|
|
Jeremiah Chapter 36
- Jeremiah
36:1 And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the
son of Josiah king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah
from the LORD, saying,
- 2 Take thee a
roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have
spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against
all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days
of Josiah, even unto this day.
- 3 It may be that
the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do
unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way;
that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.
I stand amazed at the mercy of God
here. Imagine, over and over again, God instructs Jeremiah to tell
the house of Judah to repent so that they will not reap judgment.
I've heard of some who have read the Old Testament and get a picture
of a God of judgment and wrath, but I do not see God that way at
all.
I see a God who sends judgment only as
a last resort. I see a God who tries everything else possible first.
I see a God of compassion. I see a God who wants so much to forgive
iniquity and sin so that He can dwell among His creation. I do not
see a God who sits in Heaven hoping for us to make a mistake so that
He can send judgment. I see a God who wants to save.
- Jeremiah
36:4 Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah: and Baruch
wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD,
which he had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book.
- 5 And Jeremiah
commanded Baruch, saying, I am shut up; I cannot go into the
house of the LORD:
- 6 Therefore go
thou, and read in the roll, which thou hast written from my
mouth, the words of the LORD in the ears of the people in the
LORD'S house upon the fasting day: and also thou shalt read them
in the ears of all Judah that come out of their cities.
Baruch was instructed to read this
before all in the house of the Lord.
- Jeremiah
36:7 It may be they will present their supplication before the
LORD, and will return every one from his evil way: for
great is the anger and the fury that the LORD hath pronounced
against this people.
Even though Jeremiah was shut up in the
court of the prison and could not leave and even though he was
persecuted for presenting the word of God, Jeremiah still desired
that the people repent. Surely this was a man after God's own heart.
He did not desire to see the people suffer so that he could gloat
and say, "I told you so."
- Jeremiah
36:8 And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that
Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the
words of the LORD in the LORD'S house.
- 9 And it came to
pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of
Judah, in the ninth month, that they proclaimed a fast before
the LORD to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all the people
that came from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem.
- 10 Then read
Baruch in the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the
LORD, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe,
in the higher court, at the entry of the new gate of the LORD'S
house, in the ears of all the people.
- 11 When Michaiah
the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard out of the
book all the words of the LORD,
- 12 Then he went
down into the king's house, into the scribe's chamber: and, lo,
all the princes sat there, even Elishama the scribe, and Delaiah
the son of Shemaiah, and Elnathan the son of Achbor, and
Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah,
and all the princes.
- 13 Then Michaiah
declared unto them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch
read the book in the ears of the people.
- 14 Therefore all
the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of
Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, unto Baruch, saying, Take in thine
hand the roll wherein thou hast read in the ears of the people,
and come. So Baruch the son of Neriah took the roll in his hand,
and came unto them.
- 15 And they said
unto him, Sit down now, and read it in our ears. So Baruch
read it in their ears.
- 16 Now it came to
pass, when they had heard all the words, they were afraid both
one and other, and said unto Baruch, We will surely tell the
king of all these words.
- 17 And they asked
Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou write all these
words at his mouth?
- 18 Then Baruch
answered them, He pronounced all these words unto me with his
mouth, and I wrote them with ink in the book.
- 19 Then said the
princes unto Baruch, Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah; and let
no man know where ye be.
I believe these men know ahead of time
that Baruch and Jeremiah would be in danger after the king heard
their words so they instructed the men to hide before they read the
words to the king.
- Jeremiah
36:20 And they went in to the king into the court, but they
laid up the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and told
all the words in the ears of the king.
- 21 So the king
sent Jehudi to fetch the roll: and he took it out of Elishama
the scribe's chamber. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the
king, and in the ears of all the princes which stood beside the
king.
- 22 Now the king
sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month: and there was a
fire on the hearth burning before him.
- 23 And it came to
pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it
with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the
hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on
the hearth.
- 24 Yet they were
not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any
of his servants that heard all these words.
The king did not fear to destroy the
roll with the word of God. This was a blatant rebellion against the
word from God.
We see this attitude in today world.
How it has changed from just 75 years ago when even non-Christians
had respect for God's word. The word of God is not held in high
esteem like it once was. I'm reminded of the words in Daniel:
-
Daniel 12:4 But thou, O Daniel,
shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the
end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased
And in 2 Timothy
We are continually learning but are
really missing the essential truths of God's word. We strive
for great education, success, and prosperity but we miss the only
thing that counts for eternity. We seek to gain the whole
world but most will loose their souls.
Things are getting bad here in the
United States. The word of God is not even considered and even
hated. Just yesterday I read where a young lady, daughter of a
country singer did vulgar things on stage, mocked God and berated
Christians. She took a bible and burned it without fear doing
vulgar acts at the same time. Who would have believed this would
happen just 50 years ago. If she had of done the same thing to the
Koran, her life would have been in danger. They would not tolerate
it at all.
However, it's not Christians that lady should fear, it is
almighty God. Yet, God will have mercy and desire her to turn her
life around. The book of Revelation is
beginning to make sense. I never could understand the people in
Revelation cursing God and not repenting when plagues were poured
out but now I see that the attitude people have toward a holy God is
fast becoming just like those in Revelation. It is scary.
-
Revelation 16:10,11 And the
fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and
his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues
for pain, And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their
pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
Respect for God, His word and those
that believe in His word is has changed and is getting worse every
day.
- Jeremiah
36:25 Nevertheless Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made
intercession to the king that he would not burn the roll: but he
would not hear them.
- 26 But the king
commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech, and Seraiah the son of
Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the
scribe and Jeremiah the prophet: but the LORD hid them.
- 27 Then the word
of the LORD came to Jeremiah, after that the king had burned the
roll, and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of Jeremiah,
saying,
- 28 Take thee
again another roll, and write in it all the former words that
were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath
burned.
- 29 And thou shalt
say to Jehoiakim king of Judah, Thus saith the LORD; Thou hast
burned this roll, saying, Why hast thou written therein, saying,
The king of Babylon shall certainly come and destroy this land,
and shall cause to cease from thence man and beast?
- 30 Therefore thus saith the LORD of Jehoiakim king of Judah; He shall have none to
sit upon the throne of David: and his dead body shall be cast
out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost.
- 31 And I will
punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity; and
I will bring upon them, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
and upon the men of Judah, all the evil that I have pronounced
against them; but they hearkened not.
- 32 Then took
Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son
of Neriah; who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the
words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in
the fire: and there were added besides unto them many like
words.
Another roll was sent to the king with
even further words of judgment. His family would lose the throne of
David. He would die and his body cast out, and the evil pronounced
upon Judah would come to pass. They had their chance and then lost
it. As we read history, we see that every single word Jeremiah wrote
came to pass. We don't get away with defying God. He may
put off judgment to give people a chance to turn around and go the
right way but eventually judgment comes.
The same God then is God now and He
still prefers to save rather than destroy. He sent His only Son into
the world to pay the final sacrifice for sins and usher in eternal
life to all who will repent of sins and receive Jesus Christ. This
gospel has been preached now for over 2000 years. Many have
responded to the gospel but the majority of the world throughout
history have not come to Christ. The bible says:
- Matthew 7:13 Enter ye
in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the
way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in
thereat:
- Mat 7:14 Because
strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto
life, and few there be that find it.
If we tend to follow the majority, we
are most likely to be wrong. Just as the king who burnt Jeremiah's
roll, he was given a chance to repent and lost that chance, one day
the open door to salvation by faith in Jesus Christ will finally
close. If you miss your chance of eternal salvation by rejecting
Jesus Christ in your lifetime, there will be no more opportunities.
It will be over. Now is the day of salvation. Now is the day to
repent of sin and receive Jesus Christ. He has great things prepared
for those that believe in Him. Eye has not seen neither has the ear
every heard of the things God has prepared for those that love Him. DC
Jeremiah 37
|
|