The Weeping Prophet
626- 587BC
Bible Reference: Jeremiah & Lamentations
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- Jeremiah began his ministry as a prophet at about the age of twenty under Josiah, who was a good king in the Southern Kingdom of Israel.
- For forty years he faithfully proclaimed God’s judgment on the sins of the people of Judah even when facing opposition, beatings, and imprisonment.
- His prophecies are detailed in the book Jeremiah and his sadness over the destruction of Jerusalem is found in the book Lamentations.
- After the reign of Josiah, he was not allowed in the temple and was hunted down by the Jewish authorities because they didn’t like his prophecies.
- He was an eyewitness to see the Egyptians depose King Jehoahaz, replacing him with the puppet King Jehoiakim who reigned over the Southern Kingdom of Israel in 609 BC.
- He saw Nebuchadnezzar march into Israel after defeating the Egyptians at the Battle of Carchemish (605 BC). They took prisoners back to Babylon and Jehoiakim switched sides and became a puppet king for the Babylonians.
- After Jehoiakim died in 597 BC, the Babylonians replaced him with Zedekiah who bent to the wishes of the Jewish nobles and had Jeremiah imprisoned.
- In 586 BC, the Babylonians took Jerusalem by force and released Jeremiah, giving him the choice of returning with them to Babylon or remaining in Jerusalem.
- Jeremiah remained in Jerusalem but was soon abducted and taken to Egypt by Jews who fled rather than facing Nebuchadnezzar.
- In Egypt, Jeremiah prophesied for a few more years and before he died.
- Tradition holds that he was stoned and is thought to be remembered in Hebrews 11:37.
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