Lesson 139

Jeremiah 30–41

Prepare to Learn

Prepare your mind and heart to learn. By actively participating in seminary, you show your willingness to be taught by the Holy Ghost.

Begin your study with prayer.

How have others’ opinions influenced your decisions? Have you ever been afraid to do what is right because of what others might do or say?

Elder Lynn G. Robbins of the Presidency of the Seventy provided counsel to anyone who might be tempted to allow the fear of others’ opinions to discourage him or her from choosing the right. As you listen, pay attention to what can help us when others try to influence us to make wrong choices. You can read the text for this video here: “Which Way Do You Face?” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2014, 9, 11.

Sadness Turned to Joy

For more than 100 years, many Church meetings and cultural events were held in the Provo Utah Tabernacle. Then, on December 17, 2010, the building caught fire. Afterward, all that remained of the building were the exterior brick walls. Many people felt great sorrow that a sacred place that had been important to the Church and community had been destroyed.

President Thomas S. Monson announced on October 1, 2011, that the Provo Tabernacle would be rebuilt as a temple. The new temple was dedicated on March 20, 2016. The sorrow that was felt by many over the loss of the Provo Tabernacle was turned to joy when the temple was completed.

Jeremiah

Another example of sorrow that will eventually turn to joy is found in the story of the people of the Southern Kingdom of Judah and the rest of the house of Israel.

The Lord had sent the prophet Jeremiah to call Judah to repentance before Babylon conquered Jerusalem and carried many of the Jews to Babylon. As a result, Jeremiah’s warnings and prophecies often have a tone of impending doom. However, Jeremiah also knew what would happen to Israel in the last days.

Read Jeremiah 31:17, looking for what Jeremiah prophesied about the ending for the Jews in his day.

“Hope in Thine End”

The phrase “there is hope in thine end” means that there is hope for you in the future (see verse 17, footnote a). When the Israelites kept their covenants, the Lord blessed them in many ways, including giving them a promised land. However, when they broke their covenants, the Lord took these blessings away, and the people were scattered.

According to the Joseph Smith Translation of Jeremiah 30:12 (found in footnote a), Jeremiah taught that while Israel’s condition of spiritual decay and physical captivity was grievous and difficult, it was not incurable or hopeless.

As you study Jeremiah 30–34, look for truths regarding Israel that can also give you hope for your future even as you experience trouble or despair.

The Lord’s Promise

Read Jeremiah 30:3, 7–8, 10 and Jeremiah 31:3, 13, looking for what the Lord promised He would do for scattered Israel.

Quiz 1

1. According to these verses, what would the Lord do for Israel? Select all that apply.

   1. Gather them back to their lands of promise

   2. Prosper them in their scattered locations

   3. Deliver them from captivity

   4. Turn their sorrow and mourning into joy

“A New Covenant”

In Jeremiah 31:31–34 we read about the “new covenant” that the Lord would make with the house of Israel. The word new in this context means that God’s covenant—the fulness of the gospel—would be revealed anew, or again, to the house of Israel. While God had previously established His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, over time some parts of this covenant had been lost, such as the Melchizedek Priesthood, the higher law, and the fulness of temple ordinances. Jeremiah foresaw the day when the house of Israel would at last accept God’s new and everlasting covenant (see Joseph Smith, in The Joseph Smith Papers, Documents, Volume 2: July 1831–January 1833, ed. Matthew C. Godfrey and others [2013], 351–52).

Read Jeremiah 31:31–34, looking for where the Lord would write this “new covenant.”

Quiz 2

1. According to verse 33, where would the Lord write this “new covenant”?

   1. On the walls of the temple

   2. On stone tables

   3. In the hearts of His people

2. According to verse 34, what would happen after the Lord wrote His covenant in this place?

   1. All the people would come to know the Lord.

   2. There would be great turmoil and destruction.

   3. The words of prophecy and revelation would cease.

Our Covenants

Jeremiah saw a day when the Lord’s people would keep His covenant and have His law written in their hearts. When God’s law is written in our hearts, we obey God because we love Him, rather than for external reasons like wanting others to think we are righteous.

From the prophecy in Jeremiah 31:33–34 we can learn that if we keep our covenants and live the gospel with all our hearts, we become the Lord’s people.

President Russell M. Nelson described those who keep their covenants and live the gospel with all their hearts as “children of the covenant.” What did he say about children of the covenant? You can read the text for this video here: “Covenants,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 88.

President Russell M. Nelson described those who keep their covenants and live the gospel with all their hearts as “children of the covenant.” What did he say about children of the covenant?

“When we realize that we are children of the covenant, we know who we are and what God expects of us [see 1 Nephi 15:13–14]. His law is written in our hearts [see Jeremiah 31:33]. He is our God and we are His people [see Jeremiah 31:33; 32:38]. Committed children of the covenant remain steadfast, even in the midst of adversity. …

“The greatest compliment that can be earned here in this life is to be known as a covenant keeper. The rewards for a covenant keeper will be realized both here and hereafter” (Russell M. Nelson, “Covenants,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 88).

1. Answer two of the following questions:

• What can we do to keep our covenants and live the gospel with all our hearts?

• How has living the gospel of Jesus Christ helped you come to know Him better?

• What will you do or change to better keep your covenants and live the gospel with all your heart? (Please do not share anything that is too personal or private.)

Jeremiah and the Kings of Judah

King Zedekiah had Jeremiah put in prison because Jeremiah prophesied that the king would be taken captive and Jerusalem would be conquered by Babylon. While Jeremiah was in prison, the Lord directed him to purchase some land near Jerusalem as a symbolic witness that the Jews would someday return from captivity and possess the promised land once again. (See Jeremiah 32–34.)

The chapters in Jeremiah are not always in chronological order. For example, Jeremiah 35–36 refers to experiences Jeremiah had during the reign of Jehoiakim, who was king before Zedekiah. During this time, Jeremiah instructed his scribe, Baruch, to write words of warning from the Lord as Jeremiah dictated them and then to go to the temple and read the words to the people. News of the reading reached the royal palace. The king had the scroll brought and read to him. (See Jeremiah 36:4–21.)

Read Jeremiah 36:22–24, looking for how the king reacted.

What do you think the king intended to communicate with his response?

The Lord’s Words

The Lord also told Jeremiah to prophesy to King Jehoiakim that Babylon would attack Jerusalem and that the king’s dead body would be cast out of the city (see Jeremiah 22:18–19; 36:30–31). After this prophecy was fulfilled, the Babylonians eventually made Zedekiah king of Judah.

What can we learn about the Lord’s words from this account?

Jeremiah’s Prophecies

From this account, we can learn that the Lord’s words will be fulfilled regardless of whether we believe in them (see D&C 1:37–38).

We read in Jeremiah 37–38 that the Babylonian army again attacked Jerusalem. Jeremiah prophesied that if the Jews surrendered to the Babylonians, they would not be destroyed. This prophecy angered the Jewish princes, who had Jeremiah thrown into a dungeon. King Zedekiah had Jeremiah returned to the palace prison, where he secretly sought counsel from Jeremiah.

Read Jeremiah 38:17–20. The phrase “if thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon’s princes” (verse 17) refers to Zedekiah and the Jews submitting to the Babylonians rather than fighting against them.

What would happen if Zedekiah hearkened to Jeremiah’s words?

What would happen if he didn’t?

The Consequences

We learn in Jeremiah 39 that Zedekiah was afraid to hearken to the Lord’s prophet and hearkened instead to those who wanted to rebel against the Babylonians. This was not the first time Zedekiah was afraid of how others would respond if he followed the prophet (see Jeremiah 38:14–27). Because Zedekiah did not listen to the prophet, the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem.

Read Jeremiah 39:4–7, looking for the consequences of Zedekiah’s decision.

What principle can we learn from this account?

The Lord’s Prophet

From Zedekiah’s response to Jeremiah’s prophecy, we can learn that if we give in to fear and follow the world instead of the Lord’s prophet, we will perish spiritually.

2. Answer two of the following questions:

• How do you think fear can prevent someone from following the Lord’s prophet today?

• What has helped you choose to follow the prophet even when others are pressuring you to do something else?

• When have you chosen to follow the words of a prophet, and how were you blessed as a result?

Jeremiah’s Freedom

After King Zedekiah and the majority of the Jews were carried away into Babylon, the Babylonians freed Jeremiah from prison. He continued to reveal the word of the Lord to the Jews who still remained in Judah. (See Jeremiah 39:8–41:18.)

Quiz 3

1. Which of the statements below is suggested in Jeremiah 39:6 but is actually false? (See Helaman 6:10; 8:21 to find the answer.)

   1. King Zedekiah was killed.

   2. All of Zedekiah’s sons were killed.

   3. Jeremiah was killed.

“A Prophet of God in Our Midst”

As you conclude this lesson, think about circumstances in your life where people around you teach messages that differ from the prophet’s counsel. Decide now to follow the prophet in these circumstances, rather than other influences. You can respond in a way similar to Nephi, who suffered the “finger of scorn” and the mocking of those in the great and spacious building but “heeded them not” (1 Nephi 8:33).

Consider this statement by President M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. What are some blessings that come from having living prophets in our day? You can read the text for this video here: “His Word Ye Shall Receive,” Ensign, May 2001, 65.

Consider this statement by President M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. What are some blessings that come from having living prophets in our day?

“It is no small thing, my brothers and sisters, to have a prophet of God in our midst. … When we hear the counsel of the Lord expressed through the words of the President of the Church, our response should be positive and prompt. History has shown that there is safety, peace, prosperity, and happiness in responding to prophetic counsel” (M. Russell Ballard, “His Word Ye Shall Receive,” Ensign, May 2001, 65).

Answer Key

Quiz 1: (1) a, c, d

Quiz 2: (1) c; (2) a

Quiz 3: (1) b