Jeremiah's Call

by Toms, A. F. | Category: Gems From Jeremiah | Feb 1991

Jeremiah served God at a very dark time in the history of Judah; it could hardly have been darker. The ten tribes of Israel had already been taken captive, but that desolate land to the north of them did not seem to have a voice for Judah. They still pursued their evil ways despite all God's warnings.

The little nation God loved so dearly was running headlong into destruction and disaster. All kinds of evil were rife among the people. Idolatrous rites were practised on every high hill and under every green tree (Jer. 2:20), God said. The country was full of temples erected for the worship of Baal. The poor were plundered, murder and adultery were the order of the day.

Amazingly it was in Jerusalem where God had His Temple that the evil was at its worst. In fact, His Temple became the headquarters of Baal worship. Its courts were desecrated by the images of heathen gods. "The Temple of the LORD, the Temple of the LORD", they cried, and yet within sight of that Temple the most abominable evils were taking place (Jer. 7:4,30).

The days were hard when Jeremiah was called to serve. God told him even when He appointed him to His service that the people would not listen to his message. Their hearts were stubbornly set to go their own way and God knew it, but before His judgement fell He must warn them again of the consequences of their sin. So once again God spoke to them, and whenever He speaks He looks for a man to be His mouthpiece, and the man this time was Jeremiah.

Jeremiah prophesied through the reigns of five kings, although only three are mentioned in the opening verses of his book, for the other two reigned for only three months each. Although the majority of the nation had turned away from God there were still some who feared the Lord, and Jeremiah belonged to such a family. His father was Hilkiah who may well have been the high priest who discovered the book of the law in the house of God in the reign of Josiah. A comparison of chapter 32:7 with 2 Chronicles 34:22 suggests that Shallum the husband of Huldah the prophetess may have been Jeremiah's uncle. So he was brought up in godly surroundings among people who feared the Lord. He must surely have felt the influence of their lives, and early in his own life he set his heart to serve the Lord. When God is looking for a man to speak His word He looks for one who has become familiar with His voice in the secret place, and I am sure that Jeremiah was such a man. He was young, perhaps in his late teens or early twenties, when the word of God came to him, and this is how he spoke about his experience:

The word of the LORD came to me, saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations". 'Ah, Sovereign LORD", I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child" (Jer. 1:4-6 NIV).

What a tremendous word to come to a young man. His response shows the deep impact that it had upon him. He was overwhelmed by the solemnity of it. "Ah Sovereign LORD", he said, "I do not know how to speak." He did not say, "I will not speak", but "I do not know how to speak". It was a cry of weakness rather than unwillingness. Indeed even as he protested, he declared his willingness by the very title he used in speaking to God. The Sovereign Jehovah, the mighty God, the eternal Jehovah was his supreme Lord, and Jeremiah had already learned that there was no arguing with Him. He felt utterly unable for the task

- overwhelmed by the awesomeness of it - but he was not refusing to obey. God loves men like that: men who feel their deep weakness, but are willing to put their trust in Him. God said a very lovely thing to Jeremiah:

Do not say, "I am only a child". You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you (Jer. 1:7 NIV).

So his strength for the task lay in the fact that God was sending him, and His enabling in the divine command. That statement contained words which have been a source of strength and encouragement to servants of God in all ages, "Do not be ....... for I am with you". These are tremendous words, so simple and yet so profound. I am, the divine title, the ever present Jehovah, and you. I am with you. "Lo, I am with you always" (Mat. 28:20) said our risen Master before He took His leave of His apostles. Down through the centuries God's servants have clung to those words at times when everything else seemed to be falling around them, and pinning their faith on them they have gone forward against fearful odds.

Toms, A. F. | Feb 1991
Gems From Jeremiah