomads,
not
to
plant
fields
and
not
to
drink
wine.
It
was
fear
of
invading
armies,
Chaldean
and
Syrian,
that
had
brought
them
to
Jerusalem.
Here,
their
obedience
to
the
command
of
their
forefathers
puts
Judah
to
shame
for
their
lack
of
obedience
to
God,
and
the
Rechabites
are rewarded with a promise of survival.
Jeremiah’s sufferings and persecutions
[Jer 36-38]
Still
looking
back
to
Jehoiakim’s
reign,
Jeremiah
is
told
to
write
down
everything
God
had
spoken
to
him
concerning
Judah.
Jeremiah
dictates
all
the
words
to
his
scribe
Baruch,
who
writes
them
on
a
scroll.
The
scroll
is
later
first
read
to
all
the
people,
then
the
officials
and
finally
to
King
Jehoiakim.
However,
after
each
section
of
the
scroll
is
read
to
the
king,
he
cuts
it
off
and
burns
it.
The
king
orders
the arrest of Jeremiah and Baruch, but they are in hiding and cannot be found.
J
eremiah is told to produce another scroll, exactly as the first, then to give the king a word from God declaring his fate.
We
now
return
to
the
reign
of
Zedekiah.
Zedekiah
had
not
taken
any
notice
of
Jeremiah’s
words,
but
now
sends
for
him,
asking
him
to
intercede
for
him
in
prayer
to
God.
At
this
time
Jeremiah
was
free
to
come
and
go
among
the
people,
and
the
Babylonians
had
withdrawn
from
the
city
because
the
Egyptian
army
was
marching
to
support
Zedekiah.
Jeremiah
is
instructed
by
God
to
tell
Zedekiah
that the Egyptian army will return home, after which the Babylonians will return and capture Jerusalem.
After
the
Babylonians
have
withdrawn,
Jeremiah
attempts
to
leave
the
city
on
business,
but
is
accused
of
leaving
to
join
the
Babylonians
and
is
thrown
in
prison.
Zedekiah
sends
for
Jeremiah
and
asks
privately
if
there
is
any
word
from
God,
to
which
Jeremiah
tells
the
king
he
will
be
handed
over
to
the
king
of
Babylon.
Jeremiah
is
not
sent
back
to
the
dungeon,
but
is
confined
to
the
prison
courtyard where he will have more freedom.
Hearing
that
Jeremiah
was
continuing
to
prophesy,
some
officials
petition
the
king
to
have
Jeremiah
put
to
death
because
his
words
are
discouraging
the
soldiers.
Zedekiah
does
not
oppose
them
and
Jeremiah
is
thrown
into
acistern
where
he
is
left
to
die.
Later,
Ebed-
Melech,
one
of
the
king’s
officials,
persuades
the
king
it
would
be
wrong
to
allow
Jeremiah
to
die.
He
is
rescued
and
returned
to
the
prison courtyard.
Zedekiah
again
asks
Jeremiah
for
a
word
from
God.
Jeremiah
repeats
the
prophecy
concerning
the
fall
of
Jerusalem
and
the
need
for
Zedekiah
not
to
resist
capture.
They
agree
their
conversation
is
to
be
kept
private,
and
Jeremiah
is
permitted
to
remain
in
the
prison courtyard where he stays until the day Jerusalem is captured.
The fall of Jerusalem and its aftermath
[Jer 39-45]
The
Babylonians
return
to
lay
siege
to
Jerusalem,
and
in
the
eleventh
year
of
Zedekiah’s
reign
the
city
is
taken.
Zedekiah
flees
the
city,
but
is
captured
and
taken
to
Nebuchadnezzar,
who
slaughters
his
sons
before
his
eyes
and
kills
all
the
nobles
of
Judah.
Zedekiah’s
eyes
are then taken out. He is shackled and taken to Babylon.
Nebuzaradan
is
the
commander
of
the
imperial
guard
and
knows
of
Jeremiah’s
prophecies
and
the
reason
for
Judah’s
fate.
He
finds
Jeremiah
in
chains
and
releases
him,
giving
him
freedom
to
go
wherever
he
pleases,
including
the
choice
of
going
to
Babylon
under
his
care.
Jeremiah
chooses
to
go
to
stay
with
Gedaliah,
whom
Nebuchadnezzar
had
appointed
governor
over
Judah,
to
be
amongst
the
people left behind.
Gedaliah
gives
assurances
to
the
Jews
that
they
will
be
safe
settling
under
Babylonian
rule,
and
that
they
are
to
live
and
harvest
as
normal.
Their
harvesting
is
successful,
producing
an
abundance
of
wine
and
summer
fruit.
Gedaliah
is
told
Baalis,
king
of
the
Ammonites,
is
sending
Ishmael
to
kill
him,
but
he
doesn’t
believe
it
and
even
entertains
Ishmael
and
the
ten
men
with
him.
While
they
are
eating,
Ishmael
and
the
ten
men
get
up
and
kill
Gedaliah.
They
then
kill
all
the
Jews
with
him
at
Mizpah
and
all
the
Babylonian
soldiers
there.
Fearing
reprisals,
the
people
prepare
to
flee
to
Egypt.
In
fear
of
their
fate,
Jeremiah
is
petitioned
to
speak
to
God
so
they
might
know
what
to
do.
They
declare
their
willingness
to
obey
God’s
command.
However,
when
Jeremiah
later
tells
them
they
are
to
stay
in
Judah
and
not
to
go
to
Egypt,
they
say
it
is
a
lie.
They
go
to
Egypt
as
far
as
Tahpanhes,
taking
Jeremiah
and
Baruch
with
them.
The
Jews
in
Egypt
turn
to
idolatry
and
ignore
pleas
from
Jeremiah
to
repent
and
return
to
God,
sealing
their
fate,
which
is
that
Nebuchadnezzar
will
overrun
Egypt
and
the
Jews
will
perish
by
the
sword
or
famine.
Only
a
tiny
remnant
of
refugees
will
survive.
Jeremiah
gives
a
message
from
God
to
his
scribe,
Baruch.
If
Baruch
does
not
seek
anything
great
for
himself,
then
God
will
ensure
his
safety for the rest of his life.
Jeremiah prophesies against the nations
[Jer 46-51]
Returning
to
an
earlier
time,
Jeremiah
prophesies
against
Egypt,
followed
by
some
words
of
comfort
for
Israel.
He
then
prophesies
against Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar and Hazor, Elam, then Babylon.
The fall of Jerusalem repeated; Jehoiachin’s later release.
[Jer 52]
Zedekiah
rebels
against
Babylon
and
enters
into
an
alliance
with
the
king
of
Egypt,
resulting
in
a
siege
of
Jerusalem
by
Nebuchadnezzar.
This
lasts
for
eighteen
months,
which
causes
a
great
famine
in
the
city.
The
city
is
overcome
and
Zedekiah
and
his
household
try
to
escape,
but
are
captured
and
taken
prisoner.
He
is
made
to
witness
the
killing
of
his
sons;
then
his
eyes
are
gouged
out.
He
is
then
put
in
chains
and
thrown
in
prison
where
he
stays
for
the
rest
of
his
life.
The
city
is
later
burned,
including
the
temple.
All the temple furniture is taken and the people taken captive in three waves over a period of several years.
When
Nebuchadnezzar
is
succeeded
by
Evilmerodach,
Jehoiachin,
now
about
fifty-five
years
old,
is
released
from
prison
and
made
king above the lesser kings in Babylon, a position he holds until his death.