Research Paper On Jeremiah Commission

Submitted By JoelnJackson
Words: 2651
Pages: 11

Joel Jackson
Dr. Grant Testut
Old Testament Prophets 7th to 5th Centuries
November 24, 2013

Jeremiah’s Commission (Jer. 1:4-19) Jeremiah’s commission is one of the most unique stories in the bible. Just like the commission, his message had its own uniqueness as well. Later in the paper, we will see how Jeremiah’s message was not directed for the benefit of the people that he was prophesying to but actually against them. It seems almost uncharacteristic of God to do this but it is just another reason why this passage in the bible is so great. This contradictory behavior of God’s message is not the only controversial topic. Jeremiahs commission also brings up the topic of predestination, a very hot discussion point. Jeremiah’s calling was radically different than that of other prophets. Isaiah saw the Lord on his throne in the presence of the Seraphim exclaiming his holiness. Then the lord asked, “whom shall I send?” With Isaiah responding ecstatically, “here am I! Send me!” To make Jeremiah even more unique, only himself and John the Baptist were mentioned in the bible to be chosen for a role before they were even born. God came to Jeremiah announcing that he had selected him from an early age just like Timothy. Saying, “ Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Jer. 1:4-10). This statement is an example of Gods foreknowledge and divine power and revealing to the reader that Jeremiah’s selection was made before the formation of the Earth. However, the lord knows everyman and woman before they were born. The reason that Jeremiah probably said this was to bring more authority to his message. The proper meaning of this statement is that the Lord had selected him for this work (Xsisto, 2012). Yet the Lord disclosed even more information to Jeremiah by making this statement, “before you were born I sanctified you.” Which is just a repetition of the previous verse. The meaning of sanctification is the same as the knowledge of God and not some prescience. Jeremiah was not truly sanctified for this role before he was born but chosen for the path of a prophet. Just like Paul states in Corinthians 2:16, “no one is according to his own nature or miraculously fitted for that type of work on their own.” Jeremiah was given the specific qualities and characteristics that would be required for this particular role. Sanctified also has another meaning which is to be “set apart” for a precise purpose. Jeremiah had been born into a priestly family. However that was not the reason why God selected him for this purpose. He had a much more grandiose path and responsibilities laid out for him than those that were given to a priest (Xsisto, 2012). Then the Lord continued to speak to him even more by saying, “I ordained you a prophet to the nations,” and then finally “I shall send you.” The Lord’s statement that he will be given as a prophet to the nations and a minister of his Church was very unusual. Jeremiah never went to the Ninevites like Jonah or went out to any other nations but only focused his message solely on the tribe of Judah. There were several prophecies concerning the Babylonians, Egyptians, and Moabites. All of who were very close to and well known to the Jews. The most likely reason behind this statement was to give power and authority to his message. Jeremiah rejected the role as a prophet at first saying, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold I cannot speak: for I am a child.” Interestingly, Timothy and Moses for the similar reasons refused the lord’s offer. Moses at first declined because he was too scared of the role and was terrible at speaking in public. God basically told Moses to use his brother Aaron instead of miraculously making him good at it like Jeremiah (André 7-11). What separates the two was the fact that Moses had been much older than Jeremiah when God first appeared to him. Jeremiah also lived in a patriarchal society where the leadership and authority came with age. I