End of the kingdom of Judah and the fall of Jerusalem · from 627 to after 586 BC
Jeremiah in the Bible
The weeping prophet. Name meaning: “The LORD lifts up” (probable meaning of the Hebrew Yirmeyahu)
The son of a priest of Anathoth, Jeremiah is called while still very young, under Josiah, and prophesies for some forty years, until after the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. Beaten, imprisoned, and thrown into a cistern, he stays faithful to an unpopular message: submit to Babylon, because God is judging his people. But he also announces the return after seventy years and a new covenant written on hearts.
Key moments
- Called and set apart before his birth Jeremiah 1:5
- Denounces false trust in the temple Jeremiah 7:4
- The lesson of the potter’s house Jeremiah 18:6
- King Jehoiakim burns his scroll Jeremiah 36:23
- Announces seventy years of captivity Jeremiah 29:10
- Announces a new covenant written on the heart Jeremiah 31:31–33
- Thrown into the mud of Malchiah’s cistern Jeremiah 38:6
- Taken by force to Egypt, to Tahpanhes Jeremiah 43:6–7
Strengths
- Faithfulness in unpopularity
- Compassion and tears
- Courage before kings
- Honesty in prayer
- Perseverance
Weaknesses
Crushed by opposition, Jeremiah complains bitterly, curses the day he was born, and even asks God whether he is to him “as a liar, and as waters that fail” (20:14; 15:18); God then calls him to return to him (15:19). At times he also asks for divine vengeance on his persecutors (18:21).
Lessons for today
- God knows us before we are born: our youth or our weakness does not limit his call (1:5-7).
- Faithfulness to the truth can be costly, but God protects his servants and raises up allies like Ebed-melech and Ahikam (38:7-13; 26:24).
- You can tell God all your pain without ceasing to obey him: the Word stays a fire within us (20:9).
- Even in the midst of judgment, God has plans of peace and hope for his people (29:11).
Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
People around Jeremiah
- Baruch, son of Neriah — His secretary and faithful companion
- Josiah — The godly king under whom he was called, and for whom he composed a lament
- Jehoiakim — The king who burned the scroll of his prophecies
- Zedekiah — The last king of Judah, who consulted him in secret without obeying him
- Ebed-melech — The Ethiopian eunuch who saved him from the cistern
- Hananiah — The false prophet who broke his wooden yoke
Stories with Jeremiah
Quiz: how well do you know Jeremiah?
What village was Jeremiah from?
Jeremiah was “the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin.” Jeremiah 1:1
What objection did Jeremiah raise when he was called?
“Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.” Unclean lips are Isaiah’s confession. Jeremiah 1:6–7
Who wrote down the scroll of Jeremiah’s prophecies as he dictated it?
“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.” Jeremiah 36:4
There are many more questions like these in Bible Academy, each with its explanation and verse. Start your free trial.