A young man, Jeremiah, was commissioned directly from the Lord to speak His words to My people. Jeremiah had a tuff assignment...did not win any popularity for doing his job! He had to learn that the Lord would complete any assignment that He gave. You and I must accept what He gives us to do and stick to ONLY what He gives. If you have too much on your platter, it may be that you are saying YES to NO questions...doing someone else's job?
Our inadequacies become strengths when we are following His calling. Our flesh can achieve much but NOT His results. In chapter 1 of Jeremiah:
1. Recognize your commission 4-6
2. Receive the Lord's power 7-10
3. Realize the Lord's reassurance 11 - 14
4. Rely on God's resources not your flesh. 17 - 19
Jeremiah blends in his character, to a degree of striking fineness, feminine tenderness with masculine strength, nervous sensitiveness with transparent simplicity, so that his nature reveals its reactions to outside goings on...he reveals a true heart-likeness to Jesus. Jeremiah has heroic great heart. He was a man raised up specially for such a time as that in which he lived. Jeremiah - suffering sympathy, a prophet, a patriot...he did not merely speak FOR God; he felt with them. J. patiently perservered...he was unheeded, humiliated, yet bravely persistent. He became the message. He had utter faithfulness...faithful obedience to his commission.
Chapter 2 - 6 Could Jeremiah be speaking to today’s “Church of the Barely Saved”? Proverbs 11:31 and I Peter 4:18. Could Jeremiah be speaking to our country? To me as an individual?
Wisdom is found in being a soul-winner: Proverbs 11:30 “The fruit of the [uncompromisingly] righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise captures human lives for God [as a fisher of men’ – he gathers and receives them for eternity.”
WHAT DOES the behavior of My People have to do with soul-winning and influence? Proverbs 10:17 “He who heeds instruction and correction is [not only himself] in the way of life, but is a way of life for others. And he who neglects or refuses reproof [not only himself] goes astray, but causes to err and is a path toward ruin for others.”
Beginning in the first verse of chapter 2, Jeremiah makes it very clear that this is all about the WORD OF THE LORD and “Thus says the Lord”. Jeremiah has the job description of being the My People “warning”, “doom sayer”, prophet, truth teller…God’s spokesman!!!
The Lord says through Jeremiah…”fathers went habitually far from Me after emptiness, falseness, futility…became fruitless and worthless. They did not inquire for the Lord…even the PRIESTS … EVEN all! My PEOPLE HAVE COMMITTED 2 EVILS – forsaken Me and made false gods. ‘Have you not brought this upon yourself by forsaking the Lord your God…Your own wickedness shall chasten and correct you and your backslidings and desertion of faith shall reprove you…you have forsaken Me and you are indifferent to Me and the fear of Me is not in you!! V. 20 free to serve…but you have said I will NOT serve You and obey You!
2:22 You can try to wash yourself with anything but it will not work…[only Jesus can wash you and me]. KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE DONE! Mad running about after idols. V.27 “But in the time of their trouble they say, Arise, O Lord, and save us! (They – like us – desire the Lord only when they are in trouble!)
v. 34 You are guilty – all the lifeblood of the persons of the innocent poor. . . it is because of your lust for idolatry that you have done all these things…everywhere evident. You say, ‘I have not sinned’. (35)
3: 1 … You are eager for idolatry. V.13…’Only know, understand and acknowledge your iniquity and guilt….you have not obeyed My voice….’I will give you spiritual shepherds after My own heart in the final time who will feed you with knowledge and understanding and judgment…the true ARK will show Himself present throughout the city. V. 22 Return, O faithless sons, says the Lord and I will heal your faithlessness. Behold, we come to You for You are the Lord our God. …v.24 We have been ruined as a nation by our faithlessness and idolatry for the shameful thing has consumed all for which our fathers toiled from our youth, their flocks and their herds… CONFESSION MUST TAKE PLACE.
4:1 if, IF, if…Heart circumcision must take place…break up your ground as preparation…Blow the trumpet in the land; cry aloud and say….v.18 Your ways and your doings have brought these things down upon you; this is your calamity and doom; … v. 22 Their chastisement will continue until it has accomplished its purpose for My people are stupid, says the Lord – they do not know and understand Me: they are thick-headed children, and they have no understanding; they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge. Romans 16:19.
V. 29 Every city flees – gets away from rather than repent. Fear of judgment rather than correct fear of the Lord to repent and correct. FEAR OF THE LORD: constant awareness that God knows everything that I think, say, or do, and He will act accordingly!
5:1 Where is there one uncompromisingly righteous person?
The people say ‘As the Lord lives, surely they swear falsely.’ We are known as a Christian nation, but what does God say when He reveals what He sees and knows is in our heart? …but they have refused to take correction or instruction; they have made their faces harder than a rock, they have refused to repent and return to You…God knows our hearts…and does He find an unrepentant country full of unrepentant individuals who are ‘called by His name’?
“But I found they are all alike…had broken the yoke of God’s law and had burst the bonds of obedience to Him. … their transgressions are many, their backslidings and total desertion of faith are increased and become great and mighty. “
v.8 They were as fed stallions roaming at large; every one neighed after his neighbor’s wife. [We are well fed yet we continue to look around us for more…to seek after what belongs to another.]
v. 14…Jeremiah’s words were like fire…and the people like wood… FIRE burns wood! AND WE EXPECT EVERYONE TO LOVE US AND ENJOY WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY. SINCE THEY DON’T, WE CHANGE WHAT WE SAY (WHAT WE BELIEVE) TO PLEASE OTHERS AND KEEPS US FROM BEING REJECTED.
v.17 what are you trusting?...fortified cities?
v.21 Hear now this, O foolish people without understanding or heart, who have eyes and see not, who have ears and hear not. V.23 But this people has a heart that draws back from God and a will that rebels against Him; they have revolted and quite His service and have gone into idolatry. V.25 Your iniquities have turned these blessings away, and your sins have kept good harvest from you. V.30-31 An appalling and horrible thing – bring desolation and destruction – has come to pass in the land: The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule at the hands and by means of the prophets. And My people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?
Chapter 6: “v.8 Be corrected, reformed, instructed and warned, O Jerusalem, lest I be alienated and parted from you; lest I make you a desolation, an uninhabited land… TOTAL DEBAUCHAUCERY--- EAR-HEAR-HEART…V.10 EAR is uncircumcised … never brought into covenant with God, or consecrated to His service and they cannot hear or obey. . . His Word has become to them a reproach and the object of their scorn; they have no delight in it. (they will NOT hear by choice.)
V.13 For from the least of them even to the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness – to greed for unjust gain; and from the prophet even to the priest every one deals falsely. V.15 No, they were not at all ashamed, nor could they blush at their idolatry. V. 16 Thus says the Lord, Stand by the roads and look, and ask for the eternal paths, where is the good, old way; then walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls, But they said, We will not walk in it. [invitation and defiant rejection.]
v. 17 Watchmen over you saying, Hear and obey the sound of the trumpet, But they said, WE WILL NOT listen or obey.
v. 19 Hear, O earth; behold, I am bringing evil upon this people, the FRUIT OF THEIR THOUGHTS…their schemes and devices…because they have not listened and obeyed My words…have rejected it….your burnt offerings are not acceptable, not are your sacrifices sweet or pleasing to Me.
v.26 OUR CHOICES LAY THE WELCOME MAT FOR THE ENEMY…”for the destroyer will suddenly come upon us (on prophet and people].
v.27 I, says the Lord, have set you, Jeremiah, as an assayer and a prover of ore among My people, that you may know and try their doings and be as a watchtower. … (v.29) reprobate silver men will call them [only dross, without good metal], because the Lord has rejected them.
WE must as Jeremiah urged the people with the words of the Lord:
*Admit Guilt
*Accept Blessings
*Avoid Judgment
CONCLUSION: 1. Get back on track with the Lord...must admit our sins (specifically to Him) as His small quiet voice speaks to us moment-by-moment 2. We can experience His blessings 3. We can avoid "the woodshed" when we are obedient!
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