The Prophet Jeremiah 2 Of 2

Hilkiah was the High Priest that found the Book of the Law during the time of King Josiah.

Illus: They did not have printing presses as we have today, so the Word of God was in limited supply.

According to Deut. 31:24-27, there was to be a copy of this Book of the Law beside the Ark of the Covenant, beginning in the days of Moses.

The Word of God was with Israel, but it was greatly neglected in those days. This neglect could only happen because Judah was in prolonged disobedience to God.

Illus: Many can relate to the loss of the law, because many households that do not serve God, have to hunt for a Bible if they need one.

• Deut. 17:18-20 tells us that each king was to have a personal copy of the law, and he was to read it.

• Deut. 31:9-13 tells us that the entire law was to be read to an assembly of the nation every 7 years at the Feast of Tabernacles, to keep the law before the people.

When the King heard the words of the Book of the Law, the hearing of God’s word did a spiritual work in King Josiah.

It was not merely the transmission of information; the hearing of God’s word had an impact of spiritual power on Josiah.

HOW DID HE RESPOND? He tore his clothes! The tearing of clothing was a traditional expression of horror and astonishment. In the strongest possible way, Josiah showed his grief on his own account and on account of the nation. This was an expression of deep conviction of sin.

We often give credit to King Josiah for the revival that came to the land during this time. God does use men in revivals, BUT REVIVAL ALWAYS COMES FROM GOD’S WORD!

I am not talking about some of these so-called revivals today that we hear about. I am talking about a real Holy Ghost Revival, where men and women repent of their sins and start to serve the true and living God.

The outline of the book goes something like this:

• In chapters 1-6, we see Jeremiah as a young man that delivered severe predictions condemning his people and pronouncing the judgment of God on them.

• In chapters 7-10, his prophecies were given after the Law of the Lord had been discovered in the temple cleansing by the young king Josiah. King Josiah and Jeremiah were probably close to the same age and very good friends.

• In chapters 11-12, Jeremiah speaks to the people of God after the Law of God has been read to the people.

• In chapter 13, Jeremiah speaks to them about the girdle.

Girdles today are used when someone has a barrel figure but wants to look like an hourglass.

During the time of Jeremiah, they wore loose garments and when they got ready to go to work, they would wear it around their waist to tighten their loose ends up.

Jeremiah bought it and put it on. Later God told him to take it off and bury it in a hole at the river Euphrates in some rocks. He did as the Lord told him. Later God told him to go and get it, and when he did it was rotten and worthless.

God is saying this is what is going to happen to Judah. They will become utterly worthless.

• In chapters 14-15, Jeremiah had been prophesying under King Josiah who got himself killed foolishly because of waging an unnecessary war with Egypt, who was no threat to him.

Now he is prophesying under King Jehoiakim. After the death of Josiah, Judah began to fall back into Idolatry.

• In chapters 16-17, Judah is at the brink of destruction.

During Manasseh’s administration, the people of Judah “did more evil” than their heathen neighbors (2 Chron. 33:9). Manasseh was taken as a prisoner to Assyria; there, he came to his senses and repented of his evil. When he returned to Palestine, he tried to undo the spiritual damage he had done, but he could not undo the damage he had done. When the ruler died, he was succeeded by his son Amon, who quickly re-instituted the wicked practices of his father’s early days.

The basic thrust of Jeremiah’s ministry was to bring his people to a state of repentance.

Look at Jer. 7:2-7, we read, “Stand in the gate of the Lord's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these. For if ye thoroughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever.”