Jeremiah 36-41  The Lord told Jeremiah to write down all His words.. so Jeremiah sat down with Baruch, his scribe and dictated all the words the God had spoken to him... but, when it was finally brought to Jehoiakim, the king at that time, he destroyed in a the fire.  Then Jeremiah and Baruch started over again and rewrote it... adding more to it.  God's Word will never pass away.... no matter what men want to do about it. 

The next few chapters tell about Jeremiah being arrested, beaten, moved, thrown in a muddy cistern, rescued, and finally spared by Nebuchadnezzar... Over and over Jeremiah spoke what the Lord told him to say, and over and over Judah refused to listen, repent, and turn back to the Lord. Even when the king Zedekiah asked Jeremiah point blank what he should do.. and Jeremiah told him.. he still tried to run from Nebuchadnezzar instead of surrender.  This led to a terrible sentence.. " Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes.. then he blinded Zedekiah's eyes and bound him in fetters of bronze to bring him to Babylon." ( 39:6-7)

Only the poorest people were left in Jerusalem.. and those who had "nothing" were given "vineyards and fields at that time."  Jeremiah was taken into the home of Gedaliah. The kings palace was burned down, the city wall broke down, and the rest of the population taken into exile. 

All that Jeremiah prophesied came to be.. but it was not over yet. Gedaliah was appointed by the Chaldeans to be in charge, so he gathered the remnant and things were going well.. until a man named Ishmael rose up and killed him and many others.  Then Johanan heard what happened and brought an army against Ishmael and rescued all the people he had captured. 

And even then..they would not listen to the Lord's word..

Father in heaven,  will Israel ever seek You and listen to You?  O Haste the day when they will finally see the Truth!  Father, help us to ever seek Your face and receive Your Word and obey.  Thank You for the Word of God, recorded by faithful men, preserved from ancient times.. and relevant for this very day.  May the Spirit of God fall fresh on us, so that we might have understanding and wisdom to walk according to the Truth and to honor You in all we do and say.  We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.