An Overview of Jeremiah 1–8

Jeremiah chapters 1—8. Jeremiah prophesied to ancient Israel some 2800 years ago. What relevance could a bearded and robed prophet from the Middle East have to us living in the 21st century? The answer is simple: People are people! Only the actors, costumes, sets and venues change.

So what social and spiritual issues burdened the old prophet’s heart?

• Israel worshipped other gods besides YHVH Elohim (Jer 2:5).
• Their religious leaders didn’t know Elohim (Jer 2:8).
• False prophets filled the land (Jer 2:8) who predict only ear-ticklying nicety things (Jer 6:11).
• Religious people relied on their own efforts—programs, man-made religious systems—instead of relying on the Spirit of Elohim to lead them (Jer 2:13).
• The fear of YHVH Elohim was gone from the land (Jer 2:19; 5:24).
• Israel had turned to false eastern religious systems (e.g. pantheism and earth worship, Jer 2:27).
• The abominable practice of abortion/infanticide was socially acceptable (Jer 2:34).
• The fatherless and needy were not being defended (Jer 5:28).
• The religious system was full of self-appointed leaders who were con artists who lacked spiritual power (Jer 5:31).
• False spiritual leaders were popular among the people (Jer 5:31)
• The people and spiritual leaders were given over to greed and covetousness—i.e., the love of money (Jer 6:13; 8:10).
• Everyone had rejected the Torah (Jer 6:19).
• People refused to repent of their wicked sins (Jer 8:6).
• The land was full of false spiritual teachers who didn’t know the Torah, and who spoke falsely (Jer 8:8–9).

From Jeremiah’s day until now, are things really different in our society or even in the church world?