Chapter 32 recounts a prophecy in action. At the Lord’s command, Jeremiah fulfills his family duty to purchase the land of his cousin, carrying out all the legal forms, including records, to testify that Judah will be restored and that the life of the past will be resumed. The legal deed of sale was written on a scroll, which was then rolled up and sealed. About it was rolled another scroll, left unsealed, containing a copy or a summary of the first. “Take these deeds….and put them in an earthen jar so that they can be kept there a long time.” The first of the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in such a jar. Chapter 33 appears to be the postexilic composition of an inspired writer who used parts of the prophecies of Jeremiah, often in a sense different from the prophet’s. I wonder what Jeremiah would have said of these words inserted into his oracles. Chapter 34 describes the fall of Jerusalem. While the Chaldean siege of Jerusalem was in progress, the citizens of Jerusalem made a covenant at Zedekiah’s initiation to free their brother Judeans who were in slavery. Doubtless this was both to provide additional free defenders for the city and to offer reparation for past violations of the law, according to which Hebrew slaves were to serve no longer than six years. But when the siege was temporarily lifted, probably because of the help promised by Pharoah Hophra, the inhabitants of Jerusalem broke the covenant and once more pressed their brethren into slavery. How can the Hebrews forget so quickly the law? Is this tendency in humans to neglect justice and mercy inherent in our nature? Stephen Prothero in God Is Not One introduces the word Koyaanisqatsi. He states that world religions share a starting point. “And where they begin is with this simple observation’ something is wrong with the world. In the Hopi language, the word Koyaanisqatsi tells us that life is out of balance…Religious folk worldwide agree that something has gone awry.” Perhaps this observation led Augustine to formulate the doctrine of original sin. Why is it so hard for us to do the right thing when no one is looking, even when we know the law written in our heart?
Chapter 32 recounts a prophecy in action. At the Lord’s command, Jeremiah fulfills his family duty to purchase the land of his cousin, carrying out all the legal forms, including records, to testify that Judah will be restored and that the life of the past will be resumed. The legal deed of sale was written on a scroll, which was then rolled up and sealed. About it was rolled another scroll, left unsealed, containing a copy or a summary of the first. “Take these deeds….and put them in an earthen jar so that they can be kept there a long time.” The first of the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in such a jar. Chapter 33 appears to be the postexilic composition of an inspired writer who used parts of the prophecies of Jeremiah, often in a sense different from the prophet’s. I wonder what Jeremiah would have said of these words inserted into his oracles. Chapter 34 describes the fall of Jerusalem. While the Chaldean siege of Jerusalem was in progress, the citizens of Jerusalem made a covenant at Zedekiah’s initiation to free their brother Judeans who were in slavery. Doubtless this was both to provide additional free defenders for the city and to offer reparation for past violations of the law, according to which Hebrew slaves were to serve no longer than six years. But when the siege was temporarily lifted, probably because of the help promised by Pharoah Hophra, the inhabitants of Jerusalem broke the covenant and once more pressed their brethren into slavery. How can the Hebrews forget so quickly the law? Is this tendency in humans to neglect justice and mercy inherent in our nature? Stephen Prothero in God Is Not One introduces the word Koyaanisqatsi. He states that world religions share a starting point. “And where they begin is with this simple observation’ something is wrong with the world. In the Hopi language, the word Koyaanisqatsi tells us that life is out of balance…Religious folk worldwide agree that something has gone awry.” Perhaps this observation led Augustine to formulate the doctrine of original sin. Why is it so hard for us to do the right thing when no one is looking, even when we know the law written in our heart?
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