1:1 The following is a record of what Jeremiah son of Hilkiah prophesied. He was one of the priests who lived at Anathoth in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin.
The Hebrew for “record” is דִּבְרֵ֥י (debari), a plural noun, meaning “words.” Jeremiah and Amos are the only two prophets to use this plural form. The “words” are plural, because both Jeremiah and Amos will record both the prophetic record and the historical record. Jeremiah will concentrate on the prophecies and fulfilled history of the Babylonian Captivity.
Jeremiah means “Jehovah exalts,” “Jehovah hurls," or “Jehovah appoints.” All three of these verbs will become active in this book. Jehovah will exalt Himself as a righteous judge. He will hurl sinful Israel into Babylon. He will appoint guilty Israel to be captive in Babylon for seventy years.
Hilkiah means “God is my portion.” Hilkiah was a common name in ancient Israel. Jeremiah’s father was named Hilkiah. The High Priest of Israel during the time of King Josiah and Jeremiah was also named Hilkiah.
Jeremiah was a Levitical priest who was living in the town of Anathoth. Anathoth was a Levitical city in the territory of Benjamin. The Levites were scattered in different Levitical cities throughout the twelve different tribal areas of Israel. The Levites were responsible for preserving the Scriptures, teaching the Scriptures, and performing the Mosaic rituals which pointed to the Lord Jesus Christ.
1:2 The Lord began to speak to him in the thirteenth year that Josiah son of Amon ruled over Judah.
Jeremiah was called to the office of prophet in the thirteenth year of King Josiah (627 B.C.), King Josiah was the son of Manasseh. King Manasseh was so evil, that God predicted that Judah would enter into the Babylonian Captivity. Josiah was a good king who followed a wicked father. He was appointed king over a doomed nation. Because King Josiah was righteous and made many reforms in Israel, God did not send Judah into captivity during his reign. Josiah was the last good king of Israel.
1:3 The Lord also spoke to him when Jehoiakim son of Josiah ruled over Judah, and he continued to speak to him until the fifth month of the eleventh year that Zedekiah son of Josiah ruled over Judah. That was when the people of Jerusalem were taken into exile.
After King Josiah died in battle, Jeremiah continued his prophesies during the reigns of Jehoiakim, Zedekiah, and Governor Gedeliah. He also prophesied when some of the Jews went down to Egypt. Jeremiah saw the people of Judah enter into the Babylonian Captivity. His ministry lasted for over 45 years. Very few people listened to Jeremiah. People made fun of Jeremiah. They called him a false prophet. They imprisoned him and even attempted to kill him. Other contemporary prophets were Nahum, Habakuk, Zephaniah, the female prophetess Huldah, Ezekiel, and Daniel.
1:4 The Lord said to me, 1:5 “Before I formed you in your mother’s womb I chose you. Before you were born I set you apart. I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.”
Verses 4-10 recorded the call of Jeremiah to become a prophet.
How could God know Jeremiah before his conception? God knew him because of His omniscience. God sees the past, present, and future all at one time.
The Hebrew word for “know” is יָדַע (yada), meaning to know by experience. Jeremiah was already viewed as a person by God before he was even conceived in the womb. This means that abortion is murder. Abortionists, skeptics, atheists, feminists, and liberals may not think so, but they usually do not have enough Hebrew to understand the biblical doctrine behind this verse. When they place their human speculation above the divine viewpoint of God, then they will be judged for their arrogance.
In Job 10:8-12, God controls fetal development and views that the fetus is a person for whom He has a plan.
In Psalm 139:14–16, even before a person lives, when he was still a fetus in the womb, then God had already ordained his steps and directed his ways.
Once the baby is conceived in the womb, then according to God’s divine viewpoint, abortion is the murder of an innocent human being made in the image of God. Those who teach, condone, or perform abortions are murderers in God’s eyes.
The Hebrew word for “appointed” is קָדַשׁ (kodesh), meaning to be holy or to be set apart for a holy special purpose. The Hebrew word for “to the nations” is לַגּוֹיִ֖ם (la-goyim), meaning “to the Gentiles.” Jeremiah was set apart for a holy purpose to become a prophet to the Gentiles even before he was conceived in the womb.
1:6 I answered, “Oh, Lord God, I really do not know how to speak well enough for that, for I am too young.”
The Hebrew word for “too young” (or “child” in some English versions) is נַ֖עַר (na-ar), meaning a boy or man who was sometimes up to 45 years old (Exodus 33:11). At the time of Jeremiah’s prophetic call, he was likely between 25-30 years of age. Jeremiah’s point was that he was inexperienced in public speaking.
It is interesting to note that Isaiah wanted to be God’s prophet. At Isaiah’s call, he answered “Here I am. Send me.” Jeremiah did not want to be a prophet.
1:7 The Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ But go to whomever I send you and say whatever I tell you.
Experience was not necessary. Jeremiah simply had to repeat what God would say.
1:8 Do not be afraid of those to whom I send you, for I will be with you to protect you,” says the Lord.
This promise was not made to every prophet. Jeremiah was immortal until he finished his commission. Jeremiah’s enemies would cause him a great deal of mental and physical suffering. However, they would not be able to kill him.
It is important to note that the divine viewpoint of Jeremiah’s calling is that the people of the satanic world system wanted to silence God’s voice (even if they had to murder God’s prophets and teachers), but they were not able to do so. This is why modern pastors who teach the Word of God are either silenced, persecuted, or ignored. If one goes into a church where the Bible is being taught at the deepest level, then it will be an almost empty church. Very few people will support a pastor who is teaching sound Bible doctrine at the deepest level. They do not want to hear the truth. They would rather be entertained. They would rather have their ears tickled.
1:9 Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I will most assuredly give you the words you are to speak for me.
God touched the mouth of Jeremiah to assure that his words would be from God.
1:10 Know for certain that I hereby give you the authority to announce to nations and kingdoms that they will be uprooted and torn down, destroyed and demolished, rebuilt and firmly planted.”
Jeremiah’s prophecies would major on destruction and minor on restoration. In chapters 2-45, he would proclaim prophecies to Judah. In chapters 46-52, he would proclaim prophecies to the Gentile nations. Jeremiah would be quoted 23 times in the Book of Revelation.
1:11 Later the Lord asked me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” I answered, “I see a branch of an almond tree.”
In Israel, the almond is the first shrub to bloom from winter. Their flowers come out as early as January. Their fruit comes out as early as March. This bloom is much earlier than most other plants, shrubs, flowers,, and trees in Israel. The almond tree is like a watchman who is the first to wake up after a long winter nap. He then announces the coming of spring.
1:12 Then the Lord said, “You have observed correctly. This means I am watching to make sure my threats are carried out.”
God watched over Jeremiah's words and made sure that they would be fulfilled. Therefore, whatever Jeremiah prophesied would be fulfilled. If his current prophecies took place, then his latter prophecies in the distant future would take place as well. If these prophecies did not take place, then the Mosaic Law required that the false prophet was to be executed by the nation by stoning.
This is a stern warning to many of the false modern day false prophets in charismatic churches today, If a charismatic claims that he is a prophet, then his prophecies should include a current prophecy which will be immediately fulfilled. It should be written down. When it does not take place, then the false prophet should be excommunicated from that church.
1:13 The Lord again asked me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a pot of boiling water; it is tipped toward us from the north.”
The pot of boiling water was the utensil which prophets used to boil pottage. This was very similar to what Jacob used when he prepared soup for his father Isaac while Esau was hunting. The pot was tipped from north to south, meaning that the hot water would flow from north to south.
1:14 Then the Lord said, “This means destruction will break out from the north on all who live in the land.
Judgment will come against Judah from the north. The nation from the north was not yet named.
1:15 For I will soon summon all the peoples of the kingdoms of the north,” says the Lord. “They will come and their kings will set up their thrones near the entrances of the gates of Jerusalem. They will attack all the walls surrounding it, and all the towns in Judah.
Jerusalem would fall to this nation from the north. Kings and judges from the north would set up their courts at the city gates of Jerusalem. The other towns of Judah would be conquered as well. Josiah had expanded the Jewish kingdom, so this would be a large conquest.
1:16 In this way I will pass sentence on the people of Jerusalem and Judah because of all their wickedness. For they rejected me and offered sacrifices to other gods, worshiping what they made with their own hands.”
God would allow this northern nation to conquer Judah for three reasons. First, Judah had forsaken Jehovah. Second, Judah had burned incense to foreign gods. Third, Judah had worshiped idols which had been made with her own hands.
1:17 “But you, Jeremiah, get yourself ready! Go and tell these people everything I instruct you to say. Do not be terrified of them, or I will give you good reason to be terrified of them.
Jeremiah was commanded to give this message of destruction to Jerusalem. He was not to fear the people. If Jeremiah refused to give this prophecy, then God would give Jeremiah good reason to fear the people.
1:18 I, the Lord, hereby promise to make you as strong as a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall. You will be able to stand up against all who live in the land, including the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and all the people of the land.
Jeremiah did not need to fear the people, because God would make Jeremiah like a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall.
King Josiah never attacked Jeremiah, because Josiah was a good king. However, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah all attacked Jeremiah. The princes were government officials who also attacked Jeremiah, especially during the reign of Zedekiah. Jeremiah was a Levitical priest, but he was attacked by other Levitical priests from his very own family line. The general population also attacked Jeremiah.
Jeremiah did not give a seeker-friendly message, so everyone attacked him. This is why true pastor-teachers can never teach in a large modern church. The people want their ears tickled. They would run him out of town.
1:19 They will attack you but they will not be able to overcome you, for I will be with you to rescue you,” says the Lord.
Jeremiah would be attacked, but God would be with him. If a pastor-teacher is teaching the Word of God, then he will be attacked. However, God will be with him. God may or may not deliver him, as this book clearly points out.
It is important to note that there is a Jewish tradition that Jeremiah was stoned in Egypt. There is a Christian legend that Jeremiah was killed during his prophetic office. Neither of these non-biblical traditions can be true, because God promised that Jeremiah escape from martyrdom.