Jeremiah 36:2
“Take a scroll and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel and Judah and all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah until today.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This command to "write all the words" isn't just about recording prophecies; it's about preserving God's complete message, including judgments, over a long period. It highlights God's commitment to providing a clear, accessible testimony that can't be easily forgotten or dismissed, even when people refuse to listen.
The LORD commands Jeremiah to dictate all his prophecies, delivered over the past twenty-three years against Judah, Israel, and the nations, to his scribe Baruch. This is a crucial moment where God intends for Jeremiah's spoken warnings, which have largely been ignored, to be preserved in a written scroll. This written record will serve as a testament to God's persistent message and the people's stubborn refusal to repent, especially as judgment looms in the reign of Jehoiakim.
Ever feel like you're just repeating yourself, and people aren't listening? God's message to Jeremiah was powerful, but it needed more than just spoken words.
In Jeremiah 36:2, God doesn't just tell Jeremiah to speak His words; He commands him to write them down on a scroll. This wasn't a suggestion; it was a divine directive.
From Air to Parchment
Think about how we consume information today – quick texts, fleeting social media posts. But in ancient times, writing was a deliberate, enduring act. God called Jeremiah to take all the messages He had given him over decades and commit them to a durable scroll.
Why Write?
God's message was meant to be more than just a moment; it was meant to be a permanent witness.
Jeremiah had been prophesying for years. Why did God want all of it compiled now?
God’s instruction in Jeremiah 36:2 wasn’t just to write any words, but all the words spoken from the beginning of Jeremiah’s ministry until that very day. This emphasizes the completeness and consistency of God's message.
From Josiah Until Today
Understand the original words
megillah · Hebrew Noun
A common material for writing in the ancient Near East, consisting of a continuous sheet of papyrus or parchment rolled into a cylinder. In a biblical context, it frequently signifies a permanent, authoritative record of God’s covenant, prophecy, or law.
This command to write and publicly read the scroll occurs during the turbulent reign of Jehoiakim, a time when Judah was under increasing pressure from Babylon, highlighting God's persistent warnings even as the nation spiraled toward destruction.
c. 627 BC
Jeremiah's Call to Prophesy
Jeremiah is called by God to prophesy, beginning his ministry during the reign of King Josiah.
c. 627 BC - 609 BC
Prophecies During Josiah's Reign
Jeremiah delivers prophecies against Judah and other nations. Josiah's reign was marked by religious reforms, but the people's hearts remained distant from God.
609 BC
Death of King Josiah
Josiah is killed in battle at Megiddo, a significant blow to reform efforts and a turning point for Judah's political and spiritual state.
609 BC - 598 BC
Reign of Jehoiakim
Jehoiakim, Josiah's son, becomes king. His reign is characterized by corruption, idolatry, and a turning away from God's law.
c. 605 BC
This passage uses similar phrasing about writing down God's commands, highlighting the importance of God's word being preserved in a tangible form.
Ezekiel 2:9-10Ezekiel also received a scroll containing a message of judgment, emphasizing God's direct communication and the somber nature of the prophetic word.
Luke 1:1-4Luke explains his careful research and writing of the events concerning Jesus, showing a similar desire to preserve and order divine truth for understanding.
John 5:39Jesus points to the Scriptures as bearing witness to Him, underscoring the enduring authority and revelatory nature of written prophecy and testimony.
calvinJeremiah 36:1-2: "And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,"
Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day.
Sume tibi volumen libri, et scribe in eo cunctos sermones quos loquutus sum ad to contra Israel et co…
pooleJeremiah 36:2: "Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day."
By a roll of a book is to be understood parchments , which anciently were their books, the art of binding books being not then known. The precept is for recording all the revelations he had from God for twenty-two years last past; for he began to proph…
This command to "write all the words" isn't just about recording prophecies; it's about preserving God's complete message, including judgments, over a long period. It highlights God's commitment to providing a clear, accessible testimony that can't be easily forgotten or dismissed, even when people refuse to listen.
The LORD commands Jeremiah to dictate all his prophecies, delivered over the past twenty-three years against Judah, Israel, and the nations, to his scribe Baruch. This is a crucial moment where God intends for Jeremiah's spoken warnings, which have largely been ignored, to be preserved in a written scroll. This written record will serve as a testament to God's persistent message and the people's stubborn refusal to repent, especially as judgment looms in the reign of Jehoiakim.
The LORD commands Jeremiah to dictate all his prophecies, delivered over the past twenty-three years against Judah, Israel, and the nations, to his scribe Baruch. This is a crucial moment where God intends for Jeremiah's spoken warnings, which have largely been ignored, to be preserved in a written scroll. This written record will serve as a testament to God's persistent message and the people's stubborn refusal to repent, especially as judgment looms in the reign of Jehoiakim.
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God specifically points to the time span: 'from the days of Josiah until today.' This covers a significant period, including the reign of Josiah (a generally good king) and the subsequent reigns that led to increasing judgment.
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, attacks Jerusalem, and some of the royal family and skilled people are taken captive to Babylon, including Daniel. This marks the beginning of Judah's subjugation.
c. 605 BC— this verse
Command to Write the Scroll
God commands Jeremiah to write all his prophecies against Israel, Judah, and the nations onto a scroll, from the beginning of his ministry until this day.
c. 605 BC
Scroll Read in the Temple
Jeremiah has his scribe, Baruch, read the scroll aloud in the Temple, a public proclamation of God's judgment.
"“Take a scroll and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel and Judah and all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah until today." — This command to "write all the words" isn't just about recording prophecies; it's about preserving God's complete message, including judgments, over a long period. It highlights God's commitment to p…
