Question 1

What is happening in this passage where Jeremiah preaches at the temple?

Accepted Answer

This passage describes a scene early in King Jehoiakim’s reign when God tells Jeremiah to stand in the temple courtyard and speak to people from all the cities of Judah. Jeremiah must repeat every word God gives him and not soften the message. God calls the people to turn from their evil ways so He can hold back the disaster He plans because of their sins. If they refuse, He warns that the temple will become like Shiloh and Jerusalem will become a curse. The message stirs up strong anger against Jeremiah.

Question 2

What does it mean when God says He will make this house like Shiloh?

Accepted Answer

Shiloh had once been a place where God’s presence and the ark were, but it was destroyed because of the people’s sin. When God says He will make “this house” like Shiloh, He is warning that the temple in Jerusalem is not safe just because it is a holy building. If the people keep ignoring His law and His prophets, the temple can be ruined and left empty, just as Shiloh was. It is a warning that God cares more about obedience than about buildings.

Question 3

Why did the priests and prophets say Jeremiah was worthy to die?

Accepted Answer

The priests and prophets were angry because Jeremiah spoke against the temple and the city. He said in God’s name that the temple would become like Shiloh and that the city would be desolate without people living in it. They saw this as speaking against the place they trusted in and treated it like blasphemy. Instead of asking if the warning was true, they focused on defending the temple and their position. So they told the princes and the people that Jeremiah deserved death for prophesying in this way.

Question 4

How does Jeremiah defend himself when the people threaten his life?

Accepted Answer

Jeremiah answers calmly and firmly. He tells the princes and all the people that the LORD sent him to speak against the temple and the city, so his message is not from himself. He repeats the call to “amend your ways and your doings” and obey God, saying that if they do, God will turn from the disaster He has spoken. Then he puts his own life in their hands, saying they can do what seems right to them, but warns that if they kill him they will bring innocent blood on themselves, the city, and its people, because he truly spoke God’s words.

Question 5

Who is Micah the Morasthite, and why is he mentioned here?

Accepted Answer

Micah the Morasthite is a prophet from an earlier time, during the days of King Hezekiah of Judah. Some elders bring up his example to help save Jeremiah. They remind the people that Micah once prophesied that Zion would be plowed like a field and Jerusalem would become heaps, a very hard warning, yet Hezekiah did not put him to death. Instead, Hezekiah feared the LORD and prayed, and God held back the disaster. The elders use this story to show that killing a prophet for a hard message is wrong and would bring great trouble on themselves.

Question 6

Who was Urijah son of Shemaiah, and what happened to him?

Accepted Answer

Urijah son of Shemaiah was another prophet who spoke in the name of the LORD. He came from Kirjath-jearim and prophesied against Jerusalem and the land in the same way Jeremiah did. When King Jehoiakim and his officials heard Urijah’s words, the king wanted to kill him. Urijah became afraid and fled to Egypt, but the king sent Elnathan son of Achbor and others to bring him back. They took Urijah from Egypt to Jehoiakim, who killed him with the sword and threw his body into the graves of the common people, showing how harshly faithful prophets could be treated.

Question 7

What does this passage teach about God’s mercy and judgment?

Accepted Answer

In this passage God clearly shows both His mercy and His justice. He sends Jeremiah with a hard message, not just to announce destruction, but to invite the people to turn from their evil ways. God says that if they listen and change, He will “repent” of the disaster He planned, meaning He will hold it back. At the same time, He warns that if they refuse to hear His law and His prophets, the temple will become like Shiloh and the city will become a curse. God is ready to forgive, but He will not ignore stubborn disobedience.

Question 8

Why does this passage talk about shedding innocent blood?

Accepted Answer

Jeremiah tells the leaders and people that if they put him to death, they will bring innocent blood on themselves, the city, and its people. He is saying he has done nothing wrong, because he spoke what God commanded. To kill him would be to kill a man who is innocent before God in this matter. The passage shows that God takes the shedding of innocent blood very seriously. It reminds those in power that they are responsible for how they treat God’s servants and that injustice brings guilt and consequences on a whole community.

Question 9

How can this story about Jeremiah’s trial speak to believers today?

Accepted Answer

This story shows that speaking God’s truth can lead to opposition, even from religious people. Jeremiah is told not to leave out a single word of God’s message, even though it is hard to hear. He stays faithful, calls people to change, and leaves his own safety in God’s hands. Today, believers can learn to value obedience to God over pleasing others, to listen when His word exposes sin, and to remember that God’s warnings are meant to lead to mercy. It also encourages courage and honesty when pressure comes from those around us.

Jeremiah 26:1

In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from the Lord, saying,

A Warning to the Cities of Judah

Jeremiah Threatened with Death

Jeremiah Spared from Death

The Prophet Uriah

A Warning to the Cities of Judah

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Jeremiah 26:1

In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from the Lord, saying,

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A Warning to the Cities of Judah

Jeremiah Threatened with Death

Jeremiah Spared from Death

The Prophet Uriah

A Warning to the Cities of Judah

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