Jeremiah 1-2

Jeremiah 1-2

Chapter 1: Jeremiah Foreordained

                Jeremiah is the son of Hilkiah, of the priests of Anathoth in the land of Benjamin. He prophesied from the days of Josiah to the captivity. The Lord tells Jeremiah that he was ordained to be a prophet and that he knew him before he was born.

“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.” (Jeremiah 1:5)

This tells us two things; God can preordain someone and you must be ordained of God to be a Prophet, you can’t just assume that role. Secondly, we learn that there IS a life before this earth life, where we lived with God… because he knew us before we are placed in the womb.

 Jeremiah is anxious he is a child, and cannot speak. The Lord touches his mouth, so he will be a prophet unto the nations. The Lord’s plans are compared to the branch of an almond tree – comes to fruit quickly. Jeremiah sees a boiling pot facing the north – an evil shall break forth from the north against the inhabitants of Judah. Jeremiah will be protected as he prophesies.

Chapter 2: The Jews reject everything

                Although pious when it first entered the Promised Land, Israel has forsaken the Lord and gone after other gods. Its own retreat from God will be its punishment. From a right seed, Israel has become a degenerate vine. They say to stock [wood], “…Thou art my father…” and to a stone, “…thou hast brought me forth [birthed]…” (Jeremiah 2:27)  Israel sinfully presumes itself to be innocent.

                The people of Israel say: “…Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will plead with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned. Why gladdest thou about so much to change thy way? …” (Jeremiah 2:35-36)

                We need not to forget that God has His ways and we cannot turn our backs on what we know… sinning with knowledge and then think that God will forgive us, because we are “innocent” and that we have made a mistake. Surely God will forgive, but if we knowingly sin and then just thnk we will ask for forgiveness and that will be the end, we are slapping God in the face.