Jeremiah 1c

  There is abundant evidence in the Book of Jeremiah that he had a lifetime secretary, a scribe who wrote down the words that Jeremiah heard from God (Jeremiah 36:4,18,32; 45:1). At one point, Baruch read the scroll to the king, and after each section, the king cut up the scroll and burned it. Later, Jeremiah handed Baruch a blank scroll and dictated God’s messages again. Thus, the book has a certain order. Chapter 1-6 reports Jeremiah’s call and his early preaching career. 

 Remember that Jeremiah cautioned God that he was “only a boy.” After the call, it looks like God undertook to train his new disciple.  

1: 11-12.  The word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree.” Then the LORD said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.” 

 What kind of training is this? The branch is the mnemonic device of word association. What are the colors of the rainbow (at least for an English speaker)? “Roy G. Biv.” Right? Though the name means nothing, it is an acronym for Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet. That is one way to teach new students. 

 In this case, Jeremiah may have had a vision, but more likely he was just passing an almond tree and God asked, “What do you see?” Jeremiah replied that he saw sh-q-d. Remember that ancient Hebrew was written only in consonants, then the reader added the vowels in their minds and looked at the context to get the word. You can do the same. Do you understand this phrase: ‘th wrd f Gd’? Only much later were vowel points written into the text. 

 Jeremiah answered that he saw a blossoming almond branch, the word with vowel points is shaqed ‘almond branch’. God said, ‘That’s right. Every time you see the almond blossoms in the early spring, let it remind you that I am sh-q-d’. 

 This time the intended vowels are ‘o’ and ‘e’, making the word shoqed, which means ‘watching’. ‘See the shaqed; remember that I am always shoqed’.

 How do we know? First, because of the context where God implies doing something “over my word to perform it.” Second, because later Jewish scribes did point this word in writing as shoqed. This doesn’t work in English, does it? Or does it? 

 Why should Jeremiah have to be reminded? Because it might be a long time, many springs may come and go before God carries out his promises and warnings. If Jeremiah began preaching in 626-627 BC, it was not until 40 years later that the Babylonian army showed up outside the walls of Jerusalem. That’s an example of God’s patience, often mistaken by evil people as indifference.

 1: 13.  The word of the LORD came to me a second time, saying, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling pot, tilted away from the north.”

  On another occasion, Jeremiah was walking down the street and he saw a familiar sight, a pot of stew sitting on three stones over a fire. Once again, God asks him what he sees. The pot is unremarkable, except that it has slipped and is tilting precariously “away from the north.” What does that mean? 

1: 14-15.  Then the LORD said to me: ‘Out of the north disaster shall break out on all the inhabitants of the land. For now I am calling all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, says the LORD, and they shall come, and all of them shall set their thrones at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its surrounding walls and against all the cities of Judah’.

 If the pot is tilted away from the north, then it is about to spill out its scalding contents toward the south. God affirms what Jeremiah saw, and now there are two everyday reminders that God is watching for the right time and that the looming disaster for Judah will come from the peoples of the north. 

 Why do the leaders of the kingdoms from the north “set their thrones at the entrance of the gates”? The gate of an ancient village or city is where business was conducted. Goods were bought and sold, but also the ruler’s commands were read aloud and court cases were settled. What needs to be settled? We will see that it is the case that God will bring against Judah and the Jews. 

1: 16.  And I will utter my judgments against them for all their wickedness in forsaking me; they have made offerings to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands. 

 Lest we misread the charge that the people have left off worshipping God and have switched to worshipping other gods, there is more to this charge. If God were just bothered by the lack of worship, then we might think of God as a narcissist. Does he really crave all this praise all the time? 

 No, that is not what is going on. While God does deserve all the worship and praise that he gets, there is a deeper reason. God’s interest is in his people. The people’s behavior is horrendous. Read the Book of Judges and you will see. If that is not enough to make the point, read through the history of the kings. There you will read that king after king cheated, mistreated, killed, and stole from the people they were supposed to be shepherding like a flock. 

 They were a flock; the people were fleeced. Court appointed prophets stood by and kissed up to the king. Priests carried on temple rituals like everything was going swimmingly in the kingdom. Corrupt! That is the word for the majority of the kings of Israel and Judah.

 When do people act like that? When they drift away from true worship of the one true God. Period. So, in God’s view, the point of worship is to develop a life-changing relationship with God that produces devoted followers who act in a godly manner. That’s good for everyone. 

 However, when people turn to other gods where the emphasis is on greed, lust, and the desire for power, the worshippers turn into what they worship. “And the people bowed and prayed to the neon god they made,” says Simon and Garfunkel. And when the people become zombies fixed only on devouring others, their leaders outdo them in all ways: the desire for riches, the lust for instant gratification, and the quest for power at any cost. That’s good for no one, least of all the poor and marginalized who are abused and discarded.

 How do we fashion acceptable worship? First, there is creation and existence itself. Do we appreciate that our existence is a gift of God, and if God stops breathing we will die clutching our throats? Second, there is worth in relationship with God and with each other. Jesus said, “Love God, and love others as yourself”? That’s for our own good, for the good that God intends in society. Fellowship in good company does not come from individual greed and pride. It involves gratitude for our existence and the existence of others with whom we can share life. Gratitude, living for God, caring for others; these things grow as we pursue our relationship with God, only to find that God has been pursuing us. 

 This is Jeremiah’s message to Judah, to Babylon, and to the world: Repent because you have sinned in a world where God reigns. Confess your sins and beg for forgiveness. Live with a humble and contrite heart before others. Shun those who are arrogant, grasping, and pushy. Do that as a society, and it will go well for you. That is why we worship God, and that is the reason that God deserves the praise.

1: 17-19.  But you, gird up your loins; stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Do not break down before them, or I will break you before them. And I for my part have made you today a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, says the LORD, to deliver you.

 The road will be difficult for Jeremiah, and for us if we are faithful, but God is walking before Jeremiah, paving the way and protecting the prophet from undue harm. Who is the prophet’s audience? “The whole land,” that is, the whole nation has gone off the rails. Only misplaced nationalism would defend such a country. 

 Does this message apply to our times? Yes, if you read and understand all of God’s word, then you know who is exhibiting godly character and loving their neighbors. 

 The Apostle Paul said: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or empty conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests but to the interests of others“ (Philippians 2:3-4).

 The author of the Book of Hebrews said: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it” (13:2).

 James, the brother of the Lord, said: “ My brothers and sisters, do not claim the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory while showing partiality. For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Have a seat here in a good place, please,” while to the one who is poor you say, “Stand there,” or, “Sit by my footstool,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor person. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into the courts? Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you? If you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well. But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. (James 2:1-9).

 Jeremiah is a prophet for turbulent times when people turned away from trusting in God and instead pursued greed, pride, and power. Those are the times that we live in.