Truth and Consequences:
A study in the prophecy of Jeremiah
Chapter 36
By Bob Mendelsohn
Given 2 September 2022
Lesson Thirty-six: Write THIS down
INTRODUCTION
Scams have been a regular problem since the beginning of time, but in the computer age, the latter half of the 20th century and now increasingly so in this 21st century, with limited interpersonal contact, scams are more visible and daily. Remember the weekly barrage of emails back in the 1990s with offers to help African investors who had tens of thousands of dollars to give, but just needed your bank information? What about in the 2000s when someone would write us and tell us that they were stuck in another country and just needed a little bit of cash, like $500 to get back to your hometown? It seemed so legitimate.
This week David Brickner, the executive director of Jews for Jesus who lives in San Francisco, had some of his information stolen and in his name, some of my colleagues were written from “David’s” phone. They asked for some Walmart or Target cards, gift cards, you know, or Apple Store cards. Immediately our staff knew this was a hoax, but how many others get caught in the crossfire of lies?
Then last night a new Jewish believer I know told me that he had been scammed out of thousands of dollars by a friend, but like the last story, it wasn’t really his friend at all. The anonymity of the internet allows this pretending to find a mark and play the game out in living colour. It’s shocking; it’s shameful.
The news media covers this scamming with regularity and although most of the targets are older and thus more vulnerable, they should be the most aware of this trickery. The old world, when people trusted one another, is long gone, and older folks in our worlds are often the ones who fall to these scammers.
You are probably both agreeing with me and wondering why I’m speaking about scams this morning. In my reading of our chapter, 36 of Jeremiah, I’m more impressed by the commitment both he and his scribe, Baruch, had to the written word. We will work through this in a few minutes, but let me lay the groundwork for what I want to teach today, that our hopes and our understanding of truth and of consequences are in the written word of the Scripture. The hope some have for quick riches or even being kind to a hurting neighbour or mate… if we take our advice from the Word of God, and not from a warped sense of caprice or kindness, of quick money or any other scam that will come out next week, then we will succeed. That’s the consequence we desire.
Let’s dig in.
Verse one. It’s Jehoiakim again, reintroduced. Son of Josiah, the good king, and the Word came to him. So not the immediate end of Jerusalem which is under Zedekiah, but rather his brother Jehoiakim. Year is 605 BCE and the 4th year of J and the FIRST year of Nebuchadnezzar. This is almost 20 years before the fall of Jerusalem. We meet Baruch in verse 4 who will assist Jeremiah to fulfil verse 2.
“Take a scroll and write on it all the words which I have spoken to you.” God says. Think about it; Jeremiah has preached for 23 years already. (verse 2) And now, God says ‘write it all down.’ Yes, the communications in those days were oral, and yet, I think there were many times in Jewish history when the kings ruled especially, when notes were maintained. I think therefore that Jeremiah had a stash of his old sermons, of his moments with the kings and the other prophets at which we have looked over the last 35 weeks, and was then able to consolidate the collection into a singular linear, or at least a single book as it says.
Who is Baruch? We see him here and earlier in the negotiation chapter 32, and here in this chapter we see him able to access the palace fairly easily. He was either from a wealthy family or had gained entry via some other method. He has willingly joined with Jeremiah, which you must understand would have cost him social connections, especially when Jeremiah was incarcerated. Even so, Baruch is there and begins to compile the notes into a semblance of orderliness.
Back to verse 3, the intention of the scroll is clear. Judah will hear and repent. And then God will forgive. This is good news in the lead up to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur for us in 2022. This should have been good news to the people of Judah in 605 BCE, but sadly, as we have seen again and again… they did not repent. Lesson to us in 2022—learn from everyone. What they did that was good? Do that. What they did which was not good? DON’T repeat that error.
OK< verse 4, Jeremiah calls for his scribe who writes it all down. Do you use Siri to dictate SMS messages to friends, especially while you are driving? When you revisit those same messages later in the day, are you surprised how wrong Siri got those words? Dictation and transcription is an art as well as a craft, and Baruch had both. Siri does not.
Verse 5, Jeremiah tells his scribe to go to the Temple and the palace to share what he has written, as Jeremiah is still under house arrest.
Verse 6, Jeremiah reminds Baruch that the words are his, but they are not his. These are the words of the Lord. You see that in verses 8 and 11 also. And as we said from the beginning, the words of the prophets are often the words of God. I guess this is one of those sticking points in biblical consideration. Each of you has to come to the place in your life, as the people of Judah had to come in those days, that God can speak through his people, through a prophet, through someone with whom you would ordinarily disagree. God can use anyone, even me, in these days to share his message of hope and repentance. I’m asking you, here on the Zoom call, and those of you watching this YouTube later, are you still listening to the voice of God? He loves you and wants to share his life with you. Sometimes, that means you have to listen even to me, and certainly as we keep our fingers in the Scripture, yes, written by men, dictated by people, but with the full conviction that God’s Word can come to me and make me to understand him.
Listen to the hope of Jeremiah in verse 7, perhaps they will pray. They will supplicate, turn from his evil way, on a fast day, and repair the relationship with the Almighty. It will even override the already listed judgment God has pronounced on us.
So in verse 8, Baruch goes and reads in the Temple. Done. No response is listed which is already the response which will then lead to further disappointment and dismay.
Verse 9, A year passes. It’s now January or so. Jehoiakim proclaims another fast day. And Baruch reads the words in a special chamber in the Temple. Prominent people are there. Micaiah listens in verse 11 and goes to the palace of the king, where more prominent people are gathered in verse 12. In verse 13, Micaiah gives his report about the prophecies Baruch brings.
Verse 14, we see the subpoena by those eminent men in the palace, inviting Baruch to come and read specifically to them! Baruch is probably especially hopeful at the invitation. He has no choice but to go, even so, if I were Baruch I would be hopeful. Thank God, the leadership wants to listen. They are inviting me to share it with them particularly! Hallelujah!
Verse 15 he reads it in their presence at their invitation.
Verse 16, they showcase ‘fear’ the book says, and they report that they will tell the king.
Verse 17, who is responsible for these words, they want to know. Verse 18, Baruch says, ‘he dictated and I scribed.’
Verse 19, the officials recommend he go and hide. Don’t tell anyone where you are going. Wow, so clandestine. They asked him to leave the scroll with them—no problem Baruch thought!
If you were Baruch, you would be over the moon. The test is over. You have passed. He probably cannot wait to run back to Jeremiah and report what happened.
But in verse 20, the music changes in our drama. These same folks went to Jehoiakim and reported what they had learned. The king sent for the scroll of Baruch to be brought to him. He listened to a bit of it and within a few minutes, in front of the fireplace, he took a knife and cut and then burned the scroll entirely.
Verse 24 is telling. Not only did they bring the end of the scroll but they felt no remorse. Listen to these words in 24.
24 Yet the king and all his servants who heard all these words were not afraid, nor did they rend their garments.
I’m reminded of the adulteress in the Proverbs who ‘wipes her mouth and says, ‘I have done no wrong.’” (30.20) Remorse, that’s what God is hoping to see and feel from his people, especially from those in government and in power.
The pity of it all is that Shaphan, the grandfather of Micaiah (v. 11) was involved in the revival which characterised the work of Josiah some 2 decades previously. Shaphan would represent the godly in the people of God as opposed to Jehoiakim. Those who rule bear great responsibility to lead well, as I ever remind myself when I pick up this book to teach and as you need to remember when you lead others. Lead well and you will be able to sleep well at night.
Verse 25 shows people who were on the godly side of things, who didn’t want the words of God to disappear, but they were silenced. The king ordered Jeremiah and Baruch to be captured, but the Lord hid them. (v. 26) They hid; God hid them. I like this working tandem.
Verse 27 and following, God tells Jeremiah to rewrite the scroll. This would now be the 3rd writing of the notes and sermons and prophecies. Only now it’s not only a record of the passion of God and what I see as the first 25 chapters of what we have in our Bible as the book of Jeremiah, but now God tells Jeremiah to add an addendum. Verse 29, “King, you have burned this scroll (meaning of course, the previous scroll) and despised the prophecy of the Babylonians coming to destroy this place, let it be known to you that you will have no one to sit on the throne of David and you will not be buried properly. Frost and sunburn will attend you. Verse 31, it’s all coming on you, BUT you didn’t listen.
Friends, that’s always what God wants. His arms are not so short that they cannot reach you. His ears are not so dull that he cannot hear you.
“Behold, the LORD’S hand is not so short That it cannot save; Nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.” (Isa. 59.1-2)
“Turn to me and be saved,” Isaiah said earlier (45.22). And it’s what every prophet in the Bible has ever said. Our sins separate us from God and yet, God in his mercy wants to forgive us our sins. You. Me. Each of us on the call today.
So what did Jeremiah do …look at verse 32. He took another scroll (now the 2nd scroll, and the 3rd writing pad) and made sure that we could read the prophecy.
Why?
What’s the purpose of this chapter?
To showcase each of us can individually respond to God’s awesome love and hope. He reaches out to us. We have to in the words of verse 16 “fear” and “report” to one another. The word is PacHAD. AND IT means more than yare, it’s pachad, meaning to be in dread. This is life or death. The first officials got it. Some of us in this room get it. Do you get it?
When God shows you your sin, your selfishness, your inability to love or to help others, will you turn and repent? Will you call on God to help and will you surrender your life and will to the care of this good God?
Or will you burn these words as if they have no meaning to you? Will you in the words of verse 24 not be afraid (same word ‘pachad’) and not be humble (rend your garments)?
The choice is yours today.
CONCLUSION
God is calling each of us to know him and to walk with him, today and throughout our days. Have you received Yeshua as your messiah and Lord? He is risen from the dead! Have you renounced your sin, your idolatry, your forsaking God and given him First Place in your life? If not, please, do so now, just now, as we pray together. Use your own words, if you want, but yield, surrender, to the Lord of life.
PRAYER
Then please write us (admin@jewsforjesus.org.au) to tell us what you have just done, and we will send you literature and encourage you. You are part of our family; we love and appreciate you. And we want you to enjoy the presence of the Lord who calls, who knows, who blesses and builds us up.
We hope to see you again next week as we study chapter 37. Until then, Shabbat shalom!
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Barnes, Albert, Commentary on the Old Testament. (Published by many, from 1880 on)
Henry, Matthew, Commentary.
Keown, Gerald, Scalise, Pamela, Smothers, Thomas, Word Biblical Commentary. Book of Jeremiah (Part 2). 1995.
McConnville, Gordon, Jeremiah, New Bible Commentary.
Wright, Christopher, The Message of Jeremiah, The Bible Speaks Today. Intervarsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 2014.
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ACTUAL TEXT
Jeremiah’s Scroll Read in the Temple
Jer. 36:1 In the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2 “Take a scroll and write on it all the words which I have spoken to you concerning Israel and concerning Judah, and concerning all the nations, from the day I first spoke to you, from the days of Josiah, even to this day. 3 “Perhaps the house of Judah will hear all the calamity which I plan to bring on them, in order that every man will turn from his evil way; then I will forgive their iniquity and their sin.”
Jer. 36:4 Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah, and Baruch wrote on a scroll at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD which He had spoken to him. 5 Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, “I am restricted; I cannot go into the house of the LORD. 6 “So you go and read from the scroll which you have written at my dictation the words of the LORD to the people in the LORD’S house on a fast day. And also you shall read them to all the people of Judah who come from their cities. 7 “Perhaps their supplication will come before the LORD, and everyone will turn from his evil way, for great is the anger and the wrath that the LORD has pronounced against this people.” 8 Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading from the book the words of the LORD in the LORD’S house.
Jer. 36:9 Now in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the ninth month, all the people in Jerusalem and all the people who came from the cities of Judah to Jerusalem proclaimed a fast before the LORD. 10 Then Baruch read from 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 upper court, at the entry of the New Gate of the LORD’S house, to all the people.
Jer. 36:11 Now when Micaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard all the words of the LORD from the book, 12 he went down to the king’s house, into the scribe’s chamber. And behold, all the officials were sitting there — 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 other officials. 13 Micaiah declared to them all the words that he had heard when Baruch read from the book to the people. 14 Then all the officials sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to Baruch, saying, “Take in your hand the scroll from which you have read to the people and come.” So Baruch the son of Neriah took the scroll in his hand and went to them. 15 They said to him, “Sit down, please, and read it to us.” So Baruch read it to them. 16 When they had heard all the words, they turned in afear one to another and said to Baruch, “We will surely report all these words to the king.” 17 And they asked Baruch, saying, “Tell us, please, how did you write all these words? Was it at his dictation?” 18 Then Baruch said to them, “He dictated all these words to me, and I wrote them with ink on the book.” 19 Then the officials said to Baruch, “Go, hide yourself, you and Jeremiah, and do not let anyone know where you are.”
The Scroll Is Burned
Jer. 36:20 So they went to the king in the court, but they had deposited the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and they reported all the words to the king. 21 Then the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and he took it out of the chamber of Elishama the scribe. And Jehudi read it to the king as well as to all the officials who stood beside the king. 22 Now the king was sitting in the winter house in the ninth month, with a fire burning in the brazier before him. 23 When Jehudi had read three or four columns, the king cut it with a scribe’s knife and threw it into the fire that was in the brazier, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the brazier. 24 Yet the king and all his servants who heard all these words were not afraid, nor did they rend their garments. 25 Even though Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah pleaded with the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. 26 And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king’s son, Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel to seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet, but the LORD hid them.
The Scroll Is Replaced
Jer. 36:27 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah after the king had burned the scroll and the words which Baruch had written at the dictation of Jeremiah, saying, 28 “Take again another scroll and write on it all the former words that were on the first scroll which Jehoiakim the king of Judah burned. 29 “And concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah you shall say, ‘Thus says the LORD, “You have burned this scroll, saying, ‘Why have you written on it 1that the king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and will make man and beast to cease from it?’” 30 ‘Therefore thus says the LORD concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah, “He shall have no one to sit on the throne of David, and his dead body shall be cast out to the heat of the day and the frost of the night. 31 “I will also punish him and his descendants and his servants for their iniquity, and I will bring on them and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the men of Judah all the calamity that I have declared to them — but they did not listen.”’”
Jer. 36:32 Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the son of Neriah, the scribe, and he wrote on it at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire; and many similar words were added to them.
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