When God's Call is Hard

Have you watched a movie and it starts in a random place of chaos, near disaster, or an awkward moment. Then the movie freezes and the main character voice asks “let me tell you how I got here”. This morning we are going to start in the book of Deuteronomy and then dive into the life of Jeremiah. This mornings message by no means is comprehensive of the book and life of Jeremiah. Though it is very important for us and ministers of Christ to learn from Scripture about serving the Lord.

How did Israel get Here?

Fulfillment of Prophecy that God would bless Israel if they obeyed or punishment if they disobeyed.

God had given them the judges, kings, and prophets to help Israel obey.

Personal spiritual failure of individuals led to the spiritual failure of the nation. Deut 28:1-20

Jeremiah is the prophet that will be a spiritual leader of Judah into the Babylonian Captivity and during their captivity.

The book of Jeremiah is leading up to the captivity and Lamentations is during the captivity.

Jeremiah’s Ministry

Jeremiah’s ministry begins as a young man about the age of 20 and would continue for about 39 years. He would prophesy of the coming judgement and captivity of the Lord by the hands of the Babylonians. He would also become a captive himself in that land. He is a contemporary of both Ezekiel, Daniel, Zephaniah, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Obadiah.

Jeremiah is not written strictly chronologically but rather in a topical/chronological pattern

Jeremiah follows the prophetic pattern in its organization

Jeremiah 1 Introduction to Prophecy

Jeremiah 2-29 Israel’s Sin

Jeremiah 30-33 Israel’s Restoration

Jeremiah 34-51 Israel and the Nations’ Punishment

Jeremiah 52 Conclusion

The pattern can be simply put sin, punishment, and restoration.

God’s Call Jeremiah 1:5 ““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.””

Before Jeremiah was born

God’s Promise

The promise to Jeremiah “I am with You”

Jeremiah 1:8 “Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord.”

Even in the midst of opposition by kings, priests, officials, and people

Priests and Prophets Jeremiah 26:8-9; Jeremiah 20:1-2; Jeremiah 28:15

Officials and Nobles Jeremiah 38:4-6

People Jeremiah 11:21

Rulers Jeremiah 36:23

Jeremiah 1:7 “But the Lord said to me: “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak.”

Jeremiah 1:18 “For behold, I have made you this day A fortified city and an iron pillar, And bronze walls against the whole land— Against the kings of Judah, Against its princes, Against its priests, And against the people of the land.”

God’s Message Jeremiah 1:17 ““Therefore prepare yourself and arise, And speak to them all that I command you. Do not be dismayed before their faces, Lest I dismay you before them.”

God’s Time Jeremiah 1:10 “See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant.””

Israel’s Turmoil

History of Israel Kings

Josiah

2 Kgs 22:1-23:30; 2 Chr 34-35

Rediscovered the Law in 622 BC.

Josiah would work to reform and bring back worship of the Lord.

Josiah, Assyrian influence waned while Egyptian and Babylonian influence increased. During Josiah’s reign, Judah became an Egyptian vassal. In 610 BC the Egyptian Pharaoh Necho traveled through Israel on his way to join the Assyrians in battle against the upstart Babylonian empire. The biblical text mentions this event in 2 Kgs: “Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt went up to the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates. King Josiah went to meet him; but when Pharaoh Necho met him at Megiddo, he killed him” (2 Kgs 23:29 NRSV). The biblical text does not state why Pharaoh Necho killed Josiah, but it is possible that Josiah changed allegiances and aligned himself with the Babylonians, incurring Necho’s wrath.

Jehoahaz

Reigned 3 Months

God removed Jehoahaz because he did evil in the sight of the Lord.

(2 Kings 23:31–34 “Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done. Now Pharaoh Necho put him in prison at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and he imposed on the land a tribute of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. Then Pharaoh Necho made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in place of his father Josiah, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. And Pharaoh took Jehoahaz and went to Egypt, and he died there.”

1 Chr 3:15; 2 Chr 36:1–4;Jer 22:11; Ezek 19:2–4) Jehoahaz ascended to the throne in the midst of political turmoil. The Assyrian empire had been the dominant power in the region since 730 BC. After the death of Josiah, Jehoahaz came to power.

Although Jehoahaz was not the oldest son, he was anointed king at 23 years of age, likely because of his anti-Egyptian policies. Born as Shallum (1 Chr 3:15; Jer 22:11), he took the name Jehoahaz upon his ascension. His reign was short-lived. On his way back to Egypt, Pharaoh Necho punished Judah for their disloyalty. He deported Jehoahaz to Egypt and imposed a fine of one hundred talents of silver and one talent of gold (2 Chr 36:1–4). Pharaoh Neco II installed Jehoahaz’s older half-brother Eliakim/Jehoiakim as king (2 Kgs 23:34; 2 Chr 36:4). Jehoahaz eventually died in Egypt as a prisoner.

The author of Kings attributes the brevity of Jehoahaz’s reign to his lack of covenant fidelity (2 Kgs 23:32). While a specific sin is not mentioned, Ezekiel poetically describes him as a young lion that devoured men (Ezek 19:3). This “young lion” was eventually caught in a pit and “brought … with hooks to the land of Egypt” (Ezek 19:4). In Jeremiah, The Lord judges Jehoahaz for oppression of the poor, defrauding of laborers, covetousness, lavish spending, and shedding innocent blood (Jer 22:13–17). However, Jeremiah also encouraged the people not to mourn the dead Josiah, but to lament the exiled Jehoahaz: “Do not weep for him who is dead, nor bemoan him; weep rather for him who goes away, for he shall return no more to see his native land” (Jer 22:10 NRSV). Jeremiah spoke this way because he understood Jehoahaz’s exile as similar to the kind of exile that the entire nation would experience (Jer 22:8–9).

Jehoiakim

2 Kgs 23:34-24:6; 2 Chr 36:4-8

He was appointed by Pharaoh Necho after Jehoahaz was dethroned.

No interest in serving the Lord.

He had the prophet Uriah to be killed in Egypt.

He burned a scroll which Jeremiah had given him. Jeremiah 35-36.

God declared this about Jehoaikim, Jeremiah 36:29–31 “And you shall say to Jehoiakim king of Judah, ‘Thus says the Lord: “You have burned this scroll, saying, ‘Why have you written in it that the king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and cause man and beast to cease from here?’ ” Therefore thus says the Lord concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah: “He shall have no one to sit on the throne of David, and his dead body shall be cast out to the heat of the day and the frost of the night. I will punish him, his family, and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring on them, on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and on the men of Judah all the doom that I have pronounced against them; but they did not heed.” ’ ””.

This follows a prophecy that no would mourn Jehoakim’s death Jeremiah 22:19 “He shall be buried with the burial of a donkey, Dragged and cast out beyond the gates of Jerusalem.”

In 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar would defeat Neco in the Battle of Carchemish and would take control of Judah. It was during this time that Daniel would be taken to Babylon. The vessels of the Temple were taken. Jehoiakim would serve Nebuchadnezzar for 3 years after his exile.

Jehoiachin

Reigned for 3 months and did evil in the sight of the Lord.

Not mentioned in Jeremiah 35-37

Zedekiah

2 Kgs 24:17-25:7; 2 Chr 36:10-13; Jeremiah 21:6-7

2 Kings 24:17-20 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. He also did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. For because of the anger of the LORD this happened in Jerusalem and Judah, that He finally cast them out from His presence. Then Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

The third son of King Josiah (1 Chr 3:15)—thus, the brother of the former kings Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim and uncle of King Jehoiachin.

Listened to Jeremiah until it became discouraging.

Jeremiah 37:6-21

Jeremiah did not compromise on the truth, but was consistent in being a voice for God.

Jeremiah did not complain to God, but asked questions of Zedekiah.

Note this is after Jehoiachin burned Jeremiah’s scroll in Jeremiah 36.

Jeremiah confronted by other prophets.

Jeremiah’s Ministry

Jeremiah spoke without dismay Jeremiah 1:17 ““Therefore prepare yourself and arise, And speak to them all that I command you. Do not be dismayed before their faces, Lest I dismay you before them.”

Jeremiah battled fear Jeremiah 12:5–6 ““If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, Then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, In which you trusted, they wearied you, Then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan? For even your brothers, the house of your father, Even they have dealt treacherously with you; Yes, they have called a multitude after you. Do not believe them, Even though they speak smooth words to you.”

Jeremiah wanted to quit but couldn’t Jeremiah 20:9–13 “Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name.” But His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not. For I heard many mocking: “Fear on every side!” “Report,” they say, “and we will report it!” All my acquaintances watched for my stumbling, saying, “Perhaps he can be induced; Then we will prevail against him, And we will take our revenge on him.” But the Lord is with me as a mighty, awesome One. Therefore my persecutors will stumble, and will not prevail. They will be greatly ashamed, for they will not prosper. Their everlasting confusion will never be forgotten. But, O Lord of hosts, You who test the righteous, And see the mind and heart, Let me see Your vengeance on them; For I have pleaded my cause before You. Sing to the Lord! Praise the Lord! For He has delivered the life of the poor From the hand of evildoers.”

God’s Promise of I am with you Jeremiah 1:8 “Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord.”

Jeremiah’s exile

The Babylonian Governor of Judah killed by Jews Jeremiah 41:1-4

The Jews fear reprisal and ask Jeremiah if they should flee to Egypt. Jeremiah 41:18

Jeremiah say’s “no”. Jeremiah 42:19 ““The Lord has said concerning you, O remnant of Judah, ‘Do not go to Egypt!’ Know certainly that I have admonished you this day.”

Jeremiah is taken to Egypt against his will. Jeremiah 43:4–7 “So Johanan the son of Kareah, all the captains of the forces, and all the people would not obey the voice of the Lord, to remain in the land of Judah. But Johanan the son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces took all the remnant of Judah who had returned to dwell in the land of Judah, from all nations where they had been driven—men, women, children, the king’s daughters, and every person whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch the son of Neriah. So they went to the land of Egypt, for they did not obey the voice of the Lord. And they went as far as Tahpanhes.”

The righteous suffers with the unrighteous.

God at Work

God had prepared a person to proclaim His Message to Judah.

God had plans for Judah’s future restoration in Jeremiah 29:10-11.

God was working through the life of Jeremiah to proclaim Himself.

Jeremiah grows and develops. As he depends on God he is able to run with horsemen and not just footmen. Jeremiah 12:5-6

God is working even in the midst of chaos.

God is at work even when we suffer.

God desires that His people worship Him.

Jeremiah served the Lord well, even when it was painful, lonely, hard, and tried his faith. The story of Jeremiah ends on a sad but hopeful note. Jeremiah has been taken to Egypt, the temple is destroyed, the nation of Israel is now just a remnant. But God is still at work. He never stops working his plan. Daniel is Babylon. Nehemiah and Ezra will return and rebuild Jerusalem. Esther will save the Jewish people. When God goes silent for 400 years with no prophets, or communication. There will be a voice crying out in the wilderness proclaiming the Messiah has come.