Commuter Bible

The book of Lamentations is Jeremiah’s recorded response to the devastation and ruin of Jerusalem. It is presented in a series of five poems, of which the first four are acrostics of the Hebrew alphabet, much like Psalm 119, only shorter. It is a book of suffering, shame, horror, and defeat, but centered in the middle of the work, we read of Jeremiah’s confident hope in the Lord. The first poem focuses outside the city, the second: inside the city, the third is directed toward God, the fourth toward the vanity of human glory, and the fifth poem looks to the future.

The final prophecy against a particular nation is a doozy, proclaiming total annihilation and ruin and spanning two long chapters, one of which is the fifth longest chapter in Scripture. Who could this prophecy be against? What nation’s actions would merit such a rebuke? If you guessed Babylon, you are right! Though the Lord allowed Babylon to attack His own people and send them into exile, Babylon is still responsible for their own sin and their own actions. By God’s design, his people are punished because of their ongoing sin and rebellion, but Babylon is punished more so because of their idolatry and wickedness. This is a long episode so plan accordingly.

As noted in our last episode, we’re now in the section of Jeremiah that includes prophecies against individual nations. These prophecies were gathered over the course of Jeremiah’s life and have been collected here at the end of his account. The overarching theme of these chapters is that the Lord sees the injustice and disgrace of the surrounding nations, and they will not escape his wrath and judgment. In some cases, the Lord says that he will restore the nation, but in other cases, the nation will become a perpetual ruin.

In our last episode, the prophecies of Jeremiah came to fruition and the King of Babylon successfully destroyed Jerusalem, slaughtered his opponents, and captured those who surrendered. The Chaldeans held Jeremiah in honor and allowed him to choose to remain with a remnant of people. After an insurrection against Gedaliah, the governor, Johanan rescues those taken captive in an effort to flee to Egypt. The Lord warns them through Jeremiah that they should stay in Judah, but they refuse to listen. Today, Jeremiah prophecies disaster for the remnant who practice idolatry, and later, we’ll begin Jeremiah’s prophecies against the nations.

In today’s episode, the prophecies of Jeremiah come to pass. The Chaldean army lays siege to Jerusalem and Zedekiah meets Nebuchadnezzar face to face. Those who have surrendered to the Chaldeans have been spared, and those who resisted are put to the sword. Through it all that Lord keeps His promises and protects Jeremiah from harm, and what’s more, the leaders of the Chaldean army treat Jeremiah with greater honor and respect than the leaders of Judah did. As Jeremiah continues to serve the Lord through this transition he must navigate new relationships and new authorities, and in an ironic twist, Jeremiah is deported by the remnant of Judah.

Have you ever been watching a TV show that begins with a jump in the story’s timeline for dramatic interest, then jumps back to show the circumstances that have led up to that point? Similarly, our previous reading opened with Jeremiah in prison, but there was no explanation of how he got there. The accounts in today’s episode pre-date the events in that last episode and lead up to his imprisonment, giving us narrative detail that we haven’t yet encountered. The first two stories date back to the reign of King Jehoiakim, but the final story tells us how Jeremiah found himself under arrest.

This part of the text may be a little confusing, so let me give a little historical context. The Babylonian siege began after King Zedekiah had been in office for nine years. This siege was lifted for a small window of time when the troops caught word that an Egyptian army was approaching. During this break, Zedekiah arrested Jeremiah because he was encouraging the men of Judah to surrender, but God commanded Jeremiah to tell them to do exactly that. During this time, the Lord sends Jeremiah’s cousin to sell Him property, and at the Lord’s direction, Jeremiah buys it. Confused about the transaction, Jeremiah turns to the Lord for clarity.

There are some wonderful, and well-known promises scattered throughout today’s reading as the Lord offers consolation and hope for those in exile. After 70 years in exile, the Lord will judge those nations whom He released upon Israel and Judah, and His people will return to the land of promise. While waiting for the promises of God, His exiled people are commanded to pursue the well-being of the city in which they live, for when their city thrives, they will also thrive. The Lord expresses His everlasting love for His people, promising to rebuild them and make them joyful once more.

In an age before billboards, movies, and cat videos, there were few ways to stand out from the crowd and command the attention of people who might otherwise ignore you. At the Lord’s command, Jeremiah frequently acts out some of his prophesies in order to dramatically display the reality of what will soon take place. You wouldn’t soon forget a man wearing chains and a yoke who looks you in the eye and tells you that you will be like him in the near future. Another prophet named Hananiah comes along, and in similar fashion breaks Jeremiah’s yoke, prophesying that the Lord will break the yoke of King Nebuchadnezzar, but things are not what they seem.

King Zedekiah sends messengers to Jeremiah asking that he might inquire of the Lord on behalf of Judah. Though he asks for the Lord’s favor, he instead receives a prophecy of the Lord’s wrath, for the king of Judah and his entourage will all be handed over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. After pronouncing judgment against Zedekiah, he goes on to condemn Shallum, Jehoiakim, and Coniah. These leaders have led the Lord’s flock away from Him, but God promises to raise up one who is called “a Righteous Branch for David,” a king and a shepherd who will reign wisely and administer justice righteously.