Jeremiah may be difficult to read through because it is not organized chronologically. We will read accounts of Judah going into exile three times. Remember, Hebrew history was written thematically instead of by date. With that in mind, you will make it through the book.
Thought to Guide Your Reading
God will make sure Jeremiah has what he needs to represent God.Summary in 100 Words or Less
God's message through Jeremiah during Josiah's, Jehoiakim's, and Zedekiah's reigns:Jeremiah protested his calling. God responded, "I'll guide you; no one will touch you."
God called to Judah, "Traded in your real god for fake ones? How absurd! You were once a Chosen Nation. Now you feel remorse only when caught. You deny you've committed adultery while shacking up with any god who happens to walk your way."
God spoke to Jeremiah, "Judah is worse than Israel. But a time will come when I will be with you and Israel as one. I have practiced my opening lines."
Judah repents.
How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right
God gave Jeremiah his words and protected Him.
Jeremiah is self-conscious because of his age. God reassures him he would not suffer harm because of God's message. God would give him the words to say and the protection for him to say it. All Jeremiah needed to do was trust that God could do what He said He would do. This scene reminds me of Moses' calling. In both cases God's answer is the same: trust Me, I'll protect you. When God calls us to do something, He gives us what we need to do it and protects us from those who want to stop us. To the youth (and stutterers alike) – trust in God!Judah has now outpaced Israel in going to other gods.
"Look closely. Has this ever happened before, / That a nation has traded in its gods / for gods that aren’t even close to gods?" (2:10, The Message). Isaiah spoke about the irony of making an idol out of wood and then acting as though it made them. Now God tells Judah that their punishment is coming and mocks them by suggesting they should run and beg their blocks of wood and stone for protection. If we wish to serve other things, God will allow it. He will also allow them to help us when we need our lives set right.God will set all things right in the end.
God would bring Israel and Judah back together and would live among them instead of providing a symbol of His Reign. Although God's Law through Moses forbade remarrying a woman after she married another, God would remarry unified Israel, who spent generations worshiping other gods. God planned ahead to what He would say. There is no bitterness in His remarks. There is only love, compassion, and mercy. God wants to set things right between His Chosen People. We should listen and let Him unite us in obedience.Do you struggle with feeling worthy of God's calling in your life because of something you lack?
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