This week, we shall continue the study of the book of Jeremiah in the
Old Testament.
(1) Now that Johanan and his people were able to rescue the captives from Ishmael, why didn’t they stay in Mizpah or Jerusalem?
(2) Did they really have to enquire of the Lord as to what they should do next?
(3) Was Jeremiah pleased with their request? (v. 4) Why or why not?
(4) What kind of attitude did the people demonstrate in their inquiry of the Lord? How different was it from King Zedekiah’s? (vv. 5-6; see also 38:14ff)
(5) Why didn’t God answer them right away? Why did it take ten days? (v. 7)
(6) What might the people be discussing in terms of options and “pros and cons” during the ten days?
(7) What were the people afraid of after the killing of Gedaliah and the Babylonian guards at Mizpah even though the culprit, Ishmael had been driven away? (v. 11)
(8) What did God tell them to do? What promise did He give them? (v. 10)
(9) Why was God’s answer so different from the words of rebuke and punishment He gave before the destruction of Jerusalem? By what was God’s reply marked? (vv. 10-12)
(10) God pointed out that their true desire was to go to Egypt (v. 14). Why was this Egyptian option appealing to them? (v. 14)
(11) What was the warning God gave concerning this option? (vv. 15-17)
(12) What should they have learned from the destruction of Jerusalem? (v. 18)
(13) Why did Jeremiah say that it was a fatal mistake for them to send him to inquire of the Lord? (vv. 19-22)
(14) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) Why didn't Johanan and his people want to stay in Jerusalem but wish to go to Egypt instead?
(2) Why did they accuse of Jeremiah of lying? (v. 2)
(3) Whom did they say was behind Jeremiah’s lie? (v. 3) Why?
(4) In what ways were these men “arrogant”? (v. 2)
(5) Why then did they inquire of the Lord in the first place and even call upon the Lord as the witness to their sincerity to obey? (42:5)
(6) In your opinion, were the remnant more wicked than Zedekiah and those who perished or were taken captive by the Babylonians? Why or why not?
(7) In their disobedience, what three groups of people did Johanan and his officers lead away to Egypt (vv. 4-7)
(8) Jeremiah was to bury (or hide) some large stones at the entrance to Pharaoh’s palace in Tahpanhes: To what would these stones bear witness? (v. 10)
(9) What does the triplet in v. 11 point to?
(10) What would happen to the gods and temples of Egypt? (vv. 12-13)
(11) Why were these gods and their temples specifically mentioned in this prophecy?
(12) In what way(s) did Nebuchadnezzar serve as God’s servant? (v. 10)
(13) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
By the time of this message, the “remnant” had already settled across Egypt which would denote quite a few years after their initial arrival in Tahpanhes. The occasion, as suggested by some commentators, appeared to be a festival to celebrate the “Queen of Heaven” where many Jews also joined in together with their wives:
44:2-6—The Message (Part I—Past Sin and Judgment)
(1) What had the remnant witnessed with their eyes, i.e. that which was beyond dispute? (vv. 2 and 6)
(2) What was the reason specifically given for the “great disaster” in v. 3?
(3) How did they add to their sin? (vv. 4-5)
44:7-10—The Message (Part II—Present Sin and Judgment)
(4) What had the remnant done to arouse God’s anger and stern warning to them? (vv. 7-8)
(5) What would be the result of their sin? (vv. 7-8)
(6) What was God’s verdict on them in both v. 9 and v. 10?
44:11-14—The Message (Part III—God’s Determined Judgment)
(7) What will the extent of His judgment be?
(8) How will they perish? Will there be any exception?
(9) What is this punishment likened to? (v. 13)
44:15-19—The Response of the People and Their Wives
(10) Why does the Bible point out that these men knew about what their wives were doing?
(11) This was a blatant acknowledgement and determination of idol worship, even though they knew Jeremiah spoke in the name of the Lord (v. 16):
a. What reason did they give for their blatant disobedience? (vv. 17-18)
b. Was what they said true or an excuse to sin? Why?
(12) Why would their wives also speak up? (v. 19) What did they mean?
(13) In your opinion, were the remnant more wicked than their fathers? Why?
(14) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
44:20-28—Judgment Pronounced for Their Blatant Idol Worship
(1) How did the Lord refute their ridiculous claim in 44:17-18?
(2) What did the Lord call their deeds? (v. 22)
(3) In pronouncing His severe judgment on the remnant (vv. 24-28)
a. By whose name did He swear? (v. 26)
b. How did He call Himself? (v. 26)
c. What does it mean by “that no one from Judah living anywhere in Egypt will ever again invoke my name or swear”?
d. How would He harm them? (vv. 27-28)
(4) What will be the sign of His punishment according to v. 30?
(5) Would that be too late as a sign? Why or why not?
45:1-5—Message to Baruch—This harkens back to 36:1ff
(6) How did Baruch feel in being associated with Jeremiah, especially being both his secretary and his spokesman at times? (v. 3)
(7) Should we blame him for having such feelings? Why or why not?
(8) How then should he have dealt with them?
(9) In God’s answer to him:
a. Why does He emphasize on what He has built and planted?
b. Why would the Lord say that his complaint amounts to seeking great things for himself? Was this accusation too harsh? Why or why not?
c. What does the Lord promise him?
d. If you were Baruch, would you take comfort with these words? Why or why not?
(10) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Chapters 46-51 consist entirely of oracles directed at the nations, beginning with Egypt. (See the quote in today’s Meditative Article to gain further understanding about biblical prophecies against the nations of the world.)
(1) Why does the Lord give oracles concerning even the nations of the world? Why should He care?
(2) To whom is the message directed: Israel or the nations?
(3) If it is the nations:
a. How would they learn about it?
b. Why should they care or listen to it, then and now?
46:2-12—Defeat of Egypt at Carchemish Foretold
(4) How does the Lord describe the outcome of the battle? (v. 5)
(5) Why then did He call them to prepare for battle? (vv. 3-4)
(6) How is the pride of Egypt portrayed in vv. 6-9?
(7) Who decides the outcome of the battle and why? (v. 10)
(8) What does the call to go to Gilead (famous for its healing balm in Israel) signify? (v. 11)
(9) Will it be of any use? Why?(v. 12)
46:13-26—Invasion of Nebuchadnezzar of Egypt Itself Foretold
(10) Egypt was a huge empire that had many vassals: What will these people who used to submit to and fight for Egypt say at the time of invasion by the Babylonians? (vv. 16-17)
(11) While Nebuchadnezzar is the invader, who is the true King behind it? (v. 18—Note that Tabor and Carmel are both towering mountains that overlook their respective surrounding regions.)
(12) In describing Egypt’s defeat:
a. What will happen to its capital city, Memphis? (v. 19)
b. As beautiful and strong as Egypt was, what would she become? (vv. 20, 21 and 22)
c. How does God describe her enemy? (vv. 20, 23)
(13) What is the implied reason for her punishment? (v. 25)
(14) On what note does this pronouncement of judgment for Egypt end? (v.26) Why? (see Isa. 19:24)
46:27-28—Appendix to the Message of Judgment of Egypt
(15) What is this appendix about?
(16) Why?
(17) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
47:1-7—The Destruction of Philistines—Historical data are lacking in pinpointing the exact time of the attack by Pharaoh on Gaza referred to by Jeremiah:
(1) Why were the Philistines along the Palestinian coast included in Jeremiah’s prophecy? What was their historical relationship with Israel? (See Note 1 below)
(2) What metaphor does the Lord employ to describe the might of the army from the North, the Babylonians? (v. 2)
(3) How was the horror of their destruction depicted? (vv. 2-3)
(4) Tyre and Sidon were Phoenician cities to their north that were also destroyed by the Babylonians, and the message is that the Philistines should not even think of helping them as they themselves would be totally destroyed. What were three common signs of mourning mentioned in v. 5? (see 16:6; 41:5)
(5) Who was the one behind this destruction? (vv. 6-7)
48:1-25—Destruction of Moab (I)
(6) Why was Moab, which was to the east of the Dead Sea, included in Jeremiah’s prophecy? What was its historical relationship with Israel? (see Note 2 below)
(7) While the location of some of the names of the cities mentioned (in vv. 1-10) may not be known today, it appears that they are mentioned roughly from north to south to depict the unstoppable advance of Nebuchadnezzar:
a. What appeared to be the state of Moab before her destruction? (vv. 1-2)
b. How was the horror of its destruction depicted in vv. 3-6?
c. What were some of her sins mentioned in v. 7? (Chemosh was the god of the Moabites, likely related to astral deities.)
d. What will be the extent and degree of the destruction? (vv. 8-9; see Jdg. 9:45 about the meaning of putting on salt)
e. What does v. 10 seek to portray?
(8) The mourning for Moab (vv. 11-17)
a. How blessed was Moab before this destruction? (v. 11)
b. How will her fortune changed? (vv. 12, 17)
c. What was the one sin that was reiterated about her? (v. 13)
d. What will happen to their proud warriors? (v. 14)
e. How imminent is this destruction? (vv. 16)
f. Who is behind this destruction? (v. 15)
(9) No towns are spared (vv. 18-25): In a poetic way, some of the fortified cities are cited to depict the inevitable destruction.
a. What is said of Dibon, 13 miles east of the Dead Sea? (v. 18)
b. What is said of Aroer, southeast of Dibon? (v. 19)
c. What is said of the Arnon, south of Aroer? (v. 19)
d. What is emphasized concerning the destruction? (vv. 21-24)
e. What does it mean by her horn cut off, her arm broken? (see Note 2)
(10) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note 1:
The Philistines were sea people who came into Palestine in the 12th and 11th centuries B.C. from Caphtor (or Crete), their original home (Amos 9:7). The Philistines had long been enemies of Israel even since the time of their settlement in the Promised Land. Some of the well-known conflicts between them include that of Samson in the time of the Judges (Jdg. 13-16) and David and Goliath (1 Sam. 17). Their five major cities often mentioned in the Bible were Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron (see Jos. 13:3 for example). The prophecy was fulfilled in 604/3 B.C. when Nebuchadnezzar overran Ashkelon after a siege.
Note 2:
Moab was traditionally an enemy of Israel and hostility between the two nations went back to the days of the Exodus. The end of Moab as an independent nation seems to have come in 582 B.C. when Nebuchadnezzar, no doubt because of a rebellion, marched against Moab and Ammon (see NICOT, 701). It is worth-noting that Ruth, the wife of Boaz, the forefather of David and our Lord Jesus Christ (in His earthly genealogy) was a Moabite (Matt. 1:5; Ruth 1).
48:26-47—Destruction of Moab (II)
(1) Avenging Moab’s sin against Israel (vv. 26-30)
a. How did Moab treat Israel in her misfortune? (v. 27; see also Zeph. 2:8)
b. What will be her punishment? (v. 26)
c. What imagery is used of her devastation? (v. 28)
d. What other sins are exposed of Moab? (vv. 29-30; see also Isa. 16:6; Amos 2:1)
e. How might this also depict the sins of the world today?
(2) Lament over Moab (vv. 31-39)
a. Who is the one who wails over Moab? (vv. 31-32; see Isa. 15:5; 16:11)
b. Why? Did they not deserve the punishment?
c. What will happen to their prosperity? (vv. 32-34)
d. What will happen to their religion? (v. 35)
e. How will the Moabites mourn for themselves? (vv. 37-38)
f. How does the Lord describe His mourning for Moab? (v. 36)
g. How does the Lord sum up their mourning in v. 39?
(3) In Wrath there is mercy (vv. 40-47)—The punishment of Moab is now described even in a more horrific way.
a. What does the imagery of an eagle depict? (v. 40)
b. What does the imagery of a woman in labor depict? (v. 41)
c. Why does the Lord accuse them of defiling Him? (v. 42)
d. How do vv. 43-45 depict the inescapability of the disaster? (Note: v. 44 elaborates what is said in v. 43)
e. How does v. 46 fulfill the curse by Balaam on Moab because the Moabites once seduced the men of Israel to sexual immorality? (Num. 24:17)
(4) What will be the final fate of Moab which is modern-day Jordan? (v. 47)
(5) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?