Skip to Main Content

Y8 Theology: Jeremiah

Key facts

  • Jeremiah is known as the “Weeping Prophet” because he lived through a terrible time in history, and describes his anguish as the people do not heed his warnings and suffer the consequences
  • Lived around 600-550BC
  • He was born in the kingdom of Judah and prophesied that the kingdom would fall to the Babylonians, which happened during his lifetime.
  • He was traditionally thought to have written the Book of Lamentations (meaning “the passionate expression of grief or sorrow; weeping” – Oxford Dictionaries), but this is no longer believed to be likely. This is a poetry book all about the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586BC

Image credit: Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem by Rembrandt

Christian vs Jewish interpretation

Christian vs Jewish interpretation

  • Jeremiah is a source for many Messianic concepts, for both Christians and Jewish people, often linked to the return after Babylonian exile.
  • Jeremiah 31:15 (A voice is heard in Ramah..”) is a specifically Christian link to King Herod killing all the babies in and around Bethlehem after Jesus’ birth. Jewish people would have regarded this a description of the invasion of Judah by Babylon in Jeremiah’s time.

Key quotes

Christian and Jewish Messianic quotes

Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’  (Jeremiah 23:5-6)

 Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:3-4) 

“And it shall come to pass in that day, declares the Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off your neck, and I will burst your bonds, and foreigners shall no more make a servant of him. But they shall serve the Lord their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them. (Jeremiah 30:8-9)

Their prince shall be one of themselves; their ruler shall come out from their midst;
I will make him draw near, and he shall approach me, for who would dare of himself to approach me? declares the Lord. And you shall be my people, and I will be your God.” (Jeremiah 30:21-22)

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant … that they broke… I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbour and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord’, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
(Jeremiah 31:31-34)

 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when the city shall be rebuilt for the Lord  …. It shall not be uprooted or overthrown any more for ever.” (Jeremiah 31:38-40)

In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 16 In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’
“For thus says the Lord: David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel… (Jeremiah 33:15-17) 

Christian only Messianic quotes

Thus says the Lord:
“A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping.
Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.” (Jeremiah 31:15)
Christians link this to Matt 2:16-18 where Herod kills all the children under the age of 2 in the Bethlehem region after the visit of the wise men.

Further Resources: Jeremiah

Bible Project

Bible Project video below:

References from resource pack

Resources provided:

Downloadable info pack

What's in a name? The meanings of biblical names

Jeremiah: My High Place Is Yahweh (God) or Elevated Of Yah

Source: Jeremiah | The amazing name Jeremiah: meaning and etymology

Documentary clip

Things you might want to include in your documentary clip:

  • You could characterise Jeremiah as the Weeping Prophet
  • Catchphrase: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord…”
  • The fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians
  • Scenes from Jeremiah’s life (e.g. the ‘well’ incident)
  • Quotes about Jeremiah’s Messianic predictions
     

End your documentary clip with the prophet or interview giving a summary to the camera – “I predicted that the Messiah would…”