Jer 45:1-2 | KingComments | STEP | Jeremiah receives a message from the LORD intended for “Baruch the son of Neriah” ( ). It is an appendix to Jeremiah 36, to which this chapter follows chronologically. The message Jeremiah receives came to him during the time Baruch was writing the words from his mouth on a scroll ( ). That is about twenty years earlier than the time of Jeremiah 44. Baruch, shortly after writing the scroll, also read it out twice, first to the people and then to the officials ( ). We are back “in the fourth year of Jehoiakim” for a moment. The name of Jehoiakim recalls how, during the reading of the scroll, he again and again shamelessly cut off the piece being read and threw it into the fire ( ). The name of “Josiah” is also mentioned, the name that recalls the reforms made by this God-fearing king, but made undone by his wicked son Jehoiakim. Although the message came twenty years earlier, Baruch places it at the very end of the book, that is, when everything is in ruins. The LORD knows what Baruch is saying as he writes. He pronounces the “woe is me” on himself because of the poor treatment he is subjected to ( ). He owes this poor treatment to the fact that he is Jeremiah’s secretary and ally. He shares in what the people do to Jeremiah. He blames the LORD for this, because He has done this to him and added even more sorrow to his pain (cf. ). He is completely worn out and wants to stop. There is no rest to be found for him anywhere. This feeling can also overwhelm us when we cannot surrender a matter to the Lord. When we bow under His yoke, we find rest for our souls in the midst of all the turmoil around us ( ). There are a few ways we can lose our peace. It happens 1. when we seek in ourselves what can only be found in Christ; 2. when we seek in creation what can only be found in the Creator; 3. when we seek on earth what can only be found in heaven.

‏ Jeremiah 45:1-2

The Complaint of Baruch

Jeremiah receives a message from the LORD intended for “Baruch the son of Neriah” (Jer 45:1-2). It is an appendix to Jeremiah 36, to which this chapter follows chronologically. The message Jeremiah receives came to him during the time Baruch was writing the words from his mouth on a scroll (Jer 36:4). That is about twenty years earlier than the time of Jeremiah 44. Baruch, shortly after writing the scroll, also read it out twice, first to the people and then to the officials (Jer 36:10 ; 14-15).

We are back “in the fourth year of Jehoiakim” for a moment. The name of Jehoiakim recalls how, during the reading of the scroll, he again and again shamelessly cut off the piece being read and threw it into the fire (Jer 36:21-23). The name of “Josiah” is also mentioned, the name that recalls the reforms made by this God-fearing king, but made undone by his wicked son Jehoiakim.

Although the message came twenty years earlier, Baruch places it at the very end of the book, that is, when everything is in ruins. The LORD knows what Baruch is saying as he writes. He pronounces the “woe is me” on himself because of the poor treatment he is subjected to (Jer 45:3).

He owes this poor treatment to the fact that he is Jeremiah’s secretary and ally. He shares in what the people do to Jeremiah. He blames the LORD for this, because He has done this to him and added even more sorrow to his pain (cf. Rth 1:20-21). He is completely worn out and wants to stop. There is no rest to be found for him anywhere.

This feeling can also overwhelm us when we cannot surrender a matter to the Lord. When we bow under His yoke, we find rest for our souls in the midst of all the turmoil around us (Mt 11:29). There are a few ways we can lose our peace. It happens

1. when we seek in ourselves what can only be found in Christ;

2. when we seek in creation what can only be found in the Creator;

3. when we seek on earth what can only be found in heaven.