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April 1929
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FRED S. SHEPARD ’S BLACKBOARD OUTLINE O B E Y I N G—2 Chr. 34:2 BTAINING—2 Chr. 34:14 BSËRVING—2 Chr. 34:33 O how love I thy law!—Psa. 119:97. in the book were inevitable, but that, since the King had humbled himself and had desired to know the will of God, the calamity would not be in his day. In this instance God demonstrated what He meant by the following: words: “But to this man will I look, even him that is of a poor and contrite spirit, and that trem- bleth at my word" (Isa. 66:2). VI. A Great Revival Caused by the Word of God. Vs. 29-33. Immediately the King, together with the elders of the people, went up to the Tem ple and read in their hearing “all the words of the Book of the Covenant that was found in the House of Jehovah.’’. After the reading, the king stood in his place and entered into a covenant with God to be faithful and loyal in the per formance of all the things written in the book. Furthermore, he caused all the people likewise to enter into this cove nant. He was very active in removing all the abominations (idols) from the land and to see that everyone served Jehovah the true God. Under a dispensation of Law in which idolatry was positively prohib ited, there was excuse for such drastic, forced measures in requiring all to wor ship Jehovah the true God, but today under the covenant of grace, God permits men to do as they desire without any coercion on His part. Eventually, how ever, He will deal with the rebellious. May 12, 1929 The Early Ministry of Jeremiah Golden T ext: “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5 :29). Lesson Texts: Jer. 1:1-10; 6:10, 11; 8:18; 9:2; 26:1-24. L esson in O utline I. Jeremiah’s Call and Consecration. 1: 1 - 10 . 1. The Times of Jeremiah. Vs. 1-3. 2. The Prophet’s Call. Vs. 4-10. II. Israel’s Hardened Condition. 6:10-11. III. The Prophet’s Grief Over Israel’s Calamity. 8:18; 9:2. IV. A Severe Test for the Prophet. 26: 1-24. 1. The Prophet’s Message to the Na tion. Vs. 1-7. 2. Opposition to the Message by the Religious Leaders. Vs. 8, 9. 3. The Princes of Judah Defending Jeremiah. Vs. 10-15. 4. The Advice of the Princes to the Religious Leaders. Vs. 16-24.
I. Jeremiah’s Call and Consecration. Jer. 1:1-10. 1. The times of Jeremiah. Vs. 1-3. J EREMIAH began his personal ministry in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah, king of Judah (Jer. 25:3). Dur ing his day the storm clouds of disaster
10 the scope of the prophet’s ministry is set forth. ‘ In other words, the Lord affirmed that the message which the prophet would speak, regardless of its im port, would be fulfilled. II. Israel’s Hardened Condition. 6:10-11. Experience confirmed the prophet’s opinion concerning the hardness of the hearts of his people. Being somewhat discouraged, the prophet replied to the Lord, “To whom shall I speak and testify that they may hear? Behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken. Behold, the word of Jehovah is become unto them a reproach; they have no de light in it.” A selfish glance at the first part of this statement might lead one to believe that the responsibility of their hearts rested upon the Lord; but the lat ter half of the verse shows clearly where the responsibility lay, namely, with Israel. Man first hardens his heart ; then, as judicial punishment, G od hardens the heart of such a rebellious one ; the result, therefore, is that the heart is hardened. These three different angles of the situa tion are seen in God’s dealings with Pharaoh (Ex. 7:1-Ì5). III. The Prophet’s Grief over Israel’s Calamity. 8:18; 9:2. In 8 :18 the prophet could not comfort himself because of the impending judg ment which would bring untold suffering to his people. In 9 :2 his grief is due to the awful sins of his people. IV. A Severe Test for the Prophet. 26: 1-24. 1. The Prophet’s Message to the Na tion. Vs. 1-7. In the beginning of the reign of Je- hoiakim the Lord instructed the prophet to go and to stand in thè courts of the Temple in order that he might deliver “all the words which I speak unto them; di minish not a word.” It is a fearful thing either to add or to take from the message of God (cf. Rev. 22:18, 19). The prophet was to give his message and leave the re sult with the Lord. The word of his message was that if the nation failed to heed God’s Word, Je rusalem and the cities of Judah would become desolate like Shiloh, a former sanctuary which had at that time been re duced to a desolation. 2. Opposition of the Religious Leaders. Verses 8, 9. When the prophet finished delivering his message, the spiritual leaders of the people, who should have welcomed the message of warning and heeded it, be came bitter opponents and reprimanded the prophet for delivering such a message. 3. The Princes of Judah Defending Jeremiah. Vs. 10-15. The opposition of the ecclesiastical au thorities was reported to the officials of the government, who immediately came from the palace into the Temple. Upon their arrival the priests and prophets stated to them that Jeremiah was worthy of death because of his having prophesied against the city. His accusers gave no proof for their statements. Assertions are easy ; to bring proof frequently is dif ficult. In réSponse to their false charge, Jere miah stated why he prophesied ; namely, because he was commissioned by the
were gathering rap idly over Judah. As the m o n t h s sped rapidly by, the in iquity and indiffer ence of the people increased the more. Jeremiah, w h o s e home \yus at Ana- thoth (a little vil lage, about t h r e e
miles east of Jerusalem), was called of God to proclaim to the doomed nation its judgment. 2. The Prophet’s Call. Vs. 4-10. “Now the word of Jehovah came unto me.’’ The Word of God came unto cer tain of His chosen vessels, being brought to their minds by the Spirit of God, who gave not only the message but the words with which it was to be conveyed (Zech. 7:12; 1 Cor. 2:13). Before the birth of the prophet, God knew him and sanctified him; that is, God set him apart for a certain work. .“My times are in thy hands’’ (Psa. 31.J5).. Paul likewise was called before his birth to deliver God’s message (Gal. 1 :15-16). Jeremiah was appointed a prophet unto the nations. A prophet is one who speaks for God. The content of his message may refer to things in the past, present, or future. He was to deliver, according to verse 4, messages which pertained to all the nations of the earth (for example, see chapter 25: 15-26). In verse 6 is recorded the prophet’s re action to his special call. He realized his natural inability to meet the situation. Naturally he was of a timid, shrinking disposition with a soul that was sensitive to spiritual matters. He felt very keenly the sins and the injustice of his times. He could not see how he, a child, could meet that stubborn opposition with which he would be confronted. Though a mere child, he was able to see and realize that his message would be unaccepted by his people. “Say not, I am a child; for to whom soever I shall call thee, thou shalt go, and whatsoever I shall command thee, thou shalt speak.’’ These words contain a sharp rebuke to the young prophet. Fur thermore, they contain a note of sternness which is characteristic of the Eternal God, especially in His d e a l i n g s with sin or rebellion. One is to go where the Lord leads, and to speak what God says. Jesus came not to do His own will, but to do the will of God and to speak the message of God. Paul said that he was not attempting to please men, for were he doing so, he could not please Christ (Gal. 1:10). “Be not afraid because of them; for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith Je hovah.” God spoke similarly to Joshua when he assumed command of the hosts of Israel (Josh. 1:1-9). “I f God is for us, who can be against us?’’ (Rom. 8:31). “God’s commandings are His enab lings.” According to verse 9, God, in g. symbolic way, touched the prophet’s mouth, thus signifying that He would put His words in the latter’s mouth. In verse
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