Journey Through the Bible: Jeremiah - The Rejected Prophet

Journey Through The Bible

Jeremiah: the Rejected Prophet

Bible Readings:Jeremiah 38:1-26 (Page 567)

Matthew 21:33-46 (Page 698)

Tuesday, 14 October 2014

Jeremiah the Rejected Prophet

Jeremiah had to tell the people that God was going to destroy the Temple and the city and they were going to be either killed or exiled.

At first the people laughed at him. When it started to come true they turned against him and tried to kill him.


Questions Raised By the Book of Jeremiah

What happens to God's plans when the nation or an individual He has chosen to play a key role refuses to co-operate with God or even rebels against Him?

How can God punish people for their sins and yet still keep His promise to save them?

If someone continues to rebel against God, is there a point of no return beyond which repentance becomes impossible?

Does God ever say to His faithful intercessors, “Stop praying about this because I've made up my mind.”?


God Calls JeremiahGod called Jeremiah to be a prophet to Jerusalem. God tells him that this is what He had planned for Jeremiah even before he was born.

“Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “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 1:4–5, ESV)

Jeremiah thought he was too young and didn't know how to speak in public.

“Ah, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 1:6–8, NIV84)


Jeremiah Complained To The Lord

Jeremiah did not want to be a bad news prophet and be sworn at.

“Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long. But if I say, “I will not mention Him or speak any more in His Name,” His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.” (Jeremiah 20:8–9, NIV84)

The word of the Lord was like a fire burning inside him he could not shut his mouth and not deliver the message. Jeremiah faithfully proclaimed God's messages for more than 40 years.


Kings and Politics of Jeremiah’s Jerusalem

Hezekiah

Manasseh

Josiah

Jehoahaz

Jehoiakim

Zedekiah

Isaiah dies

Jeremiah Begins toprophesy

Jerusalem falls

Temple restored


Jeremiah Foretold 70 Years of Exile“And now the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Because you have not listened to Me, I will gather together all the armies of the north under King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, whom I have appointed as My deputy. I will bring them all against this land and its people and against the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy you and make you an object of horror and contempt and a ruin for ever.” . . . “This entire land will become a desolate wasteland. Israel and her neighbouring lands will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years. “Then, after the seventy years of captivity are over, I will punish the king of Babylon and his people for their sins,” says the Lord. “I will make the country of the Babylonians a wasteland for ever.” (Jeremiah 25:11–12, NLT)


The Babylonians Crush JudahNebucadnezzer captured Jerusalem and took many prominent citizens back the Babylon, including Daniel.

Zedekiah was installed as king, but rebelled against Babylon.

Jeremiah prophesies disaster for the city and the death of the King.

Jeremiah is thrown into a well because of his words. Zedekiah protects him until the city falls.


The Babylonians Honour Jeremiah“The captain of [Nebecadnezzer's army] took Jeremiah and said to him, “The Lord your God pronounced this disaster against this place. The Lord has brought it about, and has done as He said. Because you sinned against the Lord and did not obey His voice, this thing has come upon you. Now, behold, I release you today from the chains on your hands. If it seems good to you to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will look after you well, but if it seems wrong to you to come with me to Babylon, do not come. See, the whole land is before you; go wherever you think it good and right to go.” (Jeremiah 40:1–4, ESV)


The Jerusalem Coup and Flight to EgyptNebucadnezzah appointed Gedaliah to rule Jerusalem and the land.

Gedaliah was assassinated and the coup leaders fled to Egypt.

God promised their safety if they remained in Jerusalem. They refused to believe Jeremiah's words and forced him to go with them to Egypt.

Jeremiah predicted that Nebucadnezzah would defeat Pharaoh and occupy Egypt and kill them.

“then hear the word of the Lord, O remnant of Judah. This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you are determined to go to Egypt and you do go to settle there, then the sword you fear will overtake you there, and the famine you dread will follow you into Egypt, and there you will die.


The Covenant Relationship God promised to protect and bless the people but the people had to promise to be faithful and obedient to God and to keep His commandments given in the Law.

The Temple became a physical expression of the Covenant between God and the people.

In Jeremiah's time the people focussed on the promises of God's protection and forgot about their obligations under the covenant to obey the Law.

“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “ ‘Even now, if you quit your evil ways, I will let you stay in your own land. But don’t be fooled by those who promise you safety simply because the Lord’s Temple is here. They chant, “The Lord’s Temple is here! The Lord’s Temple is here!”” (Jeremiah 7:3–4, NLT)


The Preferred False Prophecy The false prophets prophesied peace and prosperity.

When invasion threatened, the people listened to the false prophets and ignored Jeremiah who proclaimed God’s cal to repentance.

I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in My Name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ How long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart, who think to make my people forget My Name by their dreams that they tell one another, even as their fathers forgot My Name for Baal? (Jeremiah 23:25–27, ESV)


The Covenant BrokenThey obeyed the provisions of the Law when it did not cost them any effort.

The rich and powerful mercilessly exploited to poor. They traded on the Sabbath and sold those in debt into slavery. They bribed judges and corrupted justice. They broke God’s covenant.

“ ‘Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, and then come and stand before Me in this house, which bears My Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things?” (Jeremiah 7:9–10, NIV


Outward Obedience: Inner RebellionThe people’s hypocrisy so angered the Lord that He commanded Jeremiah to stop praying and interceding for them.

“Therefore do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry or prayer for them, nor make intercession to Me; for I will not hear you.” (Jeremiah 7:16, NKJV)

By believing and accepting only half of the covenant they could no longer be convicted of their sins and so put themselves beyond the reach of God's forgiveness. All that remained for them was judgement.


The Point of No Return

Can this happen to Christians?

Listen to what Paul says to Timothy:

“For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.” (2 Timothy 4:3–4, NLT)


Jesus Warns UsJesus solemnly warns us at the end of the sermon on the mount:

““Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven. On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your Name, and cast out demons in Your Name, and do many mighty works in Your Name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.’” (Matthew 7:21–23, ESV)

When Jesus says “I never knew you.” He meant that there was no personal relationship between Himself and the one who did things in His Name.


Love Jesus: Obey JesusIn John 14 Jesus says, “Whoever has My commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves Me. He who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”” (John 14:21, NIV84)

Our love for Jesus is shown by our willingness to obey Him in every part of our lives. If we say we love Jesus but don't obey Him we are little better than the people of Jeremiah's day who went to the temple on the Sabbath but did whatever evil they wanted during the week.

Jeremiah challenges us to look carefully at our own lives and profession of faith in the promises of the Lord.


Judgement and MercyIn the book of Jeremiah there are four chapters, 30 through 33, which are known as the Book of Consolation.

“The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, “Thus speaks the Lord God of Israel, saying: ‘Write in a book for yourself all the words that I have spoken to you. For behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘that I will bring back from captivity My people Israel and Judah,’ says the Lord. ‘And I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.’ ”” (Jeremiah 30:1–3, NKJV)


Judgement and MercyAfter He has punished the Lord will restore. This is like a resurrection. The nation had died in its sins yet the Lord will bring the nation back from death and will restore it.

““Hear the word of the Lord, you nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands: ‘He Who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over His flock like a shepherd.’ For the Lord will deliver Jacob and redeem them from the hand of those stronger than they. They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion; they will rejoice in the bounty of the Lord— the grain, the new wine and the olive oil, the young of the flocks and herds. They will be like a well-watered garden, and they will sorrow no more.” (Jeremiah 31:10–12, TNIV)


Judgement and MercyThe Lord will restore the nation by making a new covenant with them,

“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah” (Jeremiah 31:31, NKJV)

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put My Law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbour and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”” (Jeremiah 31:33–34, ESV)


Prophetic Sign and PromiseGod commands Jeremiah to buy land when the city is surrounded by the Babylonian army.

“In their presence I gave Baruch these instructions: ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Take these documents, both the sealed and unsealed copies of the deed of purchase, and put them in a clay jar so they will last a long time. For this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.’” (Jeremiah 32:13–15, NIV84)


Invest in Hope In The Dark TimesWe invest in a hope even in the darkest times because our hope is guaranteed by the Lord.

“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last for ever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last for ever.” (2 Corinthians 4:16–18, NLT)


Invest in Hope In The Dark Times“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last for ever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our eyes on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last for ever.” AMEN


Journey Through the Bible: Jeremiah - The Rejected Prophet

Spiritual

Transcript of Journey Through the Bible: Jeremiah - The Rejected Prophet