Jeremiah: Profile of Courage Chapters 39-45 “Judgment and Justice”

Jeremiah - Spring 2013 Week Topic Mar 6 Dark Prophecies: Introduction and Jeremiah 1-6 Mar 13 Dark Prophecies: Jeremiah 1-6 continued Mar 20 False Worship: Jeremiah 7-10 Mar 27 Broken Promises, Shattered Pride: Jeremiah 11-15 Apr 3 Sin Carved on the Heart: Jeremiah 16-17 Apr 10 The Potter, Pot, and Fire: Jeremiah 18-20 Apr 17 A Scattered Flock: Jeremiah 21-24 Apr 24 God’s Law on the Heart: Jeremiah 25-33 May 1 Broken Covenants: Jeremiah 34-35 May 8 God’s Indestructible Word: Jeremiah 36-38 May 15 Judgment and Justice: Jeremiah 39-45 May 22 God’s Justice Among Nations: Jeremiah 46-52 May 29 Summary of Jeremiah

Today’s Objectives Review last week’s lesson Provide overviews of Jeremiah 39-45 Examine how the Babylonians finally conquered Jerusalem and what this meant to Jeremiah Understand why Gedaliah was assassinated Empathize with the agonizing emotions of those headed for exile Overview: In chapters 39-45, primarily a historical overview, we have see the fall of Jerusalem and subsequent appointment of Gedaliah as governor of Judah. We see Judean soldiers who were not captured by the Babylonian’s meet with Gedaliah and one, Ishmael, ultimately assassinated Gedaliah. Many of Ishmael’s men were eventually captured or killed, but Ishmael escaped. Another group of Jews decided to consult with Jeremiah about God’s wishes for them. Jeremiah sought God’s directions through prayer. God directed the Jews to remain in Judah. But they refused and fled to Egypt. Then, God, through Jeremiah, prophesized the destruction of Egypt and the Jews residing their at the hands of the Babylonians. In chapter 45, we see God promising that Baruch would be protected from a violent death.

Review of Chapters 36-38 Studied how Jeremiah had his prophecies written down and read to the public, officials, and the king, and how the king reacted Learned about Jeremiah’s imprisonment Learned why Jeremiah was thrown into and then rescued from a cistern Learned how and why King Zedekiah had lost his ability to rule his people

Date of Chapters 39-45 Chapter 39-44: 588-586 B.C. “In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month…” “And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month…” “Now it came to pass in the seventh month…” Chapter 45: 605-604 B.C. “..the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah..”

Last Five Kings of Judah Name Father Reign (B.C.) What happened? Josiah Ammon 640-608 Killed at Megiddo Jehoahaz Josiah (4) 608 Pharaoh Necho II carried him into exile Jehoiakim Josiah (2) 608-597 Rebelled against Babylon and killed Jehoiachin 597 Exiled to Babylon Zedekiah Josiah (3) 597-586 Sons killed, blinded, then exiled to Babylon

Nebuchadnezzar's Attacks on Jerusalem Date Extent Result 605 B.C. Quick strike Sons of noble families deported for civil service (including Daniel) 597 B.C. Major Attack King Jehoiachin deposed; leading families and skilled workers deported (Ezekiel included) 588-586 B.C. Total Destruction City and temple destroyed; King Zedekiah blinded; all but the poor deported Daniel: He was descended from one of the noble families of Judah (Dan_1:3), and was probably born in Jerusalem about 623 B.C., during the reign of Josiah. At the first deportation of the Jews by Nebuchadnezzar (the kingdom of Israel had come to an end nearly a century before), or immediately after his victory over the Egyptians at the second battle of Carchemish, in the fourth year of the reign of Jehoiakim (605-604 B.C. Klemmer note: this is not ISBE’s version of the date, they say 606 B.C., however, biblical scholars seem to agree that Josiah’s death/Battle of Megiddo occurred in 608 B.C.. Jehoiakim took over after Jehoahaz, which would have occurred in 608 B.C.; the fourth year would have been four years later or around 604, depending upon when Jehoiakim assumed the throne ), Daniel and other three noble youths were carried off to Babylon, along with part of the vessels of the temple. (ISBE) Ezekiel: One of the great prophets, the son of Buzi the priest (Eze_1:3). He was one of the Jewish exiles who settled at Tel-Abib, on the banks of the Chebar, “in the land of the Chaldeans.” He was probably carried away captive with Jehoiachin (Eze_1:2; 2Ki_24:14-16) about 597 B.C.. His prophetic call came to him “in the fifth year of Jehoiachin's captivity” (Klemmer note: about 592 B.C.). He had a house in the place of his exile, where he lost his wife, in the ninth year (about 598 B.C.) of his exile, by some sudden and unforeseen stroke (Eze_8:1; Eze_24:18). He held a prominent place among the exiles, and was frequently consulted by the elders (Eze_8:1; Eze_11:25; Eze_14:1; Eze_20:1). His ministry extended over twenty-three years (Eze_29:17), (Klemmer note: 592-569 B.C.), during part of which he was contemporary with Daniel (Eze_14:14; Eze_28:3) and Jeremiah, and probably also with Obadiah. (ISBE)

Key People Jeremiah King Jehoiakim King Zedekiah Served the last five kings of Judah Confidant of King Josiah (639-608 B.C.), King Jehoiakim (608-597 B.C.), and King Zedekiah (597-586 B.C.) Member of a priestly family and was from Anathoth Fled to Egypt with Beruch upon destruction of Jerusalem King Jehoiakim King of Judah, 608-597 B.C., corrupt and wicked Carried off in first Babylonian captivity (2 Ch 36:6) King Zedekiah Gained the throne at age 21 Last king of Judah, then Sent into exile His sons were killed and then he was blinded Jeremiah: The mission of Jeremiah the prophet in this crisis of the history of Judah was to preach obedience and loyalty to the king of Babylon, and moral reformation as the only means of escaping the Divine vengeance impending upon land and people. He tells them in the name of God of the great judgment that was to come at the hand of the Chaldeans on Jerusalem and surrounding peoples. He even predicts the period of their subjection to Chaldean domination: “And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years” (Jer_25:11). This preaching was unpalatable to the partisans of Egypt and to those who believed in the inviolability of Jerusalem. But with stern rebuke and with symbolic action he proclaims the doom of Jerusalem, and in the face of persecution and at the risk of his life, the prophet fulfills his ministry. (ISBE) Jehoiakim: Was first the vassal of Pharaoh Necoh, and then of Nebuchadrezzar, was in corruption and wickedness too faithful a representative of the people. Jeremiah charges him with covetousness, the shedding of innocent blood, From Daniel we learn that in the third year of Jehoiakim (605 B.C.), Nebuchadrezzar came up against Jerusalem and besieged it, and carried off, along with vessels of the house of God, members of the seed royal, and of the nobility of Judah, among whom was Daniel the prophet. That Jehoiakim was included in what seems to be a first installment of the captivity of Judah is expressly affirmed by the Chronicler who says: “Against him (Jehoiakim) came up Nebuchadnezzar ... and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon” (2Ch_36:6). Nebuchadnezzar succeeded his father on the throne of Babylon in 604 BC, and reigned till 561 BC. He probably commanded the armies of Babylon from 609. BC. At any rate, he was at the head of the army which defeated Pharaoh Necoh at Carchemish on the Euphrates in 605 BC (see 2Ki_23:31; 2Ch_35:20 ff). After having driven Necoh out of Asia and settled the affairs of Syria and Palestine, he was suddenly recalled to Babylon by the death of his father. There he seems quietly to have ascended the throne. In the 4th year of Jehoiakim (Klemmer note: 605-604 B.C. depending upon how you count, i.e. 608 as year, 607 as a year, 606 as a year, 605 as a year; or, 608-607 as a year, 607-606 as a year, and 606-605 as a year, 605-604 as a year), (or 3rd according to the Babylonian manner of reckoning (Dan_1:1), see previous Klemmer note), he came up first against Jerusalem and carried away part of the vessels of the temple and a few captives of noble lineage. Again, in Jehoiakim's 11th year, he captured Jerusalem, put Jehoiakim, its king, into chains, and probably killed him. His successor, Jehoiachin, after a three months' reign, was besieged in Jerusalem, captured, deposed, and carried captive to Babylon, where he remained in captivity 37 years until he was set free by Evil-Merodach (Klemmer note: or Amel-Merduk, he succeeded Nebuchadnezzar around 562 B.C. until 560 B.C.; Jehoiachin would have been released in 560 B.C. (597 minus 37 years); he was murdered for straying away from his fathers ways). In the 9th year of Zedekiah, Nebuchadnezzar made a 4th expedition against Jerusalem which he besieged, captured, and destroyed (see Jer 52). In addition to these wars with Judah, Nebuchadnezzar carried on a long siege of Tyre, lasting 13 years, from his 7th to his 20th year. He had at least three wars with Egypt. The first culminated in the defeat of Necoh at Carchemish; the second in the withdrawal of Hophra (Apries) from Palestine in the 1st year of the siege of Jerusalem under Zedekiah; and the third saw the armies of Nebuchadnezzar entering Egypt in triumph and defeating Amasis in Nebuchadnezzar's 37th year. In the numerous building and honorific inscriptions of Nebuchadnezzar he makes no mention by name of his foes or of his battles; but he frequently speaks of foes that he had conquered and of many peoples whom he ruled. Of these peoples he mentions by name the Hittites and others (see Langdon, 148-51). In the Wâdy-Brissa inscription, he speaks of a special conquest of Lebanon from some foreign foe who had seized it; but the name of the enemy is not given. Anathoth – a city set aside by Joshua for those of Levitical descent. Abiathar – 1 Kings 2:26, Solomon banished Anathoth, possibly a descendent of Jeremiah and creating mistrust among the people, mentioned in Mar 2:26

Key People Nebo Sarsechim Gedaliah Governor of Judah after the nation fell Overseer of Jeremiah Assassinated by Ishmael despite warnings Father, Ahikam, protected Jeremiah during Jehoiakim’s reign Gedaliah’s grandfather was Shaphan, who read the Book of the Law to King Josiah Nebo Sarsechim tablet – revealed in an archeaological find by a British Museum that referenced a cuneiform tablet found referencing a transaction between Nebo Sarsechim and other officials in Babylon for gold recovered in the temple during the siege of Jerusalem.

New Gate Temple

Picture of the middle gate maybe same as Damascus gate

Jerusalem Captured (39:1-10) Nebuchadnezzar’s final assault Nebuchadnezzar led the assault (vs. 1-2) July, 586 B.C. Occupation government established near the Middle Gate (vs. 3) Fulfilled the Jeremiah’s prophecy from 1:15 Nergal-Sharezer was the Babylonian authority Zedekiah escapes Through the king’s garden (Fountain Gate) (vs. 4) Zedekiah captured Zedekiah’s son’s killed, he is blinded (vs. 6-7) Read: All Nergal-Sharezer (NUR-gal-sha-REE-zur) was the first Babylonina authority in Jerusalem and later assassinated Nebuchanezzar’s son, Evil-Merdoch, in 560 B.C. to become king of Babylon. Evil-Merdoch ruled from 562-560 B.C. and is credited for freeing Jehoiakim from captivity.

Jerusalem Captured (39:1-10) Past references Jeremiah had predicted Zedekiah would meet Nebuchadnezzar face-to-face (Jer 32:3-4) Ezekiel had predicted that Zedekiah would be taken to Babylon but never “see” it (Ezek 12:13) Destruction of the city Babylonian’s burn the palace of Zedekiah and all residential areas of the city (39:8) Burning of the temple (II Ki 25:9, II Chron 36:19, Jer 52:13) Nebuzaradan remained as the Captain of the Guard Productive people deported, peasants remain (vs 10) Read: Jer 32:3-4, Ezek 12:13, II Ki 25:9, II Chron 36:19, Jer 52:13

Jeremiah Freed (39:11-18) Nebuzaradan’s orders Nebuchadnezzar becomes familiar with Jeremiah’s advice to Zedekiah Nebuchadnezzar orders Nebuzaradan to be personally responsible for Jeremiah (vss. 11-12) Escort Jeremiah from confinement (vss. 13-14) Sent to Gedaliah for safe keeping Jeremiah permitted to stay in Judah(vs. 14) Jeremiah encourages Ethiopian eunuch Ebed-Melech (vs. 18) Ensured safety during the Babylonian invasion Read: Jeremiah 39:11-18)

Jeremiah Honored (40:1-6) Jeremiah deported to Ramah Staging area for captives moving to Babylon Babylon’s discover Jeremiah there Jeremiah is freed, then honored Nebuzaradan’s comments Used Jeremiah’s phrases about Jerusalem (vs 2-3) Credits God with punishing His people Offers Jeremiah a choice of places to live (vs. 4) Advised to be near Gedaliah Jeremiah goes to Gedaliah in Mizpah Read: All

Gedaliah Assassinated (40:7-41:3) Rise of a rebellion Babylonian army departs, small contingency remains Bands of guerrilla fighters begins to emerge Conditions fueled the rebellion (vss. 7-8) Gedaliah urges restraint against Babylon Promises no harm by Babylon, act as a liaison (vs. 10) Second wave of Jews who fled arrive (vs. 11) Beginning return to normal (vs. 12) Ishmael wants to kill Gedaliah King of Ammon instigates (vss. 13-14) Johanan proposes killing Ishmael (vs. 15) Read: All

Gedaliah Assassinated (40:7-41:3) Baalis, king of Ammon, pursuades Ishmael Ishmael was a descendant of David Gedaliah was a traitor for protecting Jeremiah Judah should be free from Babylonian domination Ishmael kills Gedaliah Also, everyone associated with Gedaliah’s government Similar fashion to killing we see today in Middle East Jews now commemorate the assassination of Gedaliah between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kppur Read: All

Jeremiah 41:4-45:5 In Brief Johanan leads other guerrilla leaders against Ishmael Frees captives Remaining people, fearing what Babylon would do in retaliation, make plans to escape to Egypt Jeremiah and Baruch forced to go to Egypt Hebrews resumed worship of the Queen of Heaven Jeremiah again prophecies about the fall of Hebrews because of false idols Baruch is promised, in Chapter 45, he would protected Read:

Review Last week’s lesson Provided overviews of Jeremiah 39-45 Examined how the Babylonians finally conquered Jerusalem and what this meant to Jeremiah Understand why Gedaliah was assassinated Empathized with the agonizing emotions of those headed for exile Next week: Chapters 46-52, God’s Judgment among the nations