Jeremiah 36:1

 Jeremiah 36:1 says, And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,  Verse two adds, Take 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 day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day.  God's word came to Jeremiah telling him to write a scroll of everything that God had spoken to him against Israel, Judah and all the nations.  We today have God's word that He has spoken through the centuries preserved for us, and it is the Bible.  Verse three states, It 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.  God said that when Jeremiah wrote it all down that maybe the people of Judah would read it and learn what God proposed to do to them because of their sin and would return to Him.  We as followers of Christ should hope that people would read the Bible today, or even hear someone share it with them, and would learn what fate awaits them if they do not accept Christ as their Savior and Lord and turn to Him for forgiveness.  Verse four says, Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah: and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD, which he had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book.  Jeremiah had Baruch do the actual writing of the scroll, but it was the word of God that Jeremiah had received that he gave to Baruch to write.  Verse five declares, And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I am shut up; I cannot go into the house of the LORD:  Jeremiah told Baruch that he was shut up, or imprisoned, and could not go to God's house.  Even though he was God's faithful prophet, Jeremiah was still imprisoned.  We must continue to do what God calls on us to do, no matter our situation in this world.  Verse six adds, Therefore go thou, and read in the roll, which thou hast written from my mouth, the words of the LORD in the ears of the people in the LORD’s house upon the fasting day: and also thou shalt read them in the ears of all Judah that come out of their cities.  Jeremiah sent Baruch to read the scroll to the people of Judah who came out of their houses on the fasting day.  Jeremiah may not have been able to be there, but God's word still could.  We need to spread God's word however we can today, even if we cannot do so in person.  Verse seven continues, It may be they will present their supplication before the LORD, and will return every one from his evil way: for great is the anger and the fury that the LORD hath pronounced against this people.  Jeremiah said that after hearing the anger of God that was pronounced against them that maybe the people of God would return to God.  If people today do not respond to God's words of love, we would hope that they would respond and come to salvation through Christ simply to avoid His wrath, but we know that is too often not the case.  Still we should present God's word in the hope that people will listen.  Verse eight states, And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of the LORD in the LORD’s house.  Baruch did as Jeremiah instructed him to do.  Verse nine adds, And it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, in the ninth month, that they proclaimed a fast before the LORD to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all the people that came from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem.  The next year a fast was declared before the Lord and the people of Judah and Jerusalem came to the house of the LORD.  The reading of the scroll was not immediate, but it was done at the time God had designated.  Verse ten concludes, Then read Baruch in the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the LORD, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the higher court, at the entry of the new gate of the LORD’s house, in the ears of all the people.  Baruch read the scroll where all the people would hear.  We must likewise proclaim God's word for all the people to hear, especially those who are still in need of salvation.  God will provide us with the opportunity to do so if we only listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.