Prophetic Profile: Jeremiah

Yesterday I took the systematic final. Whew. Tomorrow, I will take the final for Isaiah-Malachi. I haven't even proof read these so they might be crap. I still need to write about 6 more... eek. I've managed to not study on Sunday all semester, though, and I'm hoping to keep that up.

This week has been a bit crazy at work. One, the powers that be think our US office is failing and are putting it on me to raise more funds. (No pressure, right?) It's frustrating, to say the least. Two, the cyclone in Burma is (clearly) causing some urgent needs, and we've been working in overdrive to get aid in through the Church. (This is actually working because our contacts are on the ground and don't have to wait for visas, but it's not nearly as much aid as what the UN or RC could provide.)

Other than that, Hebrew exegesis started two weeks ago and I've convinced a class of all guys to study Ruth. Heehee. I love it. Which reminds me about this book. I'm not a big fan of Christian books for women. I'm not a big fan of Christian books, period - unless they are commentaries or theology. James' book is solid theologically, narrative yet exegetical, and (buzz word) authentic. Not cheesy, not fluffy, not flowery or pink or even if-you-just-love-Jesus-more-you'll-be-happier. Worth the read. Might even be a good (belated) Mom's Day gift. :)

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Jeremiah

Born into priestly a family in Anathoth, just a few miles from Jerusalem, Jeremiah is the son of Hilkiah. The book of Jeremiah is one of the few Old Testament prophets that shares his personal confessions, feelings, and struggles, providing a robust picture of who Jeremiah was as a person. Jeremiah is often compared to Moses, a prophet to the nations and a suffering servant of God. His call to ministry is not without frustration, and the length of his service (over 40 years) testifies to his faithfulness.

He was called in 627, the thirteenth year of King Josiah, but it is unclear when his prophetic ministry actually begins. It is also difficult to place his age and the date-range for the book from Josiah’s reign (640-609), Assyria’s decline (by 627) and Babylon’s rise, his call to celibacy, and the burning of the first scroll (605/4). Another layer of difficulty lies in the structure of the book, which does not flow chronologically, and thus while some material is dated by persons or events, others appear to be out of sequence.

Only one section in Jeremiah (3:6-14) is specifically dated to Josiah (640-609), but we know his ministry begins under Josiah (1:1). Josiah does what is right and follows the Lord (2 Kings 22:1-23:30, 2 Chronicles 34:1-35:27); unfortunately, his sons and grandson do not follow in his path. When Josiah is killed in battle in 609, his son Jehoahaz rules for three months, and manages to do evil (2 Kings 23:31-34, 2 Chronicles 36:1-4). Egypt puts Jehoiakim (609-598) in his place, and he fares just a badly (2 Kings 23:35-24:6, 2 Chronicles 36:5-8). Jehoiakim manages to irritate the Babylonians, and they siege Jerusalem. Jeohiakim dies under siege, his son Jehoiachin is taken captive to Babylon, and Nebuchadnezzar places Zedekiah (598-586), another son of Josiah, as king. By 588 Babylon seized Jerusalem again, destroying the temple and city the following year. Judah becomes a providence of Babylon (2 Kings 25, 2 Chronicles 36:15-21). Jeremiah’s life likely ended in Egypt around this time (586/5).

Jeremiah witnesses this firsthand – the decline of Assyria, the rise of Babylon, the reforms and revival under Josiah, and the failures of Judah under his descendants. Judah begins subjugation to Egypt and ends in exile in Babylon. The city of God, Jerusalem, is destroyed, as is the Temple. All of this would have been heartbreaking for a true Israelite like Jeremiah. His prophetic ministry begins with the hope that Judah will repent and avoid the fate of the Northern Kingdom (1-25). Judgment awaits Judah and Jerusalem if they do not return to the Lord. Even if we are uncertain of the exact date of Jeremiah’s ministry, this would have been close enough to the discovery of the book of the Law (622) that it is devastating to realize Josiah’s reforms did not last even a generation.

After the warnings against Judah, there is a brief biographical narrative (26-29), and the promise of restoration in the section often known as the Book of Comfort (30-33). Judah has lost the opportunity to avoid God’s punishment, and while exile and destruction are determined, so is redemption. Another biographical interlude (34-45) follows, and Jeremiah ends with a collection of oracles against foreign nations (46-51).

Both poetry and prose are used, as is dependence on Deuteronomy and Hosea. The book is essentially a “collection of collections,” but the organization by time or type remains a mystery. Repentance, judgment and exile, and the promise of a remnant are reoccurring themes. Jeremiah frequently uses symbolic acts to illustrate God’s message to his people. God is sovereign and holy, and Israel’s sins are painted in stark contrast. Israel’s false sense of security in the Temple, Jerusalem, and even in the covenant relationship is also evidenced. Judah’s failure of obedience and trust in places – rather than in their holy God – ultimately leads to their exile.

It should be noted that there is a discrepancy in the Septuagint (LXX) and Masoretic (MT) texts of Jeremiah. The LXX is one-seventh shorter than the MT, and the material is arranged differently. The discovery at Qumran, however, yielded two different versions of Jeremiah as well, which seem to match up with the LXX and MT. This discovery, while significant, did not resolve all questions involving Jeremiah’s two versions. Still, within Jeremiah we are told that two scrolls did exist – and that one is destroyed in 605/4. This may be one explanation for the variance in texts.