Explore the Bible: June 4

Prepares • Jeremiah 1:4-19

By Don Schuman

In the beginning God prepared a place for mankind. He made the earth and the heavens. He created the sun, moon, and stars. He prepared the seas and dry land. He created vegetation and animal life. He observed His creation and said it was good.

Then He created Adam and Eve and said that His creation was very good. He charged them to be fruitful and multiply, to be caretakers of the garden, and to eat of all fruits except from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. He watched as Adam named the animals.

From the beginning God has created, observed, and instructed. Such an example is our lesson in the beginning of the book of Jeremiah about Jeremiah’s call.

Created (Jeremiah. 1:4-10) God told Jeremiah that He had created him to be His spokesman to all nations. God had developed Jeremiah into the prophet for this time. At first, Jeremiah saw only his limitations, such as inexperience as a youth. However, the Lord promised to give Him the Word of the Lord and protection.

God makes faithful followers strong out of their weakness (Hebrews 11:34). God creates believers for success despite our weaknesses when we follow His ways and trust His working in us for His glory.

The Apostle Paul suffered a “thorn in the flesh” which the Lord allowed so that the Lord’s strength would be made perfect in Paul’s weakness. Paul then testified that “when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:8-10). Likewise, the weaknesses of Jeremiah and us can be strengths in the Lord’s creative hands.

God touched Jeremiah’s mouth to indicate that the Word of the Lord would come through him. He would be a prophet of the Lord.

God also gave Jeremiah authority through His Word to remove (root out, pull down, destroy, throw down) and renew (build, plant). God’s Word changes people. It is a light that exposes sin and reveals righteousness. It is a sword that divides soul and spirit (Hebrews 4:12), and it is life (John 5:24, Philippians 2:16).

Watched (Jeremiah 1:11-16). The Lord not only created and developed Jeremiah physically, He developed him mentally and spiritually. God watched over His messenger’s development and the message that Jeremiah would declare.

The Lord revealed His message to Jeremiah through visions and observations. Frequently in the book, God would ask Jeremiah what he sees. Then the Word of the Lord would come to him with a message for the people.

In the observations described in our lesson’s verses, God revealed that judgment would come quickly from the north.

The Lord reveals His message to us today through His Word. Events that unfold around us indicate that His message is as true today as ever. We don’t know the day or the hour when the Lord Jesus returns but we can see that time draws near.

Therefore, we are to watch and be ready (Matthew 24:42, Matthew 25:13, 1 Peter 4:7). What do we see as we watch world and societal events unfold?

Charged (Jeremiah 1:17-19). The Lord charged Jeremiah to be strong in the face of opposition. We are strong not only by seeing the truth of God’s Word but by keeping His Word daily (Deuteronomy 11:8), Joshua was charged both by Moses (Deuteronomy 31:7) and the Lord (Joshua 1:6) to be strong as he led the people into Canaan.

We ought to encourage one another to be strong and stand for and in the ways of the Lord in the face of opposition. Ephesians 6:10 charges us to be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.

In Jesus Christ believers are created new in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:24). Knowing this work of God in us, let us heed the charge of God to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8), to watch, and to stand fast in the faith (1 Corinthians 16:13).

Schuman is pastor of Temple Church, Myrtle.