Jehoiakim burns a scroll the Lord commissions from Jeremiah. (spoiler alert)
The Lord commands Jeremiah to create a scroll.
- with all of the words of the prophesies given to Jeremiah from God
- about Israel and Judah
- about all the nations
- covering from the first words God spoke to him to Josiah and to that day (which was the 4th year of Jehoiakim, 605 bc)
- this was another opportunity for the people to hear of the coming calamity and repent
Jeremiah brings attendant and scribe in (whose name is Baruch) and has him scribe as Jeremiah dictates.
There is a problem. Even though they obeyed and created this scroll, Jeremiah has been restricted from the house of the Lord. He had an ongoing impasse with the King of Judah, who didn't like hearing Jeremiah's words from God. So Jeremiah sent his scribe to read the scroll in the house of the Lord on the fast day so local worshipers and tourist might hear and repent.
That's interesting. Often Jeremiah speaks to the various leaders- religious and governmental leaders who God hold most responsible. But this message was directly to the people. God's wrath was growing and they needed to hear from Him.
So Jeremiah and Baruch get this prepared and when a fast is proclaimed in the city, probably because the Babylonians were on the march, the scroll was ready and Baruch headed in and read it in the house of the Lord. He eventually read it three time- in the court for the people; for the princes; and then for the king,
After the first reading, one listener went running to report what he'd heard to the local leaders. They called Baruch in and told him to bring his scroll. They asked him to read it to them. They became afraid and assured Baruch they would take the words to the king. They also asked how this came to be and he explained that Jeremiah spoke and he scribed it.
One of the officials took the scroll to the king and read it to him. The official had only read a few lines when the king grabbed the scroll, cut it, and threw it in the fire. He made sure that the whole thing burned while the leaders tried to talk him out of this action. He was NOT afraid, not were his servants. They did not rend their clothes or repent. He did command men to seize Baruch and Jeremiah, but the Lord hid them.
Wow. The Lord is our defender.
The Lord came again to Jeremiah and Burch and told them to write down every word again in a new scroll. Then return to the king with the following:
- and ask why he burned a scroll that warned him of coming doom
- inform him he will have no one to sit on David's throne
- and his dead body is going to be thrown out to rot
- he will be punished along with his descendants and servants
- and the prophesied calamity will still be coming to Jerusalem and Judah
The chapter end with Jeremiah and Baruch obeying. It also notes that he added even more words than had been on the version Jehoiakim burned.
I'm not sure why, but the detail that captured my eye in this story is found buried in verse 23.
"...the king cut [the scroll] with a scribe's knife and threw it into the fire..."
Something about the childish thrashing of having to cut it up before burning it says something to me; even though I can't articulate why. And the specificity of the knife being a scribe's knife...also interesting.
Some interesting facts from the commentaries:
- This occurred earlier than the events of recent chapters, probably before the captivity deportations started. (MacArthur)
- The man who heard Baruch's first reading to the people was the grandson of Shaphan- the man found the hidden word and took it to Josiah. Which makes sens that he would have "ears to hear" whereas it seems no other people had a notable response to the words of the scroll when it was read in public. (Wiersbe)
- Many people have tried to destroy the word of the Lord; but they fail because He is God. This isn't a battle an evil man or evil itself can win. (Heaven and earth shall pass away but My word shall not pass away. Matthew 24:35) (Wiersbe)
- Jehoiakim brought a knife and fire to a fight with the Lord of hosts and it did not end well for him. (Wiersbe)