Daily Devotions
Jeremiah
"Yet they were not afraid"
Text: Jeremiah 36:24
THE LACK OF REGARD FOR THE LORD
Jehoiakim had absolutely no regard for the LORD. There was no fear or reverence in his heart. Thus, he was not afraid of shredding and burning the scroll of Jeremiah.
“Yet they were not afraid, nor did they tear their garments,
the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words.
Nevertheless Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah
implored the king not to burn the scroll;
but he would not listen to them.
And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king’s son,
Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel,
to seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet,
but the LORD hid them.”
Jeremiah 36:24-26
1. “Yet they were not afraid, nor did they tear their garments,
the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words”
a) Who are the “they?”
i) King Jehoiakim
ii) His servants
b) Their lack of reverence of God.
i) They were not afraid of shredding Jeremiah’s scroll that contained God’s word.
ii) There was no sign of repentance at all.
iii) If they had any fear of God, they would have torn their garments as an expression of deep grief for their sins.
2. “Nevertheless Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah implored the king not to burn the scroll;
but he would not listen to them”
a) There were some who urged the king not to destroy Jeremiah’s scroll.
i) Elnathan
ii) Delaiah
iii) Gemariah
b) But the king refused to listen to their advice.
3. “And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king’s son, Seraiah the son of Azriel,
and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet,
but the LORD hid them”
a) The king gave a command to three men.
i) Jerahmeel, one of the sons of the king.
ii) Seraiah, the son of Azriel.
iii) Shelemiah the son of Abdeel.
b) His order was to arrest Jeremiah and Baruch.
i) Jeremiah was to be arrested for writing his book.
That pointed out the sins of the nations of Israel and Judah.
ii) Baruch was to be arrested for writing down all that Jeremiah had recited to him.
c) But the LORD protected Jeremiah and Baruch.
The king could not find them for they were hidden by the LORD.