Overview of the Bible: Book of Jeremiah

Book of Jeremiah   

Title: Jeremiah – whom YHWH has appointed

Date of writing and narrative: From 626 to 586 BC, from Josiah to Zedekiah   

Structure: Dorsey, p. 244

a. 1 – 12, oracles against Judah: coming disaster from the north

  b. 13 – 20, Judah’s exile and suffering predicted

    c. 21 – 29, dated messages of judgement

      d’. 30 – 33, messages of future hope (undated)

    c’. 34 – 35, dated messages of judgement

  b’. 36 – 45, Judah’s fall and exile

a’. 46 – 51, OAN (oracles against the nations): Coming disaster from the north

Main themes:

The judgement begins from the Temple (cp, 7:4). Sanctuary.

Social Justice according to the Law of God (ch. 34). Society.

Oracles Against the Nations (OAN) (chapters 46 – 51). Nations.

Main Characters: Jeremiah, Baruch, Josiah, Jehoiakim, Zedekiah.

Reflection in other parts of the Bible:

Suffering servant – Jeremiah as a first reflection on the Isaiah’s prophesy. We have 5 “confessions” of Jeremiah: 11:18 – 12:6; 15:10-21; 17:14-18; 18:18-23; 20:7-18. Also, he goes to prison (20:2), and hears the death threats (26:7-9). At the end he is vindicated by Nebuchadnezzar (39:11-12).

We need the Book of Deuteronomy to reflect upon the Social Justise theme. Therefore, to pay attention to the chronology, cp. 4 Kg. 22.

Jesus instituting the Sacrament of the Altar (Mt. 26:26-29), refers to it as the New Covenant – new covenant that was promised through Jeremiah, see Memory verse.  

Lutheran teaching: We will begin with the passage from Jeremiah 17:9. The Book of Concord uses it twice: first time in the Augsburg Confession (XXV:8) speaking of enumeration of the sins during Private Confession. The second time it is brought up in the article about Free Will (FC, SD, II:17).  

Time and time again the Book of Concord returns to the Justification by grace through faith. One of the most fundamental Biblical passages to support our justification by the righteousness of Christ is Jer. 23:6 (see memory verse).    

Also, the Lutheran Confessions use 31:33 in the discussion on “Love and Fulfilling of the Law” (Apology, V (III): 2, 97) saying that “we are to keep the Law when we have been justified by faith” (Ap, V (III): 3).

Lutheran hymnody:

LSB 530 – No Temple now, No Gift of Price

LSB 645 – Built on the Rock

Relevancy of the Book:

The Book of Jeremiah teaches us a few important lessons. First, the futility of trust in the objects, even sacred objects like the Temple. If the building is not filled with the Divine worship, it turns into an idol- the one that is not able to deliver through the storm of life.

Second, Jeremiah was a godly prophet, living and preaching in accordance with the Word of God (sometimes even delivering the dictated messages). Regardless of his godly status his message was rejected over and over again – we can not always evaluate the results of the ministry by the numbers of the followers.

Book of Jeremiah points toward the coming of the Messiah and institution of the New Covenant. This Covenant was completed to us in the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus, and now is given to us as a memorial service in the Sacrament of the Altar.       

Memory verses:  

23:5-6: Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’ 

31:31, Behold the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

Overview of the Bible: 1-2 Kings

                                                                 1-2 Kings   

Title: Book of Kings, parts 1 and 2

Date of writing: first part (1 Kings 1 – 11) right after Solomon’s reign (about 950 BC).

Completion of the whole book should be about 560 BC.

Date of Narrative: from the death of David to Jehoiachin’s release from prison in Babylon. There is a theory about Jeremiah’s authorship, but it would be difficult for him to acknowledge the king’s release from the prison (2 Kings 25:27-30).  

Structure: Dorsey, p. 143

a. 1 K. 1 – 11, Solomon’s reign; Jerusalem’s wealth; temple is built 

  b. 1 K. 12 – 16, rise of the Northern Kingdom

    c. 1 K. 17 – 2 K. 1, Prophet Elijah, rise and rule of Omride dynasty

      d. 2 K. 2 – 8:6, Elisha’s miracles of kindness

    c’. 2 K. 8:7 – 13:25, Prophet Elisha, end of Omride dynasty

  b’. 2 K. 14 – 17, Fall of the Northern Kingdom

a’. 2 K. 18 – 25, Solomon’s dynasty ends; Fall of Jerusalem; Temple’s destruction

Main themes:

Sacred presence of the Name of the LORD in the Temple (1 Kg 8).

Faithfulness of God – according to the Word of the LORD.

Importance of godly marriages (cp. Solomon and Ahab). 

Main Characters: Solomon, Jeroboam, Elijah, Elisha, Ahab, Jezebel, Hezekiah, Josiah   

Reflection in other parts of the Bible:

Temple is the glorified Tabernacle – bigger and “immovable” (not portable).

Solomon breaks the “three rules for a king of Israel” (Deut. 17:14-17).

Elijah in resembles the figure of Moses (covenant at the Sinai/Horeb, hide in the cave, “ordains” a disciple with salvific name, dies outside the land etc.). Moses and Elijah are two figures that talk to Jesus about the “exodus” (Lk. 9:31).

Elijah – traditionally – is a prefigure of the Messiah, cp. Elijah and John the Baptizer (Mt. 11:14; 17:12).

Lutheran teaching:

Discussing the human tradition Apology of Augsburg Confession XV (VIII), 14-15 goes into 1 Kings 12:26-33. The new rules and liturgical rites of Jeroboam are given as a negative example of human traditions that are not approved by God attempting to merit the grace of God.

The story of Naboth vineyard (1 Kings 21) is brought as an ugly example of breaking of Ninth and Tenth Commandments (LC, I:301-302).

The prayer of Elijah during the contest with the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:24) shows that the invocation of the name of God IS nothing else but prayer (LC, III:5).    

Lutheran hymnody:

519 – In His Temple Now behold Him (1 Kings 6 – 8).

682 – God of the Prophets, bless the Prophet’s Sons (2 Kings 2).   

Relevancy of the Book:

Reading the Book of Kings helps us to understand and see the faithfulness of God in the unfolding of history. The LORD is faithful to His Word and promises regardless of the unfaithfulness of the nations and even His saints (cp. LW, 5:26). 

The Book of Kings can be called the story with glorious beginning, gloomy narrative, and comforting conclusion. We see the Temple project completed, the falling of the North and then South Kingdoms. But the Book as a whole ends up on the promising note of hope for the restorations as the king Jehoiachin is released from the Babylonian prison.    

Memory verses:

1 Kings 8:27b-29: Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You; how much less this house that I have built! Yet have regard to the prayer of Your servant and to his plea, o LORD my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that Your servant prays before You this day, that Your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place which you have said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that you may listen to the prayer that Your servant offers toward this place.