Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

1:4 to me. Verses 4-19 are an autobiographical account.

1:5 God is completely sovereign. He knows all things even before they happen, so he knew Jeremiah even before he was formed in his mother's womb. God's plan for Jeremiah was that he be consecrated, or "set apart," for preaching God's word. Jeremiah's ministry is to be a prophet to the nations, not just to Israel (25:1-14; 46:1-51:64).

1:6 Jeremiah speaks humbly; he does not simply make excuses. He is in fact a youth (Hb. na‘ar), which means that he remains dependent on parental support. He has not yet reached adulthood, though his exact age is impossible to determine.

1:7 God reassures Jeremiah by telling him he is God's ambassador. Jeremiah will go where God sends and say what God commands. He belongs to God; he has no other master, and there is no one else he should seek to please.

1:8 Jeremiah can fear either God (Prov. 1:7) or men. He need not fear men, for God will deliver him, though the mention of deliverance means Jeremiah will face trouble. I am with you. See note on Jer. 30:11.

1:9-10 God's touching of Jeremiah's mouth sets it apart for God's use (Isa. 6:4-7). That God puts his words in Jeremiah's mouth once again underscores the words' divine source (cf. Deut. 18:18). Jeremiah claims no credit for what follows. This word has power over nations and over kingdoms. The sovereign word of the sovereign God governs history. Jeremiah's message is threefold: (1) he must pluck up and break down, which refers to preaching against sin; (2) he must destroy and overthrow, which relates to messages concerning judgment; and (3) he must build and plant, which means he must preach about hope and renewal. One or more of these three word pairs occur again in Jer. 18:7-11; 31:28; and 45:4. Jeremiah will preach a full-orbed message over the 40 years of his ministry.

1:11-12 what do you see? This question is also used to introduce a vision in Amos 7:8; 8:2; Zech. 4:2; 5:2. Jeremiah's response and God's rejoinder produce a play on words (see ESV footnote for Jer. 1:11). Jeremiah says he sees an almond (Hb. shaqed) branch, and God states, You have seen well, for I am watching over (Hb. shoqed) my word to perform it. Since the almond tree was the first tree to bud in the spring, it was said to "watch for spring." Thus, God is watching over his word for the first opportunity to carry out his threats and promises. Jeremiah can expect that when he speaks God's words, the words will come true.

1:13-14 God asks Jeremiah a second time what he sees. This time Jeremiah sees a boiling pot, facing away from the north. This vision means that God's word, which he watches over to perform (v. 12), is that judgment will come from the north. Eventually Babylon fulfills this threat. disaster. As the ESV footnote for v. 14 explains, the same word (Hb. ra‘) can be translated either "evil" or "disaster, harm," according to the context. Jeremiah loves to exploit these two possible meanings, as he does in vv. 14 and 16, with the implication turn from your "evil" or God will send "disaster" (cf. 4:4, 6; 11:8, 11, 17; 18:8-11; 23:11-12; 25:5, 7; 26:3; 32:32, 42; 35:15, 17; 36:3; 44:2-3, 22-23; see note on Jonah 1:2).

1:15 Invaders from the north will conquer Jerusalem and set up thrones for their leaders in the city gates, where judicial decisions are made. This threat comes true in 39:1-10.

1:16 Though human agents will sit in the gate (v. 15), God says it will be his judgments against them, for all their evil in forsaking him. The term "forsaking" indicates that they have abandoned their covenant God for other gods (2:1-8), which they demonstrate by making offerings to other gods and bowing down to the works of their own hands. Their sin amounts to harm or evil committed against God.