3 Things I Learned From the Prophet Jeremiah

-Noami Hamstra

          I have been studying the book of Jeremiah recently, and today I wanted to share with you three things that I’ve learned from the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah was a prophet of God who prophesied during the reign of king Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah. He prophesied to the northern kingdom of Israel and to the southern kingdom of Judah.

1. God is faithful
         

First, I learned so much about the faithfulness of God! Jeremiah was commanded to prophesy to the people of Israel and Judah. Both nations were rebellious and sinful. They worshiped the false gods of other nations. They rejected the Word of the Lord and did not obey God’s commandments. 
          God had made a covenant with the people of Israel and Judah: “And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly”(Genesis 17:2). The Lord was faithful in His covenant with His people, but His people broke their side of the covenant which was a serious offense. 
          God continually pleaded with His people to obey His Word. After the Lord punished His people through captivity and slavery, the Lord gathered them back to Himself, so that they would be His people and He would be their God. 
          I love how the Lord is continually faithful with His people even when they sin. We are just as faithless as Israel. But when we repent, the Lord faithfully leads us in the way of His righteousness.

2.  I must be obedient

          Secondly, I learned from Jeremiah to be obedient to God and confident in Christ. God commanded Jeremiah to be a prophet to the rebellious people. He said, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations…But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, ‘I am only a youth; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 1:5-8 
          Jeremiah did not believe what the Lord told him would be the best for him, and he did not think he was equipped to do it. The Lord responded by saying He knew before Jeremiah was born that he would be a prophet. 
          Whatever the Lord tells us to do, we must do! We do not have to be afraid, because the Lord is with us and He knows us. He created us to serve and glorify Him in the way He ordains for us, and because of this, we can have confidence in Him.

3. I must be satisfied in Christ        

          The third thing I learned from the prophet Jeremiah is satisfaction in Christ. When the Lord brought His people back to Himself there was much rejoicing and thankfulness. They rejoiced with thankful hearts because they were in the Lord and did not need anything else! Jeremiah 30:17 says, “I will feast the soul of the priests with abundance, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, declares the Lord.” 
          The Lord is good to His people, and the Lord says we can be satisfied in Him. When I think about how good the Lord is to me, I become even more grateful for what I have and for what He has done for me. When we know the Lord and have the gift of salvation, we have the best thing on this earth and for all eternity.

          When I first started reading and studying Jeremiah, I did not expect to learn as much as I did. I love how I can see the faithfulness and goodness of the Lord through Jeremiah’s life. The Lord is always faithful to His people. 
          I close with this verse from Psalm 13: “But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.” This verse sums up the book of Jeremiah very well. 
          Being a prophet was not easy, but Jeremiah had to trust in the steadfast love of God, and when he did, he was able to rejoice in the salvation of the Lord. This is how I want to live, and I encourage you to trust in God’s steadfast love and rejoice in the gift of salvation He has given to you if you are in Christ.  

Have you read Jeremiah? What are your thoughts? Which of these points convicted you the most?