Prophet: Jeremiah

Despite God's many blessings for Israel, the people still did not follow Him. They worshiped other gods, perverted justice in the land, and ignored His laws. Periodcially, a king descended from David, would turn the people back to God. However, other kings led the people into all kinds of disobedience. God had promised to exile His people from their land if they turned from Him.

As the Lord planned Jerusalem’s destruction, He sent his people a prophet named Jeremiah to warn them and to and comfort them. Jeremiah ministered to the Jews for about 40 years, and was the only prophet of God in the land, (other claimants proved to be false prophets). While the false prophets preached peace, safety, and victory over Babylon, Jeremiah declared that the Babylonians would destroy everything. The meesage of the false prophets was obviously more appealing to the Jews.

Jeremiah endured mockery, imprisonment, and death threats from the people he desperately tried to help. His words did come true when Nebuchadnezzar defeated the Jews, carried off the royal family and destroyed the Temple. The city was burned and a new governor put in place.  He released Jeremiah from prison. When a neighboring nation assassinates the governor, and the Jews are left with two options: to stay in their land; or to flee to Egypt. When they ask Jeremiah what the Lord would have them do, and He promises them that if they stay in the land of Israel they will flourish and God Himself will have compassion on them. He also instructs that if they disobey, God will bring the Babylonians against the Egyptians, and the Jews will perish when Egypt is conquered.

Despite his warnings, the Jews chose to go to Egypt anyway.

Jeremiah is the longest book of the Bible by word count in the original language. Jeremiah himself is known as the “weeping prophet,” as his message is heartbreaking: the people of God have forsaken Him, and now He will destroy them. Jeremiah mixes prophetic discourse with narrative, and the narratives are not arranged chronologically. He speaks to kings, priests, commanders, and the people, and travels to many nations.

It’s from Jeremiah that we learn about God’s plan to make a new covenant with His people. His law will be on their hearts, and He will forgive their sin and remember it no more (Jeremiah 31:31–34). Although Jeremiah’s messages focus on the coming punishment of Judah, his book ialso promises restoration and return for the Jews, and looks forward to a righteous king from the line of David to arise in the future.