February 5: Starting now

The Book of Jeremiah becomes a gold mine of great texts for preachers. Jeremiah’s famous confession in 20:9 thrills our hearts when he admitted his inability not to preach. When he would close his mouth the word in his heart was like a “burning fire shut up” in his bones, and he must proclaim the word. Yet, all believers are a part of Christ’s body, each placed there by divine appointment (1 Cor. 12:12, 18). Few of us can expect the dramatic call as experienced by Jeremiah, but all believers must be sure of their calling.

Wiley Richards is a retired professor of theology and philosophy at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.

• Whatever else can be said about God’s call, His call is a definite call (vv. 4-5). God’s word, His specific revelation, assured Jeremiah of God’s awareness of him began before his birth in which God formed him in the womb and set him apart for Himself to be a prophet to the nations, not just to Judah.

God’s call to us may not be so clear. A young man knew God was calling him into a ministry. He enrolled in a seminary but before the semester was completed, he knew God had not called him to that kind of work. He returned home, serving God in a different capacity, but no less called. Sometimes God leads by closing doors and sometimes by opening doors. Nevertheless, He leads.

• God’s call may be a painful call (vv. 6-8). What was Jeremiah’s reaction to God’s call? It was a heartfelt, “Alas!” He expressed alarm and despair. His reaction was understandable. An invasion by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar threatened Judah’s borders. Jeremiah was overwhelmed at the responsibility thrust upon him. He fell back on a time-proven excuse, that he was just a child, much too young for such an appointment. God would hear none of that, promising to speak through the prophet and guaranteeing his deliverance from difficulties. His presence would undergird Jeremiah (v. 8).

• Jeremiah soon learned his obligation amounted to an expanded call (vv. 9-10). God touched his lips in a manner similar to the cleansing of Isaiah’s mouth (Isa. 6:7), thus assuring the prophet of God’s divine inspiration of the words he would utter. The scope of Jeremiah’s responsibility would exceed the borders of his beloved land of Judah. God ordained him as a messenger to nations and kingdoms. Through the spoken word, he was to root out, pull down, destroy, and throw down. Also, he would build and plant. His preaching involved both destruction and blessing.

• God did not leave Jeremiah alone to wrestle with his new job because He provided him with a confirmed call (vv. 11-16). This assurance came through visions of two ordinary experiences. The first came in the form of the rod, a sprout, of an almond tree (v. 11). The almond tree is the first to break the bonds of winter to usher in the spring. In a parallel event, God would hasten, that is, awaken, to assure the certainty of His prophetic revelation. Second, God directed Jeremiah’s attention to a large caldron almost bubbling over as it leaned toward the north (v. 13). It signified war to come as Babylon would attack from the north. The attacking armies were God’s judgment on Judah for her idolatries (v. 16).

• Finally, Jeremiah could be assured of a fruitful call (vv. 17-20). God commanded him to walk forth before the people with an air of confidence (v. 17) because God had built around him an unseen, but real, protective shield making him as secure as a walled city. His enemies might assail him, but they would not prevail against him (v. 19).