When prophets speak in his name they are mightier than kings. Jeremiah endures mockery, imprisonment, kidnapping, and death threats from the people he desperately tries to help. There is a great deal of that kind of judgment in the rest of Jeremiahs book. Jeremiah 1- Jeremiah's call and commission Jeremiah 7 - Jeremiah Proclaims God's Judgment on Israel Jeremiah 31:31-34 - a new covenant Engage the text as a group: 1. . When Michelangelo painted him on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, he presented him in a posture of despair. The angel's words to Mary should leave us no doubt: "For with God nothing will be impossible" (Luke 1:37). Old Testament Major Prophets You might remember that in Jeremiah 1:5 God says that he knew Jeremiah before he was born. The true prophets were conscious of a living, personal relationship with Yahweh which had been established in their call-experience. To be called by God is to be chosen by God for certain purposes. God is sovereign over the nations, and he rules them by his Word. It is this decline that makes Jeremiah a prophet for post-Christian times. It may be as simple as writing a letter of encouragement to those who need it, or as all-encompassing as creating a new, forgiving relationship with someone who may have wronged us. Like Jeremiah, you were a dubious candidate at the beginning. Why did it come to me? Those who have been appointed to preach that Word have a spiritual authority over the nations. When we were children, learning new skills could be terrifying. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. His name was Jeremiah. Quoted in Parker Society Vol. The Spirit moves in us always, nudging us, a "still, small voice" within that calls us to small, daily duties. Frankly, that sounds a little ominous! His early messages focused on condemning false worship and social injustice, with calls to repentance. Thats encouraging. It comes with a "thank you" from someone whom we touch in carrying out our call. And it is not bad science either. An examination of the prophetic messages of the great prophets reveals that those truths which they learned about God in their call-experience provided the theme for every oracle that they ever uttered. Be not afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you" (Jeremiah 1:7-8). Sarah's call to be "mother of nations" (Genesis 17:16) comes through Abraham as she overhears a stranger telling her husband that she shall bear a son in her old age (Genesis 18:10). Every resource on our site was made possible through the financial support of people like you. He knew him. God is sovereign. [82]Rowley, The Re-Discovery of the Old Testament, p. 143. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3951_1_82').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3951_1_82', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [10, 10], }); In their call-experience the prophets came into contact with a transforming revelation of the character of God which thereafter dominated their thinking and which inspired their every message. I will build you up again, and you, Virgin Israel, will be rebuilt. 27 When you tell them all these things, they will not listen to you. Answer: It is told there that he responded to Yahweh's (God's) call to prophesy by protesting "I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth," but he received Yahweh's assurance that he would put his own words into Jeremiah's mouth and make him a "prophet to the nations." A few scholars believe that after his call Jeremiah . The next two seem to speak of utter and final and complete destruction destroy and throw down. Michigan, Milford | 220 views, 6 likes, 1 loves, 9 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Christ Lutheran Church and School: Service from Christ. The directness of these calls is more likely the ancient author's way of heightening the drama of an experience that is more common than we know: Spirit is always speaking to us in inner dialogue. 11:1 "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. Well, I still feel like one!, Your email address will not be published. Isaiah complained of "unclean lips" (Isaiah 6:5). For this, he was arrested. Unlike the others, however, Jonah rejects God's call. He did not argue with Jeremiah about his speaking credentials or quibble with him about his age. I would label his response as age-based doubt. However, Jeremiahs most lasting legacy may in fact be one of hope. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. (LogOut/ . That bicycle I wanted to ride looked so big! Alyssa Roatstudied writing, theology, and the Bible at Taylor University. Old Testament Law The way the people of God, now the church (in Jeremiah's time, the people of Israel) . Meanwhile, Assyria had been conquered by Babylon. He was able to converse in the fields of politics, economics, comparative religion, geography, theology, botany, zoology, anthropology, military strategy, architecture, industry, agriculture, fine arts, and poetry.4. Limited Atonement (Luke 2:49) His words have the childlike innocence of one who has not yet faced the full responsibility that his call would engender. Give possible dates of these kings. 1:17). Old Testament Wisdom. Change). But once you know what God has called you to do, trust him to equip you to do it. Home | Admissions | Academics | Campus Life | Alumni, All content copyright 2023 Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary . Used by permission of Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, Il 60187, www.crossway.org. B. He labored as Gods prophet for forty years or more, from 627 b.c. He may have even been concerned about his foreign language skills, since God was calling him to an international ministry. So, Jeremiah is given Gods authority. Or is this indeed a vision and we just werent told that it was? Yet they reveal more than the prophets griefthey are an attempt to reflect on the meaning of human suffering. Many Christians long to know what God is calling them to do. Prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). [81]Scott, p. 106. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3951_1_81').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3951_1_81', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [10, 10], }); Rowley, in describing the effect of the prophets call says. Jeremiah, a faithful, God-fearing man, was called to tell Judah that, because of their unrepentant sin, their God had turned against them and was now prepared to remove them from the land at the hands of a pagan king. Gods call to be a prophet to the nations. It is tilting toward us from the north.. He sends the clouds soaring. NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. It was destroyed and overthrown to the grave. I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. 12The Lord said to me, You have seen correctly, for I am watching[b](R) to see that my word is fulfilled., 13The word of the Lord came to me again: What do you see?(S), I see a pot that is boiling, I answered. Jeremiah 1:7-10 relates Gods response to Jeremiahs doubts regarding his call to be a prophet to the nations. And with those words, Jeremiah will perform the actions listed in Jeremiah 1:10. Its ironic then that Jeremiah responds back to the Lord here I dont knowhow to speak. The Argument from Contingency: A Proof for God, 6 Verses to Cling to When You Are Overwhelmed. His eyes also are cast down, as if he can no longer bear to see Gods people suffer. However, Hezekiah was immediately followed by his wicked son Manasseh. The below passage well demonstrates the cause of Jeremiahs agony: And if they ask you, Where shall we go? tell them, This is what the Lord says: Those destined for death, to death;those for the sword, to the sword;those for starvation, to starvation;those for captivity, to captivity., I will send four kinds of destroyers against them, declares the Lord, the sword to kill and the dogs to drag away and the birds and the wild animals to devour and destroy. Yet how often we ignore the prompting of Spirit! "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?" If you think you know what the Lord wants you to do with your life, get busy, trusting him to give you the grace to answer his call. I made a personal commitment to you even before you were born. And what a beautiful thing for parents to say to their children: God knows you, God loves you, and God has entered into a personal relationship with you. This verse holds special comfort for mothers who have had miscarriages. Before I formed you in the womb I knew you. This is the strong, intimate, Hebrew word for know that is also used to describe sexual intimacy between husband and wife. He began proclaiming God's messages and continued to do so through trial and peril. Ezekiel's ministry occurred during a difficult time for the nation of Israel. This can't be God; I don't have time for this. He was hesitant/immature due to age (young) He was not ready; Did not know how to speak; To destroy is another word for knocking things down. 2:8 f.). The great prophets of the Old Testament had divine authority when they spoke for God because of their vital experiential knowledge of God. Ezekiel was set as a watchman over Israel in order that he might warn them to turn from their wicked ways (Ezek. So what if youre thirteen? Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations." a. of He was a preachers son, for his father Hilkiah was a priest. So, Jeremiah is to not be afraid of them why? Isaiah's lips were cleansed and his sin removed as a seraph touched his mouth with a glowing coal. But to be a prophet to the nations also includes announcing Gods judgment. Perhaps you are still trying to figure out what Gods plan is for you. She has had 150+ bylines in publications ranging fromThe Christian Communicator toKeys for Kids. Jeremiah found himself addressing a nation hurtling headlong toward judgment from God. We offer practical, uplifting resources to help people of all faiths apply positive spiritual principles to their lives. You can imagine which message is more popular. Used under license from Veer We don't know when he perceived that he was to have a public ministry, but Jesus was still a child when he stayed behind in Jerusalem in the temple, dialoguing with his teachers. The Lord instructed Jeremiah to be a bold prophet, not because of his preaching ability or because of his age and experience, but because he was called to speak Gods own words. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. If you ask, he has promised to answer. Moses knew that he was to deliver the Israelites from the Egyptians, but he wanted to do it in his own way and on his own timing. He set him apart and appointed him as a prophet to the nations. This is Gods plan for the kingdoms of this world (cf. The promise suggests that the prophet will fall into grave danger. His story begins like this: This introduction tells us a great deal about Jeremiah. Thus the book of Jeremiah is a tragedy rather than a comedy. Many died in a siege of Jerusalem and more were carried off to Babylon in 597. In 721 B.C., the northern kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrians. When did God choose him? From another point of view, however, these are the words of God himself: The word of the Lord came to him (v. 2). Not only did Jeremiah have Gods presence at his side, he also had Gods words on his lips: Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, Now, I have put my words in your mouth (Jeremiah 1:9). Though Jeremiahs birth date isnt exactly clear, he received Gods call at a young age, probably as a teenager (Jeremiah 1:6). If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him (James 1:5). Worst of all, they didnt listen. 15I am about to summon all the peoples of the northern kingdoms, declares the Lord. Lamentations gives voice to the deepest agonies, with the hope that some comfort may come from crying out to God for mercy. A study of Jeremiahs call, when contrasted with that of the other great prophets, reveals that God used a variety of ways in extending a call. Who wrote the book of Jeremiah? Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! All rights reserved. Signs and visions are rather problematical in our modern, technological world. 2. To download full issues and find more information on the Southwestern Journal of Theology, go to swbts.edu/journal. He is the one who uproots some nations and plants others. study God's Word and apply it to your life! . I don't know how to do this. When God touched Jeremiahs lips, it was not to take away his sins, it was to give him Gods words. In that experience God became more than a name or a fact to them. Before taking time to think about my answer, I blurted out, Yes, Id preach to the Queen of England.. When a person is aware of that call and surrenders to it, he or she starts living out God's purpose for him or her (see Jeremiah 1:4-5; Isaiah 49:1; Galatians 1:15 ). 26; Micah 3:11).First on the priests who "handle the Law," i. e. who have a traditional knowledge of the details of the Law, and teach the people accordingly (Deuteronomy 17:9-11; Deuteronomy 33:10; Jeremiah 18:18; see also on Jeremiah 8:8); next on the "pastors," or "shepherds" (in the Homeric . She is the co-author ofDear Hero and has 200+ bylines in publications ranging fromThe Christian Communicator toKeys for Kids. Most of what we know about Jeremiah comes from the book of the Bible that bears his name. F. B. Meyer, Jeremiah: Priest and Prophet, rev. Telling children who ask where babies come from that they come from God is good theology. Sometimes he could use the third person when speaking of Yahweh, but at other times he could pass over to the first person. 18Today I have made you(AD) a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole landagainst the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. I am not made for perilous quests, cried Frodo. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Eugene Peterson offers these practical conclusions about Gods choice of Jeremiah: 4. . There is no essential difference in the manner of their being inspired by God. Moses sees the burning bush and hears the voice of God calling him to deliver the Israelites (Exodus 3:1-10). First the Holy Spirit uproots and tears down sin in your heart, and then he plants faith and builds obedience into your life. (E), 6Alas, Sovereign Lord, I said, I do not know how to speak;(F) I am too young.(G), 7But the Lord said to me, Do not say, I am too young. You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. [83]Rudolf Otto, The Idea of the Holy, Trans. Sign up for Unity newsletters! A good way to answer those questions is to compare Jeremiah with some other prophets. After studying the call-experience of Jeremiah, I can see no basis at all for believing, as some do, that God no longer calls men to be his spokesmen. If you are not sure, there are at least two things you ought to do. If I were really supposed to do this, God would make things a whole lot easier for me.Our objections are not much different from those whose calls are recorded in the biblical tradition. Proud member God rules the nations of this world by his Word. 7 But the Lord said to me, "Do not say, 'I am . God not only knows you and chose you, he has a plan for your life. There was no easy way for a prophet to know ultimate truth. Although Jeremiah's profession was prophet, there is no reason to believe that the pattern of God's call, followed by faithful human response, followed by God's equipping is limited to prophets. Upon Judahs captivity, he penned the book of Lamentations, a highly poetic and devastatingly beautiful series of laments about the fall of Gods people. 1. And they didnt listen. The book of Jeremiah gives us a glimpse of the personality and experiences of the man, Jeremiah. Given the intimacy of Gods knowledge of Jeremiah, it is appropriate for Jeremiah to address him with the title Sovereign Lord (Jeremiah 1:6). Jeremiah served God even when it meant giving up everything and facing persecution in a culture that had abandoned God. Subscribe | RSS | Privacy Disclaimer. A prophet was a chosen and authorized spokesman for God who declared God's Word to the people. Jeremiah had forgotten that God is not limited by human weakness. The temple of Jesus body was uprooted and torn down from the cross. Find out more about herhere and on social media@alyssawrote. Known as the Weeping Prophet, Jeremiah was a prophet to the southern kingdom of Judah in the Old Testament, right before Judah ultimately fell to Babylon and was led away into captivity. You may have known me before I was born, Lord, but I dont even know how to speak! You knew me before I was a baby. Copyright 2023 Unity World Headquarters. The Lord of life uses the natural processes he designed to plant human life in the womb. We can see in Jeremiah a pattern for all those who follow God faithfully in their work. From that moment onward the greatness and gravity of the life-enveloping, life-directing and decision-demanding reality of God . This is known as the doctrine of divine election. When the seraph flew from the altar to touch Isaiahs lips with a live coal, he said: See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for (Isaiah 6:7). One of the most oft-quoted verses in the Bible, Jeremiah 29:11, has offered hope to believers for centuries. But things got worse again as he was followed by Amon, a completely wicked king. Judah's Idolatry Persists 26 Yet they would not listen to Me or incline their ear, but they stiffened their necks and did more evil than their fathers. The inherent unknowns of a God-journey can unnerve us as much as it did Moses. For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty (Isaiah 6:5Jeremiah 1:5). Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, Now, I have put my words in your mouth (Jeremiah 1:9). The Prophets message was but a proclamation of what he knew about God and the divine purpose. Moses protested. . J. R. R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1965), p. 70. Be God ; I am not made for perilous quests, cried Frodo you up again and... 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Jeremiah with some other prophets Jeremiah about his foreign language skills, God... To think about my answer, I see a pot that is also used to describe intimacy. I still feel like one!, your email address will not listen to you even before you were.... Uses the natural processes he designed to plant human life in the womb I knew you prophet for forty or... Became more than a comedy in that experience God became more than the prophets message was a... See in Jeremiah a prophet to the Queen of England of that kind of judgment in the Bible Jeremiah... You are Overwhelmed of Jesus body was uprooted and torn down from the cross first the Spirit... Prophet, rev when Michelangelo painted him on the Southwestern Journal of theology, go to,! Plan is for you x27 ; s messages and continued to do ), 7But Lord! Nation hurtling headlong toward judgment from God is calling them to do, trust him to an international ministry a! With a `` thank you '' from someone whom we touch in carrying our... In carrying out our call s ministry occurred during a difficult time for the nation of Israel up!
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