45:1 The prophet Jeremiah spoke to Baruch son of Neriah while he was writing down in a scroll the words that Jeremiah spoke to him. This happened in the fourth year that Jehoiakim son of Josiah was ruling over Judah.

The Book of Jeremiah was not recorded in chronological order. This chapter was a postscript. Baruch was the scribe of Jeremiah. He wrote down Jeremiah’s negative prophecies (of chapters 36) around 605-604 B.C.

45:2 “The Lord God of Israel has a message for you, Baruch. 

Baruch was depressed, so Jehovah gave him a direct message through Jeremiah.

45:3 ‘You have said, “I feel so hopeless! For the Lord has added sorrow to my suffering. I am worn out from groaning. I can’t find any rest.” ’ ” 

The negative prophecies of Jeremiah placed Baruch under great distress. He was depressed over the sin of Israel and the judgment which was to come upon her. He knew that many of the Judeans would die from war, starvation, and famine. Baruch did not want to die in this way.

45:4 The Lord told Jeremiah, “Tell Baruch, ‘The Lord says, “I am about to tear down what I have built and to uproot what I have planted. I will do this throughout the whole earth.

Jeremiah was to tell Baruch that he was not only going to tear down Judah, but he was going to tear down the whole earth. Babylon was going to destroy many nations.

45:5 Are you looking for great things for yourself? Do not look for such things. For I, the Lord, affirm that I am about to bring disaster on all humanity. But I will allow you to escape with your life wherever you go.” ’ ” 

Jehovah informed Baruch not to look for great things for himself in this time period. Baruch may have been looking for royal advancement, similar to what his brother had received.

Jehovah also looked forward in the distant future to the Great Tribulation and announced that he was to one day bring judgment upon the whole world. The present message for Baruch was that he would be one of the believing Jewish remnant who would escape death in Egypt. He needed to be thankful that he would not die by war, starvation, or famine. Jeremiah may have placed this prophecy in the judgment section of Judah so that the godly remnant who survived the big three (war, starvation, disease) would be thankful to God.