Chapter 45 (ESV) - The word that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch the son of Neriah, when he wrote these words in a book at the dictation of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, to you, O Baruch: You said, ‘Woe is me! For the LORD has added sorrow to my pain. I am weary with my groaning, and I find no rest.’ Thus shall you say to him, Thus says the LORD: Behold, what I have built I am breaking down, and what I have planted I am plucking up—that is, the whole land. And do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not, for behold, I am bringing disaster upon all flesh, declares the LORD. But I will give you your life as a prize of war in all places to which you may go.”
Question to consider: Why could Baruch consider this word from the LORD a blessing?
If you remember back in chapter 36, Baruch was the scribe of Jeremiah who wrote down all that the LORD said to Jeremiah. The first version of his work was cut up and thrown into the fire by Jehoiakim because he didn’t like that the LORD had spoken against Judah. The LORD then dictated the same word to be rewritten to replace the scroll that Jehoiakim had burned in the fire.
Later when Jeremiah was imprisoned in the court of the guard during the reign of Zedekiah, he received a special word from the LORD which included his cousin selling him a deed to his portion of the land which Jeremiah could keep in a clay pot. At the time, this special word to Jeremiah was what he needed to fight off the growing discouragement from being cast into an empty well and then shackled in the court of the guard.
Like the specific word given to Jeremiah during his time of discouragement, the LORD also gave one to Baruch at the time in which he was feeling weary in the fourth year of Jehoiakim’s reign. I don’t know how many hours went into writing down the word dictated by Jeremiah, but it’s possible that the discouragement came after hearing that Jehoiakim had destroyed all the work he had done.
Whatever the source of his discouragement, it is a common truth that walking with the LORD never guarantees a life without struggle and pain. Those who preach that the LORD wants to bless us in this world really should talk to Baruch whose very name meant “blessing” and yet groaned from weariness and experienced sorrow and pain.
The word that the LORD had given to him was personal and assured him that his life would be spared amidst all the war he’d endure. He was not to expect great things, for the time of judgment had come to the nations of his day. It may not seem like an assurance from our perspective, but I’m sure Baruch was comforted to know that he wasn’t being singled out by the LORD for punishment. His name was still written in the book of life.
Dear heavenly Father, please help us to keep our eyes on Christ and consider it a privilege to face trials in His name. May we have the comfort of knowing that You will never leave us nor forsake us and that the things we face in this world serve to bring You glory, honor, and praise. Amen.