Balm In Gilead

With 'balm In Gilead', MKHammond Guides Us Through The Life And The Writings Of The Prophet Jeremiah Recorded In The Biblical Book That Bears His NameSoon After The Babylonians Conquer Judah And Appoint ANew King In Jerusalem, Hammond Notes, The Prophet Begins To Keep ADiaryConcurrently, He Writes Letters To His Uncle Shallum, Who Is Deported To Babylon With The First Group Of Hebrew CaptivesIn What Hammond Calls ''flashbacks,'' Jeremiah Records Memories From His Early Childhood, Recalls His First Temple Sermon delivered When He Was Only Seventeen Years Old, And Recounts Episodes From The Turbulent Reigns Of Previous KingsHis Writings Tell Of Sinful Behavior He Sees All Around Him, Including Idol Worship, Corruption Among Princes And Priests, Adultery, Child Sacrifice, And CannibalismHammond Explores The Tension Between, On The One Hand, Jeremiah's Powerful Sermons Illustrated With Striking Visual Signs And Displays And, On The Other Hand, Jeremiah's Agony Over His Call To Be AProphet To Whom No One ListensJeremiah Agonizes Over His Call Because His Enemies including His Own Brothers Try To Kill HimAt Times, Even The Lord, It Seems, Has Deserted HimYet, Hammond Asserts, The Prophet Finds Hope When ANew Governor Is Appointed In Judah, And When His Uncle Tells Him Of The Exiled Jews' Loyalty To Their God, Even At Risk Of Their LivesJeremiah Expresses Hope For ANew Covenant With God, New Leadership By Faithful Kings And Priests, And Return Of All God's People To Zion''marie Hammond Has Written AVery Creative Work On The Book Of JeremiahShe Has Attempted To Set The Material In Some Sort Of Chronological Order since The Book Itself Is Not Arranged In That Manner And Has Done It With Imagination While Still Being Faithful To The Original TextIt Is Set In The Form Of Letters Written Back And Forth To One Of Jeremiah's Kinsmen In Exile In BabylonThe Book Is Clearly Written And Will Be Useful In Sunday School And Other Settings As WellShe Even Brings ABit Of 'romance' Into Jeremiah's Life!!! It Is Well Done And Thoughtfully Prepared.'' drJames MEfird Professor Emeritus Of Biblical Interpretation Duke Divinity School ''words Like Jeremiad And Balm In Gilead Have Entered Into Common Usage, But The Book Of Jeremiah Itself Still Presents Something Of AChallengeIt Is ARelatively Long Book And Written In AConfused Chronological Order With Considerable RepetitionIn Meeting This Challenge Hammond Uses ALi
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