Jeremiah chapter 1

Introduction to the Blog:

Even though this blog has no readers, and readers is not really the point of the blog, I suppose an introduction to the blog first makes some sense.  I am at the beginning of transitioning from a job in book manufacturing into the exalted (this word is genuine not sarcastic) position of stay at home dad since my wife has recently started her job at DTE in Detroit, Michigan.  With this new schedule, and challenge, at hand I wanted to make the most of my time by performing tasks I did not have the time to perform when an employee in book manufacturing.  So, I have decided to, in addition to my daily Bible reading, to blog about each reading, as well as daily read poetry and try some poetic scribbling.  So, this blog.  

I am beginning the blog with both Old Testament and New Testament readings, switching back and forth day by day (and sometimes possibly an additional psalm blog post). These blog posts are NOT a commentary but reflections that take the text seriously but not exhaustively.  This is the initial plan which may have to change.  So, I'm beginning in two of my favorite books:  Jeremiah and 1 Thessalonians. Today, Jeremiah 1, tomorrow 1 Thessalonians 1. 

Jeremiah Chapter 1

This chapter in the prophet follows a fairly easy outline as I see it. 
1.  The Time of the Prophet-vs. 1-3
2.  The Call of the Prophet-vs 4-10
3.  The Type of Ministry of the Prophet-vs 11-16
4.  Encouragement (with a Challenge) to the Prophet-vs 17-19

1. vs 1-3
The time frame of the Prophet is a dark time in the history of God's Old Testament people.  They are at the end of generations of sin and rebellion against the LORD (Yahweh) and the long promised judgment of God is coming upon them soon at the hands of Babylon under the reigns of the kings listed in these verses. For further information of the time frame spoken of here, see 2 Chronicles chapters 34-36 and 2 Kings chapters 22-25.

2.  vs 4-10
Here begins the real meat of Jeremiah's first chapter, the calling of the prophet.  Now, some of this is directly applicable for us as ordinary Christians in the 21st century North American context, but some is unique to the prophet. Being able to ascertain the difference is a vital skill in correctly understanding the Bible.  Many contemporary Christians have what can only be called delusions of grandeur from taking specific passages about specific situations and believing they speak to their own life.  

First, verse 5 has rightly become famous in our time as a statement against abortion, "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." This verse, however, demonstrates my earlier point in that the first half is true for every human being ever conceived, while the second is applicable only for Jeremiah.  

First, it was God Almighty, the LORD, who formed us in wombs of our mother.  We are not accidents or simply the by-product of a sexual encounter.  God has used the secondary means of sexual interaction, but God Himself has formed us in the wombs of our mothers and, thus, we are alive for He is the living God, and to end that life is to violate the 5th Commandment (as Lutherans count them) "thou shalt not kill (murder)".  

Second, when Scripture refers to God knowing people it means in a way of grace, mercy, and love.  God, as the omniscient one, of course knows everyone, and all things: past, present, and future.  But when the Bible says God knows, or remembers, a person it means in a way of mercy.  For example, "God remembered Noah" (Genesis 8:1) or "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren" (Romans 8:29).  So, God didn't just know about Jeremiah in a "technical" or "historical" sense but as a loving Father and merciful King.  That this has implications for the doctrine of Election (or predestination) is obvious, whatever specific views one might have of that teaching (see the Formula of Concord, Article 11, Epitome and Solid Declaration).  So, as the LORD formed Jeremiah in the womb, and knew him in mercy, so the same is true of us.  God made us in our mothers' wombs and God knew is in Christ Jesus by grace, in love, in mercy (Ephesians 1:3-7). 

But the second half of verse 5 is applicable for Jeremiah only.  He only was sanctified from the womb of his mother to a certain vocation.  There is no teaching in the rest of Scripture that teaches that we are all predestined by God to a certain vocation.  This has become a popular "doctrine" in our day, but it is one without biblical warrant.  God has not destined us to vocations, but rather to perform good works in the ordinary vocations we are placed in through the "stream of our life".  As a kid, strive to obey the 10 Commandment and produce good works in school, to your parents and siblings, and love your neighbor.   As a husband:  strive to obey the 10 Commandments, bear the fruit of the Spirit, and perform good works in your marriage, to your children, and at work and so on.  God has predetermined a life of good works (see Ephesians 2:10, Romans 8:29) but not a vocation.  So, whatever your vocation, love God, love your neighbor, strive to obey the Commandments, and pray.  

The rest of these verses provide good pattern for praying for our and all pastors.  We should pray that they will speak the words God has given them THROUGH THE BIBLE, for that is how He has put the Word into our, and pastors, mouth.  We are not looking for direct revelation from God, as was true in Jeremiah's day, but rather in the faithful proclamation of the Word of God, the Law and Gospel, to us today.  Notice, the power of the Word right proclaimed in verse 10, "See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant." The Word of God is powerful, for it determines the destiny not only of nations, but of individuals.  The Word rejected brings destruction, the Word accepted by trust being building, planting, growth, and love. 

4.  vs 11-16
Here the LORD give Jeremiah the layout of his ministry.  It is going to be a message of judgment.  We must pray that our pastors will not hold back the "negative" message from God, that is to say His Law. We must be confronted with the 10 Commandments and our violation of them, to pave the way to repentance and trust in Christ Jesus as Savior.  We must hear this for it is true, all of us, even the born again, are sinners! Daily! Horrendously! This must be true for God has said it in His Word, and otherwise the Son of God need not have come to the cross Himself to redeem us.  But also, we must hear it because only when the Law has broken up the hard soil of the heart can the seed of the Good News of Jesus be planted.  God has two messages for us every single day, Law and Gospel, and we must regularly hear them both in order to walk in the path of His Word. So, memorize the 10 Commandments and a handful of gospel verses (for example, John 3:16, Romans 8:1, Romans 5:1, Ephesians 2:8, 1 John 4:9-10).  

4. vs 17-19
These charming verses are worthy of regular reflection.  First, they reveal the truth: the world (for us, Judah for Jeremiah) is not on our side so we must expect resistance.  This truth, pervasive throughout the Bible, should impact our thinking on every aspect of life.  I think Christians in love with the idea of the megachurch should spend some time in Jeremiah.  

So, since the people are against him, the prophet should "gird up" his loins, a metaphor in the Bible for preparing for serious action.  As a man wearing a "robe" type attire would need to take care of the bottom of the robe in order to move fast, so we need to prepare ourselves for this broken and fallen world.

Second, the prophet is told to "speak unto them all that I command thee" which goes well with my comments above.  Our authority is only the Bible.  We must speak it but only what it teaches, not our own man-made doctrines or pet ideas.  But we must not shrink from its "harsh" passages for this is to do damage to those who hear us.  They need both the bad and the good news, or as Jesus put it in Luke 24:47, "repentance and remission of sins should be preached in (My) name among all nations." As to the often repeated idea that non-Christians don't believe the Bible so we can't proclaim it to them, I would say look at verse 10 above (and Isaiah 55:8-11, Hebrews 4:12-13, etc).  Indeed, when Jeremiah proclaims the judgment of God, he might be inclined to "be dismayed at their faces" (vs 17) for they will likely hate him for his "harsh" message in the comfort of their rebellion.  But God commands the prophet "do not be terrified by them or i will terrify you before them" (vs 18, NIV). How is the prophet to find the strength to stand before the faces of hatred and rejection? By the promises of God, "For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land...And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee" (vs 18-19).  So, in Christ, we are also bronze walls and iron pillars, because "I am with thee".  Now the final promise needs a comment.  God specifically promises Jeremiah that they will not kill him but he will survive until he sees all the words of the LORD against Judah fulfilled in the Babylonian destruction and captivity.  He has not promised us all that: Stephen was killed, as were James, Paul, Peter, and numerous martyrs from Polycarp to those killed for Christ today in the Middle East and around the globe.  But Christ has promised, as said here, that He will deliver us from everything, for what else is the promise of eternal life.  Those Coptic Christians beheaded by ISIS, like John the Baptist, will not be headless in the afterlife, but in Jesus Christ, will live forever in resurrection bodies.  As God promised us through Peter, "nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness" (2 Peter 3:13). "Even so, Come Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:20).