Jeremiah, the shy and sheltered youth of Anathoth, found himself conscripted into a position from which his timid nature caused him to shrink (Jer. Unlike Isaiah, Moses doubted his competence rather than his righteousness. God rules the nations of this world by his Word. But God exposed his false humility for what it really was: a lack of faith. Eugene H. Peterson, Run with the Horses: The Quest for Life at Its Best (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1983), p. 38. 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. The first chapter of Jeremiah is mainly about his call for his times, not your call for your times. He knew him. All these actions Jeremiah will perform with his God-given words. Then the word of the LORD came to me: Jeremiah had a personal encounter with . You may be sure that it was not for any merit that others do not possess; not for power or wisdom, at any rate. Though Jeremiah's birth date isn't exactly clear, he received God's call at a young age, probably as a teenager (Jeremiah 1:6). This verse testifies that the personal relationship between God and his child takes place in the womb, or even earlier. (Fort Washington, PA: Christian Literature Crusade, 1993), p. 17. [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. . New Testament Epistles In 721 B.C., the northern kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrians. Gideon's offering went up in a burst of flame ignited by the angel. 1. He was a prophet during the cold November winds of Judahs life as a nation, right up to the time Gods people were deported to Babylon. The Israelites may have feared the future as . If God has prepared you for something what does agematter? In any case, Jeremiah had his doubts about whether he could do the job. To put it plainly, he said, Dont give me that stuff! Do not say, I am only a child. You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you (Jeremiah 1:7). We have already been given a clue that the book of Jeremiah does not have a happy ending. 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). Advertisement Jeremiah had forgotten that God is not limited by human weakness. Sigmund Mowinckel, The Spirit and the Word in the Pre-Exilic Reforming Prophets,, The Prophets Call A Dialogue With God: As Seen In Jeremiah, Southwestern Journal of Theology Vol. To download full issues and find more information on the Southwestern Journal of Theology, go to swbts.edu/journal. Home | Admissions | Academics | Campus Life | Alumni, All content copyright 2023 Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary God showed Jeremiah two visions, giving him authority as a prophet and transferring to him the power to do the job: ''Brace yourself, Jeremiah; stand up and speak to them" (Jeremiah 1:17 NEB). Ezekiel was a man of God called into service for His Lord. When the Prophet Jeremiah was called to become a prophet, he made an excuse. Given the intimacy of Gods knowledge of Jeremiah, it is appropriate for Jeremiah to address him with the title Sovereign Lord (Jeremiah 1:6). New Testament Acts There is a great deal of that kind of judgment in the rest of Jeremiahs book. Meanwhile, Assyria had been conquered by Babylon. Yet they reveal more than the prophets griefthey are an attempt to reflect on the meaning of human suffering. Isaiahs experience was somewhat different from Jeremiahs. From that moment onward the greatness and gravity of the life-enveloping, life-directing and decision-demanding reality of God . And just as God transfers responsibility to Moses (''you may bring forth my people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt" in Exodus 3:10), we are grasped by the responsibility for hearing and following the call of Spirit to a greater life. Jesus said, Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days (John 2:19). For less than $5/mo. Another brief upswing occurred under King Josiah, but after that, Judah was a mess of puppet kings placed by Egypt and Babylon, some reigning for only three months. It is my deep and abiding conviction that the ministerial office should never be assumed by anyone who does not have a sense of call from God. Page 2 Section 1 continued Q.5) Give the reasons why God had intended to bring judgment upon his people. People of Judah were warned again and again but would not repent of their sins. Jeremiah was viewed as a renegade who preached disloyalty to the state of Judah. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Calvinism But grace will have the last word. God leads us to employ our abilities and talents in godly ways in the world. The more people tell you not to be afraid, the more you start to wonder what you ought to be afraid of! This is also Gods plan for salvation in Jesus Christ. But God's call to spiritual growth does not always imply a complete change in our lives. It might mean breaking through our reluctance to visit a sick friend or relative, making peace with a son or daughter, or entering into a program of self-improvement that ultimately blesses others. . The angel's words to Mary should leave us no doubt: "For with God nothing will be impossible" (Luke 1:37). If you want to know who you are, you have to know whose you are. What Does It Mean That "Your Life Is Hidden with Christ"? Yet God has known you from all eternity, and he has set you apart for new life in Christ. 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 ). Jeremiah had two main objections to becoming a prophet: his lack of eloquence and his lack of experience. We can see in Jeremiah a pattern for all those who follow God faithfully in their work. I will build you up again, and you, Virgin Israel, will be rebuilt. Although Jeremiahs profession was prophet, there is no reason to believe that the pattern of Gods call, followed by faithful human response, followed by Gods equipping is limited to prophets. All rights reserved. Your email address will not be published. Find out more about herhere and on social media@alyssawrote. - The priests, etc.The blame principally falls on the three leading classes (as in ver. His shoulders are hunched forward, weighed down by the sins of Judah. A prophets life is never easy, but Jeremiah had an especially rough time. God did not deal with them with any unusual harshness; in fact, the fact that he gave the wicked people such a long time to repent shows His love. (LogOut/ Again you will take up your timbrels and go out to dance with the joyful (Jeremiah 31:4). Ezekiel's long, detailed call narrative covers Chapters 1 through 3 with visions and dialogues. Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth" (Jeremiah 1:6). That wasn't quite enough for Moses, and he argued his inadequacy over and over until he was convinced that God would be there for him. Two to one, his words to the nations will be words of judgment. A fetus is a person. However, Hezekiah was immediately followed by his wicked son Manasseh. A person is a human being, created in the image of God, living in relationship to God. Long before Jeremiah was born, God chose him and consecrated him for ministry. But you have been chosen and you must therefore use such strength and heart and wits as you have.3. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain Images/Rembrandt. Thus, God warned, they would be overtaken by conquerors. When God called Jeremiah to become a "prophet to the nations," Jeremiah cried: "Ah, Lord God! burned like a fire in the souls of these prophets. It gives hope to parents who have lost children in infancy, and even for women who aborted their own babies. He began proclaiming Gods messages and continued to do so through trial and peril. Be not afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you" (Jeremiah 1:7-8). 3. (LogOut/ [83]Rudolf Otto, The Idea of the Holy, Trans. Although his experience was unique to him, his call illustrates the call of God upon every person who has ever had a personal relationship with God. Vs. 4-7 shows irrational response of people. There is no essential difference in the manner of their being inspired by God. None of the prophets received his call from God in the same manner; Even so, as is obvious, God uses many ways of revealing his will to men in the present. 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. When God gives his servants a clear calling, he does not accept any excuses. I will build you up again, and you, Virgin Israel, will be rebuilt. Upon Judahs captivity, he penned the book of Lamentations, a highly poetic and devastatingly beautiful series of laments about the fall of Gods people. He served and suffered through the administrations of three kings: Josiah the reformer, Jehoiakim the despot, and Zedekiah the puppet. Telling children who ask where babies come from that they come from God is good theology. The call and preparation of the Prophet Jeremiah. He did all this long before Jeremiah drew his first breath or shed his first tear. The first is to do everything you already know God wants you to do. In fact, he treated him the same way he treated Moses. Old Testament Major Prophets document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Calvinism Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. The Call of Jeremiah. He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses." Jeremiah 10:13 (MSG) "He thunders, and rain pours down. It comes in meditation as we gain new insights into the call. Thats encouraging. It would be a mistake to think that our calling to our work must resemble Jeremiahs. When make mistake it is natural to correct it. Gideon argued, "Pray, Lord, how can I deliver Israel? While Jeremiah was being carried around in his mothers womb, God was making preparations for his salvation and his ministry. We often think of prophets as people who can tell the future. When God calls someone to do a job, he gives him or her all the gifts needed to get the job done. He sent dozens of messengers proclaiming repentance, but these messengers were killed, abused, and mocked. Limited Atonement 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. While the book of Jeremiah shared the last, desperate days of the Jerusalem the prophet loved, Lamentations expresses the cries of his heart. Whose faces is God talking about? I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. We are called in many different ways. (M) 10See, today I appoint you over nations(N) and kingdoms to uproot(O) and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.(P), 11The word of the Lord came to me: What do you see, Jeremiah?(Q). Jeremiah 12:14-17). So, with that assurance given to Jeremiah, responding to his age-based doubt, the Lord continues his commissioning of Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:9-10. But Dad said: "Go ahead and try. You have found favour with God." He still speaks to those who have seeing eyes, hearing ears, and a surrendered heart. It is about the unraveling of a nation. He was alone with the knowledge of the horrors coming for Judah. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. He was a preachers son, for his father Hilkiah was a priest. This does not mean that your gifts and abilities do not matter when you are trying to figure out what God wants you to do with your life. This is Gods plan for the kingdoms of this world (cf. From another point of view, however, these are the words of God himself: The word of the Lord came to him (v. 2). Who gives him sight or makes him blind? NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. It is impossible for a true prophet to remain silent when God has spoken to his heart. This reminds us of Isaiahs experience when he saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple (Isaiah 6:1). What happens when we mess up badly, like Judah, and end up in a terrible situation that is entirely of our own causing? study God's Word and apply it to your life! Do not be terrified(AC) by them, or I will terrify you before them. in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem; they will come against all her surrounding walls. So, who was this weeping prophet in a dying nation who also brought such words of comfort and promise? However, the unwise actions of his son Rehoboam led to a schism in which the kingdom was split into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah, each with its own king. Why was I chosen?, The answer Frodo is given is similar to the one Gods prophets often receive: Such questions cannot be answered. 223-24. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3951_1_83').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3951_1_83', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [10, 10], }); This experience was the beginning of a moral and spiritual fellowship which was maintained by the surrender of the prophets will to the purpose of God and by a progressive purification of the inner life. Both kingdoms devolved into corruption and sin, despite repeated warnings from prophets sent by God prophets such as Jeremiah. The reason Jeremiah has authority over nations and kingdoms (Jeremiah 1:10) is that he is not speaking on his own behalf. Salem Media Group. 1:6). He began proclaiming God's messages and continued to do so through trial and peril. [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. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He did not argue with Jeremiah about his speaking credentials or quibble with him about his age. One of the most oft-quoted verses in the Bible, Jeremiah 29:11, has offered hope to believers for centuries. Bible Commentary / Produced by TOW Project, 10 Key Points About Work in the Bible Every Christian Should Know, Beyond Rank and Power: What Philemon Tells Us About Leadership, Learning From the Psalms How to Pray Through Your Work, Introduction to Jeremiah and Lamentations, Jeremiah and His Times (Jeremiah and Lamentations), Work-Related Themes in the Book of Jeremiah, Goodness and Defilement of Work (Jeremiah 2), Acknowledgement of God's Provision (Jeremiah 5), Material Success and Failure (Jeremiah 5), Injustice, Greed, the Common Good, and Integrity (Jeremiah 5-8), Work Within a Balanced Life (Jeremiah 17), Bless Wider Society Through Your Work (Jeremiah 29), The Goodness of Work Restored (Jeremiah 30-33), Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. However, his words live on thousands of years later, offering teaching and hope even today. God called and equipped Joseph (Genesis 39:1-6; 41:38-57), Bezalel and Oholiab (Exodus 36-39) and David (1 Samuel 16:1-13) for jobs as finance minister, construction chief, and king, respectively. The reason Jeremiah did not need to be afraid was that he had the promise of Gods presence. And yet, we need to recognize that this kind of excuse is ultimately inexcusable. Once God had issued his divine call and dealt with his dubious candidate, he gave him a dangerous commission: You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Salem Media Group. The Lord of life uses the natural processes he designed to plant human life in the womb. New Testament General Epistles In Jeremiah 1:8, God tells Jeremiah to not fear their faces in the Hebrew. And as the Spirit empowered that child of God, the divine spirit entreats all humans as children of God to listen, to discern, to answer, to accept the strength of God's energy, the empowerment of God's loving embrace. We tend to be doubtful when we hear someone say, "God sent me a sign" or "This came to me in a vision. When we were children, learning new skills could be terrifying. When Michelangelo painted him on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, he presented him in a posture of despair. This is another connection between Jeremiah and Moses. New International Version (NIV). Jeremiah knew what God wanted him to do. A prophet was a chosen and authorized spokesman for God who declared God's Word to the people. H. H. Rowley, The Nature of Prophecy in the Light of Recent Study, The Harvard Theological Review, XXXVIII (January, 1945), 1-33; Alfred Guillaume, W. F. Lofthouse, Thus Hath Jahveh Said,. (Luke 1:28). But when we refuse this forgiveness, a just God can only allow wickedness to continue for so long. God sent Jeremiah to a crumbling nation to warn of their impending demise a warning they didnt heed. (U)16I will pronounce my judgments(V) on my peoplebecause of their wickedness(W) in forsaking me,(X)in burning incense to other gods(Y)and in worshiping(Z) what their hands have made.(AA). But God built and planted resurrection life into the body of Jesus Christ. Alyssa Roatstudied writing, theology, and the Bible at Taylor University. Together the two books illustrate the eternal principle that man reaps what he sows. Every Christian has a calling. . Thus the book of Jeremiah is a tragedy rather than a comedy. The prophets job description includes six tasks, and four of them are negative. But once you know what God has called you to do, trust him to equip you to do it. Their kings will come and set up their thrones. B. I am inclined to believe that the difference in the inspiration of the great prophets and that of genuine spiritual leaders of today is not in the manner of inspiration, but in the content of the revelation. You did not choose me, Jesus said to his disciples, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit (John 15:16). Public life is increasingly dominated by pagan ideas and rituals. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! I see the branch of an almond tree, I replied. In that experience God became more than a name or a fact to them. He was hesitant/immature due to age (young) He was not ready; Did not know how to speak; New Testament Pauline Epistles This promise is for the whole church. . Frankly, that sounds a little ominous! Yet shortly before he died, he said, I know that I am absolutely immortal until I have finished the work that God intends for me to do. Gods servants are indeed immortal until they have completed their service. What about the call of Moses? However, his special predictions of desolation were always for Judah. "I am past bearing children now" (Genesis 18:12 NEB). Was Jeremiahs call like the call of Moses? When you call to them, they will not answer. Many Christians long to know what God is calling them to do.

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