Jeremiah 36:1-32 - King Jehoiakim burns Jeremiah's scroll, but God's word cannot be destroyed.
The scripture reference for today's chunk is Jeremiah 36:1-32.
I found an official Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints link for Jeremiah 36.
Here's the devotional for Ammon Hasson:
Today's reading from Jeremiah highlights a pivotal moment when the Lord's word was challenged by human defiance, yet ultimately prevailed.
Scripture Reading:
Jeremiah 36:1-32
(Link: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/jer/36?lang=eng)
Context:
The events in Jeremiah 36 unfold during the fourth and fifth years of King Jehoiakim's reign over Judah, around 604 BC. This was a tumultuous time; Judah had become a vassal to Babylon after Nebuchadnezzar's victory at Carchemish, and King Jehoiakim was known for his wickedness and hostility toward God's prophets, reversing the earlier reforms of his father, Josiah. The Lord commanded Jeremiah to compile all the messages He had given him since Josiah's days into a scroll, with the hope that the people of Judah might hear the warnings of impending disaster, repent of their sins, and be forgiven. Since Jeremiah was restricted from entering the temple, his scribe, Baruch, wrote the words as Jeremiah dictated them, and then read the scroll publicly to the people during a fast day at the temple. When the scroll's contents were eventually read to King Jehoiakim, he defiantly cut it with a penknife and burned it in the fire, attempting to destroy God's message. However, the Lord immediately commanded Jeremiah to rewrite the scroll, with many additional words of judgment against the king and Judah.
Reflective Questions:
1. Despite King Jehoiakim's attempt to destroy the scroll, God's word could not be silenced and was even expanded. What does this account teach you about the enduring power and authority of God's word, regardless of opposition?
2. The Lord commanded Jeremiah to write the scroll with the explicit purpose that the people might repent and be forgiven (Jeremiah 36:3). How might a willingness to receive and ponder difficult truths from the Lord's prophets and scriptures open the way for personal repentance and divine forgiveness in your own life?
Closing Tying Insight:
Jeremiah 36 vividly illustrates that human efforts to suppress or destroy God's word are ultimately futile. Though a king may physically burn a scroll, the divine message itself cannot be extinguished; rather, it endures and often returns with greater clarity and additional warnings. This narrative underscores the Lord's unwavering commitment to offer His children opportunities for repentance and forgiveness, even in the face of profound apostasy. It also reminds us that rejecting God's counsel does not negate its truth, but rather invites greater consequences. As covenant members, our response to the Lord's revealed word—whether through ancient scripture or modern prophets—determines our spiritual trajectory. Today, let us focus on receiving God's word with an open and humble heart, trusting in its divine origin and power to guide us toward repentance and the Savior's forgiving grace.