The Book of Jeremiah - the Old Testament
The book of Jeremiah contains the ancient prophetic literature of the Israelite prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah, a descendant from the priestly family of Anathoth, began his 40 year ministry in the 13th year of the Judean King Josiah's reign (625 BCE). He continued prophesying until after the destruction of Jerusalem in the 11th year of Zedekiah's reign (586 BCE). Upholding his role as G-d's mouthpiece he transmitted the Divine message to the people of the Judean Southern Kingdom. Jeremiah also relates his prophecies to the exiles and foreign surrounding neighbours. Huldah the prophetess and Zephaniah the prophet were Jeremiah's contemporaries. Baruch Ben Neriah a scribe and loyal friend to Jeremiah recorded the book. Other literature to which Jeremiah claims authorship include the Book of Kins II and lamentations which is an elaboration of the Destruction of the southern kingdom. Preceding Jeremiah's ministry and the reign of Josiah were the Judean Kings Amon and Menashe who both encouraged idol worship and moral degeneracy. It was Menashe who formerly introduced and sanctioned such behavious which was so diametrically opposed to the Deuteronomoic law- the Divine Constitution which the people of Israel, designated as G-d's "chosen"
Although Josiah's fundamental reform was mostly successful in purging g the land of any traces of idolatry, he could not completely eradicate this behaviour, which was so deeply entrenched in the people. Jeremiah attempted to sway the people to repent, in order to avoid Divine Judgement, which was to manifest itself in the destruction and exile of the kingdom. Jeremiah also rebukes the people for their hypocrisy in seeking refuge in the Temple, offering sacrifices to G-d while openly betraying Him. Jeremiah conveys G-d's plan to "cast you (Juday ) out of My presence as I cast our your brothers, the whole brood of Ephraim"- alluding to the destruction and Exile of Judah's sister Kingdom Israel which was a consequence of their infidelity to G-d, 100 years earlier. Jeremiah responds to the people's unsuccessful return to G-d, chastising them for "Judah did not return to Me wholeheartedly, but insincerely". Josiah felt their alliance was a threat to the Judean independence and fearing a renewal of Assyrian strength sought to stop Egypt from coming to Assyrian aid. Jehoiakim's regin signalled a period of unrest and regression amongst the Judean civilian. Upon finding a scroll, the "Law of Moses" in the Temple in his 18th year, Josiah decided to end Menashe's idolatrous and immoral campaigns as the discovery of the scroll caused him to realise the extent of the people's rejection of G-d. The majority of the population were deported to Babylonia, Jeremiah remained in Israel with the small group of Judeans under the authority of the governor Gedaliah appointed by the invaders following his assassination Jeremiah accompanied Judeans into Exile in Egypt. Zedekiah's will to rebel was much influenced by the promises of the false prophets at the ti9me, who spoke of an end to the Babylonian power, the soon return of the exiles in Babylon and the false sense of security that the Temple would protect them from destruction. Not only did the civilians practice such immoral and socially unjust behaviour but so did the leaders, priests and false prophets who misled the people by exemplifying ultimate infidelity ot G-d. Following their military success Egypt claimed domination of the Judean Kingdom and as proof of his new strength, Pharoah Neco himself removed Josiah's son Jehoiachin (after 3 months on the throne) and replaced him with another of the former king's son's- Jehoiakim. He condemns the people's moral regression which included oppression of the "stranger, the orphan and the widow" (ch7), and the people's leniency to "steal and murder and commit adultery and swear falsely and sacrifice to baal and follow other gods".
Common topics in this essay:
Israelite G-d,
Judeans Jeremiah,
G-d Josiah's,
Egypt Assyria,
Kingdom Israel,
G-d Jeremiah,
Jehoiakim Jehoiakim's,
Moses Temple,
Amon Menashe,
Babylon Consequently,
egypt assyria,
false prophets,
assyria result,
destruction exile,
josiah's death,
586 bce,
southern kingdom,
constantly vacillated,
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