Jeremiah 36:1-32

Jeremiah Writes Out His Prophecies In Written Form And Commits Them To Baruch Who Reads Them Out In The Temple. The Scroll Eventually Reaches Jehoiakim Who Demonstrates His Contempt For The Prophet By Slowly Burning It Once It Has Been Read Out, Something That Causes YHWH To Pronounce Judgment On Him. Jeremiah Then Rewrites His Prophecies With Further Additions (Jeremiah 36:1).

We have here the third example of the disobedience which was so prevalent in Judah. The first was revealed in their hypocritical attitude to the freeing of their bondmen and bondwomen. The second was revealed in the contrast between the people and the Rechabites. This third brings out the attitude of the leadership towards YHWH.

One great importance of this chapter is that it demonstrates conclusively that it was not unusual for prophets to record their prophecies in writing with a view to them being read out. Jeremiah was at this time in some way under restraint and he therefore calls on his faithful amanuensis Baruch to record his prophecies, and then to read them out in the Temple. His concern was to avert the wrath of YHWH from the people by constraining them to respond to His covenant.

When the leading men of Judah, ‘the princes', learned of this reading out of Jeremiah's prophecies in the Temple they called on Baruch to come and read the scroll to them, and stirred by the words determined to bring them to the king, as was their duty. But meanwhile, knowing the evil propensities of the king and what might happen once he knew of Jeremiah's prophecies, some of them advised Baruch and Jeremiah to go into hiding.

When the king learned of the scroll he had it brought to him and read before him, but after every three or four sections, with the approval of most of his nearest courtiers and despite the protests of some, he, or the reader at his command, would take a ‘knife' and slice off the portion that had been read and throw it into the fire in order to indicate what he thought of it, thereby no doubt hoping to annul the prophecy (compare how Hananiah had broken the symbolic yoke - Jeremiah 28:10). This went on until the whole scroll had been burned. It was indeed an open declaration that he was not willing to listen to the voice of YHWH. But it was a foolish action for by it he brought YHWH's greater judgment on himself.