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Jeremiah Chapter Nineteen

1. Jeremiah is instructed to purchase a potter’s jar (Jer. 19:1), and use the visual aid to demonstrate Jerusalem’s shattering (Jer. 19:2-13).
   1. The valley of Ben-hinnom (Hinnom) was the garbage dump for Jerusalem; people would bring their broken pottery through the potsherd gate.
   2. The Lord chose an appropriate setting for Jeremiah’s message.
2. The Lord declares His intention to rename Topheth (Ben-hinnom) The Valley of Slaughter (Jer. 19:6).  Topheth was the scene of great evil, as the center for child-sacrifice in Judah (2nd Kgs. 23:10).
3. Jeremiah concludes his Topheth message, and marches to the temple for his next work assignment (Jer. 19:14-15).

Jeremiah Chapter Twenty

1. Jeremiah’s message resulted in his persecution at the hands of Pashhur the priest (Jer. 20:1-2).
2. Pashhur “destruction all around” will be renamed to “terror on every side” (Jer. 20:3).
3. Jeremiah continues to proclaim his messages of judgment (Jer. 20:4-6).
   1. He feels deceived doing so (Jer. 20:7-8).
   2. He cannot stay silent (Jer. 20:9).
   3. He knows his message is producing enemies (Jer. 20:10), but he takes refuge in the Lord (Jer. 20:11-13).
   4. When Jeremiah fails to see immediate answers to his prayer, he grows discouraged and curses his very birth (Jer. 20:14-18).

Daniel Chapter One

1. The 3rd year of King Jehoiakim according to Babylonian reckoning (Dan. 1:1) is the 4th year of King Jehoiakim according to Jewish reckoning (Jer. 25:1).  The year is 605BC.
2. Although placed on the throne of Judah by Egypt as a puppet King (2nd Kgs. 23:34-37), Jehoiakim submitted to Babylonian rule and agreed to pay tribute (Dan. 1:1-4; 2nd Kgs. 24:1-6; 2nd Chr. 36:5-8).
3. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, & Azariah are among the youths taken hostage to guarantee Jehoiakim’s allegiance (Dan. 1:6).
   1. Of the royal family.  “Seed of royalty”
   2. Youths. יֶלֶד yeled ^#3206.  Approx. 10-14 years old. 
   3. Able to serve.  “to stand in the King’s house”
4. The royal hostages are enrolled in a Chaldean academy in order to be conformed to the Babylonian way of life.
   1. They were educated in the literature and language of the Chaldeans.
   2. They were provided the finest food & drink of Babylonian prosperity.
   3. They were given Babylonian names of idolatry to break their identification with Jehovah Elohim.
   4. They graduated #1-4 in their class as God the Father blessed them with academic ability.
5. Daniel took the leadership for the faithful four and stood for righteousness in dietary purity (Dan. 1:8-16).
6. The royal hostages become royal advisors at graduation (Dan. 1:18-20).