II Kings 25: The Wrath Of Nebuchadnezzar (And God)

Judgment day arrives for Jerusalem, and it comes with Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian army.

II Kings 24: Keeping Track Of The "J"s

A lot of history can happen in a short period of time.  A quick succession of kings ascended to the throne of Judah before and during its defeat to Babylon.  It can be hard to keep track of them because several of their names begin with the letter "J".

Jeremiah 38: Stuck In The Mud

In chapter 38, Jeremiah's situation goes from bad to worse.  After being imprisoned, the prophet is now thrown into a cistern and sinks down in the mud.  In a way, his fortunes mirror that of Judah, whose condition is also going from bad to worse.

Jeremiah 37: Under Arrest

"Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment" (Hebrews 11:36).  The "Hall of Fame of Faith" chapter of Hebrews pays homage to the great men and women who had suffered much because of their faithfulness to the Lord.  The author could easily have had in mind the travails of the prophet Jeremiah, who did indeed face imprisonment on account of his calling.  We read in Jeremiah 37 how he was arrested and detained for "many days" (vs. 16).  Preaching the Word of God had earned Jeremiah many powerful enemies, and they made sure that they had their vengeance on him when they could!  Fortunately, Jeremiah was not put to death, but we will hear how his imprisonment grew even worse in chapter 38.

Jeremiah 36: Bonfire Of The Prophecies

Jeremiah 36 relates a story about Jeremiah and his secretary Baruch that happened during the reign of King Jehoiakim.

Jeremiah 35: No Whining About No Wining

To a people that know nothing about faithfulness, God points out the example of a clan (called Rechabites) who have faithfully adhered to the strict guidelines established by their ancestor.  Even in Jeremiah's day, generations after Rechab, they refuse to drink wine or live in structures.  Instead, they make it a point to abstain and live in tents.  God uses the Rechabites as a kind of object lesson to His wayward nation of Judah, pointing out what obedience looks like to a disobedient people (vs. 13-14).  Because the Rechabites have faithfully followed the command of their ancestor, God promises that they will endure "for all time" (vs. 19).

Jeremiah 34: God's Opinion Of Slavery?

Critics of the Bible sometimes point out that scripture was used to justify slavery in the United States before the Civil War.  While that charge is true (as well as the fact that the Bible was equally cited in the north in the campaign against slavery), passages like Jeremiah 34 give, I believe, a window into God's opinion of slavery.