"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.”(Jeremiah 1:5)
So many things happened without Jeremiah even realizing it. He was known by God before he was formed in the womb, he was set apart by God before he was born and he was appointed by God as a prophet to the nations.
Jeremiah was one of the priests at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin. Here the Lord was calling him to begin his prophetic ministry to the Israelites. He replied to the call in this manner: "Ah, Sovereign LORD," "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child." (Jeremiah 1:6)
There's always a tendency for us to judge us by ourselves. How good we are or how capable we are. Jeremiah did not know what the Lord actually wanted of him, so he replied in that manner. But we must remember that when God calls one to the ministry to do his work of proclaiming the Gospel, he is the one who equips us for the task.
Thus the Lord replied,
"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," declares the LORD. Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "Now, I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant." (Jeremiah 1:7-10)
Jeremiah prophesied to the Israelites at a stage when they were living in rebellion to the Lord. He prophesied judgement and destruction and deportation. He was not popular because people did not want to hear about impending judgement and destruction. That's why he had to suffer at the hands of his fellow men. Yet he was faithful to the Lord who had called him to the prophetic ministry.
God expects us to be faithful to his call and do the work that he has entrusted us with. Whether people listen to us or not is not the issue we have to be unduly worried about. It's whether we are faithful.
When God called another priest Ezekiel to the prophetic ministry, he told him one thing very clearly:
You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. (Ezekiel 2:7)
Let us then, who have been called by him to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ be faithful to him.
So many things happened without Jeremiah even realizing it. He was known by God before he was formed in the womb, he was set apart by God before he was born and he was appointed by God as a prophet to the nations.
Jeremiah was one of the priests at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin. Here the Lord was calling him to begin his prophetic ministry to the Israelites. He replied to the call in this manner: "Ah, Sovereign LORD," "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child." (Jeremiah 1:6)
There's always a tendency for us to judge us by ourselves. How good we are or how capable we are. Jeremiah did not know what the Lord actually wanted of him, so he replied in that manner. But we must remember that when God calls one to the ministry to do his work of proclaiming the Gospel, he is the one who equips us for the task.
Thus the Lord replied,
"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," declares the LORD. Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "Now, I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant." (Jeremiah 1:7-10)
Jeremiah prophesied to the Israelites at a stage when they were living in rebellion to the Lord. He prophesied judgement and destruction and deportation. He was not popular because people did not want to hear about impending judgement and destruction. That's why he had to suffer at the hands of his fellow men. Yet he was faithful to the Lord who had called him to the prophetic ministry.
God expects us to be faithful to his call and do the work that he has entrusted us with. Whether people listen to us or not is not the issue we have to be unduly worried about. It's whether we are faithful.
When God called another priest Ezekiel to the prophetic ministry, he told him one thing very clearly:
You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. (Ezekiel 2:7)
Let us then, who have been called by him to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ be faithful to him.
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