Lesson from 8.23.09

Return to the LORD

A study of Jeremiah 2:1-13

Setting and Background on Jeremiah

Jeremiah 1:1-19

Vs. 1 The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, 2 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.

2 Chronicles 34; 2 Kings 22; 23:1-30

8^th year of reign-Began to seek the LORD. (He was 16)

12^th year of reign-Purging Judah of Idolatry. (He was 20)

13^th year of reign- this is when the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah.

18th year of reign- began a reform .

Vs. 3 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.

The Call of Jeremiah

Vs. 4-5 Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 5"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.

1. God is completely __Sovereign___and knows all things even before they happen.

2. God __knew____ you and me __before______ we existed.

Ephesians 2:10-- For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

3. Before we were born, God designed us for a ____specific_________ work.

Vs. 6 “Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth."

4. So here come our __excuses___!

Vs. 7-10 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." ⁹Then 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. ¹⁰See, 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."

5. We don’t have to worry…..God will ____accomplish___ in and through you what he has set out to do despite our inadequacies.

Vs. 11 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, "Jeremiah, what do you see?" And I said, "I see an almond branch." ¹²Then the LORD said to me, "You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it."

Vs. 13-14Jer. 1:11–12 what do you see? This question is also used to introduce a vision in Amos 7:8; 8:2; Zech. 4:2; 5:2. Jeremiah's response and God's rejoinder produce a play on words (see esv footnote for Jer. 1:11). Jeremiah says he sees an almond (Hb. shaqed) branch, and God states, You have seen well, for I am watching over (Hb. shoqed) my word to perform it. Since the almond tree was More »

Jer. 1:13–14 God asks Jeremiah a second time what he sees. This time Jeremiah sees a boiling pot, facing away from the north. This vision means that God's word, which he watches over to perform (v. 12), is that judgment will come from the north. Eventually Babylon fulfills this threat. disaster. As the esv footnote for v. 14 explains, the same word (Hb. ra‘) can be translated either “evil” or “disaster, harm,” according to the context. Jeremiah loves to exploit these two possible meanings, as he does in vv. 14 and 16, with the implication turn from your “evil” or God will send “disaster” (cf. 4:4, 6; 11:8, 11, 17; 18:8–11; 23:11–12; 25:5, 7; 26:3; 32:32, 42; 35:15, 17; 36:3; 44:2–3, 22–23; see note on Jonah 1:2). « Less

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." ¹⁴Then the LORD said to me, "Out of the north disaster shall be let loose upon all the inhabitants of the land.

Vs. 15-16 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. ¹⁶And 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.

Vs. 17 But you, dress yourself for work; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them.

4 Directives for your assignment.

1. Get ___ready_______

2. Get __up_________

3. God’s __ways____ only

4. Get rid of __fear______

Vs. 18 And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. ¹⁹ They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the LORD, to deliver you."

6. Your assignment will not be ____comfortable_____, but God will get you through it!