What message did Jeremiah bring to all the people as he stood in the court of the Lord’s house?

The passage does not end with the shattering of the clay jar in Topheth. Jeremiah returns from Topheth, where the Lord had sent him to prophesy, to the city where he boldly declares his message to all the people in the temple court. Jeremiah therefore moves from outside the city, into the city and the temple. This also moves the message from being directed at the small group of leaders Jeremiah took with him (Jeremiah 19:1) to all the people.¹ The message is the same as the one he gave at Topheth. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, behold I am bringing upon this city and upon all its towns all the disaster that I have pronounced against it, because they have stiffened their neck, refusing to hear my words. This is undoubtedly only a summary of the sermon Jeremiah delivered in the temple. His sermon likely included the message he delivered in Topheth (Jeremiah 19:3–9, Jeremiah 19:11–13) and probably more as well.² It is the first time that the word prophesy is used of Jeremiah’s preaching since his commissioning in Jeremiah 1:1–19. This emphasizes the open conflict that is about to take place between Jeremiah and the religious officials of the land, including those such as Pashhur who also claimed to prophesy (see Jeremiah 20:6).³