Jeremiah's Preaching Ministry in Judah's Kingdom Period
Jeremiah, whose name can mean "raised up by the Lord" or "exaltation of the Lord," was a significant prophet in the Old Testament [7, 8, 14]. He was the son of Hilkiah, a priest from Anathoth in the land of Benjamin [1, 7]. Jeremiah's prophetic ministry began in the thirteenth year of King Josiah's reign, around 627 BC [10, 11]. His work continued through the reigns of Jehoiakim and Zedekiah, lasting until the carrying away of Jerusalem into captivity in the fifth month of Zedekiah's eleventh year [11].
Jeremiah's ministry was characterized by a call to repentance and a warning of impending judgment due to Judah's unfaithfulness to God's covenant [13]. He was commissioned by God to proclaim messages to the people, often in public settings. For instance, he was instructed to stand in the court of the Lord's house and speak to all the cities of Judah that came to worship there, delivering all the words God commanded him without omission [15]. He also delivered messages directly to the king, such as when he was ordered to preach before King Jehoiakim [12].
A key aspect of Jeremiah's preaching involved reminding the people of the requirements of the ancient covenant [13]. He was tasked with taking a "prophetic tour" throughout Judah, proclaiming the denunciations found in the book of the law [9]. This involved visiting every town and walking the streets of Jerusalem to broadcast the Lord's message to as many people as possible [13]. His prophecies often concerned the destruction of the temple and the city, which led to accusations against him [15]. Jeremiah also delivered specific prophecies concerning other nations, such as Elam, early in Zedekiah's reign [3].
While the prophet Jeremiah is the most prominent figure bearing this name, the Bible mentions other individuals named Jeremiah. These include Gadites who joined David, a Benjamite slinger, and a chief from the tribe of Manasseh [2, 4, 5, 6, 7]. However, the prophet Jeremiah is distinctively identified as the son of Hilkiah, a priest from Anathoth [1, 7].
Sources
- Jeremiah “Jeremiah 1:1 (LEB) — The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, among the priests who were in Anathoth, in the land of Benjamin,”
- STEPBible TIPNR “Biblical proper name: [email protected]=H3414J — Man living at the time of Divided Monarchy (refs: #A warrior living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.12.10; <br>only referred to)”
- Jeremiah “Yahweh’s word that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying, -- Jeremiah 49:34”
- STEPBible TIPNR “Biblical proper name: [email protected]=H3414H — Man living at the time of Divided Monarchy (refs: #A man from the tribe of Manasseh living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.5.2)”
- STEPBible TIPNR “Biblical proper name: [email protected]=H3414K — Man living at the time of Divided Monarchy (refs: #A warrior living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.12.13; <br>only referred to)”
- STEPBible TIPNR “Biblical proper name: [email protected]=H3414I — Man living at the time of Divided Monarchy (refs: #A warrior living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.12.4; <br>only referred to )”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Jeremiah — Raised up or appointed by Jehovah. (1.) A Gadite who joined David in the wilderness (1 Chr. 12:10). (2.) A Gadite warrior (1 Chr. 12:13). (3.) A Benjamite slinger who joined David at Ziklag (1 Chr. 12:4). (4.) One of the chiefs of the tribe of Manasseh on the east of Jordan (1 Chr. 5:24). (5.) The father of Hamutal (2 Kings 23:31), the wife of Josiah. (6.) One of the "greater prophets" of the Old Testament, son of Hilkiah (q.v.), a priest of Anathoth (Jer. 1:1; 32:6). He was called to the prophetical office when still young (1:6), in the thirteenth year of”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Jeremiah — exaltation of the Lord”
- Jeremiah (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Jeremiah 11:6: Jeremiah was to take a prophetic tour throughout Judah, to proclaim everywhere the denunciations in the book of the law found in the temple. Hear . . . do-- (Rom 2:13; Jam 1:22).”
- Jeremiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Jeremiah 25:3: 25:3 Jeremiah’s ministry began in 627 BC.”
- Jeremiah (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Jeremiah 1:1: Jer 1:1-3 contain the heading to the whole book of the prophecies of Jeremiah. The heading runs thus: "Sayings of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests at Anathoth, in the land of Benjamin, to whom befell the word of Jahveh in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign, and in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, until the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month." The period mentioned in these verses in”
- Jeremiah (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Jeremiah 22:1: Here we have, I. Orders given to Jeremiah to go and preach before the king. In the foregoing chapter we are told that Zedekiah sent messengers to the prophet, but here the prophet is bidden to go, in his own proper person, to the house of the king, and demand his attention to the word of the King of kings (Jer 22:2): Hear the word of the Lord, O king of Judah! Subjects must own that where the word of the king is there is power over them, but kings must own that where the word of the Lord is there is power over them. The king of Judah is here spoken to as sitting”
- Jeremiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Jeremiah 11:6: 11:6-7 Jeremiah was to use every available means to broadcast the Lord’s message to as many people as he could. As he visited every town and walked the streets of Jerusalem, he reminded the people to remember and obey the requirements of the ancient covenant.”
- Jeremiah (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Jeremiah 1:1: We have here as much as it was thought fit we should know of the genealogy of this prophet and the chronology of this prophecy. 1. We are told what family the prophet was of. He was the son of Hilkiah, not that Hilkiah, it is supposed, who was high priest in Josiah's time (for then he would have been called so, and not, as here, one of the priests that were in Anathoth), but another of the same name. Jeremiah signifies one raised up by the Lord. It is said of Christ that he is a prophet whom the Lord our God raised up unto us, Deu 18:15, Deu 18:18. He was of the ”
- Jeremiah (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Jeremiah 26:1: Accusation and Acquittal of Jeremiah. - Jer 26:1-7. His prophecy that temple and city would be destroyed gave occasion to the accusation of the prophet. - Jer 26:1. "In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah king of Judah, came this word from Jahveh, saying: Jer 26:2. Thus said Jahveh: Stand in the court of the house of Jahveh, and speak to all the cities of Judah which come to worship in Jahveh's house, all the words that I have commanded thee to speak to them; take not a word therefrom. Jer 26:3. Perchance they will hearken and turn each”