How to Understand the Book of Jeremiah
by Duane S. Crowther
a product of HORIZON PUBLISHERS & DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
 

Review

     An invaluable addition to any LDS library, this book includes a detailed presentation of the life, times and ministry of the Prophet Jeremiah, including scriptural information about him, the date of his mission, who he prophesied to, the contemporary kings of his time, the national conditions that prevailed, an outline of the Book of Jeremiah itself, information about the style of the book, its textual transmission, the date of authorship, textual criticism, changes made in the Inspired Version, and an overall summary.
     Historical chapters detail the kings and major events of the historical period. A listing and ordering of Jeremiah's many prophecies about the last days is presented. Jeremiah is also the author of the book of Lamentations, which also is covered in this valuable book.
     Jeremiah was an eyewitness of the fall of the kingdom of Judah to the Babylonians, a process which extended from 598 to 586 B.C. During his forty-year-long ministry he chronicled major world events. But more importantly, he cried repentance to a nation which was wallowing in corruption.         From his writings we learn important lessons about how God deals with man and what is expected of us here on earth. Jeremiah also made sweeping prophecies of last-days events, and we learn much of what is yet future from his writings.
     The author writes with clarity and an economy of words which makes it easy to learn the messages of the Old Testament through his writing.

 

Table of Contents

Dedication, 12

                   Part 1: Jeremiah: His Life, His Times and His Writings

1. Information About Jeremiah, His Times And His Writings, 15
Prophet's Name, 15                                
The Life of Jeremiah, 15        
Date of Jeremiah's Mission, 18  
Prophesied To, 18                                 
Contemporary Prophets, 18                           
Contemporary Prophets Contrasted, 18  
Contemporary Kings, 19                            
National Conditions, 20                             
Political, 20                                           
Economic, 20                                  
Religious, 21                                 
Notes on the Study and Interpretation of the Book of Jeremiah, 21
Chapter Finding List, 22                            
Author and Date of Authorship, 24                     
Style of the Book, 24                               
Textual Transmission, 25                            
Bible Criticism, 25                               

2. Historical Summary: The Rise of Babylonia and the Fall of Judah, 27
The Rise of Babylonia as a World Power, 27
Kings of Babylonia, 28              
The Fall of Judah, 29               
Kings of Judah (The Southern Kingdom), 29
Summary, 32                   
 
                                       Part 2: Chapter Analyses

3. Chapters Pertaining to the Reign of Kings Josiah and Jehoahaz (Section 1), 37

4. Chapters of Jeremiah Pertaining to the Reign of King Jehoiakim (Section 2), 45

5. Chapters of Jeremiah Pertaining to the Reign of King Zedekiah (Section 3), 49

6. Chapters of Jeremiah Pertaining to the Final Period of the Prophet's Life
   (Section 4), 55

7. Chapters of Jeremiah Pertaining to the Last Days (Section 5), 57

                                     Part 3: Doctrinal Analyses

8. Six Major Doctrines of the Old Testament, 63
Scriptures Are Studied So Man Can Apply Basic Teachings, 63
The Old Testament's Central Doctrines, 63
 
9. The Nature of God and Godhood, 65

10. God's Communication With Man, 79
The Prophetic Functions, 79             
The Nature of Revelation and Prophecy, 83

11. The Nature of Sin, 87
Perversions of Religious Truths and Practices, 88
Apathy, Lack of Faith, and Negative Personal Traits, 91
Rejection and Opposition To God's Plan, 93  
Moral Depravity, 93                   
Social, Economic, and National Wickedness, 100  
The Sins of the People of Israel and Judah, 102   

12. The Nature of Man's Agency and God's Judgment, 107
Man and His Agency, 108
God's Interactions With Man's Agency, 108
The Nature of God's Punishment, 110
God Controls Individuals and Nations, 113
    
13. Counsel For Righteous Living, 117

14. The Events of the Last Days, 121
Summary of the Doctrinal Anayses, 165

                                       Part 4: Jeremiah's Lament

15. Lamentations, 169
Historical Background, 169
Doctrinal Analyses, 170
Author and Date of Authorship, 172
Bible Criticism, 172
Style, 172
Summary, 173

                             Part 5: Insights From Inspired Version

16. Insights from the Inspired Version, 177

About the Author, 181

Index, 183

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Last Update: November 2009