Jeremiah 12: Group Study Handout

How to use: read Jeremiah 12 aloud together, then take the questions in order. One page is enough for an evening.

Overview

Jeremiah presents his complaint to Yahweh, questioning why the wicked prosper and why they seem unpunished (vv. 1-2). He acknowledges their outward success but insists that God knows their hearts (v.

Key verse

“If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? Though in a land of peace you are secure, yet how will you do in the pride of the Jordan?”
Jeremiah 12:5 (WEB)

Outline

Jeremiah 12:1–4 Jeremiah's Complaint to God
Jeremiah 12:5–6 God's Challenge to Jeremiah
Jeremiah 12:7–9 Judgment on God's Heritage
Jeremiah 12:10–12 Desolation of the Land
Jeremiah 12:13 The Harsh Reality of Labor
Jeremiah 12:14–17 Promise of Restoration and Judgment

Discussion questions

In v1, what question does Jeremiah ask about the wicked?
What imagery does Jeremiah use in v10 to describe the destruction of his vineyard?
In v5, what does the phrase 'run with the footmen' imply about Jeremiah's current challenges?
In v14, what does God mean by 'my evil neighbors' in relation to Israel?
When have you felt like a 'sheep for the slaughter' as in v3?

Go deeper

Passages that echo Jeremiah 12: Psalm 139, Romans 8, Psalm 37.

Before next time: read Jeremiah 13.