Jeremiah 11 - Bible Study, Explanation, and Application
Jeremiah 11 Bible Study
INTRO AND TIMELINE:
Jeremiah was a priest who lived in Anathoth (3 miles from Jerusalem). His ministry was directed towards the people of Judah, immediately before and during their exile in Babylon. His work as a prophet dates from 627 BC through the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BC.
Jeremiah is the longest book in the English Bible by word count. The book has 52 chapters.
Jeremiah prophesied under the following Kings of Judah:
Josiah (640-609 BC)
Jehoahaz (also known as Shallum, 609 BC)
Jehoiakim (also known as Jeconiah or Coniah, 609-598 BC)
Jehoiachin (598-597 BC)
Zedekiah (His reign ended when Babylon conquered Judah, (597-586 BC)
JEREMIAH MAP:
Jeremiah’s hometown was Anathoth.
The Ark of the Covenant had once been kept at Shiloh (Jeremiah 7:12).
A medicinal balm was made in the region of Gilead, east of the Jordan River (Jeremiah 8:22).
OUTLINE:
JEREMIAH GOES THROUGHOUT JUDAH PREACHING THE COVENANT (11:1-8):
God told Jeremiah to go through Jerusalem and the cities of Judah preaching about the covenant God had made with His people back on Mt. Sinai in the days of Moses.
God promised to bless the people if they would obey His voice and worship Him as the true God. If they were faithful to Him, He would let them live in the Promised Land (Canaan), a land “flowing with milk and honey” (11:5).
But along with those promises of blessing came promises of curses if the people didn’t obey God. God had already told the people He would punish them and potentially exile them from the land if they rebelled against Him.
God confirmed to Jeremiah that a rebellious heart had taken hold of Judah, and the curses associated with their behavior were going to be enacted.
THE CONSPIRACY AGAINST GOD (11:9-17):
God informed Jeremiah that there was a conspiracy against Him in the land.
The people had unified in their decision to turn their backs on God and break the covenant.
This conspiracy may also refer to individuals in Judah who were determined to undermine the righteous reforms of King Josiah. Josiah tried to turn the nation back to God, but men conspired against him because they were so determined to do evil.
For this conspiracy, God was determined to bring an inescapable disaster on Judah.
The men of Judah would pray to their idols for help, but they would do nothing, because they were powerless inanimate objects.
Jeremiah was told not to pray for mercy, because God wasn’t going to listen.
THE CONSPIRACY AGAINST JEREMIAH (11:18-23):
God revealed another conspiracy to Jeremiah, a conspiracy against the prophet’s life.
The men of Anathoth, Jeremiah’s hometown, were planning to kill him.
God promised to protect Jeremiah and punish the conspirators.
He said, “Behold, I will punish them. The young men shall die by the sword, their sons and their daughters shall die by famine, and none of them shall be left. For I will bring disaster upon the men of Anathoth, the year of their punishment” (11:23).
APPLICATION:
We don’t need to be concerned about every conspiracy and all the secret plans of men, women, governments, and every secret society.
Some people get very worked up and stressed about trying to figure out all the schemes within schemes and plots within plots that are potentially being executed on a global, national, and community level.
While it’s good to try to be perceptive, discerning, and to walk through life with wisdom, I wouldn’t spend a huge amount of time delving into every conspiracy to the neglect of simple gospel work and simple Bible study.
A mind grounded in the Scriptures will help you discern your way through any future events.
God knows all the schemes and conspiracies that have ever been schemed, and He has equipped us with the Scriptures to walk through any of them that enter our reality.
