Jeremiah was of a sensitive nature, mild, timid, and inclined to melancholy; but, withal, he was bold and courageous in his denunciations of the sins and apostasies of his nation, and in the pronouncements of divine judgments certain to result in the downfall of Judah. Since he was devoutly religious and patriotic, Jeremiah was deeply pained by the sins of Israel and the inevitable overthrow of the nation. For this reason, he is often referred to as the "weeping prophet."

Theme - King Josiah undertook to stem the apostasies and idolatry of Judah, and in his reforms he had the support and aid of Jeremiah. After the death of Josiah, Judah was hastened to her doom of Babylonian captivity by her continued downward course of evil and by the entanglements with foreign powers. Jeremiah was greatly concerned with all these matters, and much of his ministry was closely related to the fast-moving events in the decadent life of Assyria, the rising power of Babylon, and the rivalries between Egypt and Babylon as they affected Judah. His activities, counsels, and prophecies in these international affairs brought down upon Jeremiah the opposition and deadly persecution of kings and princes.

Jeremiah envisioned the Messianic blessings in which the covenant of grace would bring to man a new heart with God's word written thereon. His vision includes: the Babylonian captivity; the return after seventy years; the world-wide dispersion; the final restoration of Israel; the Messianic age; and the day of judgment on the Gentile powers and on unbelieving Israel. After the fall of Jerusalem, Jeremiah continued his ministry with the remnant of Jew left in Palestine and later fled to Egypt with a group of refugees, where he probably died during the time of the Babylonian captivity.

Outline - Since the book of Jeremiah is composed principally of sketches of biography, history, and prophesy without chronological order, its analysis is somewhat difficult. The following outline may be helpful: I. The Prophet's Call (1) II. Calls to Repentance and Prophecies to the Time of the First Captivity (2-22) III. Promises and Prophecies of Restoration (23-33) IV. Prophecies in General (34-36) V. His Ministry from the Accession of Zedekiah to the Captivity (37-39) VI. Prophecies in Judah after the Captivity (40-42) VII. The Prophet in Egypt (43-44) VIII. Miscellaneous Prophecies (45-52)