Pam Padgett ... teacher
God had sent Jeremiah to warn the kings and people of judgment HE would
bring because of their evil deeds. Then God told Jeremiah to write all
of the words HE had spoken, giving the people another opportunity to
turn from their evil way and to God ...
Jeremiah 36:1 And it came to pass in the fourth year of
Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that this word came unto
Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, 2 Take thee a roll of a book, and write
therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and
against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto
thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day. 3 It may be that the
house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them;
that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive
their iniquity and their sin.
Baruch was called to write the words God had given to Jeremiah to
speak. Since Jeremiah was in prison, he told Baruch to read these
words in the Lord's house so the people would hear them, and Baruch did
this ...
Jeremiah 36:4 Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of
Neriah: and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the
Lord, which he had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book. 5 And
Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I am shut up; I cannot go into the
house of the Lord: 6 Therefore go thou, and read in the roll, which thou
hast written from my mouth, the words of the Lord in the ears of the
people in the Lord 's house upon the fasting day: and also thou shalt
read them in the ears of all Judah that come out of their cities.
The next year Baruch again read from the book for all to hear ....
Jeremiah 36:10 Then read Baruch in the book the words of
Jeremiah in the house of the Lord, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of
Shaphan the scribe, in the higher court, at the entry of the new gate
of the Lord 's house, in the ears of all the people.
One who heard, Michaiah, went to the princes in the king's house and
told them what he had heard. When Baruch read these words for the
princes, they were afraid and told these things to the king ...
Jeremiah 36:13 Then Michaiah declared unto them
all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the book in the ears
of the people. 14 Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of
Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, unto Baruch, saying,
Take in thine hand the roll wherein thou hast read in the ears of the
people, and come. So Baruch the son of Neriah took the roll in his hand,
and came unto them. 15 And they said unto him, Sit down now, and read
it in our ears. So Baruch read it in their ears. 16 Now it came to pass,
when they had heard all the words, they were afraid both one and other,
and said unto Baruch, We will surely tell the king of all these words.
When the roll was read before the king, however, he destroyed the roll ...
Jeremiah 36:22 Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth
month: and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him. 23 And it
came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it
with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth,
until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.
When king commanded that Jeremiah and Baruch be taken, God hid them. And God told Jeremiah to take another roll and write the words again ...
Jeremiah 36:26 But the king commanded Jerahmeel the
son of Hammelech, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son
of Abdeel, to take Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet: but the
Lord hid them.
27 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, after that the king had
burned the roll, and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of
Jeremiah, saying, 28 Take thee again another roll, and write in it all
the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king
of Judah hath burned. .... 32 Then took Jeremiah another roll, and
gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah; who wrote therein from
the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of
Judah had burned in the fire: and there were added besides unto them
many like words.
The roll of the book could be destroyed, but the word of God could not be
destroyed.
While thinking about this account, I thought of persecutions Christians have suffered for the sake of the gospel for hundreds of years, yet the word of God cannot be stopped or destroyed. When the apostles
started teaching about Jesus they were imprisoned and warned to stop,
but they continued. Gamaliel, a Pharisee, warned those trying to stop the apostles that if what the apostles were speaking and doing was of God, they
would not be able to stop it, for they would be fighting against God
...
Acts 5:34
Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a
doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded
to put the apostles forth a little space; 35 And said unto them, Ye men
of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching
these men. 36 For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to
be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined
themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were
scattered, and brought to nought. 37 After this man rose up Judas of
Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him:
he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.
38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone:
for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: 39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.