Lenten Readings -- Jeremiah 8

Introduction to Jeremiah
Jeremiah 1
Jeremiah 2 
Jeremiah 3
Jeremiah 4
Jeremiah 5
Jeremiah 6
Jeremiah 7
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1. Jeremiah 8 begins with an incredibly vivid picture. It pictures a future when the Babylonians will have conquered Jerusalem and Judea. They have raided the burial places of the kings. The bones of kings like Josiah, of priests like Hilkaiah, of prophets like Isaiah, of the people -- they have all been dragged out to rot under the elements. On another interpretation, Jeremiah is picturing the bones of false kings, false priests, and false prophets.

Jeremiah is puzzled. The northern kingdom was destroyed by the Assyrians for its perversity -- its going after other gods and its injustices among the people. Yet Judah has not learned any lessons from it. No one repents saying, "What have I done?" (8:6). They just keep plunging forward like a horse insistent on battle. 

2. Jeremiah 8:8 is another very curious verse. In one translation, Jeremiah says that the scribes of Judah have tampered with the Law. He pictures a situation where greedy priests and false prophets are dealing falsely with the people so that they can become wealthy. As in 6:14, Jeremiah indicts them for saying, "Peace, peace" when there is not going to be peace.

They have secured Judah's doom. God is going to give them poisoned water to drink. They will die in their fortified cities. God is setting loose poisonous snakes in Judah, and they will bite these false leaders and the people too.

"The harvest is past. The summer has ended. And we are not saved" (8:20). There is no balm coming from Gilead. There is no physician to administer it. Destruction is on the way.

3. So, what are we to take away from Jeremiah 8 that we have not essentially heard before? It seems to me that the tone is direr than any yet. The imagery of the bones of kings, priests, and prophets is more vivid and startling than any yet.

The image of priests tampering with the Law has played into theories like those of Wellhausen who believed the "Book of the Law" that was discovered under Josiah had actually been doctored by the priests. More recently, William G. Dever has advanced this theory.

Jeremiah 8:18 might be echoed by a number of Christians today. "My joy is gone. Grief is upon me. My heart is sick." Jeremiah has tried and tried and tried to get Israel to see that they are in the wrong despite the fact that they are convinced they are just fine. They remain unconvinced. Jeremiah's heart is sick.