1. Jeremiah: Profile of Courage Chapters 21-24 “A Scattered Flock”

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

3. Today’s Objectives Review last weeks lesson, including historical setting Understand the errors of Judah’s false prophets and what God thought about them Consider how you can spot a false prophet Learn about the Messianic prophecy found in Jeremiah Sense God’s sadness when His people are led away from Him

4. Review of Chapters 18-20 Historical overview Learned how Jeremiah used the pottery making process to illustrate Judah’s situation Saw how faith and discouragement were mixed in Jeremiah’s attitude toward his ministry Learned that God can and does change his mind Our individual and group ministries, though hard, are important

5. Historical Review Prophecy in Chapter 21-24 historical dates vary Chapter 21: 588 B.C. –Reign of King Zedekiah, third oldest son of King Josiah, why? –King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon preparing to lay siege to Jerusalem Chapter 22: 608-597 B.C. –After death of King Josiah, short reign and exile of King Johoahaz, and reign of King Jehoikim –Mentions Jehoahaz II (or Shallum), who reigned three months, was the fourth oldest son of King Josiah –Reign of King Jehoiakim, second oldest son of King Josiah Chapter 23-24: 597 B.C. –Beginning of King Zedekiah’s reign

6. Last Five Kings of Judah NameFatherReign ( B.C.) What happened? JosiahAmmon640-608Killed at Megiddo JehoahazJosiah (4)608Pharaoh Necho II carried into exile JehoiakimJosiah (2)608-597Rebelled against Babylon and killed JehoiachinJehoiakim597Exiled to Babylon ZedekiahJosiah (3)597-586Sons killed, blinded, then exiled to Babylon

7. Nebuchadnezzar's Attacks on Jerusalem DateExtentResult 605 B.C.Quick strikeSons of noble families deported for civil service (including Daniel) 597 B.C.Major AttackKing Jehoiachin deposed; leading families and skilled workers deported (Ezekiel included) 588-586 B.C.Total DestructionCity and temple destroyed; King Zedekiah blinded; all but the poor deported

8. Key People Jeremiah –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 –May have descended from Abiathar, a distrusted priest –Fled to Egypt with Beruch upon destruction of Jerusalem King Josiah –“Great Reform” (2 Ki 22-23, particularly 2 Ki 23:3) –639-609 B.C. –Foremost among all the kings for unswerving loyalty to God –Rebuilding of the temple –Discovery of the law of Moses (Book of Deuteronomy)

9. Key People King Jehoiakim –King of Judah, 608-597 B.C., corrupt and wicked –Carried off in first Babylonian captivity (2 Ch 36:6) Nebuchadnezzar –Babylonian King from 605-652 B.C.Babylonian –Military commander that defeated Egypt in 605 B.C. –Conquered Judah and destroyed Jerusalem in 586 B.C. King Zedekiah –Gained the throne at age 21 –Last king of Judah –Sent into exile –Blinded, and his sons killedBlinded

12. Zedekiah Consults Jeremiah (1:1-14) Zedekiah’s appeal to Jeremiah –Jeremiah asked to intervene in Babylon’s impending attack (vs. 2) –What does Jeremiah tell Zedekiah? (vss. 3-7) What message does God deliver to the people? –I am the way of life and death (vs. 8) –Faith in the city or faith in me (vss. 9-10) What message does God deliver to the royal family? –Make sure justice is carried out (vs. 12a) –Rescue those that have been oppressed (vs. 12b)

14. Chapter placed during the reign of the three kings prior to Zedekiah God’s appeals to the kings (vss. 1-3) –Do not allow people to cheat, rob, or take advantage of widows, orphans, and foreigners who live in Judah –Consequence (vss. 4-9) Obey – continue to rule Fail to obey – destructiondestruction Prophecy of three kings –Jehoahaz – carried to Egypt, would not return (vs. 11) –Jehoiakim – death and lie unburied (vs. 18-19) –Jehoiachin – given to the king of Babylon (vs. 25-26) The Three Kings (22:1-30)

16. Evil shepherds (vs. 1-2) –Kings of Judah had not taken care of their flock –God would punish them True Shepherd (vs. 3-8) –Flock would gather from all countries (vs. 3) –Promise of caring shepherds for his flock (vs. 4) –From David’s righteous Branch (vs. 5) –“The Lord our Righteousness” (vs. 6) –Reference to the future gathering out of dispersion (vs. 8) True Shepherds (23:1-8)

17. False prophets (vss. 9-10) –False prophets had a great deal of influence –Paradox of Jeremiah – overwhelmed/destruction –False prophets felt powerful leading people astray –Pleasant sounding message led people astray Prophets in Samaria and Jerusalem (vs. 13-15) –Prophets of Baal –Jerusalem as offensive as Sodom and Gmorrah God’s instructions to the people (vss. 16-22) –Do not listen to the false prophets False Prophets (23:9-22)

18. God’s opposition to false prophets –God was not ignorant of what was happening (vs. 23) –No hiding place existed (vs. 24) Jeremiah’s contempt of false prophet’s dreams –Their dreams were delusions of the mind (vss. 25-26) –Colluded lies led people astray (vs. 27) Comparison of false prophets versus God’s word –Word of God consumes falsehood (vs 29) –God opposes three kinds of false prophets: Those who claimed their message was from God, but not Those who manufactured their own prophecy Those who insisted God was the source of their dreams Distinguishing Truth from Error (23:23-32)

19. Use of Oracles –“Burden” –Special message –Jeremiah was to challenge the existence (vs. 33) –False prophets with oracles threatened (vss. 34-35) God condemns the fake prophets –Oracles were not oracles at all –Lulling Judah and Jerusalem into a fatal sense of security (vs. 36) –God would cast from his presence (vss. 37-39) Distorted Words (23:33-40)

20. After King Jehoiachin was deported and King Zedekiah installed (597 B.C. ) Bad versus good figs –Inferior figs represents King Zedekiah and his false prophets –Good figs represents the skilled artisans and upper-class families who Nebuchadnezzar took to Babylon On another level –Good figs anticipate that the exiles would turn to God –Bad figs, remaining inhabitants of Jerusalem, would continue to resist God Baskets of Figs (24:1-10)

21. Review Reviewed last weeks lesson, including historical setting Developed a better understand of why Jeremiah withdrew from common societal practices Developed a deeper understanding of why judgment was coming on Judah Appreciate the subtleties of self-deception Identify sources of water that strengthens your faith Next week: Jeremiah 18-20