What is the meaning of Jeremiah 36:18? It was at his dictation • The phrase highlights that Jeremiah did not casually suggest ideas; he dictated God-given words. This echoes Jeremiah 36:2, where the Lord says, “Take a scroll and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you.” • Scripture repeatedly shows the prophet as a conduit, not an editor (Jeremiah 1:9; 30:2; 2 Peter 1:21). God’s message flows through Jeremiah’s mouth to Baruch’s pen without alteration, underscoring verbal inspiration. Baruch replied • Baruch functions as a faithful scribe (Jeremiah 32:12; 45:1). His response under oath before the officials (Jeremiah 36:17) affirms the chain of custody for the scroll, assuring the leaders—and us—that nothing was fabricated. • His integrity models how believers today ought to steward God’s Word (1 Corinthians 4:1–2). He recited all these words to me • Jeremiah’s complete oral delivery means Baruch received the full message, not selective highlights (Jeremiah 36:2, 32). • Similar scenes appear when Samuel relays the Lord’s word to Eli (1 Samuel 3:17–18) and when John is told, “Write in a book what you see” (Revelation 1:11). The pattern: revelation spoken, faithfully repeated, then recorded. I wrote them in ink • Writing “in ink” stresses permanence. Unlike clay tablets that could be wiped, ink on parchment signified lasting testimony (cf. Isaiah 30:8, “write it on a tablet… inscribe it in a book, that it may be for the time to come”). • The written form guards the message against distortion (Galatians 6:11 shows Paul likewise emphasizing his own handwriting for authenticity). On the scroll • A single scroll gathers all prophecies from Josiah’s reign onward (Jeremiah 36:2). Scroll imagery pervades Scripture—Ezekiel’s scroll of lament (Ezekiel 2:9–10) and the sealed scroll in heaven (Revelation 5:1). Each signifies God’s authoritative record that invites either obedience or judgment. • When King Jehoiakim later cuts and burns this very scroll (Jeremiah 36:23), he attacks the physical medium but cannot erase the divine message; God simply commands a new, expanded scroll (Jeremiah 36:32). summary Jeremiah 36:18 showcases a seamless chain of revelation: God speaks to Jeremiah; Jeremiah dictates every word; Baruch records them permanently on a scroll. The verse assures us that Scripture is verbally inspired, meticulously transmitted, and divinely preserved, calling readers to trust and obey the written Word. |
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