Intro to Jeremiah

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. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the LORD.” 
Jeremiah 1:7–8 

When the prophet Jeremiah was called by God, things were looking pretty good for Israel. The nation of Judah was being led by a Godly king, Josiah, and the threat from the Assyrian empire was gone since it had collapsed. It was during this time of prosperity and peace that Jeremiah prophesied judgment to come. The majority of the book is around the idolatry of the people and the impending judgment from God due to the people’s rebellion against God. And because we are probably watching a lot of Christmas movies right now, we are waiting for the twist. The point in the book when Jeremiah’s message shifts to a hopeful one. Or perhaps we remember in chapter 16 that Jeremiah is not to marry and have kids (16:2) and so we are hoping that God will allow Jeremiah to find true love. We are anxiously hoping that the people will turn from their idols and return to the God of their youth. But the reality is that Jeremiah’s message does not change, he does not find true love, and the people do not repent and turn from their sins.

Instead, we read an escalation of suffering and judgment upon the people. King Nebuchadnezzar comes and conquers Judah and eventually he sieges Jerusalem and destroys the city and the temple. Many of the people are carried off into exile and those left behind are left to wonder where God was and lived in constant terror that the Babylonians would return. In the end, we do not get a happy story as the survivors, instead of turning to God, place their trust in Egypt and run there and Jeremiah is forced to leave with them. So why do we read this sad book and are we supposed to learn anything from it?

The major theme in this book is that God does not tolerate unfaithfulness and we can only take a hard look at ourselves in how rebellious we have been against God. We deserve much worse judgment from God, because we know the Gospel and name the name of Christ and still make up idols in our hearts and lives. We break covenant with the Lord and seek safety in our idols of material possessions, wealth, and status. This ought to convict our hearts and drive us to our knees.

And yet, while this book does contain hard pills to swallow, we do find one portion that does bring us some light. In the middle of the book, Jeremiah prophesies of a coming messiah who would save the people (23:5-6). That person is Jesus Christ and is the only one who can bring true and permanent peace. He is the only one who is able to exact complete justice and He is the only one who is able to save. Even though all of the judgments that God delivered through Jeremiah came true, the promise of the Messiah also was fulfilled. That is what we celebrate and remember on Christmas. The fact that God is truly good and, yet, he is wholly just and He sent His son to the world in order that sinners may become saints. Let us be like Jeremiah, trusting in God to keep His promises, going where He has commanded us to go to, and speaking every word He has given us to speak.

Grace and Peace,
Alex Galvez

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These articles follow the current Bible Reading plan for Overflow Ministries. If you would like to join the reading plan, simply download the plan here: Overflow Reading Plan

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