November 22, 2011
Make sure they know! Make sure they know Jeremiah. Write it all down. The king isn't leading them in the right direction, so write my words down and have Baruch read it in the temple. Maybe they don't know they aren't following my commands. Maybe they just don't get it. Maybe they will change their hearts, minds, and actions if they know. Maybe Jeremiah ... maybe.
Write it all down Jeremiah. Jeremiah 36:3 - "Maybe the family of Judah will hear what disasters I am planning for them and will stop doing wicked things. Then I would forgive them for the sins and the evil things they have done." Write it down Jeremiah. Make sure they know. Maybe they will listen. Maybe they will ask God to help them. Maybe they will stop.
But, nowhere in this chapter does it make any reference to someone hearing the truth and changing their hearts. The irony of the situation is that Baruch was told to read God's words to the people in the Temple! The people were "doing" church. They were "doing" the traditions. They were giving up eating. They were going to the temple. They were going through the motions of "doing" church, but their actions away from "church" were anything but holy. The truth is they were doing the very things that God says He hates! So Jeremiah sends Baruch to read God's words and warnings to them in the Temple.
Jeremiah 36:7 - "Perhaps they will ask the LORD to help them. Perhaps each one will stop doing wicked things, because the LORD has announced that he is very angry with them."
One man (Micaiah, who was the son of one of the officers) heard what God was saying and thought he better make sure those in authority knew. So he went and told the officers of the king. They send someone to get Baruch, and Baruch reads the scroll to them. The officers became afraid and decide they should tell the king. They asked Baruch if what he wrote was Jeremiah's words. He replied, "Jeremiah spoke them all to me, and I wrote them down with ink on this scroll." The officers told Baruch that he and Jeremiah should "go and hide, and don't tell anyone where you are."
The officer's took the scroll and read it to King Jehoiakim. His reaction? Anger. How dare Jeremiah say these things! His solution? Get rid of the message and get rid of the messenger. As the scroll was being read he would cut off sections and throw it in the fire. He was angry, but he was not frightened! He saw no need to change his heart, mind, or actions. All he wanted to do was to seek revenge on the messenger, "but the LORD had hidden them."
Jehoiakim burned the entire scroll. Then the LORD spoke to Jeremiah again. "Get another scroll." Write down the words again. Did the king seriously think that burning God's words and getting rid of them would make them go away? You cannot thwart God's plans. His refusal to listen brought harsher punishment upon himself and his family. Jeremiah 36:31 - "I will punish... I will bring disasters... everything I promised but which they refused to hear."
"Maybe..." Sadly they did not change and the reality of God's words came true.
Jeremiah obeyed God. He took another scroll, gave it to Baruch, and once again, God's words were written down.
Next Entry: Jeremiah 37:1–21
Make sure they know! Make sure they know Jeremiah. Write it all down. The king isn't leading them in the right direction, so write my words down and have Baruch read it in the temple. Maybe they don't know they aren't following my commands. Maybe they just don't get it. Maybe they will change their hearts, minds, and actions if they know. Maybe Jeremiah ... maybe.
Write it all down Jeremiah. Jeremiah 36:3 - "Maybe the family of Judah will hear what disasters I am planning for them and will stop doing wicked things. Then I would forgive them for the sins and the evil things they have done." Write it down Jeremiah. Make sure they know. Maybe they will listen. Maybe they will ask God to help them. Maybe they will stop.
But, nowhere in this chapter does it make any reference to someone hearing the truth and changing their hearts. The irony of the situation is that Baruch was told to read God's words to the people in the Temple! The people were "doing" church. They were "doing" the traditions. They were giving up eating. They were going to the temple. They were going through the motions of "doing" church, but their actions away from "church" were anything but holy. The truth is they were doing the very things that God says He hates! So Jeremiah sends Baruch to read God's words and warnings to them in the Temple.
Jeremiah 36:7 - "Perhaps they will ask the LORD to help them. Perhaps each one will stop doing wicked things, because the LORD has announced that he is very angry with them."
One man (Micaiah, who was the son of one of the officers) heard what God was saying and thought he better make sure those in authority knew. So he went and told the officers of the king. They send someone to get Baruch, and Baruch reads the scroll to them. The officers became afraid and decide they should tell the king. They asked Baruch if what he wrote was Jeremiah's words. He replied, "Jeremiah spoke them all to me, and I wrote them down with ink on this scroll." The officers told Baruch that he and Jeremiah should "go and hide, and don't tell anyone where you are."
The officer's took the scroll and read it to King Jehoiakim. His reaction? Anger. How dare Jeremiah say these things! His solution? Get rid of the message and get rid of the messenger. As the scroll was being read he would cut off sections and throw it in the fire. He was angry, but he was not frightened! He saw no need to change his heart, mind, or actions. All he wanted to do was to seek revenge on the messenger, "but the LORD had hidden them."
Jehoiakim burned the entire scroll. Then the LORD spoke to Jeremiah again. "Get another scroll." Write down the words again. Did the king seriously think that burning God's words and getting rid of them would make them go away? You cannot thwart God's plans. His refusal to listen brought harsher punishment upon himself and his family. Jeremiah 36:31 - "I will punish... I will bring disasters... everything I promised but which they refused to hear."
"Maybe..." Sadly they did not change and the reality of God's words came true.
Jeremiah obeyed God. He took another scroll, gave it to Baruch, and once again, God's words were written down.
Next Entry: Jeremiah 37:1–21
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