Hope is Preceded by Challenge

Jeremiah began his ministry as a prophet to Judah about halfway through King Josiah's reign. After enjoying working alongside a king who was working hard to lead the people in the way the law of Yahweh intended, he then had to endure a series of four kings who went the opposite way, until Judah was defeated by the Babylonians. Jeremiah's account of this period of time was not written as one who was distant from it, but as one who lived in it. When Jerusalem was besieged for three years before its fall, Jeremiah was right there among those suffering. And yet, he had a message of hope to deliver to those who would listen. A message that eventually came about, even though Jeremiah never lived to see it . . .