Topical Bible: Jeremiah: The Prophet

◄ Jeremiah: The Prophet ►

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Topical Encyclopedia

Introduction:
Jeremiah, often referred to as the "weeping prophet," is one of the major prophets in the Old Testament. His ministry spanned the reigns of the last five kings of Judah, from Josiah to Zedekiah, during a tumultuous period leading up to the Babylonian exile. Jeremiah's prophetic career is chronicled in the Book of Jeremiah, which bears his name, and he is also mentioned in the Book of Lamentations, traditionally attributed to him.

Historical Context:
Jeremiah's ministry began around 627 BC, during the 13th year of King Josiah's reign (Jeremiah 1:2). This was a time of significant political and spiritual upheaval. The Assyrian Empire was in decline, and Babylon was rising as a dominant power. Judah was caught in the middle of these shifting powers, and its people were steeped in idolatry and moral decay.

Call and Commission:
Jeremiah's call to be a prophet is vividly described in Jeremiah 1:4-10. The Lord tells him, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as a prophet to the nations" (Jeremiah 1:5). Despite his initial reluctance, citing his youth and inexperience, God reassures him of divine protection and authority, saying, "Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you" (Jeremiah 1:8).

Message and Themes:
Jeremiah's primary message was one of impending judgment due to the people's persistent sin and idolatry. He warned of the coming destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, urging repentance and a return to covenant faithfulness. A key theme in his prophecies is the inevitability of Babylonian conquest as a divine instrument of judgment (Jeremiah 25:8-11).

Despite the harsh messages, Jeremiah also spoke of hope and restoration. He prophesied a new covenant, distinct from the one made with their ancestors, characterized by a personal relationship with God and the internalization of His laws: "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).

Personal Life and Challenges:
Jeremiah's life was marked by personal suffering and opposition. He faced persecution from his own family, religious leaders, and kings. He was beaten, imprisoned, and at one point thrown into a cistern (Jeremiah 38:6). Despite these hardships, Jeremiah remained faithful to his calling, often expressing his anguish and struggles in candid prayers and laments (Jeremiah 20:7-18).

Symbolic Actions:
Jeremiah's ministry included symbolic actions that illustrated his messages. For example, he wore a yoke to symbolize Judah's coming subjugation to Babylon (Jeremiah 27:2). He also purchased a field in Anathoth as a sign of hope that the land would one day be restored (Jeremiah 32:6-15).

Legacy:
Jeremiah's prophecies were fulfilled with the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC and the subsequent exile. His writings have had a profound impact on both Jewish and Christian thought, emphasizing themes of judgment, repentance, and hope. His vision of a new covenant is foundational to Christian theology, as it is seen as fulfilled in the life and work of Jesus Christ.

Conclusion:
Jeremiah's life and ministry exemplify the challenges and faithfulness of a prophet called to speak God's truth in difficult times. His messages continue to resonate, offering both warnings and promises of redemption.

Nave's Topical Index

Jeremiah 1:1
The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:
Nave's Topical Index

Greek

2408. Ieremias -- Jeremiah, an OT prophet
... of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: Ieremias Phonetic Spelling:
(hee-er-em-ee'-as) Short Definition: Jeremiah Definition: Jeremiah, Hebrew prophet. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2408.htm - 6k

Library

The Writing of an Ancient Book
... Jehovah and each turn from his evil way; for great is the anger and wrath of Jehovah
against this people." So Baruch did as Jeremiah, the prophet, commanded him ...
/.../sherman/the childrens bible/the writing of an ancient.htm

False Civilization
... It was, moreover, a Rechabite priest, we are told"'one of the sons of the Rechabim
spoken of by Jeremiah the prophet'"who when the Jews were stoning St. ...
/.../kingsley/discipline and other sermons/sermon vi false civilization.htm

The World's Wages to a Prophet
... of Benjamin, a captain of the ward was there, whose name was Irijah, the son of
Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he took Jeremiah the prophet, saying, Thou ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the worlds wages to a.htm

The Prophet --His Youth and his Call.
... Jeremiah was no prophet of hope, but he was the prophet of that without which hope
is impossible"faith in Control"that be the times dark and confused as ...
//christianbookshelf.org/smith/jeremiah/lecture iii the prophethis youth.htm

The Prophet in the Reign of Josiah. 627-26-608 BC
... Book had already begun, and reveal Jeremiah's attitude to it and to the course of
the reforms which it inspired. We must keep in mind that the Prophet did not ...
//christianbookshelf.org/smith/jeremiah/lecture iv the prophet in.htm

It is Related that when Pilate Would Fain have Released Him all ...
... is related that when Pilate would fain have released Him all the people cried out,
"Crucify Him, Crucify Him!" This also the Prophet Jeremiah foretells, saying ...
/.../22 it is related that.htm

The Last King of Judah
... Of Zedekiah it is recorded: "He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord
his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 36 the last king.htm

Jeremiah
... There is no probability, however, that the oracle was written by Jeremiah. Doubtless
the prophet foretold the destruction of Babylon, xxv.10, but his attitude ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/jeremiah.htm

Flight into Egypt and Slaughter of the Bethlehem Children.
... occasion, were so chosen of the Spirit that they might be fitly applied to this
latter occasion] that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet [Jeremiah 31 ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xiv flight into egypt and.htm

The Return of the Exiles
... so plain that he understood by these testimonies recorded in books "the number of
the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that He ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 45 the return of.htm