Jeremiah Introduction

Introduction

Introduction (Jeremiah 1:1-19)

Jeremiah’s Historical Setting (1:1-3)

Jeremiah’s Call and message (1:4-16)

God’s Promised Protection of Jeremiah (1:17-19)

Literary Themes

Jeremiah in this time is all over the place, his writings were scattered but were recorded by his trusty scribe Baruch.

Literary styles include:

Autobiography (1:4-19)

Poetic discourse (2:1-6:30)

reports of oral sermons (7:1 - 8:3 and 26:1-9)

reports of sermons in written form (36:1-8)

historical narratives (37:1-43:13)

messages to individuals (45:1-5)

messages denouncing foreign nations (46:1-51:64)

Q: Why is it important to know about the History and Literary themes in the Bible before you read in?

This is going to be important because reading it can be really weird because the order is more topical than chronological.

Remember that Jeremiah and Baruch are within a nation at war and are being exiled out of their country, he’s not sitting behind a mahagony desk wearing slippers and sipping on a mocha.

History

The book Jeremiah took place during a lot of turmoil while Babylon was taking over the Assyrian Empire and also fighting with Egypt.

After Josiah, who was the last faithful king of Judah the nation had immoral kings and Political, social, financial, moral and spiritual decay destroyed them within 2 decades.

The Babylonians defeated the Assyrians but they were not able to implement their rule everywhere quite yet which lead Judah to try and revolt against the Babylonians with some help from Egypt. Nebuchadnezzar eventually put an end to this and during that time there were several kings that rules over Judah for short period of time.

When the Jews were being exiled the first group included Daniel, Shadrach , Meshach and Abednego. The second group of exiles included Ezekiel.

Jeremiah 1:1–3 ESV

The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, and until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month.

Historical Setting

Q: Why does this matter?

Important to know what is happening around him. Also this gives credibility to the account from a historical purpose and can be validated. This is important because other religions do not have this

Mormonism

Hinduism

Jeremiah’s Call and message (1:4-16)

Jeremiah 1:4–16 ESV

Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.” Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. 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.” And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see an almond branch.” Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.” 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.” Then the Lord said to me, “Out of the north disaster shall be let loose upon all the inhabitants of the land. 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. 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.

v5 - God tells Jeremiah that He formed him in his mothers womb and that God predestined Jeremiah to be a prophet.

v 6 - Jeremiah was indeed very young and still dependent on his parents. He had not reached adulthood.

He will have a period of 40 years where he will preach and to our knowledge and our way of measuring success he would have been considered a failure. His only converts that were recorded were 2 people, his scribe being one of them.

Lots of people had excuses or reasons why they didnt think themselves ready to preach, server God or believe God’s promises

Moses said he wasnt an good speaker.

Jonah didnt like the message that God had for Nineveh because they might repent . Nineveh is the capital of ancient Assyria

Abraham thought he was too old to have children and a nation

God equips every man that he calls. He doesnt equip women though.

God also calls all men, but not everyone heeds the call

God is calling each of you to something specific, the question is, will you answer the call.

v- 9-10

God touches Jeremiah’s lips to consecrate them for himself that he may preach God’s message.

1. Pluck up and break down - Preaching against sin

2. Destroy and Overthrow - Message on judgement if they dont turn from sin

3. Build and plant - message of hope

v 11-12 - The almond was the first to blossom in the spring. The almond tree was referred to as the “awake” tree or the “watching” tree because it was first before the rest.

v 13 - 16 God will sovereignly bring judgement on his chosen people since they worshiped other gods and the work of their own hands.

Right after a message that God is watching it specifically says that God will bring judgement.

Q: How can a loving God watch as He brings judgement on the people that He loves?

Notice that the Babylonians invading Judah God specifically says he is using them as His tool, He called them and is sovereign over them even though they are performing something evil. Later on God will also judge Babylon for their wickedness.

v17 - 19 God tells Jeremiah that the nation will be against him but that he should be fainthful and trust God.

Can you imagine an entire nation being against you?

How can someone life or prosper in such a circumstance?

Next Week - Part 2 Israel’s Covenantal Adultery (2:1 - 6:30)