Topical Bible: Jeremiah: The Prophet: Over Jerusalem

◄ Jeremiah: The Prophet: Over Jerusalem ►

Jump to: Nave's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

Jeremiah, often referred to as the "weeping prophet," was a major prophet in the Hebrew Bible, whose ministry was primarily centered over Jerusalem during a tumultuous period in the history of the Kingdom of Judah. His prophetic career spanned the reigns of the last five kings of Judah, from Josiah to Zedekiah, and he witnessed the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 586 BC.

Calling and Commissioning

Jeremiah's calling as a prophet is vividly described in the opening chapter of the book bearing his name. The word of the LORD came to him, saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations" (Jeremiah 1:5). Despite his initial reluctance, citing his youth and inexperience, God reassured him, "Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you" (Jeremiah 1:8). This divine assurance set the tone for Jeremiah's challenging ministry.

Prophetic Ministry

Jeremiah's ministry was marked by his unwavering commitment to delivering God's messages, often of impending judgment, to a rebellious and unrepentant people. He prophesied during a time when Judah was steeped in idolatry and social injustice, warning of the consequences of their covenant unfaithfulness. His messages were not well-received, leading to significant personal suffering and persecution.

One of Jeremiah's central themes was the call to repentance. He implored the people of Judah to return to the LORD, warning them of the Babylonian threat as a divine instrument of judgment. "This is what the LORD says: 'Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it. Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it'" (Jeremiah 6:16).

Conflict and Persecution

Jeremiah's prophecies often put him at odds with the political and religious leaders of his time. He faced intense opposition, including imprisonment and threats to his life. In one notable instance, he was thrown into a cistern, left to die, but was later rescued (Jeremiah 38:6-13). Despite these hardships, Jeremiah remained steadfast in his mission, embodying the role of a true prophet who speaks God's truth regardless of personal cost.

The Fall of Jerusalem

Jeremiah's prophecies culminated in the fall of Jerusalem, an event he had long foretold. He witnessed the destruction of the city and the temple, a devastating fulfillment of his warnings. In the midst of this national tragedy, Jeremiah's lamentations captured the profound grief and sorrow over the loss of Jerusalem, yet they also contained a glimmer of hope for future restoration.

The New Covenant

Amidst the messages of judgment, Jeremiah also delivered a profound promise of hope and restoration. He prophesied about a new covenant that God would establish with His people: "I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people" (Jeremiah 31:33). This new covenant, characterized by an intimate relationship with God, foreshadowed the coming of the Messiah and the establishment of the Church.

Legacy

Jeremiah's legacy as a prophet over Jerusalem is one of faithfulness and perseverance in the face of adversity. His life and ministry serve as a powerful testament to the importance of obedience to God's call, the necessity of repentance, and the hope of redemption. His writings continue to resonate with believers, offering both a sobering reminder of the consequences of sin and a hopeful vision of God's enduring faithfulness.

Nave's Topical Index

Jeremiah 4:14-18
O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved. How long shall your vain thoughts lodge within you?
Nave's Topical Index

Jeremiah 8:18-21
When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me.
Nave's Topical Index

Jeremiah 9:1
Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!
Nave's Topical Index

Jeremiah 10:19-22
Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous; but I said, Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

How Nebuzaradan Set Gedaliah Over the Jews that were Left in Judea ...
... at the slaughter of Gedaliah, who had been by them set over it for ... of Kareah, and
the rulers that were with him, came to Jeremiah the prophet, and desired ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 9 how nebuzaradan set.htm

It is Related that when Pilate Would Fain have Released Him all ...
... Him." Moreover, of the thorns another Prophet makes mention ... You find Jeremiah speaking
of it thus, "Come and ... living." And again, Moses, mourning over them, says ...
/.../22 it is related that.htm

Jeremiah, a Lesson for the Disappointed.
... the Prophets were types of the Great Prophet whose way ... Jeremiah comes next to David;
I do not say in ... typifying Him who came and wept over Jerusalem, and then ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol viii/sermon ix jeremiah a lesson.htm

The World's Wages to a Prophet
... hold of by the Irijahs who preside over the newspapers ... We see the patient, unmoved
prophet. ... So, without opposition or apparent remonstrance, Jeremiah is cast ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the worlds wages to a.htm

St. Ambrose Teaches Out of the Prophet Isaiah what they must do ...
... all, Who called you by the prophet and said ... Jeremiah knew that penitence was a great
remedy, which he ... The Lord Himself wept over Jerusalem, that, inasmuch as it ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter vi st ambrose teaches.htm

The Prophet --His Youth and his Call.
... came to me saying, What art thou seeing, Jeremiah; and I ... hast thou seen, for I am
awake over My Word ... which a Palestine winter affords, the Prophet received the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/smith/jeremiah/lecture iii the prophethis youth.htm

Carried Captive into Babylon
... time of the final overthrow of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar ... shall stand, Mine, or
theirs." Jeremiah 44:28. The sorrow of the prophet over the utter perversity of ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 37 carried captive into.htm

Lamentations
... down weeping, and lifted up this lament over Jerusalem and said ... through the elegies
might well be Jeremiah's; and the ... i.5, 8, is in the spirit of the prophet. ...
/.../mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/lamentations.htm

The Magi came from the East to Jerusalem,...
... [253] Then was fulfilled the saying in Jeremiah the prophet, which said,. ... [259] But
when he heard that Archelaus had become king over Jud??a instead of ...
/.../hogg/the diatessaron of tatian/section iii the magi came.htm

Jeremiah
... this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms ... Yet the prophet was to
accompany these messages with ... As a wise master builder, Jeremiah at the very ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 34 jeremiah.htm