As we look at our gate in today’s background photo we notice a couple of things. First off, we see that the ground right around the gate is marshy and muddy. Our gaze travels past the gate to notice, hazy in the background, a very huge power transmission tower looming close at hand!
This image pretty much sums up what the book of Jeremiah is about. The marshy ground around the gate could represent the people whose lives had become an unstable muddy mess! They had abandoned their faith in God. They had rejected God. Their lives no longer had any firm stable footing.
As our gaze travels past the gate to the huge power-transmission tower looming in the background … this could represent the Babylonian empire which loomed close-at-hand during the days Jeremiah prophesied.
Jeremiah lived about 50 years after Isaiah. He prophesied during the final waning days of the southern kingdom of Judah, ultimately witnessing the utter destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonian empire and the deportation of the people to Babylon. (For reference see: 2 Kings chapters 22-25; and 2 Chronicles chapters 34-36)
The huge power-transmission tower, looming in our background photo, carries power across high ridges, down through valleys, to far-away distant places. So also, the people of Judah were carried away! Bound in chains they were forced to walk … across high ridges, through deep valleys, far away to the distant land of Babylon … where they became slaves.
Our background photo for today is an object lesson … capturing, with just a glance, the overarching message of the book of Jeremiah.
Object lessons have a unique way of “driving a point home!” They “stick with you” and are easy to remember.
Jeremiah’s ministry was characterized by object lessons. For example:
– an object lesson using a linen belt (Jeremiah 13:1-11)
– an object lesson from a potter at work (Jeremiah 18:1-11)
– an object lesson from smashed clay jar (Jeremiah 19:1-12)
– an object lesson of two baskets of figs (Jeremiah 24:1-10)
– an object lesson from purchasing a field (Jeremiah 32:1-15)
Jeremiah was ridiculed. He was rejected. His life was threatened. He was imprisoned. He was thrown into a cistern that had no water in it … only mud. (“And Jeremiah sank down into the mud.” – Jeremiah 38:6-13)
Nevertheless, Jeremiah remained faithful to God. Jeremiah tenaciously called people to repent! Disobedience will result in consequences!!
As with Isaiah, Jeremiah delivered God’s messages of warning not only to the people of Judah, but also the surrounding nations:
– a message to Egypt: Jeremiah chapter 46
– a message about the Philistines: Jeremiah chapter 47
– a message about Moab: Jeremiah chapter 48
– a message about Amon: Jeremiah 49:1-6
– a message about Edom: Jeremiah 49:7-22
– a message about Damascus: Jeremiah 49:23-27
– a message about Kedar and Hazor: Jeremiah 49:28-33
– a message about Elam: Jeremiah 49:34-39
– a message about Babylon: Jeremiah chapters 50-51
God loves all people! God wants all people of the earth to repent and turn to Him.
The book of Jeremiah is a book of prophecy.
Prophecy looking beyond the marshy muddy gate, into the future … to warn of judgement looming close at hand. It happened!
Prophecy looking even further past the looming power-transmission tower … even further into the future … to give hope of restoration. God would bring His people back to their land. It happened!
Prophecy looking so far into the distant future that it has yet to be fulfilled to this day. Jeremiah prophesied that one day Messiah [Jesus] would come to earth to establish a Kingdom of Peace which will never end! This will happen!
Jesus Christ in Jeremiah.
– Jesus is the Fountain of living waters (Jeremiah 2:13)
– Jesus is the Righteous Branch (Jeremiah 23:5-6; Jeremiah 33:15-16)
– Jesus is the Lord our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6; Jeremiah 33:15-16)
– Jesus is the Coming Shepherd (Jeremiah 31:9-10)
– Jesus is the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34)
– Jesus is Redeemer (Jeremiah 50:34)
