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An Introduction To The Book of Jeremiah

1. The preparations for service. (Jeremiah 1:7-10)
A. God made the person for that purpose. (Jer. 1:5) Rev. 4:11
B. Prophecy concerning the individual. (Jer. 1:7) 1 Tim. 1:18
– As with Timothy, Elijah, Paul, etc.
C. God’s Word will have the ultimate victory. (Jer. 1:8-10) Is. 55:11

2. The honesty of God’s calling. (Jeremiah 1:11-14)
A. Tells the truth about serving Him. Ezek. 3:4-10, Acts 9:15,16
B. Tells the response of the people. (Jer. 1:9)
*Many with incorrect views of the future try to justify their
vision through falsification of the results.

3. The danger of service. (Jeremiah 1:17)
(Becoming “confounded”=confused, ashamed)
A. Can easily be distracted. Is. 50:7
B. Can get out of focus, though having the right purpose.
C. Can become afraid, a cause and effect of little faith. Matt. 10:25-28

4. The protection in service. (Jeremiah 1:18-19)
A. What He did for Jeremiah. (Jer. 1:18)
B. What Jesus said to His disciples.
– Pick up serpents. Mark 16:18
– Taking two cloaks. Matt. 10:7-15
C. Other disciples, etc. Acts 18:10 (Paul)

JEREMIAH’S MESSAGE TO THE BACKSLIDEN

A Behind The Scenes Look at Jeremiah’s Messages

1. The Importance and Holiness of Word From The Lord (Jeremiah 2:1-2)
A. It was vital to hear God’s Unchanging Word. MAL. 3:6, 2 COR.1:18-19
B. It was important to retain the purity of God’s Word. PRO. 30:5
C. It was important because it contained instruction. 2 TIM. 3:16
– For the prophet on when and how to give it.
– For the listener on what to do with it.

2. The Word Often Brings Up Forgotten Events. (Jeremiah 2:2-3)
A. QUESTION – Why were they forgotten ? EZEK. 23:35, JER. 13:25
B. QUESTION – Would they have been mentioned if the listener had already
learned the lesson from them ? EX. 13:3, PS. 32:8

3. The Word Is Complete. (Jeremiah 2:4-37)
A. It tells the problem. JER. 2:11-13
B. It reminds people why the problem exists. (JER. 2:19 – Went Back)
C. It tells what will happen if a solution isn’t found. (JER. 2:36-37)
       EZEK. 33:7, 1 THES. 5:14
D. It tells of the solution. (In Part 2…)

1. The People Did Not Trust God. (“In God We Trust” – Just a Saying?)
Typical explanations (lies)-
– We do, but God can work through other nations
– We do, but the little things? God isn’t interested.
– We do, but there’s no real problem right now. Things are good.

2. The people forgot their origins. (JER. 2:32)
A. Their miraculous beginnings. JER. 2:2-3
B. Was once a nation of justice. Now picks on the innocent. JER. 2:34
– Does defense of the poor justify injustice? John 12:5-8
– Trusting in their own defenses. HOSEA 8:14
C. Too distracted by their blessings. HOSEA 13:6

3. The People Refuse to Repent.
A. Cannot hide their sin. (JER. 2:22) MATT. 12:26
B. Ashamed. (JER. 2:26) People ashamed of God. LUKE 9:26
– Shame as a part of the repentance opportunity. 2 THES. 3:14
– Can be avoided by doing right. 2 TIM. 2:15
C. Will turn to God when nothing else works. (JER. 2:27-29)
– God permits it only for a while. 2 CHRON. 15:4
D. Feels that just changing their ways will make them more acceptable to God.
(JER. 2:36-37) HEB. 11:6
E. The necessity of faith and trust has been omitted by them.

1. The Lord’s Willingness to Accept What Man Will Not
(Jeremiah 3:1) 2 Cor. 6:17
A. People are invited to come. The Spirit and the Bride Say “Come.”
Rev. 22:17, John 7:37
B. People are commanded to come. Matt. 22:4, Mark 1:17, John 21:12

2. The Lord’s Power To Change Whom He Receives.
A. It is vitally important to come to Him (sincerity isn’t enough).
Salvation in none other. Acts 4:12
Who else would receive.Matt. 9:13
The filthy rags. Isaiah 64:6
The not desired. Zephaniah 2:1
The outcasts. (Jer. 30:17) etc.
B. It is pleasurable – a blessing – to come to Him !
(Some are surprised at this.)
– He receives when others will not.
– He changes people when others cannot.
– He keeps us secure when others will not.

3. When we come to Him we are changed – Always !
A. Clean hands, pure heart only. Psalms 24:4
B. Washed. 1 Cor. 6:11, Rev. 1:5
C. Cleansed. Acts 10:15
D. New creature. Gal. 6:15
E. New garment – righteousness of Christ. Matt. 22:12

Do people make the same mistakes, and commit the same sins today?

1. Some look for nature, natural occurrences to save.
A. The hills and mountains. Rev. 6:16
B. The abundance of the earth. Water, pure air, etc.
Psalms 52:7 America today?
C. Healthy bodies – jogging, good foods, etc. 1 Tim. 4:8

2. Some seek salvation through other people.
A. Religious family members, men. Isaiah 47:13, Deut. 28:29
B. Priests, clergy, etc.
C. Other gods. (Jer. 2:28)
– All religions believe in a higher power, supreme being,
including atheism. (Counts “self” as being all-wise,all-knowing,
enough to rule out “God”)
– The Bible says there is no other name. Acts 4:12
D. Alliances with the devil.
– Even some Christians sometimes back off their responsibilities
thinking the devil will go easier on them.
– Isn’t that a type of ‘deal’ or agreement with the devil?
E. Political powers. Hosea 13:10

3. The Implications If Salvation Was Impossible Any Other Way.
(John 14:6-Jesus, The Exclusive Way)
A. God the Father was sadistic in sending Jesus to the cross.
B. Jesus was naive or foolish to be willing to go to the cross.
C. God really isn’t as important and essential as he says he is.
D. We have nothing to rely on because the Bible would not be true.

*Judah Was Given One Last Godly King as A Last Opportunity To See The Truth
In Action. II Kings 22:1-2

Any Similarity To The Last Days, Before God Brings Judgement ?

1. What Does The Term “Adultery” Really Mean ? (Jer. 3:9-10)
A. (Strong’s #05003) Heb. = “to break the wedlock” or “break the
committment of marriage”
B. (Strong’s #3431) Greek = “to commit adultery with, to have unlawful
intercourse with another’s spouse.”

2. What Does The Term “Divorce” Really Mean ? (Jer. 3:8)
*Divorce = (Strong’s #03748) Heb. = divorcement, dismissal, a putting away)
BILL OF DIVORCEMENT= “A document putting away, cutting off,
or dismissing a guilty person from an innocent one.” Deut. 24:1-4
*NOTE: GOD DOES NOT CONSIDER AN INNOCENT PERSON, “DIVORCED”.
OTHERWISE, HE HIMSELF WOULD BE CONSIDERED DIVORCED
ACCORDING TO JER. 3:8

3. What Is Spiritual “Adultery” ?
A. Definition = “to break the commitment of a spiritual marriage.”
B. Examples in the word. Israel, end times: 1 Tim. 4:1, 2 Peter 2:15,
2 Tim. 4:10, 1 Tim. 1:19-20

4. Why is spiritual adultery so bad ?
A. God says it is, and commands against it. Exodus 20:14
B. The memory lingers in both parties’ minds.
C. It makes people wonder the value of the person cheated on.
D. It tells people that the marriage wasn’t good enough to keep.
E. It sets a bad example for others.
F. It hurts the innocent party.
G. It ultimately brings judgement on the guilty.

WHEN GOD SAYS, “RETURN…” WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

Is it ok to use our own interpretation of the word, ‘Return’?

1. What Does It Mean To ‘Return’?
A. Simply to go back to where you were. Num. 14:4
B. Obedience must occur when you return. Deut. 30:2-3
C. A change in behavior comes afterwards, as a result of returning.
(Jer. 1:11)

2. What Are The Results of Returning?
A. Mercy, pardon, forgiveness. (Jer. 35:15, & 36:3) Isaiah 55:7
B. Rejoicing – why ? Faith in the Lord receiving you. Isaiah 35:10
C. Withholding of God’s anger because of your sin. (Jer. 3:12)
D. Healings of the soul. (Jer. 3:22)
– Some are immediate, some are over time.
E. Stability and strength for you to stand. (Jer. 4:1)
F. God returns to you (in fellowship, etc.) Mal. 3:7
G. Renewed ability to distinguish between righteous and evil. Mal. 3:18

Jeremiah’s Message In The Temple Gate.

While a New Testament Believer Has Security, It Doesn’t Change Our Holy God’s Response To Sin.

1. God will not dwell where sin abounds.
A. Sin pollutes purity. Jer. 7:30
-Ezekiel 20:31 – No prayers heard. Psalm 66:18 & Isaiah 1:15
B. He will not remain there.
– Someone has to go. Psalm 101:7
– No fellowship. 1 Cor. 5:6-8
C. When a person repents, fellowship is restored. 1 John 1:7

2. God uses temples of purity.
A. Physical buildings. 1 Kings 9:3
B. Buildings of flesh. 1 Cor. 6:19

3. The issue of security.
*Old Testament different than new.
A. Old Testament Psalm 51:11
B. New Testament.Hebrews 13:5

SPIRITUAL CONDITIONS OF A JUDGEMENT GENERATION

Do These Conditions Exist In The World Today ?

1. Spiritual blindness. (Jer. 8:6)
A. Can’t accept that they did anything wrong.
(“…What have I done?…”)(Jer. 2:35) 1 John 1:10
B. Can’t recognize what sin is any longer. Isaiah 44:18
God blinds them fully when they show they don’t want to see.
C. Refuse to accept responsibility for what was happening.

2. Follow the crowd mentality. (“…As a horse…”) (Jer. 8:6)
A. What everyone else does, they do.
– Christians resist the world. 1 John 5:5
– Friendship with the world is dangerous. James 4:4
B. Parents no longer teach children to resist it.
(Instead, what are all the other kids wearing?”)

3. Kept false hopes. (Jer. 8:19)
A. God would bail them out if they asked. (“Is not the Lord in Zion?”) (Jer. 46:11)
B. They had balm (medicine)=man’s solutions to spiritual problems.
C. They had physicians. (But, no help for conditions that came from
spiritual sources).
D. False hopes in the past.
– Elijah was from Gilead. 1 Kings 17:1
– Things had changed since then. Hosea 6:8