Jeremiah 21; 34; 37; 32-33; 38-39; 52:1-30
Jeff Smith: http://www.biblestudyguide.org/ebooks-bibleclass/textual-au-jeffsmith.htm
All the preaching Jeremiah has done up to this point has been with a judgment to come in mind. Now, he preaches while the punishment God has promised is taking place. In the 9th year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the 10th day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar came and began the final siege against Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:1-2). After the Babylonian king had taken the cities of Judah and laid siege to Jerusalem, Zedekiah sees his plan of rebellion and hope of assistance from other nations is fruitless. Out of despair, Zedekiah turns to Jeremiah as his last hope. The prophet who was mocked, treated as a traitor, beaten and imprisoned because he spoke the truth, now is treated as an elder statesman whose advice and intercession is earnestly sought by his fellow Jews. However, they are not coming to him as penitent believers, but as scared, soon-to-be-captured vessels of wrath.
Jeremiah prophesies that God would make their weapons useless against the Babylonians, and that God Himself would war against Judah with pestilence. The prophet also reveals the destiny of Zedekiah and the people. The future is not bright for God’s people as they begin to reap the consequences of their sinful conduct before the God who has seen all they’ve done. Jeremiah lays before them the choice between the way of life (submission to Babylon) and the way of death (continued resistance to God’s judgment tool). The one who surrenders will live on; the one who stays in the city will die (21:8-10).
What does Zedekiah do in 21:1? What do you think
he is hoping for from God? (21:2)
What is the Lord’s answer to Zedekiah? (21:4-7)
What does God lay before them as a final warning? (21:8-10) How is the royal
family further exhorted by Jeremiah in 21:11-12? What was the prevailing
attitude by Jerusalem’s inhabitants, and what does Jeremiah decree against them?
(21:13-14)
What was the prophecy to Zedekiah in 34:1-5?
What had happened in Judah that was contrary to the will of God? (34:8-10) What
was the reason that God gave in the law for this activity not to happen? (Deut.
15:12-18)
Was the siege lifted? How? (37:5) What happened
after the lifting of the siege? (34:11)
What does God say about Judah “breaking this
covenant” in 34:12-22? What was He going to do?
What was the attitude toward the word of the
Lord in 37:1-2? What had the lifting of the siege apparently done in Judah,
judging from 37:6-10? What was the Lord’s response?
What happened to Jeremiah in 37:11-16? What is
he accused of? What eventually happened to him? What does this say sometimes
happens to faithful servants of the Lord?
What does Zedekiah do in 37:17? What does
Jeremiah say in 37:19? What do you think Jeremiah seeks to prove by asking this
question? What is Jeremiah’s request of the king? (37:20-21)
After the renewal of the siege, what was
Jeremiah instructed to do in 32:6-14? What did this signify? (32:15) Do you
think that even Jeremiah’s faith would be helped by this transaction? How?
What does Jeremiah pray for in 32:16-25? Is
there something he does not understand? What is the Lord’s response to his
prayer? (32:26-44)
What does God say He will do in 33:1-9? What
will again happen in Judah after God fulfills His promise? (33:10-11) What is
promised in 33:14-18? How does God assure His promise will be fulfilled?
(33:19-26)
Based on Jeremiah’s continual message of
surrender to the Babylonians (38:1-3), what happened to him in 38:4-6? What
happened to him next?
Who sends for Jeremiah in 38:14-16, and what
does he want? How does Jeremiah respond to him? (38:15) What else does Jeremiah
say to him? (38:17-23)
What begins to happen in 39:1-3? How did
Zedekiah react? (39:4) Was his plan successful? What happened to him? (39:5-7;
2 Kings 25:4-7)
What happened to Jeremiah? (39:11-14) Who else
is given comfort in this perilous situation? (39:15-18)
What purpose does 52:1-30 serve?