17 August

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Jeremiah 18-22

Jeremiah 18

We now come to the second series of messages before the fall of Jerusalem (18-20), which consists of declarations of God's absolute supremacy. In preparation for this, Jeremiah was sent to the house of the potter. There he saw him at work on the wheels. Power was manifest in his manipulation of the clay, and pity in his remaking of the marred vessel.

The explanation was given to him by Jehovah Himself. The house of Israel was as clay in Jehovah's hand. All His will must be accomplished, and the people could not possibly escape His hand. This message Jeremiah was charged to deliver to the men of Judah, but they persisted in evil, and Jehovah declared their sin to be incomparable. The nations might be challenged, but they could produce nothing like it. What, then, remained but that judgment must fall?

The delivery of this message stirred up new opposition to Jeremiah, and a conspiracy was formed against his life. In resentment, he poured out his soul to Jehovah. He had pleaded their cause, and this was the return they made. Therefore it was surely in accord with the necessity of the case that they should be punished, and he appealed to Jehovah to deal with them in the time of His anger.

Jeremiah 19

Jeremiah was now commissioned to go forth into the valley of the son of Hinnon, taking with him a potter's vessel. His message there was of judgment. Because the people had forsaken Jehovah, and had set up the most fearful abominations, even to the burning of their own sons in the fire, therefore judgment was determined against them.

This declaration of judgment Jeremiah was commanded to emphasize by breaking the vessel in the sight of the people, and declaring that in like manner Jehovah would break the people, and the city. Returning from Topheth, having obeyed this command, he stood in the court of the Lord's house and repeated the declaration of coming judgment.

Jeremiah 20

The story of the persecution which this action stirred up against him follows. Pashur heard the prophecy, and, smiting the prophet, arrested and imprisoned him. On the following day Jeremiah, being brought out of the stocks, repeated his prophecy of judgment, singling out Pashur for special attention, declaring that on him would fall most severe punishment.

In the midst of this persecution and suffering, the prophet poured out his soul in the presence of Jehovah. Conscious that he had been compelled to declare these things, he complained that he had been the laughingstock of the people, and that the word of Jehovah had made him a reproach. He had declared that he would not mention Jehovah, nor speak any more in His name; but the word had become a burning fire, and he had been compelled to utter it. The tempestuous condition of his mind is seen in that after the complaint there was a sudden outburst of confidence in which he declared that Jehovah was with him, that his enemies should not prevail, and called for a song of praise because of deliverance.

This, however, was immediately followed by an outburst of fear, which stood in strange contrast to his former confidence. He cursed the day of his birth and lamented the continuity of his life. This reveals to us how terrible were the sufferings through which this man passed.

Jeremiah 21

The final series before the fall of Jerusalem consists of messages delivered to Zedekiah (21-27). The occasion of these was, in the first place, Zedekiah's deputation to the prophet. The scourge which Jeremiah had foretold seemed to be imminent. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, was approaching. Zedekiah sent to inquire whether he might hope for the interference and deliverance of Jehovah. There was no halting or uncertainty in the answer which the prophet gave to the messengers.

He first foretold the disaster in detail. He then declared that the only alternative offered to them was death or captivity. His final word had to do with the house of the king. He called it to return to rectitude in government. The hopelessness of the situation was evident in the fact that, in spite of this call, the last word of the message pronounced sentence and was the clearest declaration that the doom would be by the will and act of Jehovah.

Jeremiah 22

The message Jeremiah gave the deputation was not enough. He was commanded to go to the house of the king. This he did, and what he there said occupies the succeeding chapters up to and including chapter twenty-seven.

Arrived at the court, he, first of all, repeated at greater length his call to repentance and warning. The way of repentance is the way of restoration. The way of disobedience is the way of destruction.

He then reviewed in three movements the history of the three predecessors of Zedekiah. First, concerning Jehoahaz, he declared that there was no need to weep for Josiah who had died, but rather for Jehoahaz (that is, Shallurn), who had been carried away to die in captivity. Moving on to the reign of Jehoiakim, he described the sin of his unrighteous reign, which ,was characterized by injustice and oppression. For this sin he had been judged and cast out from Jerusalem. Yet his influence had remained. Finally, the prophet described the doom of Jehoiakim's son Jehoiachin (Coniah), and its reason.