A Symbolic Exploration through the Teachings of Neville Goddard
The story of Jeremiah 36 is not a historical moment—it’s a richly symbolic drama that unfolds within the soul. Each character and action reveals the pattern by which inner vision becomes outer expression and how the world resists, then eventually yields to the invisible power of imagination. It’s a story in which the Bible demonstrates the allegory of the ‘Word of God’.
1. The Word Comes to Jeremiah (Verses 1–4)
“And it came to pass... that this word came unto Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee... from the days of Josiah even unto this day.”
(Jeremiah 36:1–2)
Neville’s Interpretation:
Jeremiah—meaning "whom Jehovah has appointed"—represents your inner awareness, the imagination that hears from the divine "I AM." The command to write the vision down speaks to the first step in manifestation: defining the inner Word, recording the truth you have received in imagination.
Writing is symbolic of fixing an idea in consciousness, just as Neville often said that assuming the feeling of the wish fulfilled impresses the subconscious with a seed that must bear fruit. Jesus writes on the ground when dealing with the "adulterous" woman.
“The drama of life is a psychological one in which all the conditions, circumstances, and events of your life are brought to pass by your assumptions.” — Neville Goddard
Example: If you’ve ever written a journal entry imagining your dream life or rehearsed a scene in your head before it happened—you’re doing what Jeremiah did. You’re "writing the scroll" in consciousness.
2. Jeremiah Is “Shut Up”; Baruch Becomes the Mouthpiece (Verses 5–8)
“Then Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I am shut up; I cannot go into the house of the Lord: Therefore go thou, and read in the roll...”
(Jeremiah 36:5–6)
Neville’s Interpretation:
This is a profound symbolic statement. Jeremiah is “shut up”—not as a prisoner of man, but as a soul in stillness. He is in the inner chamber, the sacred silence of imagination where the creative act occurs. According to Neville, what is imagined in secret will be proclaimed upon the housetops.
Jeremiah cannot go into the outer temple—symbolising the outer realm of appearances. Instead, he sends Baruch—meaning "Blessed"—who represents the reasoning mind, the voice of expression. Baruch reads aloud what Jeremiah has whispered in silence.
Example: This is like imagining success in silence—feeling the result—then later finding yourself casually speaking with more confidence, applying for a better job, or inspiring others without planning to. The inner vision (Jeremiah) sends the outer behaviour (Baruch) to deliver the message.
3. Micaiah Hears and Reports (Verses 9–13)
“And it came to pass... that Micaiah the son of Gemariah... heard out of the book all the words of the Lord.”
(Jeremiah 36:11)
Symbolism of Micaiah:
Micaiah’s name means “Who is like God?”—a rhetorical name expressing awe at the divine nature. Here, Micaiah represents the awakening thought that recognises something higher at work. In the context of Neville’s teachings, Micaiah symbolises the moment your rational mind is startled by the power of your own inner Word.
Example: It’s the moment you realise your quiet assumption came true. You imagined being at peace with someone, and they reached out the next day. That shock of recognition—“Did I really do that?”—is the Micaiah moment.
4. The Princes Hear and Become Fearful (Verses 14–19)
“Now it came to pass... when they had heard all the words, they were afraid both one and other, and said unto Baruch, We will surely tell the king...”
(Jeremiah 36:16)
Neville’s Interpretation:
The princes symbolise the ruling thoughts or beliefs within you—the entrenched assumptions that have governed your consciousness. When these dominant ideas hear the Word of Imagination, they become disturbed. The old guard fears the new idea because it threatens to overturn what has always ruled.
Example: Imagine you’ve always believed you’re unlucky in relationships. One day you assume, “I am loved. I am chosen.” That quiet new belief disturbs your old identity. You might feel doubt, or your mind may immediately begin listing reasons it can’t happen. That internal resistance is the fear of the princes.
“The moment you dare to assume you are what your senses deny, your world will resist you.” — Neville Goddard
5. The King Burns the Scroll (Verses 20–26)
“And it came to pass... when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire...”
(Jeremiah 36:23)
Neville’s Interpretation:
The king here represents the dominant state of consciousness, the reigning self-image. Upon hearing the challenge of the new assumption (the scroll), it rejects, mocks, and destroys it.
Example: This is like declaring “I’m a confident speaker” and then instantly hearing your inner critic say, “Who are you kidding? You always choke.” That voice is the king cutting up the scroll and throwing it into the fire. It’s not malice—it’s habit. It doesn’t want to be dethroned.
But the scroll is not truly lost. The Word is eternal. The fire only reveals the rebellion of the outer world—not the defeat of the inner Word.
6. The Word Is Rewritten, and More Is Added (Verses 27–32)
“Take thee again another roll... and write in it all the former words... and there were added besides unto them many like words.”
(Jeremiah 36:28, 32)
Neville’s Interpretation:
This is triumphant. The king burned the scroll—but the Word returns, stronger than before. This is the persistence Neville taught: even if the world denies your assumption, you assume again, and add to it.
Example: If you affirm wealth and then get a surprise bill, that’s the scroll in the fire. But instead of giving up, you affirm again—“I am always provided for.” You add more words. You deepen the assumption. And this time, the seed goes deeper.
“Persist in the assumption that your desire is already fulfilled. For that assumption, though false, if persisted in, will harden into fact.” — Neville Goddard
Conclusion: The Scroll Is You
Jeremiah 36 is not just about a scroll or a stubborn king. It is the story of every manifestation journey:
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The Word conceived in imagination
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Resistance from entrenched beliefs
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Outward rejection or delay
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And finally, the triumph of persistence
Baruch and Jeremiah act as two aspects of your creative self: inner imaginings and outer expression. Micaiah reminds you that what you have heard inwardly is divine. And the burning of the scroll is not the end, but the beginning of an even deeper faith.
Let the scroll be written again in your heart, and add to it many like words.
Because your Word—your assumption—shall not return unto you void.
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