In Today's Email:
Welcome to the Book of Jeremiah!
Jeremiah (“exalted of the Lord”) was a priest and prophet during the final days of the Kingdom of Judah. His ministry was to warn of the coming destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylon and prepare the people for the coming Captivity. He is often called “the weeping prophet” because his message largely went unheeded and he saw the devastation brought by God’s judgment.
A few quick facts about Jeremiah:
The author is Jeremiah. It could be that his scribe Baruch was responsible for compiling the contents of this book.
This book was completed around 560 B.C., though most of it takes place between 630 and 586 B.C. To put this in context, Jeremiah’s ministry would roughly begin in II Kings 22 and II Chronicles 34 and end in II Kings 25 and II Chronicles 36.
The key verse is Jeremiah 7:23 – “But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.”
A brief outline:
Jeremiah’s call and commission – Chapter 1
Prophecies concerning Judah – Chapters 2-45
Prophecies concerning other nations – Chapters 46-51\
Historical postscript – Chapter 52
Key chapters:
Chapter 1 – Jeremiah’s Call
Chapter 31 – The New Covenant
Jeremiah 1 Notes
In this chapter Jeremiah is called to be a prophet.
vs. 1-3 – Jeremiah is a young priest that lived in Anathoth (“answers to prayer”), about 3 miles northeast of Jerusalem. His first prophecies began in 628 B.C. and his last were in 586 B.C., though the historical information in the last chapter of this book looks beyond these prophecies.
vs. 4-10 – God calls Jeremiah to be a prophet, and he balks because of his youth. God reassures him that he had been chosen before his birth for this task. God assures Jeremiah that it would be His message that Jeremiah gave. The scope and magnitude of this message is seen in vs. 10.
vs. 11-16 – God begins with two small visions for Jeremiah. The first is of a branch of an almond tree. The blooms of an almond tree were the sign that winter had ended and spring had begun, which here is used to illustrate that the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecies would soon come to pass. The second is of a boiling pot that faces north, which means it was ready to pour out toward the south. This is used to signify the coming Babylonian invasion under Nebuchadnezzar.
vs. 17-19 – Jeremiah is encouraged to speak his message boldly because God would protect him.
Jeremiah 2 Notes
In this chapter begins and indictment against Israel for forsaking God.
vs. 1-3 – God speaks of His love and kindness toward Israel in the past.
vs. 4-11 – Israel’s unfaithfulness to God is recalled. This was the fault of the people and not of God. God had always been faithful to them. They are challenged to find a nation that had been less faithful to their idols than they had been to the True God.
vs. 12-18 – Israel had forsaken God, pictured as a fountain of life-giving water. They had trusted in their own strength, pictured as leaky reservoirs, which could never satisfy. This brought destruction by the hands of the Assyrians (the young lions of vs. 15) and the Egyptians (the cities of vs. 16, see II Kings 23:29). They had not learned their lesson and now sought aid from Egypt (Sihor means “black” and refers to the Nile, see Isaiah 23:3) and Assyria.
vs. 19-30 – The indictment against Israel continues. God had done all He could to bless and nurture them, but they refused to be tamed. Even chastisement could not move their hearts back to God.
vs. 31-37 – The behavior of Israel is incomprehensible to God. They had forgotten Him and all He had done. They claimed they had not sinned when the blood stains were on their clothes. They would face the consequences of their actions and be ashamed of their choices.
Jeremiah 3 Notes
In this chapter Judah is called to repent before judgment comes.
vs. 1-5 – Though Israel had been unfaithful to God as an unfaithful wife to her husband, yet God still sought to bring her back. Reminds you Hosea, doesn’t it? God had tried to turn their hearts back to Him, but they remained proud and rebellious.
vs. 6-11 – Judah is called to remember the unfaithfulness of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. They had turned from God to idols and refused to repent. God had destroyed them in judgment. Judah was following in her footsteps. Israel, which had already been judged, is seen as less deserving of judgment than Judah is. Simply put, Judah should have known better.
vs. 12-18 – The return of the Northern Kingdom from Captivity is foreseen. Israel had been taken away by the Assyrians almost a century before this. About 60 years from this time Judah would be taken by the Babylonians. 70 years beyond that, the remnant of the Jews would be allowed to return to begin to rebuild Jerusalem. The old division would be gone. This sees that historical return but also a future restoration in the Millennial Kingdom as Christ is reigning in Jerusalem.
vs. 19-25 – Both of the restorations of Israel, whether historical from the Babylonian Captivity or future when the embrace the Messiah at the close of the Tribulation, are based on their repentance. When they finally humble themselves and turn to God, He responds and restores His blessing upon them.
Closing Thoughts
The first chapter of Jeremiah is special to me. I surrendered to preach when I was about 10 years old. Our church would let the young preachers speak occasionally during our midweek services. I would get very nervous about standing up in front of everyone, as most inexperienced preachers do regardless of age. Somehow I discovered this chapter. I took great comfort in Jeremiah’s call and the way God both encouraged him and eased him into his ministry with a couple of simple visions. I would read this chapter over and over before I would preach to help with my stage fright. You may not be called to preach, but the same caring God has a need for you to meet. You may not feel adequate or ready, but take courage from young Jeremiah. If God has called you, God will use you. It is about His strength and not ours.
Hymn for Today
Today’s hymn, often titled “Pardoning Love”, is from the pen of Anne Steele. It echoes the call for backslidden in Jeremiah 3 to return to God and find forgiveness.
How oft, alas, this wretched heart
Has wander'd from the Lord!
How oft my roving thoughts depart,
Forgetful of his word!
Yet sov'reign mercy calls, Return:
Dear Lord, and may I come!
My vile ingratitude I mourn;
Oh take the wand'rer home.
And canst thou, wilt thou yet forgive,
And bid my crimes remove?
And shall a pardon'd rebel live
To speak thy wond'rous love?
Almighty grace, thy healing pow'r
How glorious, how divine!
That can to life and bliss restore
So vile a heart as mine.
Thy pardoning love, so free, so sweet,
Dear Saviour, I adore;
Oh, keep me at thy sacred feet,
And let me rove no more.