Lenten Readings -- Jeremiah 18

Earlier chapter posts are now at the bottom. 

There were always going to be more chapters of Jeremiah than days in Lent, and I have been quite busy this week and so have missed five days of writing. I thought I'd skip ahead to chapter 18. Here are some quick notes on the intervening chapters:

Jeremiah 13 -- Jehoiakim -- Some symbolic actions here. He hides a wet linen cloth near Parah, possibly to symbolize the Euphrates river of the Babylonians, which is then ruined. Then there is the symbolism of a full wine jar being smashed. Judah is to be taken into exile -- king, queen, and all. 13:22 talks about Judah being raped. Also an allusion to the skin color of the Cushites and the famous rhetorical question, "Can the leopard change its spots?"

Jeremiah 14 -- Jehoiakim -- Prophesied during a drought. Jeremiah pleads for Yahweh not to forsake them. He knows he is there (14:9). God tells Jeremiah not to pray for them. He will not heed their sacrifices. The later part of the chapter denounces the prophets and priests. The people acknowledge their wickedness and plea for rain and mercy (14:20).

Jeremiah 15 -- Jehoiakim -- Chapter 15 begins by saying that even though Moses and Samuel stood before Yahweh, he would not spare them (15:1). (I'm increasingly wondering if the reign of Josiah involved some of the strongest beginnings of Scripture collection.) As in 2 Kings, Manasseh is blamed for the approaching destruction and exile (15:4). God is sending four destroyers: the sword, dogs, birds, and wild animals. Jeremiah is undergoing persecution.

Jeremiah 16 -- Jehoiakim -- Yahweh instructs Jeremiah to remain celibate. He is not to have children. The future will not be good for the children of the land. They will die of disease. They will die unmourned. God has taken his peace from his people (16:5). A small window into mourning practices. Why? Because their ancestors have turned from him and they have doubled down. Exile it is. The end of the chapter is a little puzzling. At first it seems to talk about return from exile, but it ends with God gathering Israel for judgment.

Jeremiah 17 -- Jehoiakim -- More promises of exile for the way Judah has served other gods "under every green tree." Their wealth will be taken away as spoil. 17:7-8 are reminiscent of Psalm 1. 17:9 is particularly striking. God searches the human heart (17:10). 17:11 is about becoming wealthy through unjust means. He pleas for justice for his enemies. The end of the chapter has striking words on keeping the Sabbath by not doing work (more Deuteronomy parallels). There is surprising hope for redemption for Judah's kings given the direness of earlier chapters. 

And now, Jeremiah 18  
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1. Chapter 18 begins with an image familiar from Romans 9 -- Israel is clay and God is the potter. God can do with he clay as he wishes (18:4). However, far from God's shaping of the clay being unconditional, it is dependent on the choices of Israel. If Israel turns from its evil, it will be spared (18:8). But Israel is insistent on continuing on its path away from Yahweh (18:12). Israel has forgotten its God (18:15).

There are possibly implications for the understanding of Romans 9-11. The sentiment here is similar to what Paul says about cutting out the natural branches and the possibility of grafting them back in. It is not unconditional election but conditional.

2. Jeremiah is an outsider. He is an outsider from the priests and prophets in power. They have formal positions and are officially recognized. Jeremiah seems to be prophesying from the edges. God does that. Those who are recognized. Those who are popular. Those who hold official positions often do not speak for God. God often speaks from the undesirable, from the sidelines.

So the priests tell Jeremiah it's not his business to tell them what the Law says. The officially recognized prophets tell him it isn't his place to speak for God. Yet it seems that he is one of the only ones speaking for God. Jeremiah had once prayed on their behalf, but not any more. Now, Jeremiah prays for justice and for their overthrow.

Introduction to Jeremiah
Jeremiah 1
Jeremiah 2 
Jeremiah 3
Jeremiah 4
Jeremiah 5
Jeremiah 6
Jeremiah 7
Jeremiah 8
Jeremiah 9
Jeremiah 10
Jeremiah 11
Jeremiah 12