Why did Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah urge the king not to burn the scroll? Setting the Scene Jeremiah 36 unfolds in the fourth year of Jehoiakim. God commands Jeremiah to dictate His words to Baruch, who reads the scroll publicly. Officials bring the scroll to the palace; the king listens, then defiantly cuts it apart and throws it into the fire. Verse 25 records the lone moment of resistance: “Yet Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, but he would not listen to them.” (Jeremiah 36:25) Who Were These Men? • Palace officials—trusted counselors within the royal court (Jeremiah 36:12) • Men with previous exposure to prophetic truth; they heard Baruch’s reading and felt its weight (Jeremiah 36:16) • Likely from priestly or scribal families, trained to revere the Law (cf. 2 Chronicles 34:13) Their Reverence for God’s Word • They had just said, “We must surely report all these words to the king.” (Jeremiah 36:16). Having affirmed the scroll’s divine origin, they could not stand by while it was destroyed. • The Law commanded preservation of divine writings (Deuteronomy 17:18-20; 31:24-26). To watch the king burn Scripture would violate conscience and covenant. • Psalm 119:152—“Long ago I learned from Your testimonies that You have established them forever.” Their hearts aligned with that conviction. Fear of God’s Judgments • The scroll warned of imminent disaster unless Judah repented (Jeremiah 36:2-3). Destroying it would not cancel the judgment; it would intensify guilt. • Proverbs 13:13—“He who despises the word will be destroyed.” They understood this literally and trembled. • 2 Chronicles 36:16 describes the nation’s final slide: “They mocked God’s messengers… until there was no remedy.” These three men refused to be part of that mockery. Duty to Their King • Scripture teaches loyal servants to confront sin in authority (Leviticus 19:17). • Jehoiakim’s father, Josiah, had humbly torn his robes when God’s Book was found (2 Kings 22:11). Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah longed for a similar response. • Their plea was an act of true patriotism: preserving the king’s life and the nation’s future by urging obedience. Echoes Elsewhere in Scripture • Daniel 4:27—Daniel urges Nebuchadnezzar to repent and avert judgment. Same courageous spirit. • Esther 4:8—Mordecai sends word of the decree to Esther, calling her to intercede. God’s servants consistently risk position for truth. • Acts 4:19—Peter and John, before the Sanhedrin, declare, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than God.” The pattern continues into the New Testament. Timeless Takeaways • God’s word is inviolable; attempts to silence it only confirm its power (Isaiah 40:8). • Courageous minorities can stand firm even when rulers scoff. • Reverence for Scripture and love for people go hand in hand; warning the king was an act of compassion. • God preserves His message; after the burning, He dictated the scroll again “and many similar words were added” (Jeremiah 36:32). Human rebellion never thwarts divine revelation. |
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