User:Math.geek3.1415926/sandbox/Jeremiah
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Jeremiah (Yirmĭyahu, meaning “Yahweh exalts”)[1] was one of the prophets of the Hebrew Bible. His writings are put together in the Book of Jeremiah and traditionally, authorship of the Book of Lamentations is ascribed to him.[2] God appointed Jeremiah to confront Judah and Jerusalem for the worship of idols and other violations of the covenant described in Deuteronomy.[3] The LORD declared through Jeremiah that the covenant was broken and that God would bring upon Israel and Judah the curses of the covenant.[4] Jeremiah’s job was to explain the reason for the impending disaster (destruction by the Babylonian army and captivity), “And when your people say, 'Why has the LORD our God done all these things to us?' you shall say to them, 'As you have forsaken me and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve foreigners in a land that is not yours.'"[5] The LORD said to Jeremiah:
Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them. Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you, declares the LORD.
— Jeremiah 1:17–19 (NIV)
God’s personal prediction to Jeremiah, “Attack you they will, overcome you they can’t,”[6] was fulfilled many times in the Biblical narrative as Jeremiah warned of destruction of those who continued to refuse repentance and accept more moderate consequences. In return for his adherence to God’s disciplines and speaking God’s words, Jeremiah was attacked by his own brothers,[7] beaten and put into the stocks by a priest and false prophet,[8] imprisoned by the king,[9] threatened with death,[10] thrown into a cistern by Judah’s officials,[11] and opposed by a false prophet.[12] Yet God was faithful to rescue Jeremiah from his enemies. For example, when his prophecies regarding the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem were fulfilled by Nebuchadnezzar’s army in 586 BC,[13] Nebuchadnezzar ordered that Jeremiah be freed from prison and treated well.[14]
Judaism considers the Book of Jeremiah a part of its canon, and regards Jeremiah as the second of the major prophets. Christianity regards Jeremiah as a saint and as a prophet. The New Testament quotes Jeremiah,[15] and it has been interpreted that Jeremiah “spiritualized and individualized religion and insisted upon the primacy if the individual’s relationship with God.”[16]