The way of imagination

  “But you, gird up your loins ; stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Do not break down before them, or I will break you before them…I …have made you today a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall …against the kings of Judah, its princes, its priests, and the people of the land. They will fight against you; but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you.” (Jer. 1.17-19) “I did not send the prophets,     yet they ran ; I did not speak to them,     yet they prophesied.” (Jer. 23.21) “ If you have raced with foot-runners and they have wearied you ,     how will you compete with horses ? And if in a safe land you fall down,     how will you fare in the thickets of the Jordan? For even your kinsfolk and your own family,     even they have dealt treacherously with you;     they are in full cry after you...” (Jer. 12.5-6)        As far as books of the Bible go, Jeremiah has quite a biographical character;

  “ Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem ,     look around and take note!” (Jer. 5.1) “The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord:  Stand in the gate of the Lord’s house … and say, Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah, you that enter these gates to worship the Lord.” (Jer. 7.1-2) “Thus says the Lord: Go down to the house of the king of Judah … and say: Hear the word of the Lord, O King of Judah sitting on the throne of David—you, and your servants, and your people who enter these gates. Thus says the Lord: Act with justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor anyone who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the alien, the orphan, and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place.” (Jer. 22.1-3) “The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the tenth year of King Zedekiah of Judah… At that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and the prophet Jeremiah was confined in the court of the guard

  “The word that the Lord spoke to the prophet Jeremiah about the coming of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon to attack the land of Egypt: Declare in Egypt, and proclaim in Migdol;     proclaim in Memphis and Tahpanhes; Say, “Take your stations and be ready,     for the sword shall devour those around you.” Why has Apis fled?     Why did your bull not stand?     —because the Lord thrust him down. Your multitude stumbled and fell,     and one said to another, “Come, let us go back to our own people     and to the land of our birth,     because of the destroying sword.” Give Pharaoh, king of Egypt, the name    “Braggart who missed his chance.” (Jer. 46.13-17)      Jeremiah’s reputation had made its way to Nebuchadrezzar himself, who gave the captain of his bodyguard special orders concerning Jeremiah’s well-being while at his headquarters in Riblah (Jer. 39.11-12).   Perhaps Jeremiah’s correspondence with those who were exiled in 598 (cf. Jer. 29 & 51.59-64) caused the

  “How the Lord in his anger     has humiliated daughter Zion! He has thrown down from heaven to earth     the splendor of Israel; he has not remembered his footstool     in the day of his anger. The Lord has destroyed without mercy     all the dwellings of Jacob; in his wrath he has broken down     the strongholds of daughter Judah; he has brought down to the ground in dishonor     the kingdom and its rulers… The Lord has become like an enemy;     he has destroyed Israel. He has destroyed all its palaces,     laid in ruins its strongholds, and multiplied in daughter Judah     mourning and lamentation. He has broken down his booth like a garden,     he has destroyed his tabernacle; the Lord has abolished in Zion     festival and sabbath, and in his fierce indignation has spurned     king and priest. The Lord has scorned his altar,     disowned his sanctuary; he has delivered into the hand of the enemy     the walls of her palaces… The Lord determined to