Jeremiah - Summary

Title:	This book is named for the prophet Jeremiah who proclaimed this prophecy.
Author:	The book itself is identified as being written by the prophet Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah of the city of Anathoth in the land of Benjamin.  Anathoth is a few miles northeast of Jerusalem.  Not everyone accepts Jeremiah as the sole author due to its various styles of writing from being autobiographical, prophetical, poetic and historical.  But Hebrew tradition does accept Jeremiah as the principal author.
Date:	Jeremiah served as a prophet during the reigns of the Judah kings of Josiah who began his reign in 627BC, Kings Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoichin and Zedekah through the fall of Jerusalem in 586BC.  Since this book includes events after that time it can be accepted that the book was completed not later than 550 BC.
Main Theme	The book of Jeremiah has several occasions where the theme is emphasized over and over that God exercised His judgment on those violate His covenant through infidelity and great sin.  It also has several occasions where the theme is expressed where God intends to also restore those whom He has punished.  While God has restored those who sinned under the old covenant, He reveals His intent for a new covenant through which all the peoples of the world may be restored as well.
Location:	The prophecies and the events of this book take place in Judah.  They also refer to events that take place in Egypt as well as Babylon.
History	Jeremiah was called as a prophet at a very young age.  He very faithfully preached the message God had given him to preach.  Jeremiah's life was rough.  He was not accepted by the people of Judah because he preached repentance and a turn from the lifestyle the Hebrews had come to want and enjoy.  Actually, we only know of two people in all of Judah who openly accepted Jeremiah's message.  These are his scribe Baruch and a servant of the King, an Ethiopian Eunich named Ebed-melech.  Jeremiah was known as the weeping prophet who 'lamented' the position Judah had put itself in to by the actions of her people.  After the fall of Jerusalem and the people were taken captive to Babylon, Jeremiah was one of those who were forced to go to Egypt.  Egypt also is taken by Babylon eventually.
Major Characters:	Jeremiah
	Pashhur
	Nebuchadnezzar
	Zedekiah
	Baruch