Jeremiah chapter 1
Chapter One
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
12:29 PM
Jeremiah was a prophet sent during the reign of the last good king of Judah named Josiah. Ezekiel and Daniel came about 20-30 years after Jeremiah.
His prophecy shows the earth as not governed at all. Therefore you will see a lot of mayhem, records of what happened in Jerusalem when the Kings (after Josiah) didn't help the people to obey God at all.
In Josiah's day there was a BIG revival! They found the scrolls "buried" in the Temple of the Lord, lying untouched for 300 years (with the exception of King Hezekiah maybe).
It is interesting that Jeremiah means "God launches forth" because the big revival was prophesied of 300 years before this!
Right when the Kingdom of Israel split up:
1Ki 13:2 And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men’s bones shall be burnt upon thee.
and Jeremiah was a prophet that God chose from birth! See Jer. 1:5
So the big revival and the prophets hand in that revival was PLANNED by God, and when Jeremiah was born His plan unfolded exactly as it was prophesied.
This era of time is often called the "desolations of Jerusalem" era, which helps identify where in history we are.
Before Jeremiah's prophecy, there was 70 years of silence between Isaiah and Jeremiah. During that time an evil king named Manasseh ruled, and maybe a few others.
But mostly it is the beginning of the end for Jerusalem.
Jeremiah didn't just prophecy of the "end of Jerusalem" or its destruction alone, but its eventual rebuilding.
Jer 1:10 ¶
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.
So in studying this book we will try to remember that its not just about tearing down, but building back up. Hence, we have Jeremiah's commission, and so we begin to understand this grand book of Jeremiah!
It is also said of Jeremiah that his prophecy was sealed tight, and nothing would get out or in because these words are God's words (Jer. 1:9) and He is protecting them.
Jer 1:17 ¶ Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.
Jer 1:18 For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land.
Jer 1:19 And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I AM with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.
I'd like to talk more about chapter one:
Jer 1:11 ¶ Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree. (almond is SHOKED - early bloomer, watchman)
Jer 1:12 Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten [SHAKED - Watching, guarding at the threshold] my word to perform it.
This word SHOKED for Almond tree is named because it is the first to arouse and awake from the sleep of winter. The allusion for Jeremiah is that he sees the people of the end days who are good, who know the truth, who have woken from the sleep of stupor and are ready to defy satan when he pretends to be Messiah.
This sets the tone for the entire book of Jeremiah, that there is a small remnant of people who will be obedient to the Lord and by His might , help perform it.
Just WHO are these almond branches? Remember when Aaron's rod budded in Numbers 17:8? That is the analogy of the priests of God who are to come in the end days.
1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light:
There is no gender here. Only one condition is required to be an "early waker", a royal priesthood, an elect. And that is to be circumcised of the heart.
Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Now that we know WHO the royal priesthood will be made of, we learn in Romans that our praise isn't directed toward "men", but of God alone. God told Jeremiah that He would put His words in Jeremiah's mouth in Jer. 1:9. His words are our protection, see verse 17 next:
Jer 1:17 ¶ Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.
Pastor goes into our GOSPEL armor when he reads this verse.
Our loins are girt with truth. God's Words to Jeremiah are FENCED in like a fortified city, and as HIGH as the heavens themselves and the power of the prince of the air.
Jer 1:18 For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls
against the whole land,
against the kings of Judah,
against the princes thereof,
against the priests thereof, and
against the people of the land.
Nothing gets in or out a defenced city, of walls 15' thick! No Fiery darts can penetrate an IRON pillar, reaching unto the heavens (see Job 26:11, 9:6).
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in HIGH places.
Eph 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Satan has a few tricks up his sleave, his children knew how to use brass and iron:
Gen 4:22 And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.
But God trumps these useless tools of men, even those fiery darts of the spiritual realm.
God tells Jeremiah not worry, not to run and hide like a mouse, but STICK to it and STAY in Jerusalem and preach, no matter what they will do to him or say to him.
Jer 1:19 And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I AM with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.
The truth Jeremiah had girt about His loins was impenetrable of the LIES of satan.
God said he would make a WALL round about this truth (Jer. 1:9) This would come to pass, not long after Jeremiah's prophecy in the form of the Massorah, which is notations around the sides of the Sacred text, locking in the Word as true and correct.
Even though the CITY would fall, the LAND taken over, the KINGS and PRINCES murdered, the PEOPLE sent to Babylon, and the PRIESTS removed from their office. Even after all that, God's Word would be fully protected, preserved, and in perfect form.
God would soon say:
Jer 2:31 O generation, see ye the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto thee?
In that generation God's word was preserved. God says "can't you SEE how I fulfilled My word to My people?" Yet, even after generations God's providence and guidance, they say "we are lords". They say the Bible, God's Word wasn't protected, and therefore is not true!
Jer 2:27 Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.
They have turned to the walls of stone churches where another gospel, and another book, other than God's Word, is taught. They have turned their face away, your face has your EYES, and your MOUTH in front, so they don't READ God's Word, the Bible with their EYES, yet they call themselves "lords"! Let their new god save them (for he can't) in their time of trouble they will trust in "holy garments" or "holy" stones. Why would a man trust that a "stone" could tell him what sayeth the Lord God?
Jer 2:28 But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah.
It's obvious their "holy" stones and "holy" stone walls will not save them in their time of trouble.
Jer 2:8 The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew Me not: the pastors also transgressed against Me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.
This was a rough time, with much wickedness all around. Even the PASTORS, Prophets, and Priests didn't know God! Even the ones "handling" God's word, didn't have a clue. But despite ALL the confusion, ALL the destruction, and ALL the rejection of God's Word (Jer. 1:9), God will PRESERVE HIS WORD.
When King Jehoiachin cut up God's Word with a penknife (Jer. 36:23), God commanded Jeremiah to RE-WRITE it Jer. 36:28. Note that Jeremiah didn't need a "stone" to tell him God's Word (Jer. 36:32), he didn't need to go into a GROVE full of STICKS to hear this TRUTH, but plain and simple he wrote it down again as God had commanded and God fulfilled His promise to protect this prophecy from the KING of Judah.
Jer 2:11 Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
IF we CHANGE THIS Word, this Bible, then we turn our backs to God and EYES away from God to people who trust in groves, and magic stones, or hats or whatever.
Jer 2:13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken Me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
This is really strange that God's people would turn away from fountains of life, God's Word, to cisterns that can't even hold water! When something is easy to disprove as false, then it is said to be "full of holes", yet some of God's people choose a religion that is so false, so obviously errant and full of HOLES that no water at all can be found there.
God can be a source of pure water for us, all we need to do is turn to Him.