The Burned Scroll
In the manual: Come, Follow Me lesson 44, “I Will Turn Their Mourning into Joy,” on Gospel Library
Start
A king once cut a book of scripture into strips with a knife and fed it to the fire, a few columns at a time (Jeremiah 36:23).
Read Together
The Lord told Jeremiah to write down his warnings on a scroll, which the King James Version calls a roll. Jeremiah spoke, and his scribe Baruch wrote (Jeremiah 36:4). Baruch read the scroll at the temple, and it was carried to King Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 36:10–21).
2Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day. 3It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.
23And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth. 24Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words.
What It Teaches
Verse 3 gives the Lord’s reason for the scroll. He hoped the people would hear, turn from their evil ways, and let him forgive them. The warnings were written so that he could forgive.
The king and his servants heard every word. “Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments” (verse 24). To tear your clothes was a sign of grief or repentance. Three officials begged the king not to burn the scroll, and he would not listen (verse 25).
The Lord told Jeremiah to write it all again on another roll, and Baruch added “many like words” (verses 28 and 32). Lehi’s family later carried many of Jeremiah’s prophecies to the promised land on the brass plates (1 Nephi 5:13). A king burned one scroll, and the word of the Lord went on.
Jesus said the scriptures “are they which testify of me” (John 5:39). Each time we open them, we give the Lord the chance Jehoiakim refused, a chance to turn us and forgive us.
Talk About It
Jehoiakim heard the Lord’s words and felt nothing. What helps you feel the scriptures instead of just hearing them?
Take to Church
A king burned Jeremiah’s scroll, and the Lord had it written again with more words. The Lord wrote his warnings so that he could forgive.