Jeremiah's Mission

Jeremiah 1:1-3; 16:5-8

Jeremiah 16:5–8 NKJV

For thus says the Lord: “Do not enter the house of mourning, nor go to lament or bemoan them; for I have taken away My peace from this people,” says the Lord, “lovingkindness and mercies. Both the great and the small shall die in this land. They shall not be buried; neither shall men lament for them, cut themselves, nor make themselves bald for them. Nor shall men break bread in mourning for them, to comfort them for the dead; nor shall men give them the cup of consolation to drink for their father or their mother. Also you shall not go into the house of feasting to sit with them, to eat and drink.”

Note the context: Jeremiah 1:1-3

Consider that Jeremiah began his work in the time of a VERY good king (Josiah), yet we will see the nation as a whole is wrapped up in idolatry. This tells us the problem was not concerning who the leader was, but rather the state of each person’s heart.

Judah has a defiant and rebellious heart.

Jeremiah 5:20-31

Proclaim in Judah

A kingdom that has a more decent “track record” (Israel has already fallen to Assyria), yet utterly fails in the end.

“Foolish”, “without understanding” / “without heart”

Eyes, but cannot see; ears, but cannot hear

Isaiah 6:9-10 And He said, "Go, and tell this people: 'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.' "Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed."

They resist the One who put the sand on the seashore.

The culprit is sin. Their iniquities remove good from them.

There are many references where God points out that Israel and Judah are only hurting themselves by embracing wickedness.

This is difficult for them to see, as they are prospering despite their wickedness.

In fact, they LOVE the deficient nature of their situation. Even their own leadership is acting against their best interests.

Jeremiah 6:1-16

Because of the wickedness of Judah and Benjamin, judgment will come.

A great army from the north shall come. God arrays Himself against Judah with the enemy!

His plea? “Be instructed”!

The state of Judah is so against God that He has no one to warn. None of them will listen.

God, “weary of holding in” His fury, will pour it out upon the inhabitants.

The problems with Judah are deep-seated and intense. Yet they behave as if everything is alright (6:14).

Their shame has been so corrupted that they essentially have none left.

Jeremiah 7:16-27; 11:6-14

A shocking command - “do not pray for this people”

1 Samuel 12:23 "Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way.

In this terrible situation, things are so bad that God is instructing Jeremiah to stop praying for his people.

1 John 5:16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that.

Even if Jeremiah were to try, Yahweh would not hear him. No intercessions this time.

The LORD’s anger will “burn and not be quenched”.

It is not a matter of just making atonement via the sacrifices; the problem with Judah is a deficient heart that will not follow God.

“Speak these words” - but they will not hear.

“Call to them” - but they will not answer.

God is commanding Jeremiah to do something that (by the world’s standards) will get no definable results whatsoever.

He commands this because God’s people have been unfaithful from the time they left Egypt. They never learned that the Law was a guide to help give them a heart that can be molded by God.

This is a situation where there will be no “good ending” - yet God commands him nonetheless.

To be saved, Judah must trust in the LORD.

Jeremiah 9:23-24

To know the LORD is to have victory.

We do not trust in our own willpower, or our own abilities, or our own skills.

We put our trust in the LORD to do all He has said he will do. We work toward His goals and ends.

Jeremiah 12:1-4

Jeremiah is not sure why God is allowing all this to take place, yet He trusts that God’s ends are just.

He does not understand why the wicked are prospering so much.

Note that he says all this in full respect and fear before God. He questions God with a positive purpose.

Jeremiah 15:1-4; 15-21

One would think that Moses and Samuel would be good representatives that would work all this out. God says that if they tried to intercede, his mind would not be changed.

The cause of the destruction is the wickedness of Manasseh.

Fascinating since Manasseh was redeemed into God’s service! How terrible are the consequences and regrets of a life of sin!

There is hope in the midst of the promises of destruction.

Jeremiah 18:1-17; Matt. 21:31

Even though the situation seems hopeless, God shows Jeremiah that it can be changed, if His people truly repent from their heart and do good.

The issue is their willingness. The issue is often thus.

Matthew 21:31 "Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said to Him, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you.

The reality of following God

Jeremiah 20:7-13

Jeremiah is completely resolute in his focus.

He accepts and encourages the message of destruction that has been repeated by the LORD, and still hopes for the deliverance of his people from the bonds of sin.

The words Jeremiah speaks here need to be our burning fire and driving force.

Psalm 74:1-8; Leviticus 26

Dark picture. Not sure if Jeremiah saw destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon, but it might have looked like this.

An appeal to God to REMEMBER.

Words like REMEMBER and FORGET are covenant words - Lev. 26

Covenant - AGREEMENT made with COMMITMENT and sustained with MEMORY

In Jeremiah, God addresses their infidelity, and uses the term FORGET. They forgot!

He ACTS upon what is on His mind. He never forgets.

Our Mission

Jeremiah’s mission was one that by worldly standards was pointless. No one was going to listen, and no one was going to respond.

Sometimes that’s what our mission feels like. Sometimes that is the absolute, painful reality of the wicked world.

Yet, like so many passages in Jeremiah, there are hopeful beams of light peeking through the dark clouds of judgment.

Trials will come. The real question is whether we will “be quiet” as Jeremiah considered to do, or whether the Word will burn in our heart so as to not be held back!

Our mission can seem “pointless”, but God is glorified in our weakness. It is for His glory. Any other focus is vain and carnal. Eph. 3:10-12

Ephesians 3:10–12 NKJV

to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.

Our mission is to accept the Word of the LORD - whatever that entails - and share it freely with others. At times our voice must “cry out violence and destruction” against sin. Let it be as God has said it!