Jeremiah - Outline

Josiah, at age 8, came to the throne, and showed signs of clear piety by his teens. During the time of his reign, there was a lack of competing power in the area, giving Josiah room to make needed reforms. Josiah cleansed the temple, and the priests discovered the book of the law there, which had been neglected. Josiah elevated the Passover to a great festival, and Huldah prophesies that those who participated in these reforms would die before seeing the judgment on Judah. Jeremiah, son of Hilkiah, was born of a well-to-do priestly family around 646 BC. Unlike even priests and nazirites, he was forbidden to marry or even to be at celebrations. Jeremiah's opponents plot his demise and ultimately, King Zedekiah declares that he will not oppose killing Jeremiah. After the Babylonians conquer Israel, the Babylonians offer to take Jeremiah back to Babylon because he said not to oppose them, but Jeremiah did not accept.