First light on the stony road from Anathoth: the road winds down from a small ridge village through olive terraces, and far off on the skyline Jerusalem’s ridge stands small and gray.

The call

Jeremiah 1

Josiah’s thirteenth year, about 627 BC. Have you ever felt too young or too small for what God asked of you?

19 verses≈ 4 min1 personBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

1The callJosiah’s thirteenth year (about 627 BC): a prophet to the nationsChapter 1
2–6Return to MeBroken cisterns, faithless Judah, disaster from the north
7–10The temple gateThe temple sermon, a weeping prophet, the living God
11–20Covenant and complaintThe broken covenant, the potter, Jeremiah’s confessions
21–29Shepherds and prophetsKings judged, the Branch, seventy years, the yoke, the letter
30–33The Book of ComfortRestoration, the new covenant, a field bought in a siege
34–39The last days of JudahThe scroll burned, the cistern, Jerusalem falls (586 BC)
40–45After the fallGedaliah at Mizpah, the flight to Egypt, a word for Baruch
46–51The nationsEgypt to Babylon: the LORD is Judge of all the earth
52Jerusalem fallsThe record of 586 BC, and a king released

The Call of Jeremiah

These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests in Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin.

The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah, and through the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, until the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah king of Judah, when the people of Jerusalem went into exile.

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Jeremiah

Jeremiah

The word of the LORD came to me, saying:

God

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

and before you were born I set you apart

and appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

Jeremiah 1:5

Jeremiah

“Ah, Lord GOD,” I said, “I surely do not know how to speak, for I am only a child!”

God

But the LORD told me:

“Do not say,

‘I am only a child.’

For to everyone I send you,

you must go,

and all that I command you,

you must speak.

Do not be afraid of them,

for I am with you to deliver you,”

declares the LORD.

God

God

Then the LORD reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and said to me:

“Behold, I have put My words

in your mouth.

God

See, I have appointed you today

over nations and kingdoms

to uproot and tear down,

to destroy and overthrow,

to build and plant.”

Question

Quick question

The LORD has just told Jeremiah what He made him for. Look at the young man’s first reply.

How did Jeremiah answer the LORD’s call?

To uproot and to plant

Whiteboard

Four words of judgment, two of hope: the whole book in one verse.

God

And the word of the LORD came to me, asking, “Jeremiah, what do you see?”

“I see a branch of an almond tree,” I replied.

“You have observed correctly,” said the LORD, “for I am watching over My word to accomplish it.”

Jeremiah

Jeremiah

Again the word of the LORD came to me, asking, “What do you see?” “I see a boiling pot,” I replied, “and it is tilting toward us from the north.”

God

Then the LORD said to me, “Disaster from the north will be poured out on all who live in the land. For I am about to summon all the clans and kingdoms of the north,” declares the LORD.

God

Gray morning outside a Jerusalem gate: an empty chair of state of carved dark wood stands on a rug on the stone paving, the heavy gate doors shut behind it.

“Their kings will come and set up their thrones

at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem.

They will attack all her surrounding walls

and all the other cities of Judah.

God

God

I will pronounce My judgments against them

for all their wickedness,

because they have forsaken Me,

and they have burned incense to other gods

and worshiped the works of their own hands.

God

Get yourself ready. Stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Do not be intimidated by them, or I will terrify you before them.

God

A small walled hill town on a crag stands firm under a breaking storm, rain lashing its stone wall and its shut gate banded with bronze.

Now behold, this day I have made you like 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.

God

Morning at a crowded Jerusalem gate: a young man in a plain robe and dark mantle, seen from behind with a staff in his hand, walks in through the gateway among townspeople.

They will fight against you but will never overcome you, since I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.

0:07

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Pray

LORD, You knew me before I was born. When I say I am too young or too weak, put Your words in my mouth. Make me stand, for You are with me to deliver me. Amen.

You’ve experienced

Jeremiah 1

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A verse to carry with you

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as a prophet to the nations.

Jeremiah 1:5

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