The MAJOR & MINOR Prophets - The 16 Writing Prophets Of The Hebrew Canon

2. I formed you 3. I sanctified (set you apart) 4. I ordained (appointed) you

2. The Empowerment (1:6-10). Jeremiah did not have false humility, he truly felt inadequate for such a task, untrained and unfit for such service. His confession in modern language would be: ´, DP EXW D ER\ µ 15

*RG·V QR XQFHUWDLQ DQVZHU FDPH LQ WKUHH parts:

‡ ´, DP ZLWK \RXµ Y . This saying has been made famous by Jesus (Matthew 28:20), but it was also used in the Old Testament; as, with Gideon (Judges 6:12, 16) or Isaiah 43:5. What greater assurance could be given to Jeremiah? His God was with him! ‡ ´ I have put my words in \RXU PRXWKµ Y . ,VDLDK·V OLSV ZHUH WRXFKHG E\ D FRDO RI ILUH IURP *RG·V DOWDU ,VDLDK DQG (]HNLHO KDG WKH KDQG RI WKH /RUG FRPH XSRQ KLP 7KLV ZDV GLYLQH impartation! Another metaphor would be eating the scroll, so that the true word would be given (Jeremiah 15:16; Ezekiel 3:1-3; Revelation 10:9-11).

‡ ´ , KDYH WKLV GD\ VHW \RX RYHU WKH QDWLRQV DQG RYHU WKH NLQJGRPVµ -- to root out, destroy

-- to build & to plant -- pull down, throw down 16

3. The Prophetic Visions (1:11-16). 7ZR YLVLRQV EXUVW RQ WKH SURSKHW·V FRQVFLRXVQHVV

‡ A Branch of an Almond Tree (1:11-12) : The almond is the first of the trees to bud in the spring . Spring is coming, even if only the Almond is budding: disaster is coming, given early warning by -HUHPLDK·V SUHGLFWLRQV EORVVRPV 17 ‡ $ Boiling Pot [cauldron] (1:13-16) ´V\PEROL]LQJ GLVDVWHUV WR EH SRXUHG RXW RQ -XGDK IURP WKH QRUWK µ 18 This referred to the Babylonian invaders.

4. Go G·V $VVXULQJ 3URPLVHV -19). P UHSDUH«DULVH« VSHDN« do not be dismayed!

‡ ´ This day, I have made you: ( 7KUHH YLYLG PHWDSKRUV PHDQLQJ ´KDUG DV QDLOVµ

15 Most commentators assume that Jeremiah was in his late teens or early twenties; as, Blackwood (p. 30) & Wood (p. 333). 16 &RXOG WKLV EH WKH PHDQLQJ LQWHQGHG LQ WKH QDPH ³-HUHPLDK´ ± ³WKURZLQJ GRZQ´ HYLO QDWLRQV" 17 +REDUW ( )UHHPDQ ³7KH DOPRQG WUHH LQ +HEUHZ LV OLWHUDOO\ µWKH ZDNHIXO WUHH¶ RU µWKH ZDWFKIXO WUHH ¶ VR FDOOHG EHFDXVH RI LW s HDUO\ ZDNLQJ RXW RI ZLQWHU¶V VOHHS EHIRUH WKH RWKHU WUHHV 7KH HDUO\ EXGGLQJ RI WKH DOPRQG WUHH LV V\PEROLFDO RI WKH ZDNHIXO attitude RI *RG DQG WKH HDUO\ H[HFXWLRQ RI KLV SXUSRVH ZLWK UHVSHFW WR MXGJPHQW XSRQ WKH QDWLRQV YHUVH OLWHUDOO\ UHDGLQJ µ, ZLOO be ZDNHIXO DV WR P\ ZRUG WR SHUIRUP LW ¶ RU DV WKH $69 UHQGHUV LW ³, ZLOO ZDWFK RYHU P\ ZRUG WR SHUIRUP LW ¶´ An Introduction to the Old Testament Prophets, p. 244. 18 +D\IRUG¶V %LEOH +DQGERRN S $OVR +REDUW JLYHV WKLV WKRXJKW ³7KH ERLOLQJ SRW LV DQ 2ULHQWDO V\PERO RI UDJLQJ ZDU DQG VLJQLILHV KRZ *RG ZRXOG VWLU XS WKH ZDUOLNH VSLULW RI -XGDK¶V HQHPLHV DJDLQVW KHU ´ S 245.

90