Shalom Friends,
Join us as we continue our journey through the book of Jeremiah, part two, which is in the order of the three major kings that ruled during Jeremiah's ministry. In the second of three videos, we will review the priestly and prophetic calling of Jeremiah and his cry to the people about repentance before the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC. We will also correlate how Jeremiah's message to the ancestors of the Jewish people would be the same cry and call to repentance today. During the three weeks of dire straits (July 2nd - July 23), where we reflect and remember why both temples were destroyed on the 9th of Av, there is not a better book to understand this than the prophet Jeremiah. YAH always warns the people before He judges and Jeremiah provides us with a great understanding of YAH's many awesome attributes, including grace, mercy, and loving kindness, yet also a warning to the people to come back to Him before judgement occurs to His people and to His land.
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Many Blessings,
Chadwick
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Shalom friends. My name is Chadwick Harvey, and You have reached Faithful Performance. Thank you so much for joining us tonight as we continue our series on the Book of Jeremiah, focusing on the reign of King Jehoiakim and what Jeremiah told the king and the people. Jeremiah is not written in chronological order, so we're going through it by the reigns of the kings: Josiah, Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah.
In our previous video on King Josiah, we saw he was a righteous king who enacted reforms. However, the people did not follow him. Jeremiah came on the scene around 627 BC, calling the people to repentance. King Josiah was killed in Megiddo by Pharaoh Neco of Egypt in 609 BC.
Tonight, we delve into King Jehoiakim's reign, a powerful section of Jeremiah. The book of Jeremiah is relevant for our times, bleeding into prophetic understanding of the end of the age and Yeshua's second coming. We'll cover about nine chapters for Jehoiakim's reign.
The first video on Josiah's reign focused on repentance. While it touched on end-times scriptures like Jeremiah 16, tonight we'll see the open rejection of God's word. Our next video will cover King Zedekiah, concluding with the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile, leading into the Day of the Lord scriptures.
Jeremiah is a difficult book, containing hardcore language from God himself to the prophets. This message would be the same today if Jeremiah, Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Yeshua, or Paul were here. Our brothers and sisters in Israel need to revisit these prophecies, especially in light of current events. The division, abominations, and lack of victories are linked to repentance, or Teshuvah, and returning to God's word.
Jeremiah's message during Jehoiakim's reign is the open rejection of the Torah, God's word. This was already evident in Josiah's reign when people refused to return to the "ancient past" and "good ways." Now, in 609 BC, this rejection is even more pronounced.
It's crucial to understand the prerequisites of the Jewish Messiah. Yeshua fulfilled Leviticus 23, the feast days, to the exact day, hour, and detail. Similarly, in the promised land, obedience to God's word is paramount, as the land will "vomit out" those who disobey.
Jeremiah, the "weeping prophet," loved God and his people. He had the two greatest commandments: love God and love your neighbor. His own family disowned him, showing the price of following Yahweh. Yeshua himself said we would be persecuted, just like the prophets.
Josiah's reign (627-609 BC) was a final call to repentance. Jehoiakim's reign (609-598 BC) marks Judah's deliberate rejection of God's word. While Josiah humbled himself before the Torah, Jehoiakim burned Jeremiah's scroll, a symbolic act of his entire reign. A key verse summarizing his reign is: "But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to me." Israel crossed a spiritual line. Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians were no longer just a warning but God's instrument of judgment.
We will examine Jeremiah chapters 26, 8, 10, 13, 22, 23, 25, 35, and 36, understanding that Jeremiah is not in chronological order.
**Jeremiah 26: The Temple Priest Rejects Jeremiah, God's Prophet**
In the beginning of Jehoiakim's reign, Jeremiah declared that unless Judah repented, Jerusalem would become like Shiloh, which was destroyed. This was a reiteration of a warning from Jeremiah 7 during Josiah's reign. The priests and false prophets demanded Jeremiah's death, but the princes intervened, remembering how King Hezekiah had spared the prophet Micah, whose warnings led to repentance. However, King Jehoiakim tragically murdered the prophet Uriah, who had prophesied against the city. Jeremiah was spared due to the intervention of Ahikam.
This chapter shows that Judah was no longer ignorant but actively persecuting God's prophets. The teaching point is that laying hands on God's anointed is serious.
**Jeremiah 4-6 (Repeated Warnings)**
These chapters, likely originating during Josiah's reign, were repeated as a second warning to Jehoiakim's people. The theme is intensified warnings to a rebellious people. Judgment was rapidly approaching. The emphasis is on breaking up fallow ground, circumcising the heart, and seeking the ancient paths. The people cried "Peace, peace!" when there was no peace. The teaching point is that the same message is repeated because the people refused to hear it the first time.
**Jeremiah 8: Sin Without Shame**
Jeremiah mourns for his people, earning him the title "weeping prophet." The people worshiped the sun, moon, and stars, not for God's appointed times but for personal gain, which is sorcery. They were "sinning without shame," refusing to repent. Even the birds knew their times, but God's people did not know the judgment of the Lord. This echoes Yeshua's lament over Jerusalem for not knowing the "time of your visitation." The false prophets promised peace when there was no peace, and the people rejected God's word. They were ashamed of nothing, leading to their downfall. The greatest judgment is when people no longer recognize their own sin.
**Jeremiah 10: The Living God Versus Idols**
This chapter contrasts lifeless idols with the Creator. It warns against learning the ways of the Gentiles and being dismayed by signs in the heavens. Idols are futile, made by human hands, and cannot speak or save. The Lord is the true God, the living God, and the everlasting King.
This is crucial for both Jews and Christians. Our theology comes from Zion, from Jerusalem. The paganism of the Gentiles, like Christmas trees and Easter eggs, is an abomination. Jeremiah would tell Christians today to stop worshiping like Babylonians. The ten commandments forbid images. The Christmas tree is an idol. We must worship God in spirit and truth, not through pagan traditions.
The word of the Lord is for the house of Israel, which includes believing Gentiles. There is one way to worship, through the Torah. Christian celebrations are not found in the New Testament, nor are they in the Torah, prophets, or Psalms.
**Jeremiah 13: The Linen Belt**
God commands Jeremiah to bury a linen sash by the Euphrates River. When recovered, it is ruined and useless. This symbolizes Judah's pride and corruption through idolatry and following other gods. The teaching point is that pride ultimately destroys usefulness before God. Pride goes before a fall. This applies to both Jewish and Christian pride today.
**Jeremiah 22: Judgment Upon the Kings of Judah**
Jeremiah addresses the royal house, stating that justice has disappeared. Kings abused their power instead of defending the weak, doing wrong to strangers, orphans, and widows, and shedding innocent blood. If they obeyed, they would prosper. If not, the house would become a desolation. The chapter condemns abortion and violence against strangers. The teaching point is that God judges leaders more strictly because they influence the nation.
**Jeremiah 23: The Branch of Righteousness**
This chapter contains a significant messianic prophecy. God promises to raise up a "branch of righteousness" to David, a king who will reign with justice and righteousness. His name will be "The Lord our righteousness." This refers to Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah. Matthew and Luke connect Yeshua to the Davidic covenant. The prophecy of the branch is linked to Nazareth, the Hebrew word "Netzer" meaning branch, sprout, or living growth. This imagery of new life from a seemingly dead stump is powerful.
Jeremiah 16 speaks of fishermen and hunters bringing people back to the land, a prophecy being fulfilled today with the return of Jewish people to Israel. Jeremiah 23 speaks of the Messiah leading them back himself.
The chapter also warns against false shepherds and empty oracles. Prophets speak lies from their own hearts, not from God. They promise peace when there is no peace.
**Jeremiah 25: Judgment for 70 Years in Babylon**
This chapter marks a turning point, summarizing over 20 years of Jeremiah's preaching. The people refused every warning. Babylon will rule for 70 years, and then Babylon itself will be judged. The "cup of God's wrath" will go to all nations. This prophecy bleeds into the second coming events, when Yeshua will pour out his wrath on the nations.
Nebuchadnezzar, called God's servant, was given authority to judge the nations of the Middle East. This historical judgment foreshadows the future judgment of the Lord. The Middle East today is in a state of disarray, mirroring Jeremiah's time. Many in the Middle East, including most Jews and Muslims, are unbelievers.
Yeshua will roar from on high, a second coming event, to judge the nations. He has a controversy with the nations, as stated in Genesis 10. The "slain of the Lord" will be from one end of the earth to the other.
**Jeremiah 35: The Obedient Rechabites**
God uses the Rechabites, who faithfully obeyed their ancestor's command to abstain from wine and live in tents, to shame Judah's disobedience. If people can obey human tradition, how much more should God's people obey His word?
**Jeremiah 36: Jehoiakim Burns the Scroll**
This chapter describes Jehoiakim's defiant act of burning Jeremiah's scroll. Despite the warnings and pleas of the princes, the king cut the scroll and burned it. God then commanded Jeremiah to write another scroll with even more words. Jehoiakim's reign ends in disgrace, with his body cast out beyond the gates of Jerusalem. The teaching point is that people can destroy paper, but they cannot destroy God's word.
**Jeremiah 37: A Personal Message to Baruch**
Baruch, Jeremiah's scribe, grows discouraged. God reminds him that national judgment is coming and that faithfulness, not greatness, is what matters.
**Conclusion**
Under Josiah, Judah ignored God's warning. Under Jehoiakim, Judah openly rejected God's word and prophets. The nation is moving from warning into judgment. Jehoiakim's reign is summarized by his act of burning God's word.
The book of Jeremiah is a serious and hardcore message. Jeremiah would say the same thing today to leaders and people alike. The same things happening in Jeremiah's day are happening now in Israel and in America. We must repent and return to God's word.
