Jeremiah was the son of a Jewish priest. His work as a prophet began in the reign of Josiah, king of Judah, and lasted 40 years until the captivity in Babylon. He did not want to be a prophet (Jeremiah 1:6), but God put His word into his mouth (verse 9) so that he prophesied about Israel and all the nations round about (verse 10). He had much to say about the forthcoming sufferings of God's people, both in the Book of Jeremiah and in the Lamentations which follow.
Like all of God's prophets, Jeremiah endured hardship because of his work (chapter 38). He told of the suffering of the coming Messiah, and the restoration of the nation of Israel after many years of persecution. He also prophesied about the establishment of the Kingdom of God.
| SUNDAY
Jeremiah 1 |
God told Jeremiah what he must say (verse 9). There would be punishment for the sins of the people of the nation of Judah (verse 16). It would come from the north (the Babylonian invasion; verse 14 and Jeremiah 4:6; 6:1). |
| MONDAY
Jeremiah 17 |
Judah's only hope was in God (verses 13-14) and so is ours (verses 7-8). See Psalm 1:3 and Revelation 22:1-2. |
| TUESDAY
Jeremiah 30 |
The preservation and restoration of Israel were foretold (verses 10, 11, 24). This began after the First World War and reached a climax following the Second World War. |
| WEDNESDAY
Jeremiah 31 |
Israel as a nation will eventually have a new heart (verses 31-34; see Hebrews 8:7-13). They will finally acknowledge Jesus Christ as their king. |
| THURSDAY
Jeremiah 33 |
God's promise (Genesis 8:22) to preserve the earth is a guarantee of His promise to Israel (verses 19-26). |
| FRIDAY
Jeremiah 36 |
Jehoiakim tried in vain to destroy God's word (verse 23), but another scroll was written (verse 32) and God's word came true. |
| SATURDAY
Jeremiah 38 |
Jeremiah's own experiences (verse 6) pointed forward to those of Jesus, who was himself put in "the pit" (the grave). |