October 5th, 2025: Jeremiah's Call and Arrest | Jeremiah 1:6-10, 26:8-9, 12-15
- Debbie Barcus & Laura Neal
- Oct 2
- 7 min read
The prophet Jeremiah is also known as the “weeping prophet.” At the time of his ministry, the northern kingdom of Israel had already fallen to the Assyrians, and many of the best and brightest from Judah were headed for Babylon in chains. Jeremiah wrote for those left in the southern kingdom. He lived around 70 years after the prophet Isaiah.
King Josiah, the last king that the Bible says did right in the sight of the Lord, had begun cleaning up and restoring the temple, and also tearing down false idols across Jerusalem. God called Jeremiah to witness the destruction, and, at the same time, to remind God’s people yet again that the solution to their problem was to turn back to the God of their fathers and to earnestly repent.
Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
Have you noticed that when many of the Biblical leaders were called into service, they used the same excuse? Moses said… "O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue." (Exodus 4:10).
Isaiah said... "Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." (Isaiah 6:5).
So, it should come as no surprise that Jeremiah said, “I cannot, for I am a child.” I don’t know enough; I am too young! In the very writing of this lesson, I said exactly the same thing. I said, “I am not smart enough to do this.” What excuse do you use to refuse to do what God has asked you to do? Notice that Jeremiah was a Levite. He lived in the Levitical city of Anathoth, three miles from Jerusalem. Who better to call on to speak for God? We say it a lot, but God knows exactly what He is doing when He is assigning jobs. The question really is whether or not we will obey.
But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.
Again, a reminder that our excuses are just that - excuses! Some commentators believe that Jeremiah was saying that he was too young. That no one would listen to a youth in his day. Look around you. The youth across the nations are rising up in many ways more faithfully and are more outspoken than the supposedly older, wiser generation. God will use the willing. Other commentators suggest that it is a lack of self-confidence that has Jeremiah hesitating. God reminded Jeremiah that he would not be speaking his own word, but God’s word. God fully intended to share with him exactly what to say and where he wanted him to go. Whatever our job or calling, it is never on us to do things all by ourselves. What is God calling you to do? What reasons are you using to talk yourself out of doing what God asks?
Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.
There will be faces. There will be naysayers. There will be those who find fault, discourage, and intimidate. Get ready, it will happen to you as well. Stepping out on faith and in submission does not come without requiring backbone. God says to Jeremiah and to us, don’t be afraid. I am there, when I call you, I also have your back!
Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
Jeremiah’s calling is like ours. God will give us what we need to say when it is needed. We walk in faith. Our job is to stay faithful, study His word, pray, and be in submission to God’s will. The Lord put forth His hand, touching Jeremiah’s mouth and giving him the words he needed. God will do the same for us, dependent on our obedience.
See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.
Jeremiah’s work, words, and actions would affect many nations and many peoples, over many years. We are reading and applying his words nearly 3000 years later. What will his work do? It will point out sin, pull down idols, and correct wrong-headed thinking. It will destroy evil and build up good. It will plant the seeds of knowledge and understanding about the plan of salvation and the timing of God. God is faithful.
Chapter 26
Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die.
Our lesson skips over several chapters and many conversations and instructions to Jeremiah about the sins of Judah. They have forgotten who God is. God, however, has not forgotten Judah. God recalls their youth, when their hearts were turned toward him.
For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:13).
They have created their own gods, putting their trust in things that cannot help them. God reminds them in many verses to call upon Him. To turn back to him in true repentance. This is the heart of God.
Jeremiah has said these things to the nation of Judah, and just as God had told him, those who should have recognized the significance of his words fight against him. Other religious priests and prophets suggest that he should die for saying the words that they do not want to hear. If it sounds familiar, that’s because it is exactly what we see in the world today. Those who speak out about sin, repentance, the true God, and His imminent return will be met with anger and hate by those who like things the way they are and prefer not to lose their social standing and authority for submission to a God they cannot see. Many across the world are murdered. Many individuals are marginalized, lose income, and are mocked for such old-fashioned fundamental religious beliefs. God told Jeremiah from the very beginning not to worry about their faces, but that doesn’t mean that it was easy. It may not be easy for you either.
Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate without an inhabitant? And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.
The story of Shiloh is significant. For Jeremiah to say that Solomon’s temple would be like Shiloh is cause for great angst. Why? Because Shiloh was the unofficial first capital city for over 300 years. The tabernacle stood there during the time of the Judges when the nation was one (not divided into kingdoms). Everyone came to Shiloh to offer their sacrifices. The thought was that God would never allow the tabernacle to be destroyed since that is where He met to speak to His people. The tabernacle was destroyed by the Philistines and eventually replaced by the temple in Jerusalem. Similarly, at the time of Jeremiah, the nation of Judah thought the temple would protect them from the wrath of God. How dare Jeremiah say anything bad could happen in Judah; the temple was there. Are we putting our confidence in a thing or symbol rather than in God?
Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard. Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God; and the Lord will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you. As for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you. But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.
It sounds like by this point, Jeremiah has matured in his calling. He is no longer concerned about how they will take his words. He knows they won’t like what he is saying. He has seen their faces and actions turn against him. He is well aware of the danger to him personally, but he has determined that God’s words are the most important thing. He has said what he was sent to say. He recognizes he is not responsible for what they do with his message and that it may, in fact, result in his personal harm or even death. He is, however, content that he has done what God has asked him to do. May we all be like Jeremiah. We may not understand our calling completely when we start, but by the end, may we have the strength and wisdom to know we have done all the things we were asked to do.
Jeremiah will also write the book of Lamentations. He is known for being overwhelmed with sorrow for his nation. His calling was not initially a happy, joyful task. However, God will also share hope through Jeremiah. God will reveal through Jeremiah the length of time for Judah’s captivity and the promise that, despite this captivity, there would be a period that the nation would be back in their own land, that there would be a new covenant, and that God’s law would be written upon their hearts.
Thank you for studying with us! God bless!