Topical Bible: Prophets: Jeremiah

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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 waning, and Babylon was rising as a dominant power. Jeremiah witnessed the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC and the subsequent exile of the Jewish people to Babylon.

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, symbolized by touching Jeremiah's mouth and putting His words there.

Message and Themes:
Jeremiah's prophecies are characterized by themes of judgment and restoration. He warned of the impending destruction due to the people's persistent idolatry and covenant unfaithfulness. A key message was the call to repentance, urging the people to return to the Lord to avert disaster (Jeremiah 3:12-14).

Jeremiah also prophesied the Babylonian captivity, stating that Judah would serve the king of Babylon for seventy years (Jeremiah 25:11-12). Despite the grim warnings, Jeremiah's message was not without hope. He spoke of a future restoration and a new covenant, where God's law would be written on the hearts of His people (Jeremiah 31:31-34).

Personal Life and Challenges:
Jeremiah's life was marked by personal suffering and opposition. He faced persecution from his own family, false prophets, and the political leaders of Judah. He was imprisoned, thrown into a cistern, and his life was often in danger (Jeremiah 38:6). Despite these hardships, Jeremiah remained faithful to his calling, often expressing his anguish and lamenting the people's stubbornness.

Symbolic Actions:
Jeremiah's ministry included symbolic actions that illustrated his prophecies. For example, he wore a yoke to symbolize Judah's subjugation to Babylon (Jeremiah 27:2), and he purchased a field in Anathoth as a sign of hope for future restoration (Jeremiah 32:6-15).

Legacy:
Jeremiah's prophecies have had a lasting impact on both Jewish and Christian traditions. His emphasis on a personal relationship with God and the internalization of His law foreshadowed the New Testament's teachings on the new covenant through Jesus Christ. Jeremiah's life and message continue to serve as a powerful reminder of God's justice, mercy, and faithfulness.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Chronicles 36:12,21
And 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 mouth of the LORD.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Jeremiah 1:1,2
The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Prophets and Prophets. (xxiii. 9-32, xxvii-xxix, Etc. )
... On penetrating the similar surfaces of Jeremiah's and the prophets' assurances we
find two deep distinctions between them"one moral and one intellectual. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/smith/jeremiah/2 prophets and prophets xxiii.htm

Jeremiah, a Lesson for the Disappointed.
... " But of all the persecuted prophets Jeremiah is the most eminent; ie we know more
of his history, of his imprisonments, his wanderings, and his afflictions. ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol viii/sermon ix jeremiah a lesson.htm

Prophets in their Country.
... Christ, who showed that when men believed Moses and the prophets, belief in ... truth
is concerned, it is useful to recount what things Jeremiah suffered among the ...
/.../origens commentary on the gospel of matthew/18 prophets in their country.htm

God.
... Like those of all the prophets Jeremiah's most immediate convictions of God are
that He has done, and is always doing or about to do, things.(754) From the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/smith/jeremiah/1 god.htm

Jeremiah's Roll Burned and Reproduced
... brasier, not afraid, nor penitent, but enraged and eager to capture Jeremiah and
Baruch ... As a matter of fact, the prophets of the Old Testament were all prophets ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture h/jeremiahs roll burned and reproduced.htm

The Twelve Minor Prophets.
... is broken up. The three greater prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel,
stand in the true order of time. Daniel began to prophesy ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxiii the twelve minor.htm

Jeremiah
... And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the Lord." Jeremiah
26:9. Priests, false prophets, and people turned in wrath upon him who ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 34 jeremiah.htm

Reference Table
... Jeremiah 61 I Rhapsody of the Drought Jeremiah XIV 2 Minor Prophets 157 II Rhapsody
of the Chaldeans Habakkuk I 2 Minor Prophets 77 III Rhapsody of the Locust ...
/.../various/select masterpieces of biblical literature/reference table.htm

Petilianus Said: "Imitate Indeed the Prophets, who Feared to have ...
... this passage, "Imitate indeed the prophets, who feared to have their holy souls
deceived with false baptism?" Just as though, in the days of Jeremiah, any one ...
/.../chapter 103 234 petilianus.htm

What Jeremiah and Zephaniah Have, by the Prophetic Spirit, Spoken ...
... Jeremiah, like Isaiah, is one of the greater prophets, not of the minor, like
the others from whose writings I have just given extracts. ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 33 what jeremiah and zephaniah.htm