Jeremiah Chapter 36 "Baruch. Mission to Jehoiakim." This Bible
Study is written by Roger Christopherson, and it's
transcription/ location is provided by http://www.theseason.org This last chapter in Jeremiah is sort of a test to check up on you, to see if you learned anything from the last chapter, as far as identifying who the Kenites are when one is mentioned. You may find it a little difficult in places, but we will dig it out with the Strong's Concordance with numbered Hebrew and Greek dictionaries, along with a Smith's Bible Dictionary that will translate names of the Bible back to their full translation. Remember from the last chapter, God promised the Kenites that they would never lack for a leader, until they are either converted, or destroyed by their rejection of Christ. The main flow of the prior ten chapters is the fact that the king of Babylon is coming, and God will send him and his army because of the house of Judah's rejection of the laws and commandments of God, and their turning to evil. In the future sense these chapters apply to our generation, and the coming of the king of Babylon of the book of Revelation. That king is the false messiah Satan, also known the Antichrist who will be kicked out of heaven where he is now, and on to the earth. We are in that period just before Satan's coming, just as Jeremiah was in just before the coming of the historical king of Babylon's coming to Jerusalem. What we read now in this chapter is exactly as it shall happen just before the time of the end. Friend, this is the Word of God, and it will happen just as it is written. We will also see what happens to those that handle God's Holy Word carelessly. Jeremiah 36:1 "And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying," This event is happening just after the first siege of Jerusalem, and at this time Daniel, and Shadrach, Meshach and Adednego have already been taken into captivity. Jeremiah is now warning the king and the men of Judah of the two sieges that will follow. Jeremiah 36:2 "Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day." Jeremiah is singling out both houses, that of Israel, and of Judah. Jeremiah is also writing this to all the Gentile nation. A scroll or roll of a book is a long single sheet of paper, or papyrus and it was written on in columns from right to left, and if it was extremely long you would have sticks on each end. As you read the roll, you read from right to left, just opposite to the way we read in English. The book that we are talking about here is the book of Jeremiah. Those words are the words that God spoke to Jeremiah, however they are the Words that God spoke to Jeremiah, and not Jeremiah's words. Jeremiah 36:3 "It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin." evil Many will jump on this verse as fact that God brings evil on men. The problem is in the translation. "Evil" should be translated "adversities" or "calamity", in the Hebrew tongue "ra". It is the trouble that God allows to come upon them for the evil that the people have done. This calamity that is coming on the houses of Israel and Judah was for their own correction, just as the calamity of Satan the Antichrist coming to earth will ultimately be for the correction of his people that would listen to false teachers that would lead them to the false Christ. Whenever you are corrected, to you it becomes adversity. It is trouble to the one being corrected, while correction in love for the one doing the correction. Jeremiah 36:4 "Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah: and 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." The name "Baruch" in the Hebrew means "blessed". Don't overlook the phrase written here, "all the words of the LORD", again that book is what we call the book of Jeremiah. It was obvious after the first siege that Nebuchadnezzar, after he had taken part of the house of Judah captive [including Daniel] that the others thought that they were not going anywhere until after the time of testing by the Antichrist is completed. All the prophecies will come to pass before the seventh trump sounds, and only the elect of God will see and understand those events or signs and not be deceived by those events. Jeremiah 36:5 "And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I am shut up; I cannot go into the house of the LORD:" Jeremiah was locked in prison at this time and could not deliver God's message to the people from his cell. Baruch will be the one delivering Jeremiah's message sent from God. Jeremiah 36:6 "Therefore go thou, and read in the roll, which thou hast written from my mouth, the words of the LORD in the ears of the people in the LORD's house upon the fasting day: and also thou shalt read them in the ears of all Judah that come out of their cities." This is not the fasting day mentioned in the book of Leviticus occurring in the seventh month, it is not a God given day because we are in the ninth month. This fasting day then is one that they set aside for themselves. It is a day set aside by tradition, like we set aside "memorial day", or "Thanksgiving day" today. So this day was set aside to fast and pray to God to keep their captivity from taking place. They are trying to postpone the event that God told them would take place, yet they have not changed their evil ways of idolatry one bit. Can't you see all these leaders of the religious community and the people carrying on in the Temple, to prevent their captivity. Then out of the blue, here comes Baruch unto their midst and starts reading this roll [scroll] that Jeremiah has been preaching to them for many years. These people thought that everything they did in the house of God, had to be of God. It didn't matter to the religious leaders that what was going on was thoughts of Baal and other religious forms with the Word of God, and then declare it of God, but that isn't the way that God works. When we see today how far the pastors have taken God's Word, and mixed it with their traditions, and then call it of God, we can start to see what went on in Jeremiah's day. Today the dreamers have taken over the church, and they sit daily trying to out do each other in their new ideas to draw the crowds. Their traditions have become nothing but folly in many cases. Gimmicks and tricks have replaced faith in their seeking to try to impress one another, and hanging out their beggars bags. God's Word is written and it shall come to pass exactly as it is written. Jeremiah 37:7 "It may be they will present their supplication before the LORD, and will return every one from his evil way: for great is the anger and the fury that the LORD hath pronounced against this people." Where does this apply today? Just like the religious leaders told the people that they had nothing to fear, the king of Babylon is not coming in Jeremiah's day; the religious leaders of today are telling the people that they will not be here when the king of Babylon of Revelation, who is the Antichrist comes. You are going to be gone? Friend, the religious leaders of today are just as much lying to you as the religious leaders did to the people of Judah. It is a lie, and those that tell you so are false prophets, just like those that faced Jeremiah. They are not a scholar of God's Word, because scholars of God's Word do not peddle fairy tales of flying like the birds in their rapture theories. This is pretty late in the day to start playing around with God's Holy Word, and that is what is being done today. Today this same thing that was written in Jeremiah's roll, which is that the King of Babylon of Revelation is coming, and those living now will see this false Christ before they see our Lord Jesus Christ coming at the seventh trump. Most teachers that teach other then this are using other study tools that are not of God's Word, but they pass it off as God's Word. Their supplements are the traditions of men, and not part of the infallible Word of God. Each of them will have to account for their false teaching and leading of God's people into traditional doctrines. It is just as those false prophets were held accountable for their misleading of the people. God told us through Ezekiel what He thinks of their rapture doctrines in Ezekiel 13:18-23. Keep in mind that the "women" spoken of as being the peddlers of these false doctrines are supposed to be the bride of Christ, and the "pillows" are their doctrines made up to make the souls fly. Ezekiel 13:20 "Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly." Though you may deceive the innocent person with your escape hatch rapture doctrine, in the Millennium Age of Christ's kingdom, the truth will be revealed to all people. However those that lead their flocks to the worship of the Antichrist [Satan] will be held accountable for the lies they taught in their people while claiming it to be in God's name, and for the souls that were led astray. This is why Jeremiah told Baruch to read all of the Word to them, for those events that are going to happen will be exactly as God stated it would happen. No traditions or slick preachers or false prophets can change God's Word one bit. Jeremiah 36:8 "And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of the LORD in the LORD's house." Notice that it was the Lord's house and it is the Lord's Word that should be taught in that house. Anytime anything other then the Lord's Word is taught, that person is playing games with you and you are playing with fables. That is what their traditions are. This does not apply to an evangelist, but it does apply to a minister, a priest and to teachers. Jeremiah 36:9 "And it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, in the ninth month, that they proclaimed a fast before the LORD to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all the people that came from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem." The first siege was over, however the second one is very close and the people knew it was coming. The people wanted to do something very right and very religious for the sake of their safety. So they went to the king and religious leaders to make a proclamation. God did not appoint this fast. Remember that the timing of this fast goes against what God has warned the people and leaders that would happen. The part that made this fast wrong, was that it was done to bypass what God said He was doing to bring on them for their evil. Notice there is no mention of turning from their idolatry, or repenting for the evil that they had done. The fast here was to teach the people to do something contrary to the words of God's Word. They are trying to change the will of God, without repentance and create their own doctrine. Today that doctrine is called the "any moment doctrine", or the "rapture theory". Jeremiah 36:10 Then read Baruch in the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the LORD, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the higher court, at the entry of the new gate of the LORD's house, in the ears of all the people." Baruch went right into the highest chambers of the leaders of the temple, and he stood there and read this roll that Jeremiah had dictated to him. So this was the second time that Baruch read this complete warning to all the people. Jeremiah 36:11 "When Michaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard out of the book all the words of the LORD," This "Michaiah" is the same person known as Micah, who wrote the book of Micah. He knew and trusted in the words that Jeremiah was giving from God. Jeremiah 36:12 "Then he went down into the king's house, into the scribe's chamber: and, lo, all the princes sat there, even Elishama the scribe, and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, and Elnathan the son of Achbor, and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the princes." After Baruch read the scroll, Michaiah took the words and read them from the roll and went to the palace of the king, where the princes were meeting with the nobles, and Michaiah [Micah] addressed them. Jeremiah 36:13 "Then Michaiah declared unto them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the book in the ears of the people." So we see that Micah declared all the words of God from the roll that he had heard to all the princes. So we see that all the people had heard the truth of the Word's from God. Jeremiah 36:14 "Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, unto Baruch, saying, Take in thine hand the roll wherein thou hast read in the ears of the people, and come. So Baruch the son of Neriah took the roll in his hand, and came unto them." Jehudi, the son of Nethaniah are Nethinims, ones given to service, not of Judah but were part of the Kenites. These princes are sending Jehudi the Kenite to Baruch to have Baruch bring the roll to them. Jeremiah 36:15 "And they said unto him, Sit down now, and read it in our ears. So Baruch read it in their ears." Baruch has come to the palace and he sat down with the princes and leaders and Baruch is giving them a personal audience of the reading of the roll from Jeremiah. Jeremiah 36:16 "Now it came to pass, when they had heard all the words, they were afraid both one and other, and said unto Baruch, We will surely tell the king of all these words."
afraid
6342
pachad (paw-kkad'); a primitive root; to
be startled (by a sudden alarm); hence, to fear in general:
KJV - be afraid, stand in awe, (be in)
fear, make to shake.
God had singled out all the false prophets all the way to the king, and marked them either for captivity of destruction. Friend, these men were physically shook when they heard the reading of Jeremiah's roll. In the Hebrew tongue "Afraid" is "Pachad", and this number 6342 means "startled, to stand in awe and fear, to physically shake." You know the Word of God written in the scroll will reach the king. Jeremiah 36:17 "And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou write all these words at his mouth?" These leaders wanted to know from Baruch's own mouth, did you take this down word for word from the mouth of Jeremiah, as given by God? They are trying to clarify whether this roll represents exact writing, or hearsay from memory? Jeremiah 36:18 "Then Baruch answered them, He pronounced all these words unto me with his mouth, and I wrote them with ink in the book." In other words, God gave the words to Jeremiah, and Baruch heard the words being spoken and wrote them as they were being spoken in ink on the roll. It is the exact Word of God. Jeremiah 36:19 "Then said the princes unto Baruch, Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah; and let no man know where ye be." These princes didn't know it, but Jeremiah was still in prison, while the Baruch is in the chamber with them. However, they do know how angry the king will be when he hears what was written on the roll of the sentence that is passed on him and the people. Remember that the king has his special prophets that will tell him whatever he wants to hear. We have the same bunch of fable story tellers hanging around today, that will tell you whatever you want to hear, then they expect you to contribute to their begging bag. Jeremiah 36:20 "And they went in to the king into the court, but they laid up the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and told all the words in the ears of the king." These princes went to the court and gave the report to the king exactly as Jeremiah had it written in the roll. Jeremiah 36:21 "So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll: and he took it out of Elishama the scribe's chamber. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes which stood beside the king." Here is our little Kenite messenger again, and the king was sending Jehudi to fetch the roll. When he returned with the roll, he read it before the princes as they stood before the king. The word is out, and what are they going to do about it? Jeremiah 36:22 "Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month: and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him." The ninth month on the Jewish calendar is the same as December on our calendar, and it was cold in Jerusalem, and frigid in the king's chambers. Jeremiah 36:23 "And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth." Notice first that there are no leaves on a scroll or roll, so what is referred to here were columns. As this Jehudi was reading the columns three or four at a time, this Kenite would cut what was read off, and he threw those cuttings on the fire. The columns of the Word were destroyed by fire by this Kenite as he stood before the king, and as the Word was read to him. The point here is that when you mentally or spiritually throw away the Word of God that you know applied to you, that becomes a serious thing to God. This does not apply to the getting rid of an old Bible, or writing notes in the edges, but mentally defying what that Word is saying directly to you. This is a mental and spiritual thing. The king is supposed to be the protector of the faith, yet he is allowing this Kenite to defy the very Word of God. Jeremiah 36:24 "Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words." From the king on down, not one of them cared what Jeremiah of God had to say. They had their false prophets, and they were the only ones that the king would listen to. Jeremiah 36:25 "Nevertheless Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the roll: but he would not hear them." After this act by this Kenite to destroy the Word of God, the reaction of the king and the princes that stood in fear earlier, hardened their heart and just didn't believe the Word of God. Jeremiah 36:26 "But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet: but the LORD hid them." The king was fed up with both Baruch and Jeremiah, and he assigned these three men that were officers of the court to take Jeremiah and Baruch and kill them. It doesn't matter what the king wanted, it is only the desires of the Heavenly Father that matters, and our Lord in the furnace, heated seven times over. Not one hair on their head was singed. Jeremiah 36:27 "Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, after that the king had burned the roll, and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of Jeremiah, saying," Jeremiah 36:28 "Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath burned." Jeremiah took another roll wrote the entire book over, word for word exactly as it had been the first time. Jeremiah 36:29 "And thou shalt say to Jehoiakim king of Judah, Thus saith the LORD; Thou hast burned this roll, saying, Why hast thou written therein, saying, The king of Babylon shall certainly come and destroy this land, and shall cause to cease from thence man and beast?" Jeremiah 36:30 "Therefore thus saith the LORD of Jehoiakim king of Judah; He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost." A dead body laying in the heat decays fast and becomes bloated. It is not a pretty sight. King Jehoiakim will not have any descendants come to the throne again. Jehoiakim's son was removed and taken to Babylon and had only three months to live, and it ended. Jehoakim's dead body would receive the same respect as you would give a dead mule; tie a rope around his leg and pull him to the field to rot away as food for the buzzards. Jeremiah 36:31 "And I will punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring upon them, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and upon the men of Judah, all the evil that I have pronounced against them; but they hearkened not." Even after God made the warning stronger against the king and Judah, they mocked Him even more. You talk about these getting what they deserve, they are all going to get exactly what God has pronounced on them. Jeremiah 36:32 "Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah; who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire: and there were added besides unto them many like words." This second roll that Baruch wrote is just like the first one that came from the dictation of Jeremiah, and this time they were protected from the king. Not only did the king damn the roll and God's Word but his seed also, his family also and servants took part in the mocking of the Word of God. When God chooses you to do a work for Him, He will protect you while you are on that mission for Him. As we come into these end days, it is time to analyze our own lives individually. For us it is important is stick to the Word of God. It doesn't matter what any man says about them, but what is important is that the Word of God will support our thinking. If we hold to something that we can not support from within the Word, then that belief should be changed to conform to what God said through His prophets. The only values that count are the ones that are supported by God's written Word. When God sent Jeremiah back to the king and the people to give the message out, He promised Jeremiah protection for the time of destruction that would come upon the rulers, the people and the land. This protection is extended to those that are living in the time of the spiritual destruction in our generation also. The Covenants of promises that are stated in His Word are sure, and we can count on every last one of them. That applies to both the physical Covenants that were promised to Abraham as well as the Covenants that apply to the Branch, Jesus Christ, that we can repent to the Father, in Jesus name, and be forgiven of sin.
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