What is the meaning of Jeremiah 36:26? Instead, the king commanded “Instead, the king commanded…” (Jeremiah 36:26) tells us that King Jehoiakim’s first impulse after shredding God’s scroll (Jeremiah 36:23) was not repentance but retaliation. • The contrast picks up the “instead” of verse 25, where officials begged him not to burn the scroll. • By ordering an arrest, the king rejects God’s word outright—much like Pharaoh hardening his heart (Exodus 7:13) and later rulers who tried to silence prophets (2 Chronicles 24:20–21; Acts 4:17–18). In affirming Scripture’s literal accuracy, we see the historical account of a real king making a deliberate, sinful choice against the revealed will of God (Jeremiah 36:21–24). Jerahmeel, a son of the king Jehoiakim chooses family first: “Jerahmeel, a son of the king.” • Using royal blood underscores how personal the king’s rage is. • It mirrors other times monarchs used relatives as enforcers (1 Kings 22:26). • The family tie also heightens accountability: those closest to truth often rebel most fiercely (Matthew 10:36). Seraiah son of Azriel and Shelemiah son of Abdeel Two additional officials join the hunt. • Listing their names fixes the episode in history, reminding us God records every act for judgment (Revelation 20:12). • Their participation shows systemic opposition: not just one angry ruler but a willing bureaucracy (Jeremiah 38:1–4). • Loyal servants of the palace stand against loyal servants of the Lord, drawing a clear line of allegiance (Daniel 6:4–5). To seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet The target is God’s messenger and his faithful secretary. • Baruch copied and read the scroll (Jeremiah 36:10–15); Jeremiah authored it (36:4). Both are deemed dangerous because they proclaim truth. • Arrest warrants for prophets are a recurring theme: Micaiah (1 Kings 22:26), Elijah (2 Kings 1:9), Peter and John (Acts 5:18). • Their “crime” is obedience; their example calls believers to similar courage (Jeremiah 1:17–19). But the LORD had hidden them The verse closes with divine intervention: “But the LORD had hidden them.” • God’s protection is literal and active; He shields His servants until their mission is complete (Psalm 27:5; 32:7; John 10:39). • The king’s power stops where God’s sovereignty begins. What looks like chance is the purposeful care of the Almighty (Proverbs 21:30). • This hiding affirms the certainty of God’s word: no human force can silence or cancel it (Isaiah 55:11; 2 Timothy 2:9). summary Jeremiah 36:26 records a real king issuing a real order to arrest God’s prophet and his scribe, illustrating humanity’s perennial resistance to divine truth. Yet the same verse declares the Lord’s immediate, literal protection, proving that while rulers may rage, God guards His messengers and guarantees His word. |
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