JEREMIAH
The Weeping Prophet
Bible study: JEREMIAH, the weeping prophet
“exalted of the eternal/appointed by the eternal”
new solid rock fellowship church
January 2014
Purpose: To urge God’s people to turn from their sins and back to God
Author: Jeremiah, priest & prophet; Baruch, his secretary recorded
To Whom Written: Judah (the Southern Kingdom) and its capital Jerusalem
Date Written: During Jeremiah’s ministry approximately 627-586 B.C (Before
the Common Era)
Setting: Jeremiah ministered under Judah’s last five kings: JOSIAH,
JEHOAHAZ, JEHOIAKIM, JEHOIACHIN, and ZEDEKIAH. The nation of the Jews
was sliding quickly toward destruction and eventually conquered by BABYLON
in 586 B.C. (see 2 Kings Chapters 21-25) The prophet Zephaniah preceded
Jeremiah and Habakkuk was his contemporary.
Key Verses: Jer. 1:1-10, 13-19 (Jeremiah’s calling); JER. 5:1 (look for one
just man); Jer. 9:1, 10,17-26 ; 13:17 (weeping, broken heart for the
people); Jer. 16:1-4 (forbidden to marry); Jer. 17:9 (deceitful heart); Jer.
23:1-6 (prophecies concerning Christ and the future); Jer. 25:9-14 (70 year
captivity prophecy, Judah and other nations punished also); Jer. 29:10,11
(Judah brought back to Jerusalem); Jer. 31:1-9, 31-37 (promise of A New
Covenant); Jer. 32:6,7 (Jeremiah buys land occupied by the enemy); Jer.
36:18-28 (the Word destroyed)
Key People: Judah’s kings listed above. Baruch (a scribe), Ebed-melech (
helped Jeremiah escape), King Nebuchadnezzar (King of Babylon)
Key Places: Anathoth, Jerusalem, Ramah, Egypt
Literary Features: This book is a combination of history, poetry, and
biography. Jeremiah often used symbolism and demonstration to
communicate his message.
JEREMIAH, the weeping prophet
BIBLE STUDY – NSRFC
MAJOR THEMES
SIN: King Josiah’s reformation failed because the people refused to
repent, continued to worship idols, and ignored God’s warnings.
PUNISHMENT: Because of sin, JERUSALEM was destroyed, the
temple was destroyed, and people of Judah were carried off to
BABYLON. Unconfessed sin brings God’s full punishment.
GOD IS LORD OF ALL: God is the righteous, sovereign God,
accountable only to himself. Because of God’s majestic power and love,
we only have to submit to His authority.
God’S GraCe and loVe: Jeremiah predicted that after the
destruction of the Nation, God would send a new Shepherd, the
Messiah. He would lead them into a new covenant, and new future, and
give them a new heart.
MAJOR THEMES CONTINUED
FAITHFUL SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP: Jeremiah served God
faithfully for 40 years. He was persecuted, rejected and his prophecies were
ignored. Intermingled with Jeremiah’s dark messages was the message of hope
if the people would only repent. But Jeremiah remained faithful to God even
though he was ignored, beaten, and rejected. We must have a passion to serve.
We must seek God’s approval ...not man’s applause or approval.
Key eVentS in JereMiah’S life and tiMeS: He was born in a
village about an hour’s walk from Jerusalem. He was called to be a prophet by
God at a young age – perhaps in his twenties. He served as God’s spokesman for
40 years warning Judah of God’s destruction if they did not turn from
wickedness. But Judah refused to respond to the truth and turn back to God.
He witnessed the siege and sack of Jerusalem (586 B.C.), and he saw many of his
people taken captive in Babylon. After Jerusalem fell, Jeremiah was forced to
flee to Egypt...where it is assumed he died.
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Saw the Northern Kingdom of
Israel taken into Captivity at
the hands of Assyria
Isaiah foretold of the
judgments that would come in
the future
Looks primarily to the future
Saw the Southern Kingdom of
Judah taken into Captivity at
the hands of Babylon
Jeremiah explained the
reasons for the judgments that
Judah was experiencing
Looks primarily to the present
Bold and fearless
Gentle and compassionate
Was married to a prophetess
Was commanded not to take a
and had children with prophetic wife or have any children
names
Structure of the Book of Jeremiah
Chapters 1:1-- 45:5
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




GOD’S JUDGEMENT OF JUDAH
God’s call on Jeremiah
Jeremiah Condemns Judah for her sins
Jeremiah prophesies destruction
Jeremiah accuses Judah’s leaders
Restoration is promised
God’s promised judgment arrives
Chapters 46:1 – 52:34
 Prophecies about foreign nations
 Details about the fall of Jerusalem
Structure of the Book of Jeremiah Found in Through the Bible
Chapters 1 – 39
Before the fall of Jerusalem
 The call of Jeremiah and general prophecies with no specific
time given
 Chapters 21- 39 contain specific prophecies and give a time of
delivery as expressed in the first words of each chapter.
Chapter 39
Chapters 40 – 44
The Fall of Jerusalem, Judah
Messages to Jewish remnant
Chapters 45 – 51
Gentile Nations
Jeremiah’s Prophecies against the nine
Chapter 51
Looking Back to the Fall of Judah
Chapter 1
Prologue
Call of
Jeremiah
Chapters 2-20
Chapters 21-45
Chapters
46-51
From Josiah to
the first year of
Nebuchadnezzar
From Josiah’s
sons to the
Captivity
Oracles
for the
Nations
Judgment against Judah
Nations
Chapter 52
Epilogue
Fall of
Jerusalem
Call of Jeremiah (1)
Prophecies of Judah and Jerusalem (2-35)
Historical Narrative: Prior to the Fall of Jerusalem (36-38)
Historical Narrative: Fall of Jerusalem (39).
Historical Narrative: After the Fall of Jerusalem (40-45)
Prophecies of other Nations (46-51)
Fall of Jerusalem (52)
70 Years
Includes Inaugral and
Terminus year
605 B.C.
1st Deportation by
Nebuchadnezzar
(Daniel taken to
Babylon)
597 B.C.
538 B.C.
Return to land under
Cyrus & Feast of Booths
Celebrated at New Year
2nd Deportation
(Ezekiel taken)
586 B.C.
Temple Destroyed
at 3rd Deportation
70 Years
Not including Inaugral
or Terminus year
515 B.C.
Temple
Completed
Jeremiah 1:1-2
The words of Jeremiah, the
son of Hilkiah, of the priests who
were in Anathoth in the land of
Benjamin, 2 to whom the word of
the LORD came in the days of
Josiah, the son of Amon, king of
Judah, in the thirteenth year of
his reign
Jeremiah 1:4-5
Now the word of the LORD came to
me saying, 5 "Before I formed you in the
womb I knew you, And before you were
born I consecrated you; I have appointed
you a prophet to the nations."
Jeremiah 1:6-8
Then I said, "Alas, Lord God! Behold,
I do not know how to speak, Because I am
a youth."
7
But the LORD said to me, "Do not
say, 'I am a youth,' Because everywhere I
send you, you shall go, And all that I
command you, you shall speak. 8 Do not
be afraid of them, For I am with you to
deliver you," declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 1:9-10
Then the LORD stretched out His
hand and touched my mouth, and the
LORD said to me, "Behold, I have put My
words in your mouth.
10
"See, I have appointed you this day
over the nations and over the kingdoms,
To pluck up and to break down,
To destroy and to overthrow,
To build and to plant."
9
Jeremiah 5:1
Roam to and fro through the streets of
Jerusalem,
And look now, and take note.
And seek in her open squares,
If you can find a man,
If there is one who does justice, who seeks
truth,
Then I will pardon her.
Jeremiah 29:10
"For thus says the LORD,
'When seventy years have been
completed for Babylon,
I will visit you and fulfill
My good word to you, to bring you back
to this place.
JEREMIAH 31:31-37
31:31
Promise of a
New Covenant
31:33
Communion of
the New
Covenant
31:35
Dependability
of the New
Covenant
A New Covenant is  With Israel and Judah
coming (31-32a)
 It is better than the old
The Old Covenant
is broken (32)
 Yahweh a faithful husband
 Israel & Judah adulterous
The Location of the Covenant Laws
The Relationship of the Covenant
The Intimacy of the New Covenant
As dependable as the laws of nature
As dependable as nature is unsearchable
The New Covenant is Better
Because it is an Internal Covenant: I will
put My law within them, and on their heart
I will write it
 Because it in All-Inclusive: And they shall
not teach again, each man his neighbor
and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know
the LORD,’ for they shall all know Me,
from the least of them to the greatest of
them,” declares the LORD

The New Covenant is Better
Because it Forgives Sins: For I will forgive
their iniquity, and their sin I will remember
no more (31:34).
 Because is does not become Obsolete.

Old Covenant
New Covenant
CHURCH
Jerusalem
Let us go unto the
House of the Lord
Go unto all the world and make
disciples of all the nations
Jeremiah 32:6-7
And Jeremiah said, "The word of the
LORD came to me, saying, 7 'Behold,
Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle is
coming to you, saying, "Buy for yourself
my field which is at Anathoth, for you have
the right of redemption to buy it."'
Lessons from Jeremiah

The lesson of God’s Sovereignty.

The lesson of God’s Justice.

The lesson of God’s Grace.

The lesson of Leadership
Scythians
ASSYRIA
Medes


Jerusalem
Babylon
(Chaldeans)
 Carchemish
Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar


Pharaoh
Neco
Jerusalem
Armageddon: A
Symbol for a great
and decisive
conflict
 Megiddo
 Jerusalem
(Josiah)
Pharaoh
Neco
 Carchemish
Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar


Pharaoh
Neco
Jerusalem
First
Deportation
to Babylon