19. Lenten Readings --- Jeremiah 19-20

My readings in Jeremiah for Lent continue.
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1. Jeremiah's prophecies during the reign of Jehoiakim (609-598BC) continue.

Jeremiah 19 begins with the remarkable challenge of bringing some elders and priests to the Valley of Hinnom for a prophetic word (19:1-2). Why would they go with Jeremiah? It would suggest that Jeremiah had significant cache. It made me wonder if the high priest Hilkiah might actually have been his father.

He is to take them to the gate called "Broken Pots" (probably the Dung Gate on the south side of the city) where he is to break the potter's jar and make his prophetic word to them (19:2). His word to the kings of Judah (presumably Jehoiakim) is that they are going into exile. God is bringing destruction on Judah. The city will become ruiins. The siege will be so bad that they will cannibalize their own children (19:9).

He gives this prophetic word facing the Valley of Hinnom (19:2), where child sacrifices had once been made to the god Molech (19:5). The city would soon be called the Valley of Slaughter because of the death that would take place there at the hands of the Babylonians. Of course, this valley became the metaphorical model for Gehenna or hell. Jeremiah has already mentioned this valley, also called Topheth, in chapter 7.

Smashing the jar is symbolic of the destruction of the city (19:10-11). There will not be enough room for the bodies in Topheth (19:11).

Then Jeremiah returned to the temple court and repeated the prophecy (19:14). It reminds us of Jesus' action in the temple in which he quoted Jeremiah 7:11.

2. In Jeremiah 20, the tension between Jeremiah and the leaders of Jerusalem hits a new level. The priest Passhur, who was in charge of the temple, has Jeremiah beaten for his prophesies and put in stocks at the temple Gate of Benjamin (20:2). When he is released the next day, Jeremiah renames the priest. "Terror on Every Side." Then Jeremiah predicts that the Babylonians will take him and his family as prisoners back to Babylon, where he would die.

3. The chapter ends with Jeremiah venting to Yahweh. Why did he even have to be born (20:18)? Why didn't Yahweh kill him when he was in the womb (20:17)? Then he wouldn't have had to face such trouble and end his days in sorrow? 

The word of Yahweh has only brought him insult (20:8), not the honor he might have thought it would (20:7). But he can't help but deliver it. Even if he would want to stay quiet, it is like fire in his bones (20:9). His "friends" are waiting for him to slip up. How horrible.

But he still praises Yahweh. "Sing to Yahweh" (20:13). He rescues the needy from the wicked.  He is a mighty warrior. He probes the heart and mind (cf. Heb. 4:12-13). He will bring justice on Jeremiah's enemies. 
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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
Jeremiah 13-18