A genuine benefit comes out of the seeming disorganized
structure of Jeremiah. It forces us to realize that it was not written directly
for us. It had a different target audience. This is important going forward.
To study Jeremiah properly, we should shed our modern dress,
and instead don our ancient turbans and dusty sandals, then stand among a group of refugees
and listen to someone as he reads it to us. We will get a lot more out of it this way
than by reading it in comfortable surroundings with an over analytical brain.
There is no reason for this book to be arranged
chronologically. Its original audience all knew about the major participants in
the book, the kings and other officials, who succeeded whom. They know about
the sieges and failed alliances and they can trace their history back to the different
deportations. The conversations around their nightly fires centered around
these things, because their life and identity is still founded on the land, the
city, the palace and the temple. They talked in detail about these things on a
daily basis.
When you are sitting around those fires at night, Jeremiah’s
words in Chapter 24 become very personal, “Hey guys, the LORD says we are the
good figs, not the bad figs. PTL!” That makes you all feel a whole lot better
about your state of affairs. Away with the “rejected” motif and on with the “blessed”
one in all our conversations.
The words in Chapter 29:7 speak directly to you and your
whole group. “And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent
you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, for its welfare will determine your
welfare.” What? Pray for the pagan, idolatrous Babylonians’ welfare? Yes! I guess no
more imprecatory Psalms for them.
And the list goes on and on and on. The book of Jeremiah was
planned, drafted and crafted not for a 21st century audience, but
for deeply grieved, displaced, confused and doubting Israelis in the 500s BCE.
