Who was Jeremiah?
Jeremiah was a prophet in the city of Judah and not just a prophet but was known as the weeping prophet. He was called to the ministry of the prophet when he was a teenager. His ministry was one of the most difficult from other prophets, because he became hated from his family and plotted to kill him, he was whipped, attacked by mobs, threatened by the king and ridiculed. Jeremiah was imprisoned by the king’s princesses, thrown into a well with dung in it, beaten and accused of treason. But the worst of the ministry of Jeremiah’s ministry was that he was not allowed to get married and was alone, abandoned by his family and he had the most horrendous news against his people from God. Yet Jeremiah’s ministry was of hope for his people. One of the most famous verses says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jer29:11). His message was that of restoration and repentance.
Lamentations 3:21-26
This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
22 It is of the Lord‘s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.24 The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.25 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.
Jeremiah is a symbolic person of the church whom God is molding to his image (Ep4:13). He felt the affliction that God instills on his elects he said, ” I Am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.2 He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light (Jer3:1)”. When we come to Christ the process for change begins and it is not an easy one. Luke tells us that God chastises those whom he receives as his own (He12:6). Jesus said that every branch that bears fruit God prunes (Jh15:1-2). Job said, “For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal” (Job5:18). Jeremiah understood that though God took him through the dark side; those difficult moments in life, he was going to deliver him. That when he went through those unwanted times with family abandonment, imprisonment etc.., the idea that God is a merciful God gave him hope that he was going to be delivered.
Jeremiah 29:11
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Ephesians 4:13
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man’s, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the Lord.
Hebrews 12:6
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
John 15:1-2
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Job 5:18
For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.