Jeremiah – Course Book (Print)

This textbook accompanies the SIBI DVD course on Jeremiah by Dayton Keesee

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

• I. Jeremiah, Prophet of Justice and Judgment. . . . . . . . 1
• II Jeremiah’s Preaching and Rejection. . . . . . . . . . . . 14
• III. Jeremiah’s Response to Rejection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
• IV. Jeremiah’s Life Comes into Focus.. . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
• V. A Nation’s Relationship and Responsibility Toward God. .............................. 54
• VI. Jeremiah’s Call and Commission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
• VII. A Pleading, Perceptive Proclamation.. . . . . . . . . . . 85
• VIII. Preview and Peril Presented to Warn.. . . . . . . . . . . 99
• IX. Remorse, Reminders, and Rejection. . . . . . . . . . . 114
• X. Punishment, Pain, Apostasy, and Promise.. . . . . . 128
• XI. The Prophet, the People, and the Covenant. . . . . . 143
• XII. Punishment and Protection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
• XIII. God, The Potter, His Principles, People, and Prophet. ............................. 173
• XIV. God’s Explanation for His Actions. . . . . . . . . . . . 190
• XV. God’s Fidelity and the Timetable of Tragedies. . . 204
• XVI. A Lying Prophet, Letters to and the Return of the Remnant. ................................ 218
• XVII. Restoration, Redemption, and Assurance. . . . . . . 233
• XVIII. Prison Prophecies, Defeat, and Desolation. . . . . . 250
• XIX. Jeremiah’s Strength and Zedekiah’s Weakness.. . 265
• XX. Jerusalem Falls and the Remnant.. . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
• XXI. The Remnant’s Continued Disobedience.. . . . . . . 296
• XXII. Prophecies Against the Nations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
• XXIII. Judgment on the Nations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
• XXIV. God’s Judgment, A Divine Directive.. . . . . . . . . . 340
  
  

INTRODUCTION

The Book of Jeremiah is about a man of monumental spiritual stature. This prophetic book is the longest of the Old
Testament. Jeremiah did not do anything in miniature. His prophecies pronounced God’s justice and judgment on at least
twenty different countries and cities (cf. Jeremiah 25:18–28). He started while young and continued for more than forty years with “Thus saith the LORD” indictments that were delivered to kings and princes, false prophets, priests, and people of every level of life. He even delivered a special promise from God to an Ethiopian slave, who befriended him (cf. Jeremiah 39:15–18), and yet pronounced judgment and calamity on the world empire of Babylon (cf. Jeremiah 51:59–64).

There was nothing placid nor passive about the prophetic life of Jeremiah. He was a warrior in love with righteousness
and a human whose heart vibrated with fleshly feelings founded on faith. There is no way one can place his message and mission in the normal category. His message came straight from heaven and his mission was a declaration of doom and
desolation for the masses who lived in his day.

Anyone preparing to study the Book of Jeremiah needs to
recognize that he is about to launch into one of the most divine adventures and stimulating studies found in sacred scripture. J.D. Douglas wrote “It is no exaggeration to say that in order to understand what the Old Testament means by the term “prophet,” it is necessary to study the Book of Jeremiah.”1 Thus Jeremiah presents a standard and a scope that one needs to follow. Note the statement made by Theo Laetsch, “By the grace of God he became a tower of strength and a real man’s man.”

Jeremiah was one of God’s outstanding heroes. Not once did he break down in public facing his own people. He was invariably a man of God, the messenger of the LORD’s mercy, calling a nation he loved to repentance with a love as tender as that of a mother. Jeremiah was as sincere as a faithful friend, one who would stick closer than a brother. His love for his people, however, did not interfere with his sense of duty. His love and obedience toward God were always in the forefront. And so he pronounced God’s judgment upon an impenitent person without respect of persons. Concerning Jeremiah and his dedication, Laetsch adds further:

". . . like walls of brass he stood firm against frenzied
prophets, fanatic priests, frantic people, furious kings, and calmly he faced this pack of snarling wolves ready
to murder him. And neither defamation nor persecution nor imprisonment nor threats of death
kept him from speaking whatever God commanded. Only when alone with himself and with God did he
voice the agonizing feelings his doubt, his fears, his heartaches, and his gnawing grief."