Jeremiah was of {ie., from among} the priests who lived in Anathoth, a city of the priests.
Anathoth was located in the region of Benjamin, about three miles northeast of Jerusalem.
It was one of thirteen cities which belonged to the priests, descended from Aaron (Josh 21:13-19). However, it was not one of the six cities of refuge (Josh 20:7-9).
Josiah was a good king, who began his reign at 8 years of age, after his wicked father, King Amon was deposed. (2Kin 21:19-26; 22:1-2)
Jeremiah's ministry began (v.2) in the thirteenth year of Josiah's reign.
This was 5 years prior to the discovery, by Hilkiah (Jeremiah's father), of the forgotten scroll of God's Word (2Kin 22:3-11). King Josiah, moved by God's Word, instigated immediate reforms to turn the nation back to the LORD, which resulted in a great revival (2Kin 23:1-25). However, due to the ingrained wickedness of the nation, the judgment foretold by the book of the Law (2Kin 22:12-20) was only temporarily withheld (2Kin 23:26-27).
Jeremiah's ministry continued (v.3) through the reigns of the last five kings of Judah:
Josiah, a righteous king who restored Temple worship and removed idol worship.
He reigned 31 years. (Jeremiah was active during the last 18 years of Josiah's reign.)
Jehoahaz, Josiah's son, did evil in the sight of the LORD.
He was taken captive by Egypt after only 3 months on the throne (2Kin 23:31-33).
Jehoahaz is not mentioned by name in Jeremiah.
Jehoiakim, another son of Josiah, was installed on the throne by the Egyptians.
He reigned 11 years, during which he reversed all of Josiah's reforms. Near the end of his reign, the balance of power had shifted. Judah was no longer under the sway of Egypt, but became tributary to Babylon. Because Jehoiakim rebelled against Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar initiated action against Judah (2Kin 23:34- 24:7). During his reign a small number of princes, including Daniel (Dan 1:1-3), and some of the Temple vessels were deported to Babylon.
Jehoiachin (also called Jeconiah and Coniah), a son of Jehoiakim,
reigned for 3 months, during which Nebuchadnezzar laid siege against Jerusalem. Jeconiah surrendered and was taken captive, along with many officials, princes and priests (including Ezekiel, Eze 1:1-3). During this second deportation of the Babylonian captivity, most of the remaining Temple treasures were also carried away (2Kin 24:8-16).
Zedekiah, another son of Josiah, was installed as king by Nebuchadnezzar.
He reigned for 11 years. During the last two and a half years of his reign, Jerusalem was under siege by Babylon. When the city fell, Zedekiah was taken captive, along with a large portion of the population, in the third and final deportation of the Babylonian captivity (in 586 BC). The city and Temple were destroyed. The remaining things of value were carried away from the Temple, including the brass pillars and the brazen sea and its supports. These items, too large to transport, were broken up and carried away as scrap metal. (2Kin 24:17- 25:21)
Jeremiah ministered "unto the carrying away of Jerusalem in the fifth month" (of the eleventh year of Zedekiah's reign, 2Kin 25:8).
B. The LORD's purpose for, and call of, Jeremiah (v.4-5)-
Before I formed thee, in the belly...
I knew thee, before thou camest forth out of the womb... (cp. Psa 139:13-16)
When does human life begin? at birth? at conception? or, in eternity past, in the mind of God?
I sanctified thee...- ie., I set you apart for my service.
I ordained thee...- ie., I determined your specific role, and placed you in it:
"a prophet unto the nations"- Jeremiah would address Judah and the Gentile powers. cp. Paul's calling, Gal 1:15-16 (separated... called... that I might preach...)
Jeremiah's name means "whom Jehovah has appointed."
C. An inadequate man learns that sufficiency is of God,v.6-10 (cp. 2Cor 3:5)
I am a child.- ie., a youth, a young man.
See this word in Ex 33:11 (referring to Joshua) and also in Zech 2:4 (where an angel is told to speak to Zechariah).
Jeremiah was not saying that he was too young, but that he was inexperienced.
I cannot speak.- Jeremiah's protest reminds us of Moses.
But he raises a very different issue. (Moses distrusted his ability to speak. "I am not eloquent," Ex 4:10). Jeremiah says, in effect, "I am inexperienced, without standing in the community, having no authority to merit a hearing." Timothy had similar concerns (1Tim 4:12).
Say not I am a child... for I will send thee... whatsoever I command thee... I am with thee... ...I have put my words in thy mouth... I have set thee over the nations...
The authority of the messenger is in the One who sends him.
(cp. Mat 28:18,19..."All power is given unto me... Go ye, therefore...")
The authority of the message is in the One whose Word it is.
(cp Mat 28:20a... "whatsoever I have commanded you...")
be not afraid of their faces... I am with thee...
The assurance of the messenger is the Presence of the LORD.
The assurance of the message is the Power of the LORD to fulfill His Word.
(cp. Mat 28:18... "all power is given unto Me...")
the LORD... touched my mouth... I have put my words in thy mouth... (cp. Isa 6:7; 51:16)
Because the Words which Jeremiah would speak were not his own, but God's Word, they could not fail. Rather, they would be fulfilled, both for judgment (root out, pull down, destroy) and for restoration (build, plant).
D. Confirmation and Commissioning of Messenger and Message,v.11-19
The sign of an almond rod-v.11-12 (A vision given to illustrate and confirm God's call to Jeremiah.)
the rod of an almond {HB= shaqed} tree - The first tree to bloom in the spring.
The Hebrew word means "awake."
Jeremiah's message would sound an alarm to the spiritually sleeping nation.
I will hasten {HB= shoqed, watch over} my word to perform it.-
cp. Num 17:8, Aaron's rod had appeared as dead as all the others (Num 17:1-7), but the LORD made it to bud, blossom, and bring forth almonds.
Though men disregard and discard God's Word as dry and dead, God will bring His purposes into being.
The sign of a seething pot-v.13-16 (Another vision, illustrating and confirming God's call to Jeremiah)
a seething pot... its face toward the north...-
This was a picture of the cauldron of trouble that was about to overflow Judah in the form of Babylon (cp. Jer 39:1,2). Assyria, which had taken the northern kingdom of Israel captive in 721 BC (about a hundred before Jeremiah's ministry began), was directly north. But Assyria was no longer a threat, having been displaced by Babylon, as a world power. Babylon was actually east of Israel. But geography would require their armies to approach from the north.
they shall set their thrones... in the gates of Jerusalem- cp. Jer 39:3
I will utter my judgments...- God's judgments, previously declared, would be executed.
Nine hundred years earlier, the LORD, through Moses, had warned Israel of the consequences of forsaking Him and giving themselves to the abominable practices of the ungodly nations around them. He would send a series of judgments, which (if they did not repent and turn back to Him) would culminate in their dispersion, from their land (see Lev 26:15-39; Deu 28:20). Because they had not heeded His warning, He was about to command the execution of His previously stated judgments.