Study notes

Jeremiah 6

Introducing JeremiahWho wrote it, when, why, and what to look for as you read

2:1–12:17 Section

Jeremiah’s judgement messages explained how and why God’s people would be judged. These messages were like the judgement messages that Isaiah shared.

The work of being a prophet was very hard for Jeremiah. He wept and suffered with deep sadness and pain. Inside his own body he felt God’s anger like a burning fire. The people and leaders of the southern kingdom hadn’t been faithful to the Mount Sinai covenant. They didn’t obey the Ten Commandments. They didn’t treat others the way God taught them to in the Law of Moses. They treated needy people badly. They worshipped false gods instead of worshipping only God. They felt no shame about this. They expected God to continue blessing them. This showed that they not only spoke lies but also lived out lies. It showed that they had no sense or wisdom.

They hadn’t learnt from the example of the northern kingdom. They hadn’t learnt from times in the past when God brought judgement against them. Storks and other birds had more wisdom than God’s people did. God’s people didn’t serve him with all their heart. God described this as not being circumcised in their hearts. Their bodies were circumcised. So on the outside of their bodies they had the sign of God’s covenant. But the choices they made showed that they didn’t respect and honour God. This was true for both the people and the leaders of the southern kingdom. The kings, priests and prophets didn’t follow God’s example for rulers. They didn’t know God’s laws and didn’t lead the people in obeying God. They lied by saying that everything was going well and that the nation had peace. As a result of this, God would no longer stop the covenant curses from coming.

God longed to forgive his people. He wanted them to turn away from their sin, repent and follow him. But they refused. So God told Jeremiah to stop praying that God would have mercy on them. God would use the Babylonian army as his tool to judge the southern kingdom. The temple would be destroyed. The people would be thrown out of the land God had given them. God had warned Solomon about this judgement (1 Kings 9:6–9). Yet God promised that he wouldn’t destroy his people completely. He would always allow a few to remain alive. In this way God would remain faithful to his covenant with David.

God also gave Jeremiah messages of hope to share about a time in the future. God would live with his people and rule the world from Jerusalem as King. The northern and southern kingdoms would live together in their land as one kingdom again. God would return all nations to their own lands. Jews would teach other nations that God is the Lord who rules over all. Every nation would be invited to follow the practices God taught his people. Every people group that honoured God would become part of God’s people.

6:1

Jeremiah’s parents lived in the Benjamin tribal area, a narrow strip of land running east to west a few miles north of Jerusalem. Amos lived in Tekoa, about twelve miles south of Jerusalem (Amos 1:1).
Beth-hakkerem was about three miles south of Jerusalem, overlooking Bethlehem.

6:1–9

The invasion from the north, likely by the Babylonians in 605 BC, was approaching the kingdom of Judah. As the Lord's messenger, Jeremiah had the duty to warn the people so they could find shelter.

6:2–5

Jeremiah described the commanding officers of the invading army as shepherds leading their soldiers to camp around the city. The initial plan was to strike the city walls at noon, when the attackers could see their work. However, the people in the city were so weakened that a night attack was just as effective (see 2 Kings 25:1–4).

6:6–7

The Lord directed the Babylonians' attack. He told them to make battering rams to break through the walls and to build dirt ramps for easy access (Jeremiah 32:24).

6:8

Even at this late hour, the Lord accused the people to make them listen and return to him.

6:9

There was little time left for people to return to the one true God. The invasion survivors would be like leftover grapes on vines. God, the harvester, would find the survivors to ensure everyone in Israel faced this punishment.

6:10

The people could hear because their replies were full of scorn, but they did not take the Lord’s message seriously (see Acts 7:51).

6:10–15

Jeremiah, the messenger and prosecutor, used rhetorical questions to show his love for the people. He was shocked when they responded with scorn. After showing evidence of sins by all levels of society, the prophet delivered a divine decree. The use of future tense in his indictment suggests he spoke before the invasion.

6:11–12

Jeremiah felt the Lord's anger toward the people and could not hold back his emotions.

6:13

The people were so driven by greed that they sought profit through violence (see Proverbs 1:11–19; also Isaiah 56:11; Micah 3:5, 11). The religious leaders were dishonest; they did not act according to their roles.

6:14

The sinful behavior of God's people led to a serious problem that justified God's judgment. Instead of urging repentance, the religious leaders falsely promised peace (Jeremiah 23:17; Ezekiel 13:10).

6:16

Following God's ancient laws (Malachi 4:4) would bring peace to people's souls (compare Matthew 11:29).

6:16–21

The Lord urged the people to repent and warned them about the terrible consequences if they did not.

6:17

Prophets served as the Lord's watchmen (Jeremiah 25:4; Isaiah 58:1; Ezekiel 3:17).

6:18–19

All the nations would know that disaster had come to the Lord’s people because they rejected his word (Jeremiah 19:3; Proverbs 1:31; Isaiah 1:2).

6:20

The Lord found the offerings of expensive frankincense and fragrant perfumes offensive because of the people's rebellion (Jeremiah 7:21–23; Exodus 30:23; Psalms 40:6; 50:7–9; Isaiah 1:11; 43:24; 66:3; Amos 5:21; Micah 6:6–7).

6:22–23

The Lord reminded the people that the coming invasion was real. The soldiers had actual bows and spears (Isaiah 13:18).
roars like the sea: The noise from thousands of soldiers with horses and chariots must have been terrifying (Isaiah 5:27–30).

6:22–30

This conversation between Jeremiah and the Lord likely occurred at the start of the Babylonian invasion in 605 BC. In these three poems, Jeremiah shares the Lord’s message (Jeremiah 6:22–23), connects with his people's fear, and urges them to repent quickly (6:24–26). He then receives a heartfelt message from the Lord (Jeremiah 6:27–30).