July 28, 2025
Your Age Does Not Disqualify You from Being Used by God!
Jeremiah 1-4
Grace Stogner
Big Book Idea
Being a messenger of truth in a dark place can be challenging, but it is worth it.
Key Verse | Jeremiah 1:5
"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."
Jeremiah 1-4
Chapter 1
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. 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
4 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.”
6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” 7 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.
8
Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you,
declares the LORD.”
9 Then 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.
10
See, 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.”
11 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see an almond 1 1:11 Almond sounds like the Hebrew for watching (compare verse 12) branch.” 12 Then the LORD said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.”
13 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.” 14 Then the LORD said to me, “Out of the north disaster 2 1:14 The Hebrew word can mean evil, harm, or disaster, depending on the context; so throughout Jeremiah shall be let loose upon all the inhabitants of the land. 15 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. 16 And 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. 17 But you, dress yourself for work; 3 1:17 Hebrew gird up your loins arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. 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.”
Chapter 2
Israel Forsakes the LORD
1 The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem, Thus says the LORD,
I remember the devotion of your youth,
your love as a bride,
how you followed me in the wilderness,
in a land not sown.
3
Israel was holy to the LORD,
the firstfruits of his harvest.
All who ate of it incurred guilt;
disaster came upon them,
declares the LORD.”
4 Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the clans of the house of Israel. 5 Thus says the LORD:
“What wrong did your fathers find in me
that they went far from me,
and went after worthlessness, and became worthless?
6
They did not say, ‘Where is the LORD
who brought us up from the land of Egypt,
who led us in the wilderness,
in a land of deserts and pits,
in a land of drought and deep darkness,
in a land that none passes through,
where no man dwells?’
7
And I brought you into a plentiful land
to enjoy its fruits and its good things.
But when you came in, you defiled my land
and made my heritage an abomination.
8
The priests did not say, ‘Where is the LORD?’
Those who handle the law did not know me;
the shepherds
4
2:8
Or rulers
transgressed against me;
the prophets prophesied by Baal
and went after things that do not profit.
9
Therefore I still contend with you,
declares the LORD,
and with your children's children I will contend.
10
For cross to the coasts of Cyprus and see,
or send to Kedar and examine with care;
see if there has been such a thing.
11
Has a nation changed its gods,
even though they are no gods?
But my people have changed their glory
for that which does not profit.
12
Be appalled, O heavens, at this;
be shocked, be utterly desolate,
declares the LORD,
13
for my people have committed two evils:
they have forsaken me,
the fountain of living waters,
and hewed out cisterns for themselves,
broken cisterns that can hold no water.
14
Is Israel a slave? Is he a homeborn servant?
Why then has he become a prey?
15
The lions have roared against him;
they have roared loudly.
They have made his land a waste;
his cities are in ruins, without inhabitant.
16
Moreover, the men of Memphis and Tahpanhes
have shaved
5
2:16
Hebrew grazed
the crown of your head.
17
Have you not brought this upon yourself
by forsaking the LORD your God,
when he led you in the way?
18
And now what do you gain by going to Egypt
to drink the waters of the Nile?
Or what do you gain by going to Assyria
to drink the waters of the Euphrates?
6
2:18
Hebrew the River
19
Your evil will chastise you,
and your apostasy will reprove you.
Know and see that it is evil and bitter
for you to forsake the LORD your God;
the fear of me is not in you,
declares the Lord God of hosts.
20
For long ago I broke your yoke
and burst your bonds;
but you said, ‘I will not serve.’
Yes, on every high hill
and under every green tree
you bowed down like a whore.
21
Yet I planted you a choice vine,
wholly of pure seed.
How then have you turned degenerate
and become a wild vine?
22
Though you wash yourself with lye
and use much soap,
the stain of your guilt is still before me,
declares the Lord God.
23
How can you say, ‘I am not unclean,
I have not gone after the Baals’?
Look at your way in the valley;
know what you have done—
a restless young camel running here and there,
24
a wild donkey used to the wilderness,
in her heat sniffing the wind!
Who can restrain her lust?
None who seek her need weary themselves;
in her month they will find her.
25
Keep your feet from going unshod
and your throat from thirst.
But you said, ‘It is hopeless,
for I have loved foreigners,
and after them I will go.’
26
As a thief is shamed when caught,
so the house of Israel shall be shamed:
they, their kings, their officials,
their priests, and their prophets,
27
who say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’
and to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’
For they have turned their back to me,
and not their face.
But in the time of their trouble they say,
‘Arise and save us!’
28
But where are your gods
that you made for yourself?
Let them arise, if they can save you,
in your time of trouble;
for as many as your cities
are your gods, O Judah.
29
Why do you contend with me?
You have all transgressed against me,
declares the LORD.
30
In vain have I struck your children;
they took no correction;
your own sword devoured your prophets
like a ravening lion.
31
And you, O generation, behold the word of the LORD.
Have I been a wilderness to Israel,
or a land of thick darkness?
Why then do my people say, ‘We are free,
we will come no more to you’?
32
Can a virgin forget her ornaments,
or a bride her attire?
Yet my people have forgotten me
days without number.
33
How well you direct your course
to seek love!
So that even to wicked women
you have taught your ways.
34
Also on your skirts is found
the lifeblood of the guiltless poor;
you did not find them breaking in.
Yet in spite of all these things
35
you say, ‘I am innocent;
surely his anger has turned from me.’
Behold, I will bring you to judgment
for saying, ‘I have not sinned.’
36
How much you go about,
changing your way!
You shall be put to shame by Egypt
as you were put to shame by Assyria.
37
From it too you will come away
with your hands on your head,
for the LORD has rejected those in whom you trust,
and you will not prosper by them.
Chapter 3
1
If
7
3:1
Septuagint, Syriac; Hebrew Saying, If
a man divorces his wife
and she goes from him
and becomes another man's wife,
will he return to her?
Would not that land be greatly polluted?
You have played the whore with many lovers;
and would you return to me?
declares the LORD.
2
Lift up your eyes to the bare heights, and see!
Where have you not been ravished?
By the waysides you have sat awaiting lovers
like an Arab in the wilderness.
You have polluted the land
with your vile whoredom.
3
Therefore the showers have been withheld,
and the spring rain has not come;
yet you have the forehead of a whore;
you refuse to be ashamed.
4
Have you not just now called to me,
‘My father, you are the friend of my youth—
5
will he be angry forever,
will he be indignant to the end?’
Behold, you have spoken,
but you have done all the evil that you could.”
Faithless Israel Called to Repentance
6 The LORD said to me in the days of King Josiah: “Have you seen what she did, that faithless one, Israel, how she went up on every high hill and under every green tree, and there played the whore? 7 And I thought, ‘After she has done all this she will return to me,’ but she did not return, and her treacherous sister Judah saw it. 8 She saw that for all the adulteries of that faithless one, Israel, I had sent her away with a decree of divorce. Yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but she too went and played the whore. 9 Because she took her whoredom lightly, she polluted the land, committing adultery with stone and tree. 10 Yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah did not return to me with her whole heart, but in pretense, declares the LORD.”
11 And the LORD said to me, “Faithless Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. 12 Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say,
‘Return, faithless Israel,
declares the LORD.
I will not look on you in anger,
for I am merciful,
declares the LORD;
I will not be angry forever.
13
Only acknowledge your guilt,
that you rebelled against the LORD your God
and scattered your favors among foreigners under every green tree,
and that you have not obeyed my voice,
declares the LORD.
14
Return, O faithless children,
declares the LORD;
for I am your master;
I will take you, one from a city and two from a family,
and I will bring you to Zion.
15 ‘And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. 16 And when you have multiplied and been fruitful in the land, in those days, declares the LORD, they shall no more say, “The ark of the covenant of the LORD.” It shall not come to mind or be remembered or missed; it shall not be made again. 17 At that time Jerusalem shall be called the throne of the LORD, and all nations shall gather to it, to the presence of the LORD in Jerusalem, and they shall no more stubbornly follow their own evil heart. 18 In those days the house of Judah shall join the house of Israel, and together they shall come from the land of the north to the land that I gave your fathers for a heritage.
19
‘I said,
How I would set you among my sons,
and give you a pleasant land,
a heritage most beautiful of all nations.
And I thought you would call me, My Father,
and would not turn from following me.
20
Surely, as a treacherous wife leaves her husband,
so have you been treacherous to me, O house of Israel,
declares the LORD.’”
21
A voice on the bare heights is heard,
the weeping and pleading of Israel's sons
because they have perverted their way;
they have forgotten the LORD their God.
22
“Return, O faithless sons;
I will heal your faithlessness.”
“Behold, we come to you,
for you are the LORD our God.
23
Truly the hills are a delusion,
the orgies
8
3:23
Hebrew commotion
on the mountains.
Truly in the LORD our God
is the salvation of Israel.
24 But from our youth the shameful thing has devoured all for which our fathers labored, their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters. 25 Let us lie down in our shame, and let our dishonor cover us. For we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even to this day, and we have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.”
Chapter 4
1
“If you return, O Israel,
declares the LORD,
to me you should return.
If you remove your detestable things from my presence,
and do not waver,
2
and if you swear, ‘As the LORD lives,’
in truth, in justice, and in righteousness,
then nations shall bless themselves in him,
and in him shall they glory.”
3 For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem:
“Break up your fallow ground,
and sow not among thorns.
4
Circumcise yourselves to the LORD;
remove the foreskin of your hearts,
O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem;
lest my wrath go forth like fire,
and burn with none to quench it,
because of the evil of your deeds.”
Disaster from the North
5 Declare in Judah, and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say,
“Blow the trumpet through the land;
cry aloud and say,
‘Assemble, and let us go
into the fortified cities!’
6
Raise a standard toward Zion,
flee for safety, stay not,
for I bring disaster from the north,
and great destruction.
7
A lion has gone up from his thicket,
a destroyer of nations has set out;
he has gone out from his place
to make your land a waste;
your cities will be ruins
without inhabitant.
8
For this put on sackcloth,
lament and wail,
for the fierce anger of the LORD
has not turned back from us.”
9 “In that day, declares the LORD, courage shall fail both king and officials. The priests shall be appalled and the prophets astounded.” 10 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God, surely you have utterly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, ‘It shall be well with you,’ whereas the sword has reached their very life.”
11 At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A hot wind from the bare heights in the desert toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow or cleanse, 12 a wind too full for this comes for me. Now it is I who speak in judgment upon them.”
13
Behold, he comes up like clouds;
his chariots like the whirlwind;
his horses are swifter than eagles—
woe to us, for we are ruined!
14
O Jerusalem, wash your heart from evil,
that you may be saved.
How long shall your wicked thoughts
lodge within you?
15
For a voice declares from Dan
and proclaims trouble from Mount Ephraim.
16
Warn the nations that he is coming;
announce to Jerusalem,
“Besiegers come from a distant land;
they shout against the cities of Judah.
17
Like keepers of a field are they against her all around,
because she has rebelled against me,
declares the LORD.
18
Your ways and your deeds
have brought this upon you.
This is your doom, and it is bitter;
it has reached your very heart.”
Anguish over Judah's Desolation
19
My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain!
Oh the walls of my heart!
My heart is beating wildly;
I cannot keep silent,
for I hear the sound of the trumpet,
the alarm of war.
20
Crash follows hard on crash;
the whole land is laid waste.
Suddenly my tents are laid waste,
my curtains in a moment.
21
How long must I see the standard
and hear the sound of the trumpet?
22
“For my people are foolish;
they know me not;
they are stupid children;
they have no understanding.
They are ‘wise’—in doing evil!
But how to do good they know not.”
23
I looked on the earth, and behold, it was without form and void;
and to the heavens, and they had no light.
24
I looked on the mountains, and behold, they were quaking,
and all the hills moved to and fro.
25
I looked, and behold, there was no man,
and all the birds of the air had fled.
26
I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a desert,
and all its cities were laid in ruins
before the LORD, before his fierce anger.
27 For thus says the LORD, “The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end.
28
For this the earth shall mourn,
and the heavens above be dark;
for I have spoken; I have purposed;
I have not relented, nor will I turn back.”
29
At the noise of horseman and archer
every city takes to flight;
they enter thickets; they climb among rocks;
all the cities are forsaken,
and no man dwells in them.
30
And you, O desolate one,
what do you mean that you dress in scarlet,
that you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold,
that you enlarge your eyes with paint?
In vain you beautify yourself.
Your lovers despise you;
they seek your life.
31
For I heard a cry as of a woman in labor,
anguish as of one giving birth to her first child,
the cry of the daughter of Zion gasping for breath,
stretching out her hands,
“Woe is me! I am fainting before murderers.”
Footnotes
[1] 1:11 Almond sounds like the Hebrew for watching (compare verse 12)[2] 1:14 The Hebrew word can mean evil, harm, or disaster, depending on the context; so throughout Jeremiah
[3] 1:17 Hebrew gird up your loins
[4] 2:8 Or rulers
[5] 2:16 Hebrew grazed
[6] 2:18 Hebrew the River
[7] 3:1 Septuagint, Syriac; Hebrew Saying, “If
[8] 3:23 Hebrew commotion
Table of Contents
Introduction to Jeremiah
Timeline
Author and Date
Jeremiah was called to be a prophet c. 627 B.C., when he was young (1:6). He served for more than 40 years (1:2–3). Jeremiah had a difficult life. His messages of repentance delivered at the temple were not well received (7:1–8:3; 26:1–11). His hometown plotted against him (11:18–23), and he endured much persecution (20:1–6; 37:11–38:13; 43:1–7). At God’s command, he never married (16:1–4). Although he preached God’s word faithfully, he apparently had only two converts: Baruch, his scribe (32:12; 36:1–4; 45:1–5); and Ebed-melech, an Ethiopian eunuch who served the king (38:7–13; 39:15–18). Though the book does not reveal the time or place of Jeremiah’s death, he probably died in Egypt, where he had been taken by his countrymen against his will after the fall of Jerusalem (43:1–7). He most likely did not live to see the devastation he mentions in chs. 46–51.
Purpose
Jeremiah and Baruch left a record of the difficult times in which they lived, God’s message for those times, and God’s message for the future of Israel and the nations.
Key Themes
- God and humanity. God alone is a living God. God alone made the world. All other so-called gods are mere idols (10:1–16). This Creator God called Israel to a special relationship (chs. 2–6), gave her his holy word, and promised to bless her temple with his name and presence (7:1–8:3). God rules both the present and the future (1:4–16; 29:1–10), protects his chosen ones (1:17–19; 29:11–14; 39:15–18; 45:1–5), and saves those who turn to him (12:14–17). Because God is absolutely trustworthy and always keeps his promises, his grace triumphs over sin and judgment when people repent and turn to him.
The human heart is sick, and no one except God can cure it (17:9–10). The nations worship idols instead of their Creator (10:1–16). Israel, God’s covenant people, went after other gods (chs. 2–6), defiled the temple by their unwillingness to repent (7:1–8:3; 26:1–11), and oppressed one another (34:8–16). Since Israel and the nations have sinned against God (25:1–26), God the Creator is also the Judge of every nation on the earth he created (chs. 46–51).
- Old covenant, Messiah, and new covenant. God made a covenant with Israel, based on his promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Genesis 12–50). As time passed, God’s covenant with Israel included his promise to David of an eternal kingdom (2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17). God used Jeremiah to deliver the good news that, sometime in the future, God would “make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah” (Jer. 31:31). This covenant would be different in one major way. The new covenant partners will not break the covenant, as most of the old partners did even though God was completely faithful (31:32). Instead, the new covenant partners will have the word of God so ingrained in their hearts through God’s power that they will know and follow God all their lives (31:33–34).
Thus, all the new covenant partners will be believers who are forgiven and empowered by God; he will “remember their sin no more” (31:34). Hebrews 8:8–12 quotes Jer. 31:31–34 as evidence that the new covenant has come through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The coming of Jesus the Messiah fulfills God’s promises to Abraham, Moses, David, and the prophets.
Outline
- Introduction (1:1–19)
- Israel’s Covenantal Adultery (2:1–6:30)
- False Religion and an Idolatrous People (7:1–10:25)
- Jeremiah’s Struggles with God and Judah (11:1–20:18)
- Jeremiah’s Confrontations (21:1–29:32)
- Restoration for Judah and Israel (30:1–33:26)
- God Judges Judah (34:1–45:5)
- God’s Judgment on the Nations (46:1–51:64)
- Conclusion: The Fall of Jerusalem (52:1–34)
Israel and Judah at the Time of Jeremiah
c. 597 B.C.
The book of Jeremiah is set during the politically tumultuous times following the fall of the Assyrians and the rise of the Babylonians. During Jeremiah’s life, several groups of Judeans were deported to Babylon and the temple was destroyed. Though the precise boundaries of Judea and the surrounding regions during this period are difficult to determine, they likely resembled those that previously existed under Assyrian rule, with the exception that Edom (Idumea) was now the area formerly belonging to southern Judah.
Fact: Watching like an almond tree
Watching like an almond tree. The Hebrew words for “almond” and “watching” are very similar. Because the almond tree was the first tree to bud in spring, it was said to be “watching for spring.” God used the almond branch to teach Jeremiah that he is always watching over his word (1:11–12), so Jeremiah can trust him.
Fact: Living water
Fresh water that flows from a spring or stream was known as living water in Palestine (2:12–13). It was the best and purest water. Jesus says that he is the source of true living water (John 4:10–14; 7:38).
Fact: Troubled times
Jeremiah lived during troubled times. He became a prophet during the reign of Josiah, who was the last faithful king in Judah’s history. Josiah’s death marked the beginning of the end for the nation of Judah. It would fall within two short decades.
Fact: A sad but faithful servant
A sad but faithful servant. Jeremiah was very open about the anguish he suffered as a prophet (4:19–26). In addition to being devastated by the wickedness of his beloved people, he also suffered much abuse from them. Yet despite his struggles, Jeremiah trusted in the Lord.
Israel and Judah at the Time of Jeremiah
c. 597 B.C.
The book of Jeremiah is set during the politically tumultuous times following the fall of the Assyrians and the rise of the Babylonians. During Jeremiah’s life, several groups of Judeans were deported to Babylon and the temple was destroyed. Though the precise boundaries of Judea and the surrounding regions during this period are difficult to determine, they likely resembled those that previously existed under Assyrian rule, with the exception that Edom (Idumea) was now the area formerly belonging to southern Judah.
The Hebrew Calendar
The Hebrew calendar was composed of 12 lunar months, each of which began when the thin crescent moon was first visible at sunset. They were composed of approximately 29/30 days and were built around the agricultural seasons. Apparently some of the names of the months were changed after the time of Israel’s exile in Babylon (e.g., the first month of Abib changed to Nisan; for dates of the exile, see p. 31). The months of the Hebrew calendar (left column) are compared to the corresponding months of the modern (Gregorian) calendar shown in the center column. Biblical references (in the third column) indicate references to the Hebrew calendar cited in the Bible.
*Periodically, a 13th month was added so that the lunar calendar would account for the entire solar year.
Jeremiah
Jeremiah was born in Anathoth, a small town outside of Jerusalem. Called by God as a young man, he served as a prophet for more than 40 years. Jeremiah had a difficult life. By God’s command, he never married, and he apparently had only two converts during his entire ministry. The nation of Judah did not respond favorably to his messages of repentance. He was scorned in his own hometown and even falsely imprisoned on charges that he was collaborating with the Babylonian invaders. Like many of the Lord’s prophets, Jeremiah suffered public mockery and physical abuse. Yet God used his faithful servant to deliver the good news that in future days God would make a new, unbreakable covenant with his people (31:31). Hebrews 8:8–12 quotes Jeremiah 31:31–34 as evidence that this new covenant has come through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Jeremiah 31:31–34)
Jer. 1:1 one of the priests. Jeremiah knew the written word of God and was charged with teaching it to the people (Hos. 4:1–3; Mal. 2:1–9). Anathoth (Jer. 11:21–23; 32:6–9) was 2–4 miles (3.2–6.4 km) northeast of Jerusalem, so Jeremiah grew up in the shadow of the capital city and its temple. Anathoth was one of the four towns in the land of Benjamin allotted to the priests (Josh. 21:17–18). Jeremiah was from the lineage of Abiathar, the priest Solomon replaced with Zadok (1 Kings 2:26–27, 35), fulfilling God’s rejection of Eli’s family (1 Sam. 2:27–36). Thus, Jeremiah was not an insider in temple politics.
Jer. 1:2 to whom the word of the LORD came. The text highlights that what follows comes from God. Jeremiah is God’s messenger.
Jer. 1:1–3 Jeremiah lived in difficult times. He ministered from c. 627 B.C., or from the reign of Judah’s last good king (Josiah), to sometime after the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 587. Jeremiah’s preaching did not stop the nation’s descent into exile.
Jer. 1:3 Jehoiakim appears as the book’s villain. He ruled c. 609–598 B.C. He hated Jeremiah’s preaching (36:1–26). He favored Egypt over Babylon, which led Babylon to invade Judah and take a number of captives c. 605 B.C. (Daniel and his friends were some of the exiles taken to Babylon at that time; Dan. 1:1–2.) Jehoiakim then switched allegiance to Babylon, only to change back to Egypt, which led to a second deportation of Judeans in 597 B.C. (Ezekiel went to Babylon at this time.) Zedekiah was the last king of Judah (c. 597–586 B.C.). He was an inconsistent man who sought Jeremiah’s advice but was unwilling to follow it (Jer. 21:1–10; 38:14–28). His opposition to Babylon eventually led to the defeat of Jerusalem by Babylonians in the fifth month, or July/August (see 39:1–10), of 587 or 586 B.C. This captivity lasted until c. 538–535 B.C., when Cyrus, the Persian conqueror of Babylon, allowed the Jews to return to their homeland (Ezra 1). Jeremiah prophesied that the exile would last 70 years, and it did (counting from 605 B.C.; see note on Jer. 25:11).
The Hebrew Calendar
The Hebrew calendar was composed of 12 lunar months, each of which began when the thin crescent moon was first visible at sunset. They were composed of approximately 29/30 days and were built around the agricultural seasons. Apparently some of the names of the months were changed after the time of Israel’s exile in Babylon (e.g., the first month of Abib changed to Nisan; for dates of the exile, see p. 31). The months of the Hebrew calendar (left column) are compared to the corresponding months of the modern (Gregorian) calendar shown in the center column. Biblical references (in the third column) indicate references to the Hebrew calendar cited in the Bible.
*Periodically, a 13th month was added so that the lunar calendar would account for the entire solar year.
Jer. 1:5 God’s plan for Jeremiah was that he be consecrated, or “set apart,” for preaching God’s word. Jeremiah’s ministry is to be a prophet to the nations, not just to Israel (25:1–14; 46:1–51:64).
Jer. 1:8 Jeremiah can fear either God (Prov. 1:7) or men. He need not fear men, for God will deliver him, though the mention of deliverance means Jeremiah will face trouble. I am with you. See note on Jer. 30:11.
Jer. 1:9–10 God touches Jeremiah’s mouth and sets it apart for his use (Isa. 6:4–7). That God puts his words in Jeremiah’s mouth emphasizes the words’ divine source (see Deut. 18:18). Jeremiah claims no credit for what follows. This word has power over nations and over kingdoms. The sovereign word of the sovereign God governs history. Jeremiah’s message over the 40 years of his ministry is threefold: (1) he must pluck up and break down, which refers to preaching against sin; (2) he must destroy and overthrow, which relates to messages concerning judgment; and (3) he must build and plant, which means he must preach about hope and renewal. One or more of these three word pairs occur again in Jer. 18:7–11; 31:28; and 45:4.
Fact: Watching like an almond tree
Watching like an almond tree. The Hebrew words for “almond” and “watching” are very similar. Because the almond tree was the first tree to bud in spring, it was said to be “watching for spring.” God used the almond branch to teach Jeremiah that he is always watching over his word (1:11–12), so Jeremiah can trust him.
Jer. 1:13–14 boiling pot, facing away from the north. This vision means that judgment will come from the north. Eventually Babylon fulfills this threat.
Jer. 1:18 Jeremiah is invincible as long as he does God’s work. God’s sovereignty is his comfort.
Jer. 1:1–19 Introduction. These verses introduce the book’s historical background (vv. 1–3), Jeremiah’s call and message (vv. 4–16), and the Lord’s promised protection of Jeremiah (vv. 17–19). Thus, this section introduces the book’s major settings, themes, and characters.
Jer. 2:3 Israel was holy to the LORD, set apart for his purposes, just as Jeremiah was set apart for the Lord’s purposes in his role as a prophet (1:5). Israel was the firstfruits of his (God’s) harvest, his chosen and blessed people. God protected Israel. All who ate of it (that is, all who harmed Israel) faced disaster. Now disaster awaits Israel (1:14).
Jer. 2:5 The Israelites have been faithless to God even though God was faithful to Israel. They sought out lifeless, and therefore “worthless,” idols (Isa. 44:9–20; Jer. 14:22; 51:17–18). As a result they became worthless covenant partners.
Jer. 2:6 The Israelites did not seek the Lord, the one whose sovereign power brought them up from the land of Egypt, the one who led them through a land of deserts, pits, drought, darkness, and desolation. They quickly forgot who had saved and sustained them.
Jer. 2:8 Three groups (priests, shepherds, and prophets) bear heavy responsibility for this unfaithfulness. The priests handle the law but did not know God. Their lack of faith meant they could not teach the people the knowledge of God (Hos. 4:1–3). The shepherds, the nation’s rulers (see note on Jer. 3:15), rebelled against God’s rule. The prophets prophesied by Baal rather than by the Spirit of God, a clear contrast to the task of a true prophet (1:17–19). Baal was a Canaanite storm god. Considered the source of fertility, he was thought to make both the earth and women reproduce. Such power was important in an agricultural economy. Worship practices included sexual activities for men and women at sacred shrines. Thus, people could worship sex and power and be considered righteous for doing so!
Jer. 2:9 Given this situation, God will contend with Israel. This word introduces the idea of a lawsuit (25:31; compare Hos. 4:1–4).
Jer. 2:10–11 God’s people have done worse than idolaters. Most nations are loyal to their lifeless deities, but Israel has forsaken their glory (that is, Yahweh and the covenants) for that which does not profit. Such rebellion simply makes no sense.
Jer. 2:12–13 The heavens, called as witnesses in the lawsuit (see note on v. 9), are shocked by Israel’s abandoning the fountain of living waters for broken cisterns that can hold no water. Palestine has three sources of water. The best is fresh running water, such as flows from a spring or stream, which is called “living water” (see Lev. 14:5, ESV footnote; Gen. 26:19; John 4:10–11; Rev. 7:17). Next comes ground water, such as might collect in a well. Last is runoff water collected in a cistern (a pit hewn into the limestone and plastered to prevent seepage; see note on Jer. 38:6). Thus, in Jeremiah’s image, not only have the Israelites traded the best of water supplies for the worst, but also their cistern is broken. All its water has leaked out and nothing but sludge remains. Israel’s covenant infidelity is not just ungrateful and unnatural; it is also foolish. It leaves them without help in the coming difficult days.
Fact: Living water
Fresh water that flows from a spring or stream was known as living water in Palestine (2:12–13). It was the best and purest water. Jesus says that he is the source of true living water (John 4:10–14; 7:38).
Jer. 2:20 At the time of the exodus God broke Israel’s bonds. He set the Israelites free, yet they refused to serve him. Indeed, under every green tree, the places where local idols were worshiped, the people bowed down like a whore. This stark language is meant to cause shame.
Jer. 2:21 God planted Israel in the Promised Land (Ex. 15:17) out of pure seed. Yet Israel has become a wild vine that bears bad fruit. For the image of Israel as a vine and vineyard, see notes on Isa. 5:1; Ezek. 15:1–8.
Jer. 2:28–29 Let them arise. God challenges the Israelites to have their helpless, lifeless gods save them. After all, they worship as many gods as they have cities!
Jer. 2:34 Covenant infidelity always leads to ethical infidelity. God has found the lifeblood of the guiltless poor on Israel’s skirts (Amos 4:1–5). Israel has brought false charges against the poor for her own gain.
Jer. 2:36–37 Israel changes her political course of action (v. 18) very easily, but whoever she chooses (whether Egypt or Assyria) will bring her shame. Placing one’s hands on one’s head was a sign of grief brought on by sexual shame. Tamar did so when Amnon raped her (2 Sam. 13:19). But Israel is actually guilty of seeking sexual shame. Her shame will be apparent when Assyria and Egypt fail to defeat Babylon. Israel has trusted allies whom God has rejected. She will chase her lovers, lose her virtue, and forfeit her land.
Jeremiah
Jeremiah was born in Anathoth, a small town outside of Jerusalem. Called by God as a young man, he served as a prophet for more than 40 years. Jeremiah had a difficult life. By God’s command, he never married, and he apparently had only two converts during his entire ministry. The nation of Judah did not respond favorably to his messages of repentance. He was scorned in his own hometown and even falsely imprisoned on charges that he was collaborating with the Babylonian invaders. Like many of the Lord’s prophets, Jeremiah suffered public mockery and physical abuse. Yet God used his faithful servant to deliver the good news that in future days God would make a new, unbreakable covenant with his people (31:31). Hebrews 8:8–12 quotes Jeremiah 31:31–34 as evidence that this new covenant has come through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Jeremiah 31:31–34)
Jer. 3:1 Jeremiah may have Deut. 24:1–4 in mind, which answers the first question (will he return to her?) negatively and the second question (Would not that land be greatly polluted?) positively. With the words played the whore (see Jer. 2:20; 13:27), Jeremiah uses the image of Judah as God’s unfaithful wife. Israel tries to alternate between God and idols (2:25, 27, 35–36), but God rejects this arrangement. Israel must commit herself exclusively to God.
Jer. 3:12 God appoints Jeremiah to make an extraordinary offer of grace to the fallen, exiled northern tribes, now scattered in the north (in foreign lands). They should repent, since he will not deal with them angrily, for he is merciful.
Jer. 3:14 God asks the faithless children (literally, “the turning-away ones”) to turn, or return, to him. If Israel will return, he will take her one from a city and two from a family . . . to Zion. This minority of ones and twos will be the true people of God (Isa. 6:11–13; 10:20–23).
Jer. 3:15 God will give this remnant (see note on v. 14) shepherds after his own heart, that is, leaders like David in whom God takes delight (1 Sam. 13:14). These shepherds will feed the people with knowledge and understanding, the very qualities they lacked when they turned from God and followed false teachers and priests (Hos. 4:1–3). Shepherds are a recurring theme in Jeremiah (Jer. 10:21; 23:1–4; 50:6; see Ezekiel 34). The term can refer specifically to civil leaders, such as the king (2 Sam. 5:2), or to leaders more generally (civil and religious). All were charged with leading God’s people to show his holiness in their personal and corporate lives. The people need faithful shepherds, and God will supply them after the exile.
Jer. 3:16 Israel’s exiles long for the ark of the covenant of the LORD in the temple at Jerusalem, for they consider it God’s symbolic throne (2 Kings 19:15). In the days of restoration it will not come to mind and it shall not be made again. Whatever happens to the ark, it will no longer be essential to godly worship.
Jer. 3:17 At that time Jerusalem shall be called the throne of the LORD, thereby replacing the symbolic function of the ark. Then all nations shall gather to it (to Jerusalem; Isa. 2:1–5), and those who live there will be faithful to God (Isa. 4:2–6). This Jerusalem is ultimately the new Jerusalem, where God’s people will live with him forever in the total absence of sin (Isa. 65:17–25; Rev. 21:1–8).
Jer. 3:21 Suddenly, a sound of the weeping and pleading of Israel’s sons arises from the bare heights. Israel’s sons finally recognize that they have perverted their way and have forgotten the LORD their God.
Jer. 3:22 God counsels the Israelites to return (repent) so he can heal their faithlessness, their worship of other gods. Here forgiveness is compared to physical healing (30:17; 33:6; Hos. 6:1; 14:4). Behold, we come to you. Israel responds positively by confessing that the Lord is their God.
Jer. 3:25 The Israelites complete their confession by admitting that they deserve only shame and dishonor (Ps. 51:4). God was just in punishing them.
Fact: Troubled times
Jeremiah lived during troubled times. He became a prophet during the reign of Josiah, who was the last faithful king in Judah’s history. Josiah’s death marked the beginning of the end for the nation of Judah. It would fall within two short decades.
Jer. 4:1 True repentance includes removing detestable things (idols) from God’s presence (Gen. 35:1–4) and not wavering in this decision. Israel must not try to serve both God and idols, as Judah is currently doing (Jer. 2:23–37).
Jer. 4:2 Grace leads to changed living. Israel’s full repentance will glorify God. It will lead the nations to bless themselves in him—thus fulfilling God’s promise to Abraham concerning the nations (Gen. 12:3)—and to glory (or “exult”; see Ps. 63:11) in him. God called Jeremiah to be a prophet to the nations (Jer. 1:5–10). Here he fulfills that calling.
Jer. 4:4 Changing the image, God tells the people of Judah to circumcise themselves to the LORD by removing the foreskin of their hearts (Deut. 10:16). The heart symbolizes the totality of one’s will and emotions. Loving God with all one’s heart is the essence of faith (Deut. 6:4–9; Mark 12:28–32). True circumcision is of the heart, not simply the flesh (Gen. 17:10–14).
Jer. 4:5–6 Judah and Jerusalem must prepare for war.
Jer. 4:9 In that day refers to the day of the Lord, the day God judges, whether in history or at the final judgment that ends history. (See note on Amos 5:18–20 and The Day of the Lord in the Prophets.)
The Day of the Lord in the Prophets
Jer. 4:10 Jeremiah speaks in frustration. He claims God has said that all shall be well when in fact divine wrath is coming. Apparently he quotes the false prophets (6:14; 14:13; 23:16–17). He wonders why God has allowed these prophets to speak at all if they are so wrong. But elsewhere in Scripture, God sometimes sends deceiving spirits into the false prophets (see note on 1 Sam. 16:14). Though God himself never does evil, he sometimes sends evil agents to accomplish his purposes of judgment.
Jer. 4:18 The defeat will be so bitter it will touch Israel’s heart, the very place God has tried to touch with his love.
Jer. 4:22 God says his people lack saving knowledge and a proper understanding of his ways and words (3:15; Hos. 4:1–3). Their only wisdom is in doing evil. Thus, they are foolish and stupid children. This strong language seeks to shock the people into repentance and to show Jeremiah that he shouldn’t be sympathetic toward them.
Jer. 4:23–25 Jeremiah portrays the coming judgment as a reversal of the creation process. The earth is once again without form and void (compare Gen. 1:2), the heavens have no light (compare Gen. 1:3), the mountains and hills quake (compare Gen. 1:9–11), and mankind (Gen. 1:26–31) and birds (Gen. 1:20–23) disappear.
Fact: A sad but faithful servant
A sad but faithful servant. Jeremiah was very open about the anguish he suffered as a prophet (4:19–26). In addition to being devastated by the wickedness of his beloved people, he also suffered much abuse from them. Yet despite his struggles, Jeremiah trusted in the Lord.
Jer. 4:27 Despite the seeming totality of the destruction, God will not make a full end of the whole land (or “whole earth”). The creation will endure because of God’s mercy (Hos. 11:1–9) and eternal plan (2 Pet. 3:1–13).
Listen to the Podcast
Listen NowDive Deeper | Jeremiah 1-4
Before our bodies begin to take shape or our heart begins beating, we are known. Our God is one who speaks here to the sacredness of life from the beginning, as well as the purpose and call he has put in place for each of his children (Jeremiah 1:5).
Jeremiah is given a very specific call on his life at a young age: to be God's prophet to the people of Israel, with a specific message to communicate. As we see in Jeremiah 1:10, God called Jeremiah "to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant." Jeremiah was to proclaim to the people coming judgment as they had forsaken God and fallen into sin, specifically idolatry. Jeremiah captured God's words in Jeremiah 2:13, "for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water."
How often are we guilty of the same sin, seeking to fill ourselves up with things that will never quench our thirst?
As you can imagine, this was an unpopular message, and Jeremiah would face repeated persecution throughout his ministry. But God knew Jeremiah and his fears. He left him with a promise from the moment of his call, "Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you." (Jeremiah 1:8) Jeremiah responded in obedience and faithfully proclaimed the coming judgment. Jeremiah had a specific calling from the Lord that he obeyed, no matter the cost.
We, too, are called, but we know how the story ends. Jesus came, taking the full extent of the judgment we deserved for our sins. He is our "spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:14), our cistern that will not only never be broken, but will overflow. Therefore, we listen and live out the calling the Lord has given to each of us in confidence, knowing our Father walks each step with us.
This month's memory verse
"But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
– Isaiah 53:5-6
Discussion Questions
1. Psalm 139 further details how the Lord is sovereign and creates life from the womb. Pray through this psalm, thanking the Lord for his purpose he has set in place in you.
2. Jeremiah is called by the Lord to proclaim a big message; he listens and obeys. Are you giving yourself space daily to listen to God? What ways do you most clearly hear from him? To what or how might he be calling you today, this week, this year?
3. Jeremiah's message was an unpopular one. Is there people God is calling you to share with that you are hesitant to do so because of how you fear they will respond? Spend time now praying about how the Lord might lead you in this task.
4. The people of Israel had fallen to various idols. What things in your life are getting more of your attention and adoration than God? In light of the fact that Jesus is our only source of true satisfaction, how can you surrender these idols this week?