The Peak of Jeremiah

An important step in Biblical literacy is to learn to read a Bible book the way the original readers would have read it. The original readers of Jeremiah were displaced people. They lost all they owned as they were taken captive to foreign lands. While in captivity they learned that all they loved was destroyed, the City of Jerusalem, the Palace, and especially the Temple of the Lord. With news of the destruction of these things the people would basically have lost all hope (except for certain people like Daniel who had rock-solid faith and a living relationship with the Creator).

When the book of Jeremiah is read with the eyes of its original readership some of its organization becomes clearer. Its book ends have already been mentioned. Now it is time to look at Peak.

The first 23 chapters lay down an undeniable case for "why" all the tragedies have taken place. Chapter 24 is pivotal in that is states clearly that God's protective presence left the land and moved to the captives (good figs, bad figs). Chapters 25-29 show more of the "why" and "how' of the tragedies.

When the original readers get to chapter 30 through 33 the dark clouds are transformed into crystal blue sky. Hope is restored. The view is glorious. And the promises are absolute. This is clearly the Peak of Jeremiah. Israel's broken relationship with their God will be restored. The people will all return to the land. The covenantal blessings will be received in abundance. Fields will produce abundantly, animals will thrive. And a New and Better Covenant will be ratified that will prevent all these tragedies from ever happening again.

What glorious promises these are. Captive people of Israel forever rejoice!

"Time Stamps"

Even the original readership of the book of Jeremiah read about events and dates mentioned in the book from a later date. The "now" of the book was all historical to them (just as it is with us). However, this does not diminish the importance of what is said here below:

Time is an element of the book of Jeremiah that must be recognized. Chronology is included in the text and is very important. The thing is, the people the Book was written to were very well informed of the chronology of the nations of Israel and Judah. They knew the lineages of the kings and all the events surrounding them. They knew details of battles, the foreign conquests and deportations. In fact, the original readership were all displaced people, they all had part in the history we are talking about. Even if their ancestors had been deported a hundred years earlier, the history had been handed down from generation to generation and any and all news from the homeland was sought and cherished and discussed and passed down.

Therefore, rather than record things in a restrictive, chronological order, the author of Jeremiah was able to write thematically and place the events and prophecies in their proper historical context by using what we might call “time stamps.” 

Here is an example: The phrase, “After King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon exiled Jehoiachin … king of Judah … (24:1)” is a very clear time stamp. It gives a specific context for the word of the Lord that follows.  The significance of this particular date is that this is when the majority of the population of the holy city was dragged away into exile. Jerusalem was emptied of its king and his family, its soldiers, its tradesman, its leaders and almost all of its population. Left behind was an incompetent king, peasants, and a wily prophet. This is the context where the good figs, bad figs prophecy of this chapter is revealed. There are about 18 of these time stamps placed throughout the book. The one mentioned above is the 4^th. 

These time stamps are key to recognizing the author's organization of his book.