One of the many ways I'm unlike anyone else I know is that I love Biblical names. I love to read the genealogies and compare the names. I love to trace the families through the different eras of the Biblical record. I even love to try to figure out how to pronounce them!
Jeremiah has an interesting family history. If you aren't crazy about such things you may not know about the lengthy genealogies in 1 Chronicles. But, exciting news, Chapter 6 lists the complete history of Jeremiah's family. Of course the family is rooted in Israel's son, Levi, and his great grandson, Aaron. "Aaron was set apart," 1 Chronicles 23:13 says, "he and his descendants forever, to consecrate the most holy things, to offer sacrifices before the Lord, to minister before him and to pronounce blessings in his name forever." This is the lineage of Jeremiah.
I'm sure there are lots of fascinating stories in these people; priests who led during the Exodus, struggled through the times of the Judges and Saul. When the Ark was triumphantly brought into the City of David, 120 relatives from Jeremiah's ancestors joined the procession. Zadok presented offerings before the lord, "morning and evening, in accordance with everything written in the Law of the Lord" during that exciting festival. During the historic reign of David, the faithful priests of this line served in the temple.
I could get quite carried away, [and have already told you way more than you want to know I image!] so I'll skip a few generations, through the division of the kingdom, through the destruction of Israel as a nation and through some good but mostly nasty kings of Judah up to Hezekiah. Hezekiah grew up in Judah during the time Israel was being destroyed by Assyria. He listened to the prophets who said seeking gods other than God was not only a bad idea, but wrong. Because of that, "He held fast to the Lord and did not cease to follow him. He kept the commands the Lord had given Moses." He also,by miraculous intervention by God, defeated Sennacherib, the Assyrian King who had destroyed Israel.
Later a priest, Jehoida, pulled off a coup that established 8 year old Josiah as the King of Judah, earning a short reprieve from the nation's coming judgement. And it was another priest, Hilkiah, who was ordered by the young King Josiah to repair the temple, leading to the discovery of the books of the law, leading to Josiah's reforms. Once again we read the words to a godly king, "Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this place and it's people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore our robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the Lord. Now I will gather you to your fathers and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see the disaster I am going to bring on this place and on those who live here. " 1 Chronicles 34:27.. this was to be Judah's last reprieve.
Hilkiah, that priest who discovered the book of the law, was Jeremiah's father. What an exciting time a privileged place for Jeremiah to grow up; a contemporary with possibly the greatest king of Judah, son of a High Priest during a time of revival. [Ironically, Jeremiah's ministry began 1 year after Josiah's reform. I only mention it now in passing, but that must indicate Josiah's reform was mostly a personal one. All of the political reforms a King could make did not result in a true repentance of the people.] All of those heroes of the faith preceded, but I think, influenced Jeremiah.
Jeremiah's ministry lasted from the 13th year of Josiah through the 11th year of Zedekiah, otherwise know as the end. Apparently this would be [BC is very tricky for me but I have a Swindoll article to help me out] 627 BC to 586 BC.
We see Jeremiah as standing alone during that time. This is an often quote scripture from Jeremiah's call; "Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them or I will terrify you before them. Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land-- against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you." Jeremiah 1:17-19. Certainly it was a lonely job Jeremiah was called to, and his obedience and dependence on God is one of the huge lessons of the book. But I believe God also did provide godly men to encourage him in his lonely ministry. There is also a lesson here that God does not leave us alone. God never only has one servant. They are only briefly mentioned, but remember this book covers 40 years of ministry. We only have access to an album of snapshots, not a comprehensive newsreel.
Mostly the men we read about appear in the end of the story, when the situation became very dire. There's an account that Jeremiah sent a letter to the first of the exiles, Jehoiachin et al. King Zedekiah sent an envoy to Babylon and Gemaiah, son of Hilkiah [Jeremiah's father!] was entrusted with Jeremiah's letter. How encouraging to think Jeremiah's family was still active in Jerusalem and his brother was a trustworthy ally.
As the city comes under siege, other allies are recorded. The Recabites come to town to escape Nebuchadnezzer's destruction outside the city walls. They were such a godly family Jeremiah used them as an illustration of how far Judah had fallen short of the mark. The prophet must have been greatly encouraged by them.
In Chapter 38 when it looks like Jeremiah might die in a muddy cistern waiting for the end of the war, Ebed-Melech, a Cushite, an official in the royal palace came to the king and asked for the prophets release. That is the only word we have about this man.
Even the king, Zedekiah, though he waffled continually during his 11 year reign, occasionally showed compassion. After one brilliant speech by Jeremiah where he asks why he is in prison instead of all the prophets who said Nebuchadnezzer would NOT attack the city, Zedekiah gave orders for Jeremiah to be released from imprisonment and only confined to the courtyard of the castle guard and be given bread daily.
And of course the prophet's constant supporter was the scribe, Baruch. Their names became inseparably linked in the minds of those last kings of Judah. On the well known occasion when King Jehoiakin cut off the pieces of the scroll as they were read to him and tossed them into the fire, the royal secretary, Micaich [he must have a wonderful story we don't know much about!] made sure Baruch, who wrote out the scroll as Jeremiah dictated it, and the prophet were both safely hidden before he took the scroll to the king. [Hidden by whom? Certainly another unknown, to us, supporter of the prophet.]
Baruch is addressed personally by God, quite possibly through Jeremiah as they hid together. "You said, [Baruch] Woe is me. The Lord has added sorrow to my pain; I am worn out with groaning and find no rest." Chapter 45.
And God answered him. "I will overthrow what I have built and uproot what I have planted, throughout the land. Should you then seek great things for yourself? Seek them not. For I will bring disaster on all people, declares the lord, but wherever you go I will let you escape with your life." There is a rebuke in there, but also a promise that Baruch would not be killed.
And that brings me back to my profound respect for Jeremiah and all of the steadfast men of God during those horrible years of God's judgement. Jeremiah had his moments when he cried out to God, too. Many moments. But he was only a man like us. He wasn't the stuff of Greek legends or from the pen of Tolkien. He was a man living through a terrible tragedy who served God faithfully until the very end. He is the hero who has drawn me many many times to the book of Jeremiah.
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