Stroll through Scripture for November 24, 2024

Based on Jeremiah 36:1-8, 21-23, 27-28; then 31:31-34

The Narrative Lectionary is moving us to the end of Israel’s and Judah’s timeline.  In this Sunday’s reading we about Jeremiah and King Jehoiakim of Judah.  The northing Kingdom of Israel has been long gone.  The southern kingdom remains.  The last good king was Josiah, who was Jehoiakim’s father.  Jehoiakim’s older brother was first on the throne following Josiah and his brother was deposed by the King of Egypt, who put Jehoiakim on the throne.  The Egyptians wanted a buffer state between them and the Babylonians, the empire that was on the rise in the region at that time.  

Jehoiakim is considered an evil king.  He is often compared to King Ahab of the northern kingdom of Israel because of his rebellion against God and his cruelty.  In this passage we hear the story of him ordering Jeremiah’s scroll be ripped apart and put in the fire.  The scroll contained God’s words dictated to Jeremiah.  Jehoiakim not only disregards the words of God, but actively rejects them with his command to burn the scroll.  

The result of such rejection and rebellion will come soon for Judah – it will be conquered by Babylon.  The VIP’s will be exiled to Babylon to serve in the court of Nebuchadnezzar.  The Temple will be destroyed.  The poor will be left to fend for themselves on barren land.  It will not be pleasant.  But this is the cost of actively rejecting God.  

The lectionary then does something interesting.  It takes us back from Chapter 36 to Chapter 31.  The focus of this segment is to show us why God said that the Law will be written on human hearts.  The contrast could not be clearer.  Jehoiakim was ordered the burning of God’s words which were written on a scroll.  Scrolls and paper can be discarded and ignored.  The human heart though can’t.  We have to deal with it.  It’s a part of us.  And that’s the point of why God says that the Law will be written on the heart.  It can’t be ignored.  It can certainly be rejected, but then we are rejecting a very part of ourselves when we do.  And in so doing, we also reject God because we are made in God’s image and likeness. 

Questions for Reflection:

• How is our own time and culture similar and different to the time and culture of ancient Judah when it comes to how people listen to God?  
• It can be difficult to hear Good News in the midst of cruelty and rebellion and harshness.  When you read the passage, what Good News do you hear?