Jeremiah 1:11-19
The Final Touch
Outline:
I. \\#Jer 1:1-19\\ Jeremiah’s Calling
A. \\#1:1-3\\ Jeremiah’s Background
B. \\#1:4:10\\ Jeremiah’s Commission
1. \\#1:4-5\\ What God FORMED Jeremiah to do.
2. \\#1:6-9\\ What God ENABLED Jeremiah to do.
3. \\#1:10\\ What God COMMISSIONED Jeremiah to do.
C. \\#1:11-19\\ Jeremiah’s Conditioning
1. \\#1:11-12\\ Something Is About to Happen
2. \\#1:13-16\\ Something Is About to Boil Over
3. \\#1:16-19\\ Someone Needs to be Ready
As we noted last week, Jeremiah prophesied to Judah in the years
before, during, and just after the Babylonian conquest. He was
persecuted, arrested, charged with treason, starved, and some
traditions say stoned; yet, he preached faithfully to the nation of
Israel.
Also as a reminder to what was said last week, this book is a
collection of Jeremiah’s messages. They are arranged primarily by
topic with the first 25 chapters dealing with Israel’s condemnation.
Chapter 1 details Jeremiah’s calling’ however, chapters 1-6 are all
one large message from God to Israel.
I. \\#11-19\\ Jeremiah’s Conditioning
A. \\#11-12\\ Something Is About to Happen
1. Jeremiah sees an almond branch. (Although the detail is
not given it appears that the branch has ripe almonds
growing on it.)
2. God tells Jeremiah that this is a sign that His judgment
upon Judah is about to happen.
3. Like ripe fruit cannot abide long on the branch so God’s
judgment cannot wait long.
4. Jeremiah is not the first or the only prophet who had been
warning Judah of God’s pending judgment.
a. Amos (living around 150 years earlier.)
Amos 2:4 Thus saith the LORD; For three
transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will
not turn away the punishment thereof; because
they have despised the law of the LORD, and have
not kept his commandments, and their lies caused
them to err, after the which their fathers have
walked:
5 But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall
devour the palaces of Jerusalem.
b. Isaiah (starting 120 years earlier)
Isaiah 3:1 For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of
hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from
Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of
bread, and the whole stay of water,
c. Micah (starting 115 years earlier)
Micah 3:12 Therefore shall Zion for your sake be
plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become
heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high
places of the forest.
d. Zephaniah (30 years before)
e. Habakkuk (15 years before)
5. But God is saying to Jeremiah, "It is time."
a. Friend, it is sad but true.
b. The bad times do come.
(1) The bill do come due.
(2) The day the children leave home will come.
(3) Old age and it’s problems will come.
(4) The day of accountability before God will come.
B. \\#13-16\\ Something Is About to Boil Over
1. The first vision deals with the timing of the judgment.
a. The second vision deals with the severity of the
judgment.
b. It will be a boiling cauldron running over.
c. A scalding can certainly cause great pain.
2. Details of the judgment:
a. \\#13-14\\ The judgment will come from the north.
(1) North is the direction associated with God.
Isa 14:13 For thou (Satan) hast said in thine
heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my
throne above the stars of God: I will sit also
upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides
of the north:
Eze 1:4 And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind
came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire
infolding itself, and a brightness was about it,
and out of the midst thereof as the colour of
amber, out of the midst of the fire.
Job 37:22 Fair weather cometh out of the north:
with God is terrible majesty.
(2) However, the north is also the direction from
which God’s judgments on Israel come.
i. Assyria came from the north.
Isa 41:25 I have raised up one (speaking of
Assyria) from the north, and he shall come:
from the rising of the sun shall he call upon
my name….
ii. Babylon, although not mentioned by name, is
being spoken of and they come from the
north.
Exe 26:7 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I
will bring upon Tyrus Nebuchadnezzar king of
Babylon, a king of kings, from the north, with
horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen,
and companies, and much people.
iii. Even the great end-time army originates from
the north.
Eze 38:15 And thou shalt come from thy place
out of the north parts, thou, and many people
with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a
great company, and a mighty army:
b. \\#15\\ The judgment will be the conquering of Israel.
(1) When those of other nations bring their thrones
into the gates of the city, that city is
conquered.
(2) What God had stopped from happening when the
Assyrians came, He will make certain happens in
this judgment.
c. \\#16\\ The judgment will be for the wickedness of
Judah, primarily idolatry.
C. \\#16-19\\ Someone Needs to be Ready
1. That someone is Jeremiah.
a. \\#4-10\\ God has gifted, called, and commissioned him.
b. Now, God is going to condition him.
(1) God is going to build him up and prepare him for
the battle that lies ahead.
(2) This is something like getting a soldier or
athlete ready.
2. This appears to be God doing something supernatural
for Jeremiah.
a. As I said in \\#4-10\\, I believe what God did
for Jeremiah, He does for us all.
b. This "conditioning" is the equivalent of what God does
for us as we step out to serve Him.
c. He does this through the empowering of the Holy
Ghost.
Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy
Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he
shall teach you all things, and bring all things
to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto
you.
Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ
which strengtheneth me.
3. Notice what God says in association with God granting this
conditioning.
a. \\#17\\ Do not dismayed.
(1) We are not to fear for God is with us.
Isa 35:4 Say to them that are of a fearful
heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God
will come with vengeance, even God with a
recompence; he will come and save you.
Is 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be
not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen
thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold
thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Ps 118:6 The LORD is on my side; I will not
fear: what can man do unto me?
(2) Fear is one of the few things that can stop us
from finishing our course.
(a) Fear shows a lack of faith. Since we are
connected to God through faith….
(b) Fear weakens our relationship with God so
that…
(c) Fear makes us susceptible to failure.
b. \\#18\\ Stay Strong.
(1) God had already made Jeremiah strong. This is
what God had done for him.
(a) He was:
(1) a defenced city
(2) an iron pillar
(3) brazen walls
(b) All Jeremiah had to do was stay the way God
had made him.
(2) Here is why I say that some will never be
commissioned.
(a) To be commissioned requires that we let God
finish the work He intends.
(b) Jeremiah must have been one tough fellow.
To become tough, he likely went through
some very difficult times.
(c) I think sometimes we make too much of
ourselves.
(1) Contrary to what some people think,
Christians in general and servants to
God in particular, have no choice
about what they will do.
(2) And it is our life that adds the
finishing touches to that calling.
(3) We must obey God and let God deal
with all the consequences.
(4) That is all the strength we need and
God has already given it to us.
(3) I notice that all of the symbols that God used to
describe Jeremiah are defensive.
(a) This is so despite the fact that Jeremiah
was going to be attacked repeatedly.
(b) Again, this is the way God created the
believer to be.
Matt 5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist
not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy
right cheek, turn to him the other also.
40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and
take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile,
go with him twain.
42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him
that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
(c) Our only offensive weapon is the Word of
God.
Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and
the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of
God:
c. \\#19\\ Those who oppose the Bible will not prevail.
(1) Jeremiah was going to have a very hard ministry.
(2) From an earthly standpoint, it might look like
the opposers won.
(3) But for the last 2,800 years, Jeremiah has been
with the Lord and the opposers have been in
hell.
<Outline
Index> <Close Window>
