With the writing of Jeremiah, there were some chunks of writings that were put together that constitute what is called Jeremiah's Leftovers. Baruch is part of this, hence Jeremiah's Leftovers as they are often called. It is written in 586 BC. There are four "Baruch" written out there but some of them are pseudo-graphical works in 2nd Temple Judaism. Several people wrote about and as Baruch for whatever reason. This work is "1" Baruch being regular and of Jeremiah. The works of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Baruch are written much later and are pseudo-graphicals. Baruch is written in 2 pieces. We have included in this the 6th Chapter which is a letter by itself titled the Epistle of Jeremiah because they are often put together in biblical canon, much like Ezra and Nehemiah were once one book Ezra-Nehemiah.
[Chapter 1]
It is written after the Exile and is a reflection about it by Baruch, Jeremiah's scribe. After the 2nd deportation, Jehoikam and Jeconiah are discussed. They have gotten some of the silver objects and are going to send them back to the location of the Temple (1:1-9).
1:10-13 - A prayer is offered for King Neb. This is to respect that God has put him there. The prayer for him and that they can be good to the Babylonians as long as it doesn't go against God.
1:14-21 - A confession of sn is to be read. It is a prayer of repentance for 70 years.
[Chapter 2]
They confessed that they would not repent and were so disobedient that they cannibalized. They deserve all the judgments and give a prayer for deliverance and ask God to please bear with them because the world knows that they are His people and they seek to remind God that they, though evil and corrupt and morons, are still His people.
[Chapter 3]
Another prayer is given.
3:3-4 - A Prayer is given for the departed of Israel. This work shifts and goes from prose to poetry now. A reference to Cain and Abel is made that his brother's blood cries out to me for justice. An account in the Law is made for all the blood spilt and this includes animals' blood too in the Torah. All human blood though must be accounted for. We see in Revelation that this is done as well about the blood spilt of humanity.
3:9 - There is now a shift that takes place again where it becomes like a sermon from Baruch. They looked at the Exile through the perspective of the Torah in the 1st part and now in the 2nd Part they will view it from a perspective much like the Wisdom perspective of literature does.
They reflect on how foolosh leaders and the new generation are just as dumb. References to Genesis 6 are made and it is shown that they perished because they didn't follow God's wisdom (3:26). The stars do what they should while they go their own way and against God.
[Chapter 4]
4:5-7 - Sacrificed to demons instead of God. They abandoned Wisdom but know what they need to do now instead of violating the Law.
4:20-36 - Mercy will come to Jerusalem in Exile. The metaphor of Jerusalem as Mother and etc are given as allusions and metaphors and symbolism abounds here. Jerusalem's mourning is typologized as Jesus and Mary who is the Mother of New Israel. This is all fulfilled through Jesus Christ.
Babylon took people from Israel (4:30-36) and she shall pay for it. This word is not solely about Persia either.
[Chapter 5]
They will be returned and restored. This is about New Jerusalem.
--------------
Epistle of Jeremiah - Letter to Exiles - Chapter 6 of Baruch
[Chapter 6]
They will spend 70 years in Exile. Up to 7 generations.
6:6 - My angel is with you. Michael is the archangel and guardian angel of Israel. God still sees them.
In Babylon, there will be a lot of idols. Do not worship them. Be different. Do not be idolatrous like the people before for this is how the Exile happened in the first place. If you do like you're supposed to the Restoration will take place.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lamentations of Jeremiah
[No one is claiming God to have come back. His presence has not returned to the Temple, even in Ezra-Nehemiah and 1 and 2 Maccabees it doesn't happen. They still await this even in Jesus' day.]
[Chapter 1]
It reads like the Psalms with how Jerusalem has fallen.
[Chapter 2]
Many prayers are given.
[Chapter 3]
You can find many comparisons to Christ here. Aman is here in focus.
[Chapter 4]
Blood is on their hands. A reckoning.
[Chapter 5]
Prayer is given for mercy.
5:19-22 - God/Messiah will return and is promised to return for Israel and her people.
No comments:
Post a Comment