Jeremiah 1
1
The Call of Jeremiah
1The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the kohanim who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin.
2The word of Adonai came to him during the days of King Josiah of Judah, son of Amon, in the thirteenth year of his reign.
3It continued during the days of King Jehoiakim of Judah, son of Josiah, until the end of the eleventh year of King Zedekiah of Judah, son of Josiah—until the exile from Jerusalem in the fifth month.
4The word of Adonai came to me, saying:
5“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, and before you were born, I set you apart— I appointed you prophet to the nations.”
6Then I said, “Alas, Adonai Elohim! Look, I don’t know how to speak! For I’m still a boy!”
7But Adonai answered me, “Do not say ‘I’m only a boy!’ For to everyone I send you, you will go, and all I command you, you will speak.
8Do not be afraid of them! For I am with you to deliver you.” It is a declaration of Adonai.
9Then Adonai stretched out His hand and touched my mouth and Adonai said to me, “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.
10See, today I have appointed you over nations and over kingdoms: to uproot and to tear down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”
11Moreover, the word of Adonai came to me, saying, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” I answered, “I see an almond branch.”
12Then Adonai said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching over My word to perform it.”
13The word of Adonai came to me a second time, saying, “What do you see?” I replied, “I see a boiling pot that is tilting away from the north.”
14Then Adonai said to me: “From the north, disaster will be poured out on all the inhabitants of the land.
15Behold! I am calling all the families of the kingdoms of the north.” It is a declaration of Adonai. “So they will come and each will set up his throne at the entry of the gates of Jerusalem, against all her surrounding walls and against all the cities of Judah.
16I will pronounce My judgments on them for all their wickedness— they have forsaken Me, offering incense to other gods, worshipping the works of their hands.
17Now, you, gird up your loins! Get up and tell them everything that I order you! Do not be terrified by them, or else I will terrify you before them.
18Look, today I have set you up as a fortified city— an iron pillar and bronze walls— against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its princes against its kohanim, and against the people of the land.
19Though they will fight against you, they will not win, for I am with you, to deliver you.” It is a declaration of Adonai.
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Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Jeremiah 1
1
Demolish, and Then Start Over
1-4The Message of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah of the family of priests who lived in Anathoth in the country of Benjamin. God’s Message began to come to him during the thirteenth year that Josiah son of Amon reigned over Judah. It continued to come to him during the time Jehoiakim son of Josiah reigned over Judah. And it continued to come to him clear down to the fifth month of the eleventh year of the reign of Zedekiah son of Josiah over Judah, the year that Jerusalem was taken into exile. This is what God said:
5“Before I shaped you in the womb,
I knew all about you.
Before you saw the light of day,
I had holy plans for you:
A prophet to the nations—
that’s what I had in mind for you.”
6But I said, “Hold it, Master God! Look at me.
I don’t know anything. I’m only a boy!”
7-8 God told me, “Don’t say, ‘I’m only a boy.’
I’ll tell you where to go and you’ll go there.
I’ll tell you what to say and you’ll say it.
Don’t be afraid of a soul.
I’ll be right there, looking after you.”
God’s Decree.
9-10 God reached out, touched my mouth, and said,
“Look! I’ve just put my words in your mouth—hand-delivered!
See what I’ve done? I’ve given you a job to do
among nations and governments—a red-letter day!
Your job is to pull up and tear down,
take apart and demolish,
And then start over,
building and planting.”
Stand Up and Say Your Piece
11-12 God’s Message came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?”
I said, “A walking stick—that’s all.”
And God said, “Good eyes! I’m sticking with you.
I’ll make every word I give you come true.”
13-15a God’s Message came again: “So what do you see now?”
I said, “I see a boiling pot, tipped down toward us.”
Then God told me, “Disaster will pour out of the north
on everyone living in this land.
Watch for this: I’m calling all the kings out of the north.”
God’s Decree.
15b-16 “They’ll come and set up headquarters
facing Jerusalem’s gates,
Facing all the city walls,
facing all the villages of Judah.
I’ll pronounce my judgment on the people of Judah
for walking out on me—what a terrible thing to do!—
And courting other gods with their offerings,
worshiping as gods sticks they’d carved, stones they’d painted.
17“But you—up on your feet and get dressed for work!
Stand up and say your piece. Say exactly what I tell you to say.
Don’t pull your punches
or I’ll pull you out of the lineup.
18-19“Stand at attention while I prepare you for your work.
I’m making you as impregnable as a castle,
Immovable as a steel post,
solid as a concrete block wall.
You’re a one-man defense system
against this culture,
Against Judah’s kings and princes,
against the priests and local leaders.
They’ll fight you, but they won’t
even scratch you.
I’ll back you up every inch of the way.”
God’s Decree.
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.