JEREMIAH Fr. Ray Whelan
Prophets of the Old Testament Their primary focus was on calling God's people back to faithful obedience and worship The Prophets were not just strange characters wandering around thundering the message of an angry God In and through the message of the prophets as they proclaimed the coming judgment is a message of love. "I have loved you with an everlasting love; / I have drawn you with loving-kindness" or as another translation has it I have led you with Leading Strings Love. (Jeremiah 31:3). of
The Writing Prophets
Divided Kingdom 250 years God had been sending prophets to warn his people to change their ways around 620 B.C. God had already permitted the northern half of the kingdom into exile a hundred years previous Jeremiah was the last messenger for the southern kingdom, their very last chance to turn things around.
Israel (Jacob), Judah & Israel, then Israel Again After the death of King Solomon of Israel, the 12 tribes of Israel divided into two kingdoms. Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, became king of the southern kingdom of Judah, which was comprised of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin Jeroboam, a former servant of King Solomon, became king of the northern kingdom of Israel, which was comprised of the remaining 10 tribes (1 Kings 11 and 12). all the tribes were descendants of Jacob (also called Israel, Genesis 32:28; 35:10) and were known as Israelites under the single nation with this name, these peoples were now separated into two nations After the exile Israel was used again to refer to the entire community.
The Name of Israel The Name and People. Jacob, grandson of Abraham, was named Israel after he had wrestled with God (Gen 32:28) This name is a combination of the Hebrew words for "wrestle" and "God" (because sareta [you have wrestled] with God [ el] and men you will be called yisrael). Israel is to be understood as Jacob's covenant name, emphasizing specific elements of the covenant he had made with Abraham ( Gen 17:1-8 ). - his being bound with a bond of life and love to God. The word Jew ultimately comes from Judah
Personal relationship with God Studying the ministry of the prophet Jeremiah, you will get a glimpse of what it is like to have a personal relationship with God. Jeremiah is a picture of what it can be like for God and a human to be together. a hard love, a demanding love, but love nevertheless What you will also discover, if you pay attention, is how you can grow in your own personal relationship with God.
The Book(s) of Jeremiah 1. Chapters 1 25 (The earliest and main core of Jeremiah's message) 2. Chapters 26 29 (Biographic material and interaction with other prophets) 3. Chapters 30 33 (God's promise of restoration including Jeremiah's "new covenant" which is interpreted differently in Judaism than it is in Christianity) 4. Chapters 34 45 (Mostly interaction with Zedekiah and the fall of Jerusalem) 5. Chapters 46 51 (Divine punishment to the nations surrounding Israel) 6. Chapter 52 (Appendix that retells 2 Kings 24.18 25.30)
Jeremiah s Ministry -Josiah Jeremiah began his prophetic mission in the thirteenth year of king Josiah (about 627 BCE) and finished in the eleventh year of king Zedekiah (586), Josiah became king at a spiritually and politically bleak point in Judah s history a succession of (with a few exceptions) wicked kings had led the nation steadily away from Yahweh, while defeat and exile loomed on the horizon. Yet in the midst of this gloom, God introduced a ray of light. While repairing the temple in Jerusalem, the people made an unexpected discovery:
Jeremiah s Ministry Josiah and the Book Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord that was written by Moses. When the king heard what was written in the Law, (c/f 2 Kings 22:1-23:30 & 2nd Chronicles 34:1-35:27). Josiah reinstated and reformed Judah according to the book According to the Books of Kings, and Jeremiah, Josiah's reforms were insufficient to save Judah and Jerusalem from destruction, because of the sins of Manasseh Jeremiah was called to prophesy. Jeremiah resisted the call by complaining that he was only a child and did not know how to speak. However, the Lord insisted that Jeremiah go and speak, and he touched Jeremiah's mouth to place the word of the Lord there
Jeremiah s method One of the ways that Jeremiah sought to get his message across was through the use of symbols. he stands at the door of the temple and uses it as a backdrop. At another time he uses a linen belt, another time a potter's house, then a clay jar, later a basket of figs and then a yoke.
Jeremiah s Themes The defamation of the temple and the false practice of religion The breaking of the covenant bond with God The right of God to judge Judah for their sin Judah's spiritual adultery with the gods The failure of Judah's spiritual leaders God's promised blessing for the captives God's judgment of all the nations Jeremiah's experience of opposition from the false prophets God's promise to restore people to the land after the period of judgment Through all the symbols and themes and the proclamations of judgment there is a commitment of love.
But there is good news! Through Jeremiah, God says: I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul. This is what the lord says: As I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will give them all the prosperity I have promised them. (32:40-42) The good news is that he invites those who have joined his people through faith in his Son, Jesus Christ, to that future as well.
A Bit of Jeremiah s Biography Jeremiah was born about 650 b.c. of a priestly family from the little village of Anathoth, near Jerusalem While still very young he was called to his task in the thirteenth year of King Josiah (628), He was the contemporary of Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Daniel and Ezekiel. After the death of Josiah the old idolatry returned. Jeremiah opposed it with all his strength. He suffered! In exile in Egypt, Tradition says he was murdered by his own countrymen
A Bit MORE of Jeremiah s Biography About this time Jeremiah uttered the great oracle of the "New Covenant" (31, 31-34) sometimes called "The Gospel before the Gospel." The exiled community read and meditated the lessons of the prophet His influence can be seen in Ezekiel, certain of the psalms, and the second part of Isaiah. Shortly after the exile, the Book of Jeremiah as we have it today was published in a final edition Complacency and compromise are ever-present dangers for the Christian and we continue, in an age that exalts political correctness, social conformity and mere management of the status quo, to need the bracing words of the prophets
Christ in the Old Testament St Jerome famously said that the 'Old Testament is pregnant with Christ' and 'Christ is latent in the Old Testament but patent in the New'. In order to truly understand the New Testament we have to have a firm grasp of the Old. As Christians, we have to remember that the Lord Jesus is present and radiates throughout the Old Testament. The Church has always seen the Old Testament as showing Jesus fully present and at work with The Chosen People and their Prophets. John 5:39 Jesus says You study the Scriptures (Old Testament Torah &c).it is they that bear witness to me
Examples of Christ in The Old Testament Road to Emmaus, we are told And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, [Jesus] explained to them what was said in all the [Old Testament] Scriptures concerning himself (Luke 24:25-27). (There weren t any New Testament Scriptures at that time!) Isaiah s Suffering Servant, The Pillar of Fire and Cloud in the Exodus. There are many more examples. Saint Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:4: They drank from the rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.
Eating The Bible! So, The Church gives us the doctrine. But we must always remember that the Bible speaks to us personally So let s love but more importantly, READ and EAT our Bibles. Eat in the sense of Jeremiah (15:16) When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name, LORD God Almighty. Ezekiel (3:3) Son of man, eat this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it. Then I ate it; and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey. And in the song of Psalm 119 v 103 - How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Let s eat Jeremiah some favourite texts Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. NIV Jeremiah 33:3 "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.'" NIV Jeremiah 6:16 This is what the LORD says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, 'We will not walk in it.'" NIV Jeremiah 1:8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD." NIV Make personal the occasional text or verse
Take advice on big matters Be careful. In big matters always take advice from Spiritual Director/Confessor A man was flicking through the Bible for guidance he came across one text.. So Judas.went away and hanged himself. (Matthew 27:5) Then another. Go, and do thou likewise. (Luke 10:37) Use reason and common sense, but always remember: I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. (Proverbs 4:11) Then your eating of the Bible won t give you spiritual indigestion!!
JEREMIAH Fr. Ray Whelan