Unit 3-4

Persevere in Obedience

Rhema Bible StudyLife Lesson 3-4

Jeremiah 37:11-17; 38:4-6, 14-18

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Lesson Purpose

• To understand what do I believe about my faith?

• To answer how do I know the will of God?

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Lesson Impact

These lessons can lead you to persevere in serving God regardless of the cost and outcome.

Persevere in Obedience Lesson Titles

1. Persevere When Attacked

2. Persevere When Others Waver

3. Persevere Through Obedience to God’s Word

Persevere When Attacked

Lesson 1

Jeremiah 37:11-17

Persevere When Attacked

Lesson Scripture: Jeremiah 37:11-17

Conduct an inductive study on these verses.

ExplanationWhat did it say?

11 When the Chaldean army withdrew from

Jerusalem because of Pharaoh’s army,

12 Jeremiah started to leave Jerusalem to go

to the land of Benjamin to claim his portion

there among the people. 13 But when he was

at the Benjamin Gate, an officer of the guard

was there, whose name was Irijah son of

Shelemiah, son of Hananiah, and he

apprehended Jeremiah the prophet, saying,

“You are deserting to the Chaldeans.”

Jeremiah 37:11-13

14 “That’s a lie,” Jeremiah replied. “I am not

deserting to the Chaldeans!” Irijah would not

listen to him but apprehended Jeremiah and

took him to the officials. 15 The officials were

angry at Jeremiah and beat him and placed

him in jail in the house of Jonathan the

scribe, for it had been made into a prison.

16 So Jeremiah went into a cell in the

dungeon and stayed there many days.

Jeremiah 37:14-16

17 King Zedekiah later sent for him

and received him, and in his house

privately asked him, “Is there a word

from the LORD?”

“There is,” Jeremiah responded, and

he continued, “You will be handed over

to the king of Babylon.”

 

Jeremiah 37:17

Inductive Study: What to Look For

1. Why was Jeremiah arrested and detained? What was Jeremiah’s explanation for his actions? (v. 11-12)

2. What did the Jewish officials assume Jeremiah was doing? Do you think this was a reasonable assumption for them to make? Explain. (v.13)

3. Why do you think King Zedekiah wanted to talk to Jeremiah (v.17)? Why do you think he chose to speak to the prophet in private instead of in a public place?

4. Why did Zedekiah keep asking Jeremiah whether there was a word from the Lord, when he rejected the message he had been given before?

5. What risks was Jeremiah taking by continuing to say what God had told him to say? What risks would he have taken by telling the king what he wanted to hear?

6. When has continuing to obey God forced you to weigh risks or consider dangers?

Discussion

Topic 1

Discussion

• Jeremiah’s imprisonments

• 1st - One night (Jer 20:1-3)

• 2nd – (Jer 32:1-3)

• 3rd – this study

• Babylonian occupation of Judah

• Judah was rebellious but weak puppet state

Topic 1

Discussion

• Babylonian total conquest of Judah fast approaching

• Egyptians too invaded Judah, reasosn unknown but Jeremiah predicted

• Events in today’s lesson likely happened just a couple of years after

Topic 1

Discussion

1. Jeremiah travels to the land of Benjamin (v. 12) to claim “his portion” or land he bought from his cousin (Jer 32:6-12)

2. Jeremiah’s confrontation and arrest by Irijah

3. The role of Jonathan the scribe and his house

Topic 1

Discussion

1. Jeremiah’s discussion with King Zedekiah

2. Jeremiah’s perseverance and obedience to God’s word

3. The message: not only would Judah fall to Babylon, Judah’s king would be at the mercy of Babylon’s king…submit or it would be worse.

Application

Topic 3

Topic 3

Application

1. Believers must persevere in obedience to God even if it places them in dangerous positions.

2. Commitment to speak the full truth about God and the gospel to the people around you who need to hear.

3. What promises would sustain us should we suffer persecution or even imprisonment?

Next Lesson:

Persevere When Others WaverJer 38:4-6