Chapter 36
Time stamped the fourth year of Jehoiakim. So probably after the time of chapter 35, but now about 6 years before the previous chapter.
The word of God comes to Jeremiah. And here is the reason behind this word:
3 It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the disaster that I intend to do to them, so that every one may turn from his evil way, and that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin." [Jer 36:3 ESV] They are to be given still another chance. Though they are clearly deserving of what is coming - as the last chapter made clear - God is still offering them chances to turn. May He do the same with the US.
God tells Jeremiah to write down all the prophecies, all the words He has said. Then maybe Judah will turn from their ways, and THEN, ONLY then, will God forgive their iniquity and their sin. Just like the conversation with Martha yesterday. God does not forgive without prior repentance. Limited atonement.
What is the difference between "iniquity" and "sin". Plus I think there are several words used for sin. A good word study.
Baruch writes down what God has said to Jeremiah and Jeremiah tells him to go read it in the Temple on a busy day, so the men of Judah have a chance to hear and repent. Like with the gospel. This theme is consistent throughout the Bible. Baruch goes to the Temple (since Jeremiah was banned from it) on a fast day in Jehoiakim's 5th year.
The reading is reported to the Temple officials. They summon Baruch to bring the scroll, and then have him read it to them. After hearing, "...they turned to one another in fear." They confirm with Baruch that the words themselves are Jeremiah's, dictated to Baruch, and written down in ink on a scroll. They intend to tell the words to the King. They tell Baruch and Jeremiah to hide, and tell NO ONE where they are.
They go to the king and tell him about the scroll. He has it brought to the winter palace, and read to him. There is a fire, because winter. As each three or four columns is read, the king cuts them off the scroll and burns them in the fire. It says this about the King and His advisors:
24 Yet neither the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words was afraid, nor did they tear their garments. [Jer 36:24 ESV]
The people who heard the scroll read in the temple were afraid. Those in the little chamber - the Temple officials - were afraid when they heard the words. But the government was not afraid. They didn't care. They felt no guilt. They had no reason to repent. So they just burned the scroll so no one else would hear and repent.
The advisors advise against it, but the King won't listen. Neither the King nor his servants is afraid at what they hear, unlike the Temple officials. He burns it all, then orders Baruch and Jeremiah seized.
But the Lord hid them. This is where true safety lies. The result is here:
30 Therefore thus says the LORD concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah: He shall have none to sit on the throne of David, and his dead body shall be cast out to the heat by day and the frost by night. 31 And I will punish him and his offspring and his servants for their iniquity. I will bring upon them and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem and upon the people of Judah all the disaster that I have pronounced against them, but they would not hear.'" [Jer 36:30-31 ESV]
God has Jeremiah repeat the scroll, to make a second one after the King burns the first. Looks like it is Jeremiah who does the writing this time, but not sure of that. Also, God adds something to the scroll concerning Jehoiakim. No heir of Jehoiakim will sit on the throne of David, and his dead body will rot in the streets. No royal burial. And the words God has pronounced against all Judah and Jerusalem will go forward, because they would not listen. Another nail in their coffin. Another grave refusal of God's urging for them to turn. They blatantly knowingly, willingly refuse to change, and so bring the guilt of Manasseh on themselves. We've seen this several times. Manasseh stepped over the line, but at each generation - or maybe it's to each King - the guilt is renewed, and is as deserving of the coming disaster as at the original pronouncement. The sword is hanging over them, and they ignore it completely. In Jehoiakim's case, he burned it, lest the people either hear it and give up to Neb, or that they repent and turn to God and save themselves. Their own King does not want them to hear the words that might save them. Possible FB. No, the people did hear the words. They just chose not to listen to them. All the King's action accomplished was to keep that scroll from being read again. And God just "re-sent it", and added more.
vs 32, last in the chapter, says this second scroll is also written as dictation by Baruch. It ends with "...And many similar words were added to them."