Jeremiah lived one of the most dramatic lives in the Bible, and that is saying something. But he never learned to like his role. Through all the excitement he remained reluctant, insecure, and often unhappy.
God chose him to be "over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant" (1:10). To accomplish that, Jeremiah had only one resource, his mouth. How did he respond to such an awesome challenge? "Ah, Sovereign Lord," he said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child" (1:6). He didn't stride forward; he barely hung on. He wanted out of the job.
His only encouragement was God's promise: "Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land" (1:18). For 40 years Jeremiah gave top officials a warning they hated to hear and refused to heed. Several times they arrested and imprisoned him; they nearly killed him.
His message? With God's approval, the savage Babylonians would sweep down into Judah. Clever alliances with other powers like Egypt would not help, said Jeremiah. Neither would Judah's half-hearted religion. Judah's only hope lay in renewing an alliance with the living God.
A Disturbing Glimpse of Jeremiah's Mind
The book of Jeremiah stands out not for beautiful poetry or great ideas. Its power comes from its disturbing glimpse of Jeremiah's mind. Jeremiah talked like a man who has awakened from a nightmare, convinced that the nightmare is |
