Jeremiah 1
Jeremiah chapter 1 is a chapter that shows the calling (calling) of the prophet Jeremiah and the beginning of his ministry. The main text is divided into four parts.
- Introduction (verses 1-3): Jeremiah’s background and the time of his activities are presented.
- The calling vision (verses 4-10): God calls Jeremiah to be a prophet, emphasizing God’s plan for him and Jeremiah’s response.
- Two visions (verses 11-16): Through two visions (the almond tree branches and a boiling pot), God hints at the content of the ministry that will unfold before Jeremiah.
- Commands and encouragement for the ministry (verses 17-19): God tells Jeremiah not to be afraid and encourages him to stand firm in the face of strong opposition.
1verseThe words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin.
2verseThe LORD’s word came to him in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.
3verseIt came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, to the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, to the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.
4verseNow the LORD’s word came to me, saying,
5verse“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I sanctified you. I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
6verseThen I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I don’t know how to speak; for I am a child.”
7verseBut the LORD said to me, “Don’t say, ‘I am a child;’ for you must go to whomever I send you, and you must say whatever I command you.
8verseDon’t be afraid because of them, for I am with you to rescue you,” says the LORD.
9verseThen the LORD stretched out his hand and touched my mouth. Then the LORD said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.
10verseBehold, I have today set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to uproot and to tear down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”
11verseMoreover the LORD’s word came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree.”
12verseThen the LORD said to me, “You have seen well; for I watch over my word to perform it.”
13verseThe LORD’s word came to me the second time, saying, “What do you see?” I said, “I see a boiling cauldron; and it is tipping away from the north.”
14verseThen the LORD said to me, “Out of the north, evil will break out on all the inhabitants of the land.
15verseFor behold, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north,” says the LORD. “They will come, and they will each set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all its walls all around, and against all the cities of Judah.
16verseI will utter my judgments against them concerning all their wickedness, in that they have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, and worshiped the works of their own hands.
17verse“You therefore put your belt on your waist, arise, and say to them all that I command you. Don’t be dismayed at them, lest I dismay you before them.
18verseFor behold, I have made you today a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, against its princes, against its priests, and against the people of the land.
19verseThey will fight against you, but they will not prevail against you; for I am with you”, says the LORD, “to rescue you.”
Meaning of the Main Content
The most prominent message in this chapter is the obedience of the prophet who carries out the mission God has planned and the mission itself. Jeremiah was called at a young age, but he openly confesses his own weakness and fear. In response, God comforts him and promises to protect him personally. Also, through the vision of the almond tree branches, God warns of the swift fulfillment of God’s word, and through the vision of the boiling pot, He warns of the threat that will come from the north. Overall, Jeremiah’s ministry emphasizes that even amid difficulty and suffering, he must hold on to God’s guidance and protection and carry out his mission to the end.
Meditation Points
- God calls each person in a unique way and has a plan for that person’s life. Do you recognize that God’s will is also at work in my life?
- When you feel fear and your limits like Jeremiah, are you paying attention to God’s encouragement and promises toward you?
- Let’s think about the attitude of holding on to and obeying the mission God gives you, even when hardship and opposition are ahead.
Try Applying It to Yourself
- Let’s reflect on what my calling and being called are, and let’s turn honestly toward our own heart in the presence of the mission God gives.
- Let’s spend the day living in such a way that we entrust our weakness and fear to God and trust in God’s help and guidance.
