Who was Jeremiah audience?

Answer 1

Jeremiah was the prophet of record at the time prior to and after the Babylonian captivity of the House of Judah [the Jews]. His book, that was penned by his scribe, Baruch, was read aloud as a witness and warning before the king and the people [Jer.36:3-6] -- and as it was read to the king, section-by-section, the king BURNED IT UP. [verses 22-23]

So, the Jews of that time were ONE audience.

However... Baruch rewrote everything... and more[verse 32] FOR A FUTURE AUDIENCE, since those unheeding Jews soon went into captivity.

Prophets speak and write about THE FUTURE. Things that SHALL happen. Prophecy is "history told in advance."

Centuries later... in the days when Jesus walked the earth as a man... Jeremiah's words were quoted as seeing fulfillment in THEIR DAY.

"Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy [Jeremiah] the prophet, saying..." (Matt.2:17-18; see also Jer.31:15).

Another "inspired" quote in Matthew credits Jeremiah with another prophecy that wasn't recorded in his book... but as an "oral" prophecy, only spoken aloud and not written; until Matthew wrote it in his book [Matt.27:9-10].

Matthew's book, however, wasn't written till years later... and hidden away. Then discovered, translated, canonized and published centuries later.

The people in the days of Jesus' "mortality" in whom Jeremiah's two cited prophecies were fulfilled were a type of "captive audience," ignorant of how Jeremiah's words pertained to them... and just painfully lost in their own respective suffering and misery.

So, Jeremiah's book... and Matthew's... and all the rest of the books of The Bible were preserved, published, in homes and hotels around the world; and today generally available on the Internet for those who have access to it. And Jeremiah has, yet, another "audience" to whom he speaks. A potential audience of "millions." The end time generations for whom God preserved His Word, that they may also be forwarned and prepared for Jesus' return.

But, the audience that's aware of Jeremiah's book [and all the others of the Bible] is still small... when you consider that China and India command the greatest populations in the world with little or no interest in the Bible at all.

Within Bible prophecy, however, is one regarding what the Bible calls the "Last Great Day" -- Judgment Day... in which ALL THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE WILL BE OPENED [including Jeremiah's] for all the generations of mankind to have the Truth [the Word of God - John 17:17] revealed to them.

"...I saw the dead... standing before the Throne, and BOOKS WERE OPENED [see John 12:48]... and the dead were Judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." (Rev.20:12)

All the things we DO in our lives will be measured [in the Judgment] against what God has commanded men to do in His Word, preserved for us; which is, primarily, to LOVE ONE ANOTHER! [John 15:12]

Jeremiah's book and all the others in the Bible have ONE MAJOR CAPTIVE AUDIENCE for whom they were and are intended. The Last Great Day Judgment of ALL OF THE GENERATIONS OF MANKIND WHO HAVE EVER LIVED AND DIED!

"A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him: thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him: the Judgment was set, and THE BOOKS WERE OPENED." (Dan.7:10)

Jeremiah's book [and all the other books of the Bible that shall be opened at the Last Day] is intended to instill "BELIEF" in people -- sooner or later... that they might cry out to their Master and Creator [whose fiery presence, then, will also instill the Greatest Belief] to repent, have their sins blotted out... and be saved.

Sooner or Later.

God is calling a small audience, now, to "believe," know and understand His Truth; to train and rule and administer with Jesus Christ the Kingdom of God on earth over the mortal nations for a thousand years. After which, in the Judgment... that Truth shall be revealed to ALL the resurrected past generations.

Jeremiah's initial audience was relatively small in his day. It was a small kingdom of Jews... his own people who... in their ignorance of God's Truth, rejected it and failed to "believe" and "heed" God's warnings of impending catastrophe. A simple call to them to "obey His Commandments."

Today... his book speaks to a global audience... still voicing the same warnings to an equally unheeding people. People who believe "in their own ways" that God is on their side, and curse and ridicule the public utterance of the Word of God and those who speak them:

"...So come, let's attack him with our tongues and pay no attention to anything he says.'" (Jer.18:18 NIV)

In the Judgment when Jeremiah's book is opened to its "captive audience"... everyone will hear Jeremiah ring out in their ears: "...deal with them in the time of your anger." [verse 23]

And Jeremiah's intended audience will hear from his "opened book": "...The fierce anger of the Lord shall not return, until He have done it, and until He have performed the intents of His heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it." (Jer.30:24)

Jeremiah's book... and ALL the books of the Bible speak to more than the Jews... and are intended, sooner or later, for an audience that shall include ALL OF MANKIND.

"...for THEY SHALL ALL KNOW ME, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I WILL FORGIVE THEIR INIQUITY, and I will remember their sins no more..." (Jer.31:34).

Jesus Christ [the Creator God of the Old Testament - John 1:3] was the WORD [JHVH; I AM; the Eternal] who called and commissioned Jeremiah and Baruch to write his book. Jesus came into the world in the flesh and was also rejected by the Jews -- which opened the door for ALL MEN to "believe" and Trust in and obey Abraham's God... and receive the Gift of God; Eternal Life... God's greatest blessing:

"...and in thee shall all the families [nations] of the earth be blessed." (Gen.12:3]

There is Jeremiah's audience. All the families of the earth.

Answer 2

people in Babylon