Jeremiah 1 - 26

 Jeremiah was of the priests in Anathoth, a city of priests, which lay about three miles from Jerusalem. He assisted king Josiah in the purging of Judah's idols, images and high places.

 9 Then the LORD put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the LORD said to me,
“Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. (Jer 1)

5 Thus says the LORD:
“What wrong did your fathers find in me
that they went far from me,
and went after worthlessness, and became worthless? (Jer 2)

God tries to appeal his case with us! Amazing! Almost a sign of desperation but really a truer sign of utter humility and deep love for His chosen. 

 8 The priests did not say, ‘Where is the LORD?’
Those who handle the law did not know me;
the shepherds transgressed against me;
the prophets prophesied by Baal
and went after things that do not profit. (Jer 2)

For it's for the priest to initiate inquiry of the Lord. We need to constantly seek him without rest or contentment as long as he can be found.

 22 Though you wash yourself with lye
and use much soap,
the stain of your guilt is still before me,
declares the Lord GOD. (Jer 2)

32 Can a virgin forget her ornaments,
or a bride her attire?
Yet my people have forgotten me
days without number. (Jer 2)

10 Yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah did not return to me with her whole heart, but in pretense, declares the LORD.” (Jer 3)

For God cannot be mocked, he sees right through our hearts and what's more important to us rather than him.

20 Surely, as a treacherous wife leaves her husband,
so have you been treacherous to me, O house of Israel,
declares the LORD.’” (Jer 3)

For both our fathers and me have sinned against our Lord. I need to seek repentance and reject the idols in my lives. I need to flee from my own desires and love the Lord just as first.

 4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD;
remove the foreskin of your hearts, (Jer 4)

19 My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain!
Oh the walls of my heart!
My heart is beating wildly;
I cannot keep silent,
for I hear the sound of the trumpet,
the alarm of war. (Jer 4)

Jeremiah shows his heart for God's decrees and how close he is to God. Worthy of imitation.

 23 But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart;
they have turned aside and gone away.
 24 They do not say in their hearts,
‘Let us fear the LORD our God,
who gives the rain in its season,
the autumn rain and the spring rain,
and keeps for us
the weeks appointed for the harvest.’ (Jer 5)

30 An appalling and horrible thing
has happened in the land:
 31 the prophets prophesy falsely,
and the priests rule at their direction;
my people love to have it so,
but what will you do when the end comes? (Jer 5)

22 For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. 23 But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’ (Jer 7)

A sermon preached to those going inside the temple to praise God but yet do evil amongst the people.

21 For the wound of the daughter of my people is my heart wounded;
I mourn, and dismay has taken hold on me. (Jer 8)

1  Oh that my head were waters,
and my eyes a fountain of tears,
that I might weep day and night
for the slain of the daughter of my people!
14 but have stubbornly followed their own hearts and have gone after the Baals, as their fathers taught them. (Jer 9)

25 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will punish all those who are circumcised merely in the flesh— 26 Egypt, Judah, Edom, the sons of Ammon, Moab, and all who dwell in the desert who cut the corners of their hair, for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart.”  (Jer 9)

For even then as it is now, people trust more the righteousness based on deeds than the righteousness received by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

 23 I know, O LORD, that the way of man is not in himself,
that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.
 24 Correct me, O LORD, but in justice;
not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing. (Jer 10)

For it's truly up to God himself to direct our steps and bring us in the place he predestined.

1 Righteous are you, O LORD,
when I complain to you;
yet I would plead my case before you.
Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
Why do all who are treacherous thrive? (Jer 12)

  23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin
or the leopard his spots?
Then also you can do good
who are accustomed to do evil. (Jer 13)


 10 Thus says the LORD concerning this people:
“They have loved to wander thus;
they have not restrained their feet;
therefore the LORD does not accept them;
now he will remember their iniquity
and punish their sins.” (Jer 14)

For surely We should keep on walking on the narrow road. But society teaches us experimenting and "wandering" is our right and yet so is our walk with him.

 6 You have rejected me, declares the LORD;
you keep going backward,
so I have stretched out my hand against you and destroyed you—
I am weary of relenting. (Jer 15)

This one of the few times that God shows he's tired of being compassionate with His people. Even God eventually gets tired of trying to save us.

5 “For thus says the LORD: Do not enter the house of mourning, or go to lament or grieve for them, for I have taken away my peace from this people, my steadfast love and mercy, declares the LORD. (Jer 16)

This is surely the harsh side of God to the point where he's withhelding his love and mercy.

5 Then the word of the LORD came to me: 6 “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the LORD. Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. (Jer 18)

For God wants to be the potter of my life and shape it into a new me.

9 If I say, “I will not mention him,
or speak any more in his name,”
there is in my heart as it were a burning fire
shut up in my bones,
and I am weary with holding it in,
and I cannot. (Jer 20)

For the message of the Lord a heavy millstone on our necks. But we cannot stop speaking. For rather die and humiliation speaking his Word than be ashamed of him.

21 “I did not send the prophets,
yet they ran;
I did not speak to them,
yet they prophesied. (Jer 23)

For it's a slippery rope to preach with our own strength instead of preaching the message of God - in its entirety.

7 I will give them a heart to know that I am the LORD, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart.

 24 But the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah so that he was not given over to the people to be put to death. (Jer 26)

For those who want to live a godly life will be persecuted. But the Lord is our fortress!