This is a partial study of the Book of Jeremiah. It was inspired by "The Philosophy of Hebrew Scripture" by Yoram Hazony.

A part of that book explored the question of how to determine what is true and what is false in the context of the first third of Jeremiah. Since God expected Israel to discern the truth as He also expects of us, the prophet's insights into the subject are as fresh today as they were twenty five hundred years ago.

• Jeremiah 1-2

  Media File
  Truth is so precious and rare that people go to great lengths to counterfeit it. In this introduction we discuss the difficult problem of separating truth from opinion.

• Jeremiah 2-3

  Media File
  To the extent that our society and its education system derive from classical Greece they ill equip us to understand Scripture. The Bible's way of presenting truth is very different. We read Scripture and think we understand it because the words are familiar. Jeremiah will correct our understanding if we will allow it. Judah did not.

• Jeremiah 3-5

  Media File
  Following the truth, God's way, will over time lead to happiness and prosperity. Both Israel and the United States followed His way for an extended period of time and flourished. They then entered a time of error during which they consumed all of the good that previous generations had built up.

• Jeremiah 5-6

  Media File
  Jeremiah is speaking truth to Israel in Biblical fashion which is difficult to understand today because our thought process is essentially Greek. One of the Biblical techniques is the maschil; typically a poetic couplet. The couplet is open ended and is designed to evoke reflection and discussion. In this chapter, the prophet is saying that Israel has fallen into wishful thinking which has lead them away from God.

• Jeremiah 7-8

  Media File
  In God's eyes the Temple has become like a hide-out where robbers flee for safety. They go there to hide until pursuit dies down, not to repent of their sins. For this reason, the building is no longer truly the Temple and it cannot give sanctuary to the nation.

• Jeremiah 9-11

  Media File
  Society in Israel was coming apart. The nation knew the Word of God and had access to the remedy for their plight; yet they refused to apply that knowledge and heal their society. The elites believed that they were secure and exempt from the consequences of their wickedness, and so were surprised when death entered their city like a thief. This should sound eerily familiar to us.

• Jeremiah 12-13

  Media File
  Jeremiah asks the classic question, "Why do the wicked prosper?"

• Jeremiah 14-15

  Media File
  If God expects us to understand what is true and to follow that truth, it must be possible for us to figure that out using the minds He has given to us. This short study has explored Jeremiah's answer to that problem.