God commands Jeremiah to write down all the words He has spoken against Israel, Judah, and the nations from the time of Josiah until now. Jeremiah dictates these words to Baruch, his scribe, who writes them on a scroll.
Theological significance
This event underscores the importance of God's word being recorded and preserved. It highlights the prophetic role of Jeremiah and the seriousness of God's message of judgment and hope.
In the broader story
The recording of God's words is a precursor to the written Scriptures, emphasizing the enduring nature of God's message and its role in guiding His people.
Baruch reads the scroll containing Jeremiah's prophecies in the Temple on a day of fasting, hoping that the people will turn from their evil ways.
Theological significance
This event demonstrates the public proclamation of God's word and the hope for repentance. It shows the role of the Temple as a place for hearing God's message.
In the broader story
The public reading of Scripture is a recurring theme in the Bible, seen in events like the reading of the Law by Ezra (Nehemiah 8).
The scroll is brought to King Jehoiakim, who listens to it being read. In a display of contempt, the king cuts the scroll and burns it piece by piece.
Theological significance
This act of burning the scroll signifies rejection of God's word and authority. It highlights human resistance to divine truth and the consequences of such defiance.
In the broader story
The rejection of God's word is a theme throughout Scripture, seen in the resistance to prophets and ultimately to Christ Himself.
After the scroll is destroyed, God instructs Jeremiah to rewrite the words on another scroll, adding further judgments against Jehoiakim.
Theological significance
This event illustrates the indestructibility of God's word and His sovereignty. Despite human attempts to suppress it, God's message endures and prevails.
In the broader story
The preservation of God's word is a testament to its divine origin and authority, echoed in passages affirming the eternal nature of Scripture.
In the order the chapter tells them. The corpus records sequence, not dates — biblical chronology is contested, and this does not take a position on it.