Jeremiah 36:8, commentary and pictures

Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, faithfully reading the Lord's words from the book or roll in the Lord's house or temple. Jeremiah was shut up and could not go into the house of the Lord, so Baruch went in his place. The reading took place on the fasting day in the ears of the people, including all Judah that came out of their cities. The roll he read had been written from Jeremiah's mouth and contained all the words the Lord had spoken from the days of Josiah even unto that day.

It contained reproofs sent to ancient Israel, which the people would not receive. Its purpose was that the house of Judah might hear all the evil purposed against them, present their supplication before the Lord, and return every man from his evil way, so that God might forgive their iniquity and sin, for great was the anger and fury pronounced against them. After the public reading, the roll was read to the king, and King Jehoiakim rejected it and burned it.

Burning the written message did not destroy it, for the same testimony was written again with more added. The record of this chapter is to be studied as a warning, because the messages of warning have been repeated in a later generation as of old, with a similar rejection of God's message. Some today have virtually repeated the act of Jehoiakim by burning the messages of the Spirit of God.