From Charles Swindoll:
1. Have you been with a woman anywhere this past week that might be seen as compromising?
2. Have any of your financial dealings lacked integrity?
3. Have you exposed yourself to any sexually explicit material?
4. Have you spent adequate time in Bible study and prayer?
5. Have you given priority time to your family?
6. Have you fulfilled the mandates of your calling?
7. Have you just lied to me?
Jeremiah questions God’s justice, asking why the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer. God responds by challenging Jeremiah’s endurance and hinting that worse trials are ahead. He also reveals His sorrow over Judah’s betrayal and announces impending judgment, comparing His people to a beloved yet treacherous bride. God warns of desolation but leaves a glimmer of hope for the nations if they turn to Him.
God instructs Jeremiah to bury and later retrieve a linen waistband, now ruined—symbolizing Judah’s corruption and pride. The people were once close to God but have become useless. Through vivid imagery, including wine jars representing inescapable judgment, God calls for repentance. However, the people refuse correction, and shame and exile are prophesied for their rebellion.
A devastating drought reflects the nation’s spiritual dryness. The people mourn, and Jeremiah intercedes, but God declares their sin too great. False prophets mislead with promises of peace, but their words are condemned. God reaffirms His judgment—sword, famine, and pestilence will come. Jeremiah pleads again, but divine resolve remains: the nation’s sin requires consequence.
Even the intercession of Moses and Samuel would not avert Judah’s fate. God outlines four forms of judgment: sword, dogs, birds, and beasts. The people will be scattered due to Manasseh’s sins. Jeremiah laments his hardship, feeling cursed and isolated. God reassures him with a call to repentance and renewed purpose: if he remains faithful, he will be God’s spokesman and protected amidst adversity.
God commands Jeremiah not to marry or mourn, symbolizing the coming devastation where death will be so widespread that mourning ceases. The people’s idolatry and forsaking of God bring judgment. However, the chapter ends with hope: a future restoration when God will gather His people from the nations, surpassing even the Exodus. This points to God’s enduring mercy despite severe judgment.
Thematic Summary: These chapters reflect the tension between divine justice and mercy, the depth of Judah’s rebellion, and the faithful yet anguished role of the prophet. God’s coming judgment is certain, but so is His promise of eventual restoration for the repentant.
In this pivotal chapter, Jeremiah delivers a bold sermon at the gates of the temple, confronting Judah’s false sense of security in religious rituals. God, through Jeremiah, rebukes the people for trusting in the temple’s presence while practicing injustice, idolatry, and hypocrisy. The people believed that temple worship would protect them, regardless of their moral conduct. Jeremiah reminds them of Shiloh—a former religious center that God abandoned due to Israel’s sin—as a warning. The chapter concludes with a denunciation of Judah’s idolatry, including child sacrifice, and a divine refusal to hear intercession on their behalf.
Jeremiah laments the people’s stubbornness and their unwillingness to repent. The chapter highlights their lack of shame and wisdom, even among the priests and scribes. The metaphor of harvest and summer being past emphasizes the missed opportunity for repentance. The prophet mourns deeply, saying, “Is there no balm in Gilead?”—expressing sorrow over Judah’s spiritual incurability. The chapter underscores the people’s preference for falsehood and self-deception over truth and correction.
Jeremiah expresses anguish over the pervasive deceit and treachery in the land. He describes a society where truth has vanished and where people are skilled in lying. God declares that judgment is inevitable due to this moral decay. A call to mourn and lament is issued, and the chapter ends with a sobering reminder: let the wise boast not in wisdom, strength, or riches, but in knowing and understanding the Lord, “who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness.”
This chapter contrasts the living God with lifeless idols. Jeremiah satirizes idol-making, showing the absurdity of worshiping wood and metal crafted by human hands. In contrast, the Lord is the Creator of the universe, sovereign and incomparable. The chapter includes a poetic exaltation of God’s power and concludes with a prayer for God’s justice and correction—pleading for mercy on Judah but judgment upon the nations that do not know Him.
God reminds Jeremiah of the covenant made with the forefathers, which the people have broken by turning to other gods. As a result, curses of the covenant will come upon them. Jeremiah is warned not to intercede, as judgment is certain. The chapter also introduces a personal threat against Jeremiah’s life by the men of Anathoth (his hometown), revealing the prophet’s isolation and the hostility he faces for speaking God’s word.
Jeremiah receives his divine commission as a prophet. God tells him he was appointed before birth to be a prophet to the nations. Despite Jeremiah’s youth and fear, God assures him of divine presence and authority. The chapter includes two symbolic visions: an almond branch (signifying God’s readiness to act) and a boiling pot (representing impending judgment from the north). This chapter establishes the tone for the book—God’s message will be difficult, but Jeremiah must speak it faithfully.
God indicts Israel for abandoning Him, the source of living waters, and pursuing worthless idols. The nation’s unfaithfulness is likened to that of an adulterous wife and rebellious children. Israel’s alliances with foreign nations and trust in false gods are portrayed as futile. The chapter captures the heart of God’s grief and righteous anger over the betrayal of His covenant people.
God compares Judah’s spiritual condition with Israel’s earlier unfaithfulness. Even though Israel was exiled, Judah has not learned from their example. God invites repentance with the promise of restoration: “Return, O faithless children.” The chapter also contains a future-oriented promise of a restored Zion under a new covenant leadership, pointing forward to messianic hope.
A call to genuine repentance is reiterated. Jeremiah describes the coming disaster with intense imagery—an enemy from the north bringing destruction, likened to a lion and a storm. The prophet mourns over the hardness of the people’s hearts and the devastation that will result. The language grows increasingly apocalyptic, portraying a land laid waste due to persistent sin.
God commands a search through Jerusalem for a single righteous person—none can be found. The chapter details rampant corruption among all societal levels: the poor, the rich, prophets, and priests alike. Deceit, injustice, and spiritual blindness prevail. The people stubbornly resist correction, leading to inevitable judgment. This chapter underscores the depth of moral decay and divine frustration.
Jerusalem is warned of an imminent siege. God calls His people to flee and listen, but they refuse. The chapter emphasizes the certainty of punishment because of their rejection of God’s word and their trust in outward religion rather than inward righteousness. Jeremiah laments their stubbornness, likening the people to rejected silver—no longer useful to the Lord.
Chapters 1–6 of Jeremiah present a powerful indictment against Judah’s unfaithfulness and a call to repentance. They set the stage for the prophet’s difficult ministry, reveal the heart of God toward His people, and highlight the consequences of persistent rebellion. The message is urgent: return to the Lord before judgment falls.
Mark 14:50 states:
“Then everyone deserted him and fled.” (ESV)
This verse refers to the moment Jesus was arrested in Gethsemane. The disciples, including John, fled out of fear. Here’s what we know about John in light of this:
John’s journey reflects both human weakness (initial fear) and deep devotion (returning and staying near Jesus in His final hours). His presence at the cross contrasts with the others’ absence and underscores his unique closeness to Jesus.
| Event | Mark 15:21–47 | Matthew 27:32–61 | Luke 23:26-56 | John 19:16-42 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simon of Cyrene carries the cross | 15:21 | 27:32 | 23:26 | 19:16–17 (Jesus carries His cross) |
| Crucifixion at Golgotha | 15:22–24 | 27:33–34 | 23:33 | 19:17–18 |
| Casting lots for His clothing | 15:24 | 27:35 | 23:34 (brief mention) | 19:23–24 |
| Mocking by passersby and religious leaders | 15:29–32 | 27:39–44 | 23:35–39 | (Not detailed) |
| Two criminals crucified with Him | 15:27 | 27:38 | 23:32–33 | 19:18 |
| Penitent thief’s words | (Not mentioned) | (Not mentioned) | 23:39–43 | (Not mentioned) |
| Darkness over the land | 15:33 | 27:45 | 23:44 | (Not mentioned) |
| Jesus’ loud cry and death | 15:34–37 | 27:46–50 | 23:46 | 19:30 |
| Temple curtain torn | 15:38 | 27:51 | 23:45 | (Not mentioned) |
| Centurion’s confession | 15:39 | 27:54 | 23:47 | (Not mentioned) |
| Women watching from a distance | 15:40–41 | 27:55–56 | 23:49 | 19:25–27 (women at the cross, Jesus addresses Mary and John) |
| Joseph of Arimathea requests Jesus’ body | 15:42–45 | 27:57–58 | 23:50–52 | 19:38 |
| Jesus’ burial in the tomb | 15:46–47 | 27:59–61 | 23:53–56 | 19:39–42 |