In this lesson, we will see Jeremiah, Daniel, and Ezekiel, the prophets during the captivity of Israel.
Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah the priest, was born in Anathoth (Jer. 1:1). He was born as a priest and was called to be a prophet in the thirteenth year of King Josiah. He spoke for the Lord until the captivity of Israel (Jer. 1:2-3, 5-7). Among all the prophets, he was the one who suffered the most persecution. Except for a few of the kings, leaders, priests, and people, everyone was against him and hated him. The false prophets, who assumed to speak in God’s name, especially lied about and contradicted his prophecy. Finally, Azariah and Johanan and those who were close to Egypt forced him to go to Egypt (Jer. 43:2-7). In Jeremiah’s ministry, he rebuked the kings and the people for their sins and warned them that unless they repented they would be carried into captivity and their nation would be destroyed. He wept for God’s people when he saw that they refused in their stiff-neckedness to repent and that they eventually lost their country. His writings include Jeremiah and Lamentations.
Jeremiah 2:13 says, “For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns.” God’s people forsook God, the fountain of the living water. This was not only a loss to them but also a great sin which became the main factor of their fall.
Jeremiah 9:13 says, “They have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein.” Because the people forsook God, they also disobeyed His word.
Jeremiah 1:16 says, “Touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.” Having forsaken God and having disobeyed His voice, they burned incense unto other gods, who actually were not God, and worshipped the works of their own hands, making the idols their gods.
Jeremiah 11:13 says, “For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to that shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto Baal.” God’s people had truly fallen into a very wicked situation. Their false gods were as many as their cities; the shameful altars of Baal were as many as the streets in Jerusalem.
The people of Israel were holiness unto the Lord, and the firstfruits of His increase. In the beginning they also had the kindness of their youth, and the love of their espousals unto God (Jer. 2:2-3). But they backslid, forsook God, and turned to the false gods; thus, they committed spiritual fornication. They committed adultery in every high mountain and under every green tree, with stones and with stocks, so that even the land was defiled (Jer. 3:6-9).
When God’s people fell into the condition of forsaking God, disobeying God’s word, and committing adultery in worshipping idols, they spontaneously spoke lies, deceived others, and committed iniquity. They bent their tongues like their bow for lies. They taught their tongue to speak lies, and wearied themselves to commit iniquity (Jer. 9:3, 5). They were turned back to the iniquity of their forefathers, who refused to hear the words of God (Jer. 11:10).
The kings of Israel not only took the lead to do such evil, but also scattered the people and did not care for them. “Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them” (Jer. 23:2).