Jeremiah 18-22

[wolfpurplemoon]

Jeremiah likes the clay metaphors, God sees the people of Israel as clay he can mould to his purposes, and a broken clay pot represents what they will be after he's punished them.

Funny that even in Jeremiah's time people who go around saying that the end is nigh were ridiculed, Jeremiah is whining about being a laughingstock although surely he should be more upset by being locked up and tortured by a priest. He does decide that he wishes he'd never been born because his life has totally sucked.

Typical no-win ultimatum from God, stay in Jerusalem and die or leave and surrender to Babylon and live as a slave.

Comments

[zteccc.livejournal.com]

God states that he has the power to reshape them, but clearly allows them to make their own decisions on how to live their lives (e.g. they are free to sin or to not sin, knowing the consequences of their decision, but he won't hesitate to allow those consequences if they don't follow the covenant).

Jeremiah acts very much like a real person in this section. He gets angry at those who try to harm him. He laments his situation (the messenger who only brings bad news). He does what he is told, but it seems like he'd rather be doing something else where he wouldn't be at odds with everyone he knows. Basically he acts very much like any of us would when faced with a bad situation, horrible odds, and someone who will protect us, but keeps sending us out there. It certainly shows Jeremiah as a person and not some literary construct.

Jeremiah definitely continues to follow God's commands even though he tells God he tries not to think of him. He's getting tired (as we all do sometimes).

The time for repentance is long past, the covenant has been violated repeatedly by the people. People are still given a chance to live, but they repeatedly missed their chance for a better outcome.

bible in 90 days

[(Anonymous)]

What a challenge I took to read the bible in such a short time I am learning a lot I encourage mu friends to do the same

Between a rock and a hard place

[(Anonymous)]

The only thing typical about this no-win situation is that the people got themselves into it. You can't say that they didn't know any better. It's human nature to not take responsibility for their own actions and then blame God for the consequences.