Monday, January 13 – Zephaniah 3, Jeremiah 1 – Additional Reading: Prophets and Kings, Chapter 34, “Jeremiah”

1. From which city was Jeremiah? (Jeremiah 1:1)

2. What reason did Jeremiah give for not accepting the call to be a prophet? (Jeremiah 1:6)

In chapter 3, Zephaniah turns his attention to Jerusalem. “Woe to the rebellious city, the polluted and oppressive!” (Zephaniah 3:1)

Regarding Jeremiah, the Adventist Bible Commentary states: “Jeremiah lived in Anathoth (1:1; 29:27), today Anata, about 4 km northeast of Jerusalem. He descended from a priestly family (1:1). His father, Hilkiah, was undoubtedly not the high priest of the same name who discovered the book of the law (2 Kings 22:8). Jeremiah’s father is referred to as ‘of the priests,’ not ‘the priest’ or ‘the high priest.’ The fact that Jeremiah lived in Anathoth means that he may have been a descendant of Eli and from the line of Abiathar, whom Solomon removed from the high priesthood (see 1 Kings 2:26-27). Jeremiah was called to the prophetic office about 627 B.C., in the 13th year of the reign of Josiah (1:2; see pp. 20-21 and vol. II, p. 79).” CBA, Introduction, Literary Paternity

“The book of Jeremiah consists of a series of prophetic sermons, combined with historical and biographical data concerning the final days of the kingdom of Judah. Using everything available to him, Jeremiah sought to contain the rapid decay of Judah, which was sliding down the slope of moral depravity toward ruin. But his efforts for the nation were almost entirely in vain. His exhortations to repentance fell on deaf ears.” CBA, Introduction, Theme