What is the meaning of Jeremiah 21:1? This is the word that came The verse opens by stressing that what follows is not Jeremiah’s own reflections but a specific, time-stamped message. Like the repeated formula in Jeremiah 1:4 and 7:1, the phrase underscores: • Reliability – God’s word never returns void (Isaiah 55:11). • Urgency – each prophetic word fits a real moment in Israel’s history (Jeremiah 25:3). • Continuity – Scripture’s storyline consistently shows the LORD initiating communication with His people (Amos 3:7). to Jeremiah God chose Jeremiah personally (Jeremiah 1:5), placed His words in the prophet’s mouth (Jeremiah 1:9), and commissioned him over nations and kingdoms (Jeremiah 1:10). This reminder: • Reaffirms Jeremiah’s authority when royal officials later resist him (Jeremiah 38:4). • Demonstrates that God speaks through human servants while retaining absolute authorship (2 Peter 1:21). from the LORD The source is Yahweh, Israel’s covenant God. By naming the LORD, the text: • Highlights divine ownership of the forthcoming message—non-negotiable truth (Jeremiah 15:19). • Invites Israel to recall the Sinai covenant obligations (Exodus 19:5–6). • Contrasts human strategies with God’s sovereign plan (Jeremiah 17:5–8). when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur son of Malchijah The scene is late in Judah’s monarchy (2 Kings 24:17-20). Under Babylonian pressure, Zedekiah dispatches Pashhur, likely a palace official (Jeremiah 38:1–4). Key observations: • The king seeks a prophetic word, yet often rejects it (Jeremiah 37:1–2). • Political leaders turn to God’s spokesman when crises expose human helplessness (Psalm 146:3-5). and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah Zephaniah, the second priest, later appears handling Jeremiah’s letter to exiles (Jeremiah 29:25) and mediating between the king and prophet (Jeremiah 37:3). His inclusion shows: • Temple leadership is involved, revealing national seriousness. • Even priests need prophetic correction (Jeremiah 2:8; Malachi 2:7-8). • God’s word addresses every societal layer—throne and altar alike (Jeremiah 18:18). They said This closing phrase sets up the inquiry recorded in Jeremiah 21:2. The delegation’s posture—seeking divine counsel—introduces: • A pattern where people ask but rarely obey (Ezekiel 33:30-32). • The inevitability of accountability once God has spoken (Deuteronomy 18:18-19). summary Jeremiah 21:1 frames a turning-point encounter: a divinely sourced message arrives through God’s appointed prophet during Judah’s darkest hour. King, court official, and priest all converge on Jeremiah, signaling national desperation and the inescapable authority of God’s word. This single verse announces that when human power collapses, the LORD still speaks—calling His people to listen, trust, and obey. |
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