I.   AUTHOR.

A.   Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21).

B.   Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:1,11).

1.  Jeremiah was a descendant of Levi and thus of the priestly line.

2.   Jeremiah was from Anathoth, a priestly city in Benjamin.

a.   Joshua 21:18.

b.   1 Kings 2:26.

c.   1 Chronicles 6:60.

3.  More is known of the life of Jeremiah than of any other of the Old Testament prophets.

4.   Jeremiah is styled “The Weeping Prophet.”

II.  AUDIENCE.

A.   Judah (Jeremiah 1:15).

B.   Judah's neighbors.

1.   Egypt (Jeremiah 43,44,46).

2.   Philistia (Jeremiah 47).

3.   Moab (Jeremiah 48).

4.   Ammon (Jeremiah 49:1-6).

5.   Edom (Jeremiah 49:7-22).

6. Syria (Jeremiah 49:23-27).

 
7.   Arabia (Jeremiah 9:28-33).

8.   Elam (Jeremiah 49:34-39).

9.   Babylon (Jeremiah 50,51).

III.   DATE.

A. Jeremiah began to prophesy in the thirteenth year of Josiah (626 B.C.).  The last date mentioned in the book is 560 B.C. (52:31).  He wrote the book perhaps during the time from 626-560 B.C.

B. His work covered the reigns of:

1. Josiah: The last 18 years of his reign were 626-608 B.C.  Josiah was slain while trying to stop Necho of Egypt from going against Assyria at Carchemish (2 Chronicles 35:20-27).

2.  Jehoahaz: He reigned in 608 B.C.  Jehoahaz was taken captive to Egypt (2 Kings 23:31-33).

3.  Jehoiakim: He reigned from 608-597 B.C.  Jehoiakim was put on the throne by Pharaoh-Necho (2 Kings 23:34-37).  He became subject to Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 24:1-7).

4.  Jehoiachin: He reigned in 597 B.C.  Jehoiachin was taken captive to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar ( 2 Kings 24:8-16).

5. Zedekiah: He reigned from 597-586 B.C.  Zedekiah was put on the throne by Nebuchadnezzar and taken captive to Babylon (2 Kings 24:17-25:21).

C. His work covered 40 years and 6 months, as far as the kingdom of Judah was concerned.  He prophesied periodically after the fall of Jerusalem.

IV. PURPOSE.

A.  To try to bring Judah to repentance.

B. To prepare Judah for the Babylonian captivity.
 
 

V.  CHRONOLOGY: JEREMIAH IS NOT IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.  IT IS KNOWN AS A COMPOSITE BOOK.  I SUGGEST READING IT IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER:

 
A.   Chapters 1-18 form an overview.

B.   Chapters concerning the reign of Jehoiakim:  26; 25; 36:1-9,45; 36:10-32,35.

C.   Chapters 22 and 23 are probably between Jehoiakim and Zedekiah.

D.   Chapters concerning the reign of Zedekiah:  24; 27-29; 51:59-64; 19-21; 37 (in the course of reading 37, read 34:8-22 and 34:1-7); 38; 30-33; 39:15-18; 39:1-14; 40; 52.

E.   Chapters concerning the reign of Governor Gedaliah:  40-42.

F.   Chapters concerning Egypt:  43, 44.

G.   Burdens:  46-51.

H.   Messianic chapters:  30, 31.

I.   Special chapters concerning those in captivity:  24, 29.

J.   Concerning the history of the fall of Jerusalem:

1.   39 - Jerusalem falls.

2. 40 - Gedaliah is appointed governor.

3. 41 – Gedaliah is murdered.

4. 42 - They set out to go to Egypt.

5. 43, 44 - They go to Egypt.

6. 52 - Overview of the history.

VI. FEATURES. 

A.   Jeremiah stresses the sinfulness of Judah.

1.   Judah is a “backsliding” people (13 times).

2.   Judah is a sinful people (53 times).

3.   Judah will be punished because of sin (65 times).

4.   Judah should repent and return to Jehovah (47 times).

B.   Jeremiah is accurate in prophecy.

 
1.   The captivity of Judah will be seventy years (25:11).

2.   Judah will return to Palestine after the seventy years (29:10-14).

3.   After Babylon has punished Judah, Jehovah will punish Babylon (25:12-14).

4.   The Messiah will come (23:5) and provide a new covenant (31:31-34).

C.   Jeremiah suffered more for God in the Old Testament than any other (11:18ff; 12:6; 14:13; 15:10; 20:1ff; 23:9; 26:8,24; 28:1ff; 29:1ff; 32:2,3; 36:26; 37:15; 38:6; 40:1; 43:2,6,7).

D.   Jeremiah stresses the Biblical doctrine of inspiration.

1.   He refers to the Pentateuch and regards it as the Word of Jehovah.

2.   He claims to speak from Jehovah.

3.   He is a prophet, which designation would tie him with inspiration.

4.   His prophecies prove to be accurate, which is the test of one inspired.

VII.  PRACTICAL LESSONS. 

A.   God can take human weakness and strengthen it for His service.

B.   One has sinned when he does that for which he does not have authority from God.

C.   External religion is worthless.

D.   Repentance requires a cessation of evil and a return to Jehovah.

E.   Sin ruins internally, externally and eternally.

F.   Righteousness will win over evil.

G.   Those who fearlessly and uncompromisingly preach the truth will be persecuted.

H.   Each person will stand in the judgment before God and give an account of his life.

 
VIII.  READING REFERENCES.

A.   John T. Lewis, "Jeremiah:  A Preacher's Man of Old," Contending For The Faith, May, 1996, p. 8.

B.   Johnny Ramsey, "Why Jeremiah Cried," Firm Foundation, March 27, 1984, p. 11.

C.   Gary Workman, "Great Lessons from Jeremiah," The Restorer, Nov./Dec., 1994, pp. 10-17.

D.   J. J. Turner, "Jeremiah:  A Leader in Discouraging Times," Christian Bible Teacher, June, 1978, p. 237.    

ENDNOTES

1 The reader should consult Wayne Jackson, Jeremiah & Lamentations, (Courier Publications, Stockton, CA, 1997), p. 4, for a development of these points.

2 Jackson, p. 5.

        James Rogers 
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