Jeremiah A Prophet unto the Nations The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Jeremiah 31:3 Trinity Bible Church Sunday School Fall, 2013 Table of Contents Introduction............................................................page 3 Schedule .................................................................. 4 Memory Assignments: selected passages from Jeremiah ........................... 5 Hymn: “From Out the Depths I Cry” ........................................... 7 Lesson 1. The Prophet is Sent by God to Proclaim Judgment....................... 8 Jeremiah 1:1-3:5 2.Sovereign Grace................................................... 9 Jeremiah 3:6-5:31 3.The Coming Judgment ............................................ 10 Jeremiah 6:1-8:17 4.No Balm in Gilead................................................ 11 Jeremiah 8:18-11:17 5.A House Forsaken ................................................ 12 Jeremiah 11:18-14:22 6.The Terror of the LORD ........................................... 13 Jeremiah 15-17 7.The Potter and the Broken Pot...................................... 14 Jeremiah 18-20 8.The Way of Life and the Way of Death................................ 15 Jeremiah 21-23 9.Two Baskets of Figs and the Wine Cup of Wrath ....................... 16 Jeremiah 24-26 10.Bonds and Yokes ................................................. 17 Jeremiah 27-30 11. The New Covenant ................................................ 18 Jeremiah 31-32 12.From Desolation to Joy ............................................ 19 Jeremiah 33-35 13.God’s Word Burned and God’s Prophet Imprisoned!..................... 20 Jeremiah 36-38 14.The Fall of Jerusalem ............................................. 21 Jeremiah 39-42 15.The Flight to Egypt............................................... 22 Jeremiah 43-45 16.Prophecies Against the Nations, Part 1............................... 23 Jeremiah 46-48 17.Prophecies against the Nations, Part 2 ............................... 24 Jeremiah 49-50 18.Final Prophecies Against Babylon and the Epilogue..................... 25 Jeremiah 51-52 Exile Chronology........................................................... 26 Introduction ehold, I have put my words in thy the predictions of disaster were realized in Bmouth. See, I have this day set thee the destruction of Jerusalem and the over the nations and over the kingdoms, to captivity of Judah, the remnant still root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, scorned God's revelation through Jeremiah. and to throw down, to build, and to plant. It is a frightening picture of a people (Jeremiah 1:9-10). hardened in their sins, unmoved by the proclamation and demonstration of the With these words from the LORD, wrath of God. Jeremiah was sent forth on his prophetic ministry in the 13th year of the godly king Jeremiah was also sent "to build, and to Josiah. He prophesied in the last 40 years plant." God knew that the hearts of His and under the final five kings of the people were "desperately wicked" and no southern kingdom of Judah, and for an more able to change their ways and obey unknown period of time following the than a leopard was able to change his spots. destruction of Jerusalem by Yet He sent His prophet to these unworthy Nebuchadnezzar's army in 586 B.C. It is infidels to plead with them to return to likely that he died with the rebellious Him. He spoke of the coming Branch of remnant of Judah in Egypt. David in Whose days “Judah will be saved." He spoke of a New Covenant under which His ministry began in a time of great God would change the hearts of His people spiritual renewal (2 Chronicles 34-35 and 2 that they might faithfully obey Him. It is Kings 22:1-23:30). It was also a time of an amazing picture of the gracious and impending doom. While Josiah led a merciful God Who perseveres in bringing revival of true religion, the judgment of the blessing to a race firmly entrenched in their LORD was about to fall severely upon sin. Judah. The iniquity of the LORD's people had been so great, and would continue to be For our study, it is important to note that so after the death of King Josiah, that the the LORD said that Jeremiah was "a LORD said He would not relent from the prophet to the nations" (Jeremiah 1:5). All coming wrath (2 Chronicles 34:24-25 and 2 nations are the object of the ministry of Kings 23:26-27). Nevertheless, the days of Jeremiah. Our generation too needs to King Josiah were days of peace and heed the message of Jeremiah. His prosperity. It is likely that Jeremiah had message of the wrath of God upon sinful some part in the spiritual renewal of that men is ageless. All men must hear day. When Josiah died, Jeremiah mourned Jeremiah's condemnation of their sin. the death of this godly king (2 Chronicles Judah's response to Jeremiah's message 35:25). The nation marked his death by a from God and to Jeremiah himself as the return to their sinful ways. They continued messenger of God is an exposé of the hearts in their rebellion during the lifetime of of all men. We are all desperately wicked. Jeremiah. But Jeremiah's message of grace and mercy is for all men also. The Branch of David is Jeremiah was sent "to root out, and to pull the only Hope of the nations. The New down, to destroy, and to throw down." He Covenant is the only balm for the nations. condemned the nation for their sins and Men today need to believe Jeremiah's proclaimed the coming wrath of God. The warnings of God's wrath and turn from great iniquity of the nation was manifest as their sins to serve the Coming King. Today it rejected Jeremiah's message and as then, we shall be saved by "THE LORD persecuted Jeremiah himself. Even after OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS." 3 Schedule September 1 Lesson 1: The Prophet is Sent by God to Proclaim Judgment Jeremiah 1:1-3:5 September 8 Lesson 2: Sovereign Grace Jeremiah 3:6-5:31 September 15 Lesson 3: The Coming Judgment Jeremiah 6:1-8:17 September 22 Lesson 4: No Balm in Gilead Jeremiah 8:18-11:17 September 29 Lesson 5: A House Forsaken Jeremiah 11:18-14:22 October 6 Lesson 6: The Terror of the LORD Jeremiah 15-17 October 13 Lesson 7: The Potter and the Broken Pot Jeremiah 18-20 October 20 Lesson 8: The Way of Life and the Way of Death Jeremiah 21-23 October 27 Lesson 9: Two Baskets of Figs and the Wine Cup of Wrath Jeremiah 24-26 November 3 Lesson 10: Bonds and Yokes Jeremiah 27-30 November 10 Lesson 11: The New Covenant Jeremiah 31-32 November 17 Lesson 12: From Desolation to Joy Jeremiah 33-35 November 24 Lesson 13: God’s Word Burned and God’s Prophet Imprisoned! Jeremiah 36-38 December 1 Lesson 14: The Fall of Jerusalem Jeremiah 39-42 December 8 Lesson 15: The Flight to Egypt Jeremiah 43-45 December 15 Lesson 16: Prophecies Against the Nations, Part 1 Jeremiah 46-48 December 22 Lesson 17: Prophecies Against the Nations, Part 2 Jeremiah 49-50 December 29 Lesson 18: Final Prophecies Against Babylon and the Epilogue Jeremiah 51-52 4 Memory Assignments Jeremiah 2:12-13 12 Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the Lord. 13 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 9:23-24 23 Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: 24 but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord. Jeremiah 13:23 23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil. Jeremiah 15:16 16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts. 5 Memory Assignments (continued) Jeremiah 20:9 9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay. Jeremiah 23:5-6 5 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. 6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Jeremiah 23:29 29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? Jeremiah 31:33 33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 6 From Out the Depths I Cry 7 Lesson 1: The Prophet is Sent by God to Proclaim Judgment Jeremiah 1:1-3:5 MEMORY: Jeremiah 2:12 HYMN: “From Out the Depths I Cry” Summary: In the days of Judah’s King Josiah, Jeremiah, who was ordained before birth to be a prophet to the nations, was sent with God’s words in his mouth to proclaim judgment against God’s wicked people.