[:en]SCRIPTURE: JEREMIAH 36
“Take a scroll and write on it all the words I have spoken to you concerning Israel, Judah and all the other nations from the time I began speaking to you in the reign of Josiah till now. Perhaps when the people of Judah hear about every disaster I plan to inflict on them, each of them will turn from his wicked way; then I will forgive their wickedness and their sin” (Jeremiah 36:2-3)
“The king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and Jehudi brought it from the room of Elishama the secretary and read it to the king and ll the officials standing beside him. It was the ninth month and the king was sitting in the winter apartment, with a fire burning in the firepot in front of him. Whenever Jehudi had read three or four column s of the scroll, the king cut them off with a scribe’s knife and threw them into the firepot, until the entire scroll was burned in the fire. The king and all his attendants who heard all these words showed no fear, nor did they tear their clothes” (Jeremiah 36:21-24)
“Therefore, this is what the Lord says about Jehoiakim king of Judah: He will have no one to sit on the throne of David; his body will be thrown out and exposed to the heat by day and the frost by night. I will punish him and his children and his attendants for their wickedness; I will bring on them and those living in Jerusalem and the people of Judah every disaster I pronounced against them, because they have not listened” (Jeremiah 36:30-31)
JEHOIAKIM BURNS THE JEREMIAH’S SCROLL
During the 4th year of Jehoiakim, son of Josian, king of Judah, Gopd spoke to Jeremiah: “TAke a scroll and write every disaster I plan to inflict on Israel and Judah. Perhaps when the people hear it, each of them will turn from his wicked way and I will forgiv e their wickedness and sin (vs. 2-3). So, Jeremiah called baruch, son of Neriah to write on the scroll all the words Jeremiah dictated to him. Baruch did everything prophet Jeremiah told him to do. He read the words of the Lord from the scroll to all the people at the temple. After the officials had heard, they send Jehudi to get the scroll from Baruch. They told Baruch and Jeremiah to hide because they would read it to the king. When the king heard it, he cut the scroll with a knife and threw them into the firepot until the entire scroll was burned. Then the king wanted to arrest Baruch and Jeremiah but the Lord had hidden them.After the scroll was burned, the Lord told Jeremiah to take another scroll and write on it all the words that were on the first scroll.
And because Jehoiakim burned the scroll, these were his punishments:
- He will have no one sit on the throne of David
- His body will be thrown out and exposed to the heat by day and the frost by night.
- His children and attendant will be punished for their wickedness
- Disaster will fall upon those living in Jerusalem.
God’s Word can never be destroyed. “Forever, O Lord, your Word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89). “Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will by no means pass away” (Mat. 24:35)[:]