Day 215: The sign of the linen girdle

Jeremiah gets more inventive about conveying his message.
Daniel’s interpretation
Daniel 2:36-45
The king rewards Daniel
Daniel 2:46-49
The word of God is read
Jeremiah 36:10-19
The king destroys the scroll
Jeremiah 36:20-26
Jeremiah replaces it
Jeremiah 36:27-32
The sign of the linen girdle
Jeremiah 13:1-11
The wine jar
Jeremiah 13:12-14
Jeremiah’s warning
Jeremiah 13:15-27
The drought
Jeremiah 14:1-12

Daniel’s interpretation of the king’s dream has a huge sweep. Centuries of time, the destinies of millions of people, and God’s mighty power working through history are all hinted at in this piebald statue. The Jewish vision of God has grown so big now, it encompasses dynasties and aeons. God is above and beyond it all.
Jeremiah is still hoping to make the king listen. Many royal officials are shaken by events, and by hearing Jeremiah’s words. But not the king. He treats God’s words with contempt, cutting them up and throwing them on the fire.
Another tactic he uses is an acted parable. Using symbolic actions, Jeremiah tries to bring home to people that they are making themselves useless in God’s eyes - worthless and spoilt, like a linen belt left out in the elements to go rotten. The Babylonians are camping at the door, it’s becoming increasingly obvious that Judah cannot survive - last time they were besieged, God spared them with a miracle, but here is Jeremiah to tell them that God is not in the mood to give them a repeat performance.