Sermon Tone Analysis

“If you return to me I will restore you.”

Here is a call to repentance after Jeremiah’s complaint.

-Hopelessness is sin.

Why is Jeremiah hopeless?

God called Jeremiah to go and proclaim His message.

touched my mouth.

And the LORD said to me,

“Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.

10  See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms,

to pluck up and to break down,

to destroy and to overthrow,

to build and to plant.”

What is so bad about that?

People didn’t like what he had to say.

Believe it or not but people don’t like being told that they are wrong.

Here are some examples of what Jeremiah was told to say.

11 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?”

And I said, “I see an almond branch.”

12 Then the LORD said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.”

13 The word of the LORD came to me a second time, saying, “What do you see?”

And I said, “I see a boiling pot, facing away from the north.”

14 Then the LORD said to me, “Out of the north disaster shall be let loose upon all the inhabitants of the land.

15 For behold, I am calling all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, declares the LORD, and they shall come, and every one shall set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its walls all around and against all the cities of Judah.

16 And I will declare my judgments against them, for all their evil in forsaking me.

They have made offerings to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands.

8  The priests did not say, ‘Where is the LORD?’

Those who handle the law did not know me;

the shepherds transgressed against me;

the prophets prophesied by Baal

and went after things that do not profit.

9  “Therefore I still contend with you,

declares the LORD,

and with your children’s children I will contend.

10  For cross to the coasts of Cyprus and see,

or send to Kedar and examine with care;

see if there has been such a thing.

11  Has a nation changed its gods,

even though they are no gods?

But my people have changed their glory

for that which does not profit.

12  Be appalled, O heavens, at this;

be shocked, be utterly desolate,

declares the LORD,

13  for my people have committed two evils:

they have forsaken me,

the fountain of living waters,

and hewed out cisterns for themselves,

broken cisterns that can hold no water.

26  “As a thief is shamed when caught,

so the house of Israel shall be shamed:

they, their kings, their officials,

their priests, and their prophets,

27  who say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’

and to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’

For they have turned their back to me,

and not their face.

But in the time of their trouble they say,

‘Arise and save us!’

28  But where are your gods

that you made for yourself?

Let them arise, if they can save you,

in your time of trouble;

for as many as your cities

are your gods, O Judah.

Jeremiah went on to pronounce judgment after judgement and the people would not repent.

Instead false prophets arose and began telling the people lies.

Jonah had a much shorter message for the people of Nineveh:

“Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”