By Eugene Garner

A MIXTURE OF JUDGMENT and HOPE

JEREMIAH - CHAPTER 36

REACTING RASHLY TO GOD'S WORD

    This chapter tells how and why Jeremiah's earlier prophecies came to be written down - and the reaction of those to whom the scroll was first read. Most biblical scholars believe that this writing included the first 25 chapters of the Book of Jeremiah as we know it today.

    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.

    1. This incident is dated by the fourth year of Jehoiakim's reign (655 B.C.), which was also the 23rd year of Jeremiah's prophetic ministry, (vs. 1; comp. 25:1-3; 45:1; 46:2; 2 Kings 24:1).
    2. Jeremiah is commanded to acquire a scroll, and to write on it all that the Lord has spoken to him about Israel, Judah and the nations - from the days of Josiah until the present, (vs. 2; 1:9-10; comp. 3:3-10; 23:14; 32:30-32; 25:9-29; etc.).
    3. Perhaps the people of Judah would, thereby, be so impressed by the imminence of impending calamity that they would repent and find forgiveness, (vs. 3; 26:3; comp. Isa. 1:16-19).

    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. 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.

    1. Baruch, the son of Neriah, was Jeremiah's scribe, or secretary, (32:12); he was a brother of Seraiah, quartermaster to the king, (51:59).
    2. At Jeremiah's call, and as he spoke, Baruch wrote on a scroll all that the Lord had spoken to him, (vs. 4).
    3. Thus, because the prophet was, in some way, restricted (32:2, 33:1), so that he could not personally appear in the temple, Baruch was commanded to take the scroll and read it in the hearing of all the people as they came up from their cities on an appointed day of fasting, (vs. 5-6).
    4. Again, the purpose is clearly stated: perhaps they will be induced thereby to turn from their wicked ways (vs. 3; 26:3) - for the Lord's anger and indignation is about to be poured out upon them unless they repent, (vs. 7; 4:4; 21:5; Lam. 4:11-13).

    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.

    1. In the fifth year of Jehoiakim reign (the year that Babylon overthrew Ashkelon, in the plains of Philistia), in the month of Chisleu (corresponding to our December), a fast was appointed - evidently in connection with a national crisis, (comp. 2 Chron. 20:3; Est. 4:16; Joel 1:14; 2:15).
    2. As the people came together in the temple, Baruch read from the scroll as he stood in the chamber of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan (who had been Secretary of State under King Josiah), in the upper court, at the entry of the new gate of the house of the Lord.
    3. Thus, Baruch read the words of the Lord, in the Lord's house, before those who presumed themselves to be the Lord's people.
    4. No word is given to indicate the reaction of the people on this occasion.

    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.

    1. Having heard Baruch read the words of Jeremiah in the temple, Michaiah, the son of Gemariah, hastened to the king's palace (where the princes were assembled in the Secretary's chamber) and reported all that he had heard, (vs. 11-13).
    2. Jehudi, the son of Nethaniah (a descendant of Cushi, and possibly an Ethiopian), was dispatched to bring Baruch, and the scroll from which he had read, to them, (vs. 14).
    3. Upon his arrival Baruch was invited to sit down and read the scroll in their hearing, (vs. 15).
    4. These officials were greatly frightened by the judgments threatened in the scroll, and assured Baruch that they would certainly report the warning to the king, (vs. 16; contrast vs. 24).
    5. Questioning Baruch as to how he came into possession of the scroll, they learned that the words had been dictated to him by Jeremiah, the prophet, (vs. 17-18).
    6. The princes then warned Baruch to hide both himself and Jeremiah - not letting anyone know where they might be found, (vs. 19; comp. 26:20-24; I Kings 17:1-6; 18:4, 7-14); they probably feared that the king might be so enraged that he would, irrationally, order their execution!

    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. 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.

    1. Having deposited the scroll (for safe keeping) with Elishama, the Secretary, the princes went to report what they had heard to Jehoiakim the king, (vs. 20).
    2. Sending Jehudi to bring the scroll, Jehoiakim then had him to read it as all the princes stood round about him, (vs. 21).
    3. It is noted that this transpired in the - winter quarters of the king - where there was a fire on the hearth, (vs. 22).
    4. Showing his contempt for the word of the Lord, Jehoiakim would, as soon as three or four columns were read, cut off that part of the scroll and cast it into the fire! (vs. 23-24).
      a. This procedure was followed until the entire scroll was consumed by the fire, (comp. I Kings 22:8, 27; Isa. 28:14, 22).
      b. The king was not afraid; nor did he, or any of his princes, manifest the slightest degree of repentance! (vs. 24; contrast vs. 16; comp. Psa. 36:1; 64:2-5; Isa. 26:11).
      c. His attitude was quite different from that of his father, Josiah, (2 Kings 22:11-13; 2 Chron. 34:18).
    5. When they saw his intention to destroy the scroll, Elnathan, Delaiah and Gemariah pleaded against the rashness of the king; but he refused to listen, (vs. 25; comp. Gen. 37:22; Acts 5:34-39).
    6. Jehoiakim then commanded three of his men to arrest both Baruch and Jeremiah (comp. I Kings 19:1-3, 10, 14), but the Lord hid them until the king's wrath had subsided, (vs. 26; comp. 1:19; 11:19; 15:20-21).

    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.

    1. The Lord commanded Jeremiah to take a second scroll and write all that was on the first, (vs. 27-28; comp. 28:13-14; 44:28; Zech. 1:5-6).
    2. And, since Jehoiakim had been so incensed at his affirmation that the king of Babylon would cut off man and beast from the land, Jeremiah was commanded, in the second scroll, to strike a bit closer home! (vs. 29-31; comp. Deut. 29:19; Isa. 45:9).
      a. The time will soon come when Jehoiakim will have no one to sit on the throne of David, (comp. 22:30; 2 Kings 24:12-17).
      b. His corpse will be cast out to endure the ravages of heat and cold, (vs. 30; 22:18-19).
      c. He, his offspring, and all Judah will be punished for their unrepented wickedness, (vs. 31; 19:15; 23:34; 35:17; comp. Prov. 29:1).
    3. Thus, succeeding generations have been blessed by a fuller account of Jeremiah's prophetic ministry through writings of this second scroll which he dictated to Baruch, his secretary, (vs.32).