1. Lesson 01: Historical Context
Jeremiah
Lesson 01: Historical Context

2. Time period
The text of Jeremiah tells us that the word of the Lord came in the thirteenth year of Josiah and again from Jehoiakim’s reign to the eleventh year of Zedekiah
Jeremiah prophesied through the reigns of Josiah, possibly Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah (626 B.C. to 586 B.C.)

3. Wickedness
Israel and Judah were not sent into captivity because of evilness under one ruler
While the work of Jeremiah began during the reign of Josiah, the reasons for God’s judgment(s) began much earlier
For the sake of this study, we will refrain from going back further than Manasseh’s (Josiah’s grandfather) reign.

4. Manasseh
Idolatry often ruled the hearts of the Israelites, from the king down to the common citizens.
What is written about King Manasseh in 2 Chronicles 33:2-9?
What did God cause to happen to Manasseh?
What did Manasseh then do?
Manasseh’s redemption comes too late for his son, Amon

5. Amon Amon “did not humble himself before the Lord”
Rather, he “trespassed more and more” (2 Chronicles 33:23)
He was rebellious against the Lord, and was ironically assassinated because of rebellion
His own servants conspired against him (33:24)

6. Josiah
Josiah was only eight years old when he became king (2 Chronicles 34:1)
He “did what was right in the sight of the Lord” and turned aside to neither the “right hand or to the left” (34:2)
His search for God began in the eighth year of his reign, making him only sixteen years old

7. Josiah
By the twelfth year of his reign (age twenty) he was purging Judah and Jerusalem of idolatry
Why wait until age twenty?
While Josiah became king at age eight and sought God at age sixteen, it is likely that he king only in name until he reached age twenty, which was the age of adulthood under the Law of Moses (reference Numbers 1:20-46)

8. Josiah
Josiah was a very “hands-on” king and ensured that his orders were carried out
In his presence, the altars of the Baals were broken down, the idols broken into pieces and ground to dust, and that dust was then scattered on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them

9. Josiah Josiah also burned the bones of the priests on their altars
What are three possible ways of reading this?
Josiah dug up the bones of past priests and burned them
He executed the priests and burned them
Or he did both!

10. Josiah
1 Kings 13:1-6
From the present tense words used in 13:2 (“who burn incense on you…”), it appears that the third option is one of the most likely
Josiah’s “hands-on” nature speaks to the goodness of his heart
Consider Matthew 12:33-37

11. Josiah
What was found in the ruins of the house of God (2 Chronicles 34:8-28)?
What was Josiah’s reaction when Shaphan read the Book of the Law of the Lord to him (34:18-21)?
Josiah did not excuse the wickedness of Judah, but sought a way to be reconciled with God

12. Josiah
What would happen to Judah because of their allegiance to idols (2 Chronicles 34:24-28)? What would happen to Josiah?
Note that God said two things about Josiah
First, that he had a tender heart
Second, that Josiah humbled himself before God
Remember that Manasseh had to be humbled by God and Amon would not be humbled

13. Josiah
Josiah read the Book of the Covenant in the hearing of all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem (34:30)
Josiah made a covenant before the Lord to obey and keep His commandments (34:31)
Josiah made all who were present take a stand (34:32)
Were their hearts changed?

14. Josiah
Pharaoh Necho (ruled Egypt B.C.) went to war against Carchemish (a Hittite city on the Euphrates)

15. Josiah
Necho captured Carchemish here, but lost it in battle against Nebuchadnezzar later (Jeremiah 46:2)
Necho did not want a battle with Josiah (2 Chronicles 35:21)
Necho stated that he was under order from God to attack Carchemish (substantiated in 35:22)
Was Josiah being rebellious against God by going against Necho?

16. Josiah Josiah, in disguise, fell to Necho’s archers
God likewise counted Josiah as faithful (35:26)
Josiah was mourned by “all of Judah and Jerusalem” and it is clear that Jeremiah had great respect and love for this faithful king (2 Chronicles 35:24-25)

17. Jehoahaz
Jehoahaz, Josiah’s son, became king at twenty-three, but reigned only three months
He “did evil in the sight of the Lord” and was deposed by Necho (2 Kings 23:31-34)
Since the Lord have used Necho at Carchemish, it is posssible that God also used him to remove Jehoahaz from power

18. Jehoiakim
Necho placed Jehoiakim, who was as evil as his brother, in power
Jehoiakim ruled eleven years in Jerusalem, then was carried away by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon
Much of what happened at this time happened because of the sins of Manasseh and the innocent blood he had shed which God would not pardon (2 Kings 24:3-4)

19. Jehoiachin
Jehoiachin was appointed king next, but there seems to be some discrepancy concerning his age
2 Kings 24:8 states that he was eighteen, but 2 Chronicles 36:9 states that he was eight
Likely a transcription error in 2 Chronicles as more manuscripts state eighteen

20. Jehoiachin
The texts of both 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles support the older age of eighteen
We are told by both texts that he was evil during his short reign, which would mean that we have an evil eight year old if that were the correct age
He is carried off captive to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar and held for thirty-seven years (2 Kings 25:27-30; Jeremiah 52:31-34)

21. Zedekiah Nebuchadnezzar placed Zedekiah on the throne of Judah
Zedekiah was the brother of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah
He “did evil in the sight of the Lord” and later rebelled against the king of Babylon (2 Kings 24:17-20)
Zedekiah’s rebellion was against both Nebuchadnezzar and God (2 Chronicles 36:11-14)

22. Zedekiah
Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem, and all the Israelite men of war fled by night (2 Kings 25:1-4)
Zedekiah is overtaken by Nebuchadnezzar’s armies on the plains of Jericho (25:5)
Zedekiah is carried off captive to Babylon where he watched the execution of his sons before his own eyes were put out (25:6-7)

23. Destruction
God sent warnings early and often because “He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place” (2 Chronicles 36:15-16)
Israel mocked the messengers of God and rejected His word
God brought destruction on Israel and Judah because of their rejection of His word (2 Chronicles 36 and 2 Kings 25)
Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, caused most of the destruction of Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:8)

24. Destruction
Nebuzaradan burned the house of the Lord and the king’s houses, along with all of the “houses of the great,” and they broke down the walls surrounding Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:8-11)
The people of the city were carried away, including defectors from Babylon
Some of the poor were left to be used for vinedressers and farmers (25:11-12)

25. Destruction
Nebuzaradan took the chief priest, second priest, doorkeepers, and the men of the city who had a special relationship with Zedekiah or were of influence
The king of Babylon executed these people (25:18-21)
The execution of the priests truly emphasizes the fact that the “wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy” (2 Chronicles 36:16)