The Decline of a Great Nation. A Study in Jeremiah. 3 Jeremiah s Call God s Message of Love to His People... 11

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1 Adult Quarterly The Decline of a Great Nation A Study in Jeremiah QUARTERLY AIM: The student will learn to hear and heed God s warnings to repent and return to the Lord. June 3 Jeremiah s Call God s Message of Love to His People God s Offer of Forgiveness The Destruction of Judah July 1 The Sin That Brought Destruction God s Judgment on Judah God s Sovereignty over All Nations The Regathering of Israel Judah Deported August 5 Judgment on Gentile Nations Submission to God s Will The Return from Captivity The Restoration of Israel Vol. 105, No. 3, Summer Quarter, Editor in Chief: Kyle W. Elkins, kyle.elkins@bogardstore.org Business Manager: Wayne Sewell, wayne.sewell@bogardstore.org 2018, Bogard Press, 4605 N. State Line Ave., Texarkana, TX

2 About the Writer Dr. David Robinson was born in Greenville, Mississippi and grew up in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He was saved in 1956 and was baptized by Cones Road Missionary Baptist Church. He graduated from Hot Springs High School, attended the University of Mississippi and graduated from the Missionary Baptist Seminary in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1966 earning the Master in Bible Languages and Doctor in Bible Languages Degrees. He surrendered to preach in 1960 and was ordained to the gospel ministry in December of He has pastored churches in central and southern Arkansas. From 1967 to 1999 he served as an instructor in the Missionary Baptist Seminary. He served as Registrar at the school from 1978 to 1988 and as Chancellor and Editor of the Missionary Baptist Searchlight from 1988 to He served as Chaplain for the Pulaski County Sheriff s Office from 1992 until He served on the Sunday School Committee of the ABA from 1987 to 1998 and as President of the ABA in 1999 and He has served as Parliamentarian for the ABA since Presently, he is pastor of Landmark Missionary Baptist Church in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he has served since He has written Young People s Sunday School literature, the BTC Adult Quarterly, and he currently writes the Sunday School Adult Quarterly used in the churches of the American Baptist Association. He may be contacted at dcrobinson@aristotle.net.

3 American Baptist Association Through-the-Bible Series Sunday School Lessons Winter Spring Summer Fall 2018 Ephesians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Jeremiah Lamentations 2 Kings 24; 25 2 Chronicles 36 John John Ezra; Nehemiah Habakkuk; Haggai Malachi; Esther 1 Peter 2 Peter 1, 2, 3 John Jude 2020 Daniel Ezekiel Zechariah Revelation 1 11 Revelation Genesis 1 11 Job 2021 Genesis Matthew 1 13 Matthew Exodus 2022 Romans Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Hebrews Joshua Judges Ruth 2023 Acts 1 14 Acts Samuel 2 Samuel Chronicles 1 10 Mark Mark 9 16 Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Solomon 2 Corinthians 2 Samuel Chronicles Kings 1; 2 Galatians Isaiah Chronicles Kings Nahum James 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Kings Chronicles Kings 1 13 Joel; Obadiah Luke 1 13:21 Luke 13:22 24 Isaiah Kings Chronicles Zephaniah Psalms Corinthians Hosea; Amos; Micah; Jonah; 2 Kings Chronicles Philemon Philippians Colossians

4 1 Jeremiah s Call June 3, 2018 Text: Jeremiah 1:1-19 Focus: Jeremiah 1:4-19 Key Verse: Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them. Jeremiah 1:17 Sunday Devotional: Real Faith Leads Us To Be Witnesses, 2 Corinthians 4: Application: The student will learn to obey the call of God to be a witness to everyone. A FIRST LOOK Today we begin a study of the book of Jeremiah. This book was written in a time of moral decline in Judah. It reveals what is behind the collapse of this nation. The forces that destroy nations today are the same forces that brought the downfall of Judah. We can learn a great deal about what is going on in our world by studying Jeremiah, and we can learn how to behave in a time of national or personal crisis. What should a believer do when things are falling apart around him in his home, his community, his nation and the world in which he lives? The answers are here. From this prophecy we will also hear a great message of hope in an hour of despair and darkness. We will see how God plants the seeds of new life in the middle of death and destruction. Jeremiah is among the most heroic of all the prophets. He began his ministry as a young man in the days of Josiah the king of Judah, and for forty-two years he Daily Devotionals M. The Downfall of Judah, 2 Kings 24:1-5. T. God Called Abraham, Genesis 12:1-5. W. God Called Moses, Exodus 3:1-10. T. God Called Isaiah, Isaiah 6:1-10. F. Jesus Called His Servants, Matthew 4: S. God Called Paul, Galatians 1:

5 Text: Jeremiah 1: preached in Judah trying to awaken the nation to what was about to happen, to get them to repent, and to save the nation from the judgment of God. In all those long years, he never saw any sign of encouragement. He did not change the course of his nation as it moved toward destruction. He did not see any sign that indicated his messages had any impact at all; yet, he was faithful to the job God gave him. Through much personal sorrow, struggle, heartache, difficulty and danger he did what God sent him to do. He left a tremendous record of the greatness of God, the power of God over nations and His control of history and, most importantly, the hope that rises out of the darkness of sin. A CLOSER LOOK I. Jeremiah s Call and Commission Jeremiah 1: Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 5. Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. 6. Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. 7. But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. 8. Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord. Jeremiah s call is an affirmation of the great truth taught in Ephesians 2:10. God has a plan for every life. God had been preparing Jeremiah even before Jeremiah was born. Jeremiah was the son of a priest named Hilkiah. He grew up in and around the Temple in Jerusalem, and he was well acquainted with the spiritual life of his nation. Jeremiah could have been a priest like his father, but God had a different plan for this young man. In a similar way, God has a plan for our lives. Everyone is unique. There will never be another person exactly like you. We are all God s workmanship, and God has a plan for each of our

6 6 Jeremiah s Call lives just as He had a plan for Jeremiah. God is working toward His goals in each of our lives. When men face a crisis, they look for an organization or a program to help. When God sees a problem in humanity, His solution often begins with a baby. God calls someone to serve Him, and the solution to the trouble is revealed. Jeremiah occupied a unique place in the history of Judah, and he did a wonderful job in discharging the calling of God. However, at first, he was reluctant. He stated that he could not be a spokesman for God because he did not have an adequate understanding. He was like a child trying to solve a complicated and difficult puzzle. The best we can tell, Jeremiah was probably about thirty years old when he was called as a prophet. Many would consider this an age of maturity, but this statement shows the sensitivity and understanding of Jeremiah. He would be called to stand before kings, but he did not believe he had the experience. If you have ever felt that way, you are in good company. Jeremiah, Isaiah, Moses, Gideon and many others expressed the same doubts. God s response to Jeremiah s doubt was the same as His answer to anyone in this situation. God promised to direct Jeremiah s path and give him a message to carry. God further promised to be there when Jeremiah was afraid and to be with him no matter what difficult circumstances might come. God promised to meet Jeremiah s needs in any situation. What a wonderful encouragement these words are. This is the same covenant God makes with us. He is with us always, even unto the end of the world. We must never tell God that we cannot serve Him or that we are not able to follow where He leads us. He is there to help us in our hour of need. As Paul said, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me (Philippians 4:13). II. The Almond Tree and the Seething Pot Jeremiah 1: Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth. 10. See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.

7 Text: Jeremiah 1: Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree. 12. Then said the Lord unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it. 13. And the word of the Lord came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face thereof is toward the north. 14. Then the Lord said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land. As He did with Isaiah, God touched Jeremiah s mouth. Jeremiah s words became the key to his spiritual power. The divine fire God started in his heart burned within Jeremiah all the days of his ministry. God promised to set Jeremiah over nations and kingdoms. These are not mere words of poetry; these are literal promises. Long after the nations of Jeremiah s day have come and gone, the message of this prophecy is still viable. It holds as much truth for men today as when it was given long ago. The predictions and plans of kings and princes have faded into ashes. The prophecies of Jeremiah are still burning brightly giving light to all who read and understand them. When we follow the Lord, we simply cannot go wrong, and when we refuse to follow the Lord, we can never go right. However, following the Lord is not a blind and ignorant step into the darkness. God had a specific task for Jeremiah to do, and God clearly defined the task before him. He gave Jeremiah the precise amount of power and wisdom needed to do this job. This is the way God works today. God showed Jeremiah two common articles and drew a spiritual lesson from them. This is a pattern that will be repeated through the book. The first object was a rod made from the wood of an almond tree. The almond tree was called the watcher in Judah because it was among the first to bloom in the spring. There is a play on words in Hebrew. Jeremiah saw a watcher, and God is watching over His Word to make sure that it comes to pass. This is a message of hope and healing. The Word of God will never fail to accomplish the purposes of God. This is not up to those who proclaim His Word; it is up to God. When we faithfully preach and teach the Word of God, we never need to worry about the outcome of our work. This was the

8 8 Jeremiah s Call encouraging message God gave Jeremiah in the beginning of his ministry. Men may or may not receive the Word, but God is in charge, and He is watching over the world to make sure that His servants are eventually rewarded for what they do. Then, God showed Jeremiah a seething, or simmering pot. This was another common sight in Judah. The pot was seething and the steam coming off of it was blowing toward the north. God told Jeremiah that he would bring a seething pot of nations from the north against the city of Jerusalem and the cities of Judah. This was a picture of judgment. History teaches us something very important here. At this time, Egypt was the super power of nations, but God ignored Egypt and had Jeremiah turn his attention to the north. At this time, there was no nation in the north to threaten Judah; yet, this was the Word of the Lord, and both the Assyrians and the Babylonians came from the north to overtake Jerusalem. III. God s Promise of Protection Jeremiah 1: For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the Lord; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah. 16. And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands. 17. Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them. 18. For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land. 19. And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee. These verses reveal the reason for judgment. This principle has as much application today as it did years ago. The nations

9 Text: Jeremiah 1: that forsake God and worship man-made gods and the works of their own hands will ultimately face the judgment of God. Jeremiah faced a daunting task. All the nations of the world, including his own, had forsaken God, and he was to prophecy against them. This would have been impossible, but God was with him. There was no need for Jeremiah to be dismayed because God was able to stop any threat against him. God had made this young man like a well-defended city, like an iron pillar or a brass wall. The power of the princes of Judah would be brought against him, but he would not fail or fall as long as God was with him. God did not promise Jeremiah a life of ease. As a prophet, he would face many conflicts and trials. The leaders of his land would fight against him, but they would not win. The outcome was never in doubt because God was with Jeremiah, and God would deliver him. Everyone needs encouragement from time to time. The encouragement of God is there for us just as it was for Jeremiah, and it is in the very same place. We find encouragement in the Word of God. When we are certain of our calling and are doing what God leads us to do, we have the power of Heaven to help us. What a great encouragement in any time of trouble A FINAL WORD There are at least four great lessons from Jeremiah s initial encounter with God. First, he learned about the sovereignty of God and that God has control over the nations of earth. Men still imagine that they control events on earth, but God works behind the scenes, and it is His will, not the will of mankind, that will ultimately be done. Second, Jeremiah learned about the relentless judgment of God. When nations persist in turning away from Him, God judges them. God will never allow anyone to sin successfully. He will not show mercy to those who reject Him. Even his own chosen people suffered when they forsook Him and served idols. That great lesson is still applicable to the nations of our world today. Third, Jeremiah learned about the faithfulness of God to fulfill His Word, no matter what men did or said. Jeremiah was not serving himself, and he was not serving Judah. He was serving

10 10 Jeremiah s Call God. God is faithful to His Word, and God cares for His servants. Just as a father loves his children, God loves those who serve Him. He will take care of their needs, and He will protect them from harm. When their work on earth is over, He will call them home to glory. Finally, Jeremiah learned that he would suffer. His life and ministry would not be easy, but it would be possible because of the tenderness and provision of God. FOR CLASS DISCUSSION 1. How does Jeremiah s call affirm the truth of Ephesians 2:10? 2. What was Jeremiah s excuse and God s answer to that excuse? 3. What was the symbolism of the almond rod? 4. Who were the kingdoms of the north?