Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Jeremiah 1:5

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Jeremiah 1:5. Before I formed thee — I had destined thee to the prophetic office before thou wert born: I had formed my plan, and appointed thee to be my envoy to his people. St. Paul speaks of his own call to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles in similar terms, Galatians 1:15-16.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

1:1-6:30 JEREMIAH’S EARLY MINISTRY

The call of Jeremiah (1:1-10)

Jeremiah belonged to a priestly family that lived not far from Jerusalem. However, he may never have practised as a priest, for God’s will was that he be a prophet. His prophetic ministry lasted at least forty years. It began in 627 BC (the thirteenth year of Josiah’s reign) and continued into the era that followed the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 BC (1:1-3).

God had chosen Jeremiah to be a prophet before he was born. He was to be God’s messenger to Judah and the surrounding nations (4-5). At the time God called him to be a prophet, Jeremiah was probably no more than twenty years of age. When he objected that he was too young and inexperienced for such a task, God replied that he would be with him and give him the message to speak. Jeremiah had no cause to be afraid (6-8).
Much of Jeremiah’s message would not be popular and at times would appear to be pessimistic because of its repeated announcements of God’s judgment. Nevertheless, judgment was necessary, because proud self-confidence must be broken down and the corruption of sin removed before new spiritual life can grow up (9-10).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

"Now the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee; I have appointed thee a prophet unto the nations. Then said I, Ah, Lord Jehovah! behold, I know not how to speak; for I am a child. But Jehovah said unto me, Say not, I am a child; for to whomsoever I shall send thee thou shalt go, and whatsoever I shall command thee thou shalt speak."

The foreknowledge of God is clearly stated here, revealing that, long before Jeremiah was born, God knew him and selected him as the great prophet who would announce the final judgment upon Judah and condemn all of the wicked nations on earth.

"I know not how to speak, for I am a child" This reluctance on Jeremiah's part is similar to that of Moses when he was called to deliver Israel from Egypt. God overruled his objection, "On the grounds that authority resides not in the person of the messenger, but in the Divine commission!"The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 629. Jeremiah's plea that he was only a child was overruled by God who commanded him not to say that. As a matter of fact, scholars place his age at the time given here as being about twenty years of age. "The very same words were applied to Solomon after he was anointed king about the age of 20!"John W. Haley, Examination of Alleged Discrepancies of the Bible (Nashville, Tennessee: B. C. Goodpasture, 1951), p. 270.

We should not believe that Jeremiah's timidity and hesitation in the acceptance of so formidable a task were a sign of inability upon his part. They were due to a recognition of the nearly impossible difficulty of the assignment.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Rather, “Before I formed thee in the belly.” I approved of thee (as one fit for the prophetic office),” and before thou camest forth from the womb” I made thee holy (dedicated thee to holy uses); I have appointed thee (now by this public call to be) “a prophet unto the nations.”

Unto the nations - The privileges contained in this verse are so great as in their full sense to be true only of Christ Himself, while to Jeremiah they belong as being in so many particulars a type of Christ.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

Here Jeremiah explains more fully what he had already mentioned that he had been called from above, for otherwise he would have presumptuously obtruded himself: for no one, as the Apostle says, takes this honor to himself; but the call of God alone raises up prophets and teachers to their dignity see Hebrews 5:4. Hence, that Jeremiah might secure attention, he declares that he had been called to the prophetic office, and that by the clear voice of God. For this purpose, he says, that this word was given him, Before I formed thee in the womb ⁽⁹⁾ I knew thee He introduces God as the speaker, that what he declares might be more emphatical, that it might be of more weight and more forcible: for, if he had said simply in his own person, that he had been made a prophet by God’s voice, it would not have so much moved the hearers; but when he brings forward God as the speaker, there is necessarily more weight and force in what is said.

I pass by here what might be more largely said on what is necessary in one’s call, so that he may be attended to by God’s people; for no one, by his own and private right, can claim this privilege of speaking, as I have already said, inasmuch as this is what belongs to God alone. But I have elsewhere spoken at large on the prophetic call; it is therefore enough now to point at such things as these as it were by the finger: and particular discussions must be sought elsewhere; for were I to dwell at large on every subject, my work would be endless. I will, therefore, according to my usual practice, give a brief exposition of this Prophet.

Jeremiah then says, that he had been called by God, for this end, that he might on this account gain a hearing from the people. God declares that he knew Jeremiah before he formed him in the womb. This is not said specially of the Prophet, as though other men are unknown to God, but it is to be understood of the prophetic office, as though he had said, “Before I formed thee in the womb, I destined thee for this work, even that thou mayest undertake the burden of a teacher among the people.” And the second part is a repetition, when he says, Before thou camest forth from the womb I sanctified thee Sanctification is the same as the knowledge of God: and thus we perceive that knowledge is not mere prescience, but that predestination, by which God chooses every single individual according to his own will, and at the same time appoints and also sanctifies him; for no one, as Paul declares, (2 Corinthians 2:16,) is according to his own nature fitted for the work. Since then this fitness is the gratuitous gift of God, it is nothing strange that God declares that he had sanctified Jeremiah, as though he had said, “I formed thee man in the womb, and at the same time appointed thee for this particular work; and as it was not in thy power to bring with thee a qualification for the prophetic office, I formed thee not only a man, but a prophet.” This is the import of the passage.

But they refine too much, who think that the Prophet was sanctified from the womb as John the Baptist was, for the words mean no such thing; but only that is testified of Jeremiah, which Paul also affirms respecting himself in the first chapter of the Epistle to the Galatians, that he was known by God before he was born. Jeremiah then was not actually sanctified in the womb, but set apart according to God’s predestination and hidden purpose; that is, God chose him then to be a Prophet. It may be asked, whether he was not chosen before the creation of the world? To this it may be readily answered, that he was indeed foreknown by God before the world was made; but Scripture accommodates itself to the measure of our capacities, when it speaks of the generation of any one: it is then the same as though God had said of Jeremiah, that he was formed man for this end that in due time he might come forth a Prophet.

And no doubt the following clause is added exegetically, A prophet for the nations I made thee His sanctification, then, as I have said, was not real, but intimated that he was appointed a Prophet before he was born.

It however seems strange that he was given a Prophet to the nations God designed him to be the minister of his Church; for he neither went to the Ninevites, as Jonah did, (Jonah 3:3,) nor traveled into other countries, but spent his labors only among the tribe of Judah; why then is it said that he was given as a Prophet to the nations ? To this I answer, that though God appointed him especially for his Church, yet his teaching belonged to other nations, as we shall presently see, and very evidently, as we proceed; for he prophesied concerning the Babylonians, the Egyptians, and the Moabites; in short, he included all the nations who were nigh and known to the Jews. This was indeed as it were accidental: but though he was given as a Prophet especially to his own people, yet his authority extended to heathen nations. No doubt nations are mentioned, including many, in order that the power and dignity of his teaching might appear more evident. It follows-

(9) More strictly, “in the inside,” or belly, בטן. The specific term for womb is in the next sentence, רחם. — Ed

Smith's Bible Commentary

At this time shall we turn in our Bibles to the book of Jeremiah.

About sixty years after Isaiah died, God called Jeremiah to what I feel must have been the hardest task any minister has ever been called upon to perform for the Lord. Jeremiah had to oversee the death of the nation. He had to watch it as it was in its final death throws, as it went into convulsions and died and was carried away captive to Babylon. His ministry was destined from the beginning for failure. That is, the people were not going to hearken. The people were not going to change. They had set their course and their destiny was determined. And yet, because God is so faithful, God continued His witness to them until they were carried away captive to Babylon. And He didn't really stop then. He had Daniel and Ezekiel there in Babylon continuing to witness to them even after their captivity. But Jeremiah's ministry wasn't to be successful as far as really bringing these people back to a spiritual relationship with God. They were on the way downhill. There was no recovery at this point and he had to sadly watch these people as they disregarded his warnings and as they went on into captivity.

So the book of Jeremiah begins with,

The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin ( Jeremiah 1:1 ):

Now you will find that there is another priest Hilkiah who was the high priest, that is not the father of Jeremiah. Though Jeremiah was a priest, the fact that he was from Anathoth indicates that he was of the Kohathites. And the Kohathites had been removed, that particular branch of the Levites had been removed from the high priesthood. And so this Hilkiah, the father of Jeremiah, was not synonymous with the Hilkiah the high priest.

To whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign ( Jeremiah 1:2 ).

Now Josiah was basically a good king. He was eight years old when he began to reign. So naturally being just a child, eight years old, he was just a puppet for the beginning of his reign upon the throne, as other men had good influences upon Josiah and he instituted spiritual reforms in beginning with the fifth year of his reign. And by the time the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, the spiritual reforms of Josiah had been pretty effective in that they had gotten rid of most of the altars unto Baal and the groves and the high places where they had worshipped the false gods. Where the people of Israel had worshipped these false gods. And yet, it was still in their hearts. Though outwardly there was a spiritual reform, inwardly they had not turned with all of their hearts to God. So it was a time of outward spiritual revival because the king was a godly king. But as soon as Josiah died, the nation lapsed right back into its idolatry, which indicates that it wasn't really a move towards God from their hearts, but only a surface thing in seeking to please the king. They went along with the spiritual reforms. So because it was only surface and not down in the heart of the nation, even during the reign of Josiah, Jeremiah cried out against the things that were going on.

During the reign of Josiah they re-instituted the worship in the temple. But God said, "Go down in the temple and cry to the people as they go in, 'Trust not in lying vanities saying, "The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are these." God said I've forsaken them.'" And so while Josiah was king, though, Jeremiah did not face, really, persecution, but once Josiah died and Jehoiakim came on to the throne, then Jehoiakim began to persecute Jeremiah. There were several endeavors to kill him. He was placed in the dungeon, and the same is true through the reign of Zedekiah. Jeremiah spent most of the time in prison. And so he lists these three kings.

It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah [who was the last of the kings] the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month ( Jeremiah 1:3 ).

Now there were two other kings who reigned during this same period, but their reigns were both of them short-lived. Jehoahaz and Jehoiachin both had a three-month reign during the same period that Jeremiah was prophesying. But because they reigned for such a short period, Jeremiah does not list them as the kings that were reigning. And it could be that the Lord didn't speak to Jeremiah during those particular periods that Jehoahaz and Jehoiachin were reigning. So the three major kings. Actually, Josiah reigned for thirty-one years. And then Jehoiakim reigned for eleven years and Zedekiah reigned for eleven years until he was taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar, his eyes were put out, and he was carried away to captivity in Babylon.

Now Jeremiah continued to live there. Nebuchadnezzar gave Jeremiah the choice of staying there or coming to Babylon. Because Jeremiah was actually accused of treason during a part of his prophesying because he was telling the people, "Look, surrender to the Babylonians. They're going to take you. And so it's better to surrender than to be devastated." And so he was accused of treason and imprisoned as a result of it. They thought that he was in conspiracy with the Babylonians. But Nebuchadnezzar, in honoring Jeremiah because of his true prophecies, offered him to come and to have a place there in Babylon. But being the true patriot that he was, he chose to remain there in Jerusalem under the vassal reign of Gedaliah until he was put to death by those evil men. And then he was more or less kidnapped and taken to Egypt. He still wanted to stay, but the people were afraid that as a result of their rebellion against the vassal king that Nebuchadnezzar had set up Gedaliah, that Nebuchadnezzar was going to come and really destroy them. And so they fled to Egypt and they took Jeremiah with them. And at this point, there are legends and rumors and stories of what happened to Jeremiah.

One very common of the rumors is that Jeremiah took the ark of the covenant and hid it, and there are some references in some of the books in the apocrypha to the place where Jeremiah hid the ark of the covenant. Other stories are that he took one of the young princes and ferreted him off to Egypt. And then according to some of the legends that are especially promulgated by the people who are called British Israelites, those who seek to identify the Anglo-Saxon races with the tribes of Israel, they say that Jeremiah spirited the prince to England where he became the king and that the present Queen of England and Prince Charles are direct descendants of the Davidic line. So God has kept His promise that from the seed of David there would not lack being one on the throne. And so that is the only place where there's still a monarchy and they are direct descendants and they go into a long rigamarole of trying to prove their point of this ethnic relationship between the Anglo-Saxon races and the British and Scottish and Danish and so forth.

They say Dane. You see, it's Dan, Dan-ish. And the word ish in Hebrew is man. So it's Dan's man, the tribe of Dan. The Danish are the tribe of Dan. The Brit-ish, you see the ish on the end proves that they are the lost tribes of Israel. They seem to ignore foolish, but... There is surely not enough solid evidence to prove their claims. It has to be stated that the claims are based much more upon fantasy and hopefulness than on actual reality from historical record.

But those are just part of the stories that surround Jeremiah. It is thought that actually he was put to death finally there on one of the banks of the Nile. One of the tributaries to the Nile River. But the Bible is silent so we must be. It's only guesswork after the Bible ceases its record.

Verse Jeremiah 1:4 :

Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before you came forth out of the womb I set thee apart, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations ( Jeremiah 1:4-5 ).

Now there is a lot of question today as to when life begins, as we deal with this area of abortion. But I think that it is significant that God declares to Jeremiah, "Before the fetus was ever formed, I knew you; before you ever came forth out of the womb I had already set you apart." God's purposes for our lives were not established after we were born. God's purposes for our lives had been established from the beginning. From the beginning of time. What God said to Jeremiah He could very well say to each one of you. "Before you were ever in a fetal state I knew you. Before you ever came forth out of the womb I had set you apart for the purpose and the plan that I have for your lives." The thing is, for me to discover and to come into harmony with that plan that God has for me, that's the important thing for me. My destiny has already been determined. The Bible says, "We are His workmanship, created together in Christ Jesus unto the good works, that God has before ordained that we should walk in them" ( Ephesians 2:10 ). God has already before ordained that which He has planned for your life. Now in the meantime, He is working in your life to prepare you for those works. Thus, we are His workmanship. God is working in us tonight.

Paul the apostle speaks about having been separated from his mother's womb. God's hand was on my life from the beginning. The recognition of that. And I'm certain that each of us can look back and we can see how God's hand has been upon our life from the beginning. In the experiences and all that we've gone through as God is preparing us for His work. So God speaks to Jeremiah and speaks about his prenatal state.

Then said I ( Jeremiah 1:6 ),

Jeremiah responded to God.

Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child ( Jeremiah 1:6 ).

Now as you figure the years that Jeremiah prophesied, and the fact that he was still alive after the captivity and went to Egypt and all, Jeremiah was probably somewhere between seventeen and twenty-five years old when the call of God came to him. And that's where the estimates usually range-between seventeen and twenty-five. Now can you imagine a seventeen-year-old boy and God saying, "I knew you before you were ever in a fetal state and I set you apart. You're to go talk to President Reagan. And you're to tell him, 'Thus saith the Lord.'" I'm sure you'd have the same problem that Jeremiah, "Who am I, Lord? I'm just a young man." And that's what the Hebrew word is there. "I'm just a young man." Usually indicated a teenager.

But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a young man: for you shall go to all that I send you, and whatsoever I command you you shall speak ( Jeremiah 1:7 ).

So often it seems that when God called a person for a particular service, they were aware of their inabilities to fulfill that service for God. God called Moses. "O God, I can't speak. I haven't been able to speak and I can't even speak now." So many times people are trying to excuse themselves because of the recognition of their own inability. But in reality, God isn't looking for talented, abled people. He's just looking for willing people. That we would not go forth in our abilities, in our genius, but we would trust in the Lord and go forth in the power of the Spirit. So God said, "Don't say. Now don't say that. Don't say you can't do it. Don't say you're but a child." Gideon said, "O Lord, you can't mean me. My father is a nobody and I'm the least in my father's family. You can't mean me." Saul, when Samuel said, "God has called you to be the king over Israel." "Oh no, no. There's a mistake here somewhere." And many times when God lays upon our hearts the things that He has in mind, we say, "Lord, there's a mistake here somewhere. The angels got the wrong address. He's delivering the message to the wrong person, Lord, that's not me."

But the very consciousness of our ability is the very thing that qualifies us for that which God wants to do. Because God said, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord" ( Zechariah 4:6 ). So it isn't my ability that God is really seeking for. It's just a channel, an instrument through which He can do His work. And if I feel like I can't do it then that makes me a more yielded vessel unto God. If I feel, "All right, Lord, You bet. Just been waiting for You. I'll do it right away." Then it takes a while before God beats me down to nothing. So then He can go ahead and do what He's been wanting to do through me. In every service to which God calls us, there is that feeling of, "I'm ill-equipped. O Lord, who am I?"

Now God said,

Be not afraid of their faces ( Jeremiah 1:8 ):

Here is a young fellow going out and saying these things that are going to get people mad, and they're going to start glaring at him and gritting their teeth and scowling and making all kinds of fierce faces at him, because he's saying things they don't like. So God said, "Don't be afraid of their faces."

for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD ( Jeremiah 1:8 ).

So God's personal message of comfort to the prophet, "Now don't be afraid the way they look at you because I'm with you to deliver you."

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. See, I have this day set thee this day over the nations ( Jeremiah 1:9-10 ),

Imagine God saying this to just a young fellow, seventeen, eighteen years old. "Today, now look, I've touched you and I've set you over the nations." "Me?"

and over the kingdoms, [and this was his ministry] to root out, to pull down, and to destroy ( Jeremiah 1:10 ),

Oh, what a ministry.

Years ago when I was just a child and started in the ministry, our second pastorate was in Tucson, Arizona. And I have not always been the most tactful person in the world, nor am I yet. I'm not quite as blunt as Romaine, but I'm still not always graceful and tactful. And I do have the capacity of just speaking what I feel to be the truth and I think that it's important that the truth be spoken even though it does cut or hurt. I've always believed in the proverb, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful" ( Proverbs 27:6 ). And so when we were pastoring in Tucson in the first part of our pastoring there, we did a very excellent job in sort of emptying the church. And I received my first, not the last, but my first anonymous letter. I get them all the time now, but I received my first anonymous letter. And I read the first; I don't read them anymore. But it said, "When Jesus was a boy and was a carpenter in his father's shop, we never read of him using a wrecking bar." And they spelled it r-e-c-k-i-n-g. And I think that the intimation was that I was wrecking the church or something. But it was, it seems, that God called me as He did Jeremiah to root out, to pull down, and to destroy. You see, oftentimes the system becomes so corrupt that there's nothing to build on. Now God's purpose is always that of building, but He cannot always start out building. Many times He has to tear down what is there.

Now in a lot of this redevelopment, downtown stuff, they have to go in with bulldozers and just level the buildings. Tear them out and haul them away, and then they start the new building projects and the high-rises and so forth. Because the stuff is so old, it's so decrepit, it's so corrupt that you wouldn't dare try to build on it. The nation Israel had come to the place where it was beyond recovery. It was necessary now that God just pull down, root out, tear out what was left in order that He might start His new work of planting and of building. So Jeremiah's ministry was, first of all, to root out, pull down, destroy.

and to throw down, [and then] to build, and to plant ( Jeremiah 1:10 ).

As God starts then His new work. God never tears down in our lives except to the end that He might begin His true work of building up and planting that new work in us. So you may be in that stage right now where God is still rooting out. You say, "Oh Lord, you know. You're bringing me to nothing." Yes, that's what He wants to do in order that He might start His building and His planting in your life. So that ministry to which God called Jeremiah is a very common type calling as God must get rid of the present corrupt system in order that He might establish His new work. That is why I feel that very rarely do you ever see real revival come within the framework of a denomination. That God seems to always go outside and start a new work. He doesn't try to bring recovery to the old systems. He doesn't try to pour the new wine in the old skins. He doesn't sew the new piece of cloth on the old garment. But He usually goes outside and starts a whole new building process.

Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what do you see? And he said, I see a rod of an awakening tree ( Jeremiah 1:11 ).

The almond tree in Hebrew is an awakening tree because the almond tree is the first tree that awakes in the spring. In fact, the almond trees begin to blossom in January. They're the first trees to come out of the winter season there in the holy land. They start to blossom in January and by March they have their almonds and all on them. So it's called an awakening tree because it's the first tree to awaken in the... after the winter season.

Then said the LORD unto me, You have seen correctly: for I will [watch over or awake over] my word to perform it ( Jeremiah 1:12 ).

"What do you see?" "I see an awakening tree." "That's right. You've seen good, because I'm going to be awake over My Word to perform it. I'm going to watch over My Word to perform it."

And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, What do you see? And I said, I see a boiling pot; and the face of it is towards the north. Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land ( Jeremiah 1:13-14 ).

Now Babylon was actually east, but in order to attack they had to come to the north and come down from the north, rather than coming across the desert area there. And so it is a reference to Babylon and the coming invasion.

For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the LORD; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against the cities of Judah. And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands ( Jeremiah 1:15-16 ).

So God is going to bring judgment upon His people because of their wickedness, because they have forsaken God, and they have turned to other gods and are burning incense to these other gods and worshipping these little idols that they have made with their own hands.

Now some of the latest archaeological diggings in the city of Jerusalem are in the area of the old City of David, Ophel, that is down below the temple mount area. The City of David was actually down below that temple mount area. The temple was put up there on Mount Moriah by David's son, Solomon, but that was sort of the outskirts of the city in a westerly direction. And the City of David is on that hill of Ophel coming up from the pool of Siloam and the Gihon springs. That mound that comes up was the original city of Jerusalem and the City of David. And they are now doing quite a bit of archaeological diggings on the side of the hill there and they are uncovering houses that date back to the time of Jeremiah. The little houses that they are uncovering were broken down by Nebuchadnezzar during the time that Jeremiah was alive. So the archaeologist's spade is going right back to the time of Jeremiah. And as they are pulling the rubble and the rocks off of these dwelling places, for when they came back from the Babylonian captivity, rather than rebuilding the houses they just covered them over with dirt and build on top of them. And so they have dug down and they found these houses, but the interesting thing in the rubble of the houses there, they are discovering multitudes of little idols that the people had made and were worshipping. A confirmation to the Word of the Lord here to Jeremiah where He said they worshipped the works of their own hands. In each one of the houses multitudes of these little idols. They're getting a collection of little idols like you can't believe. So God says, "My judgment is coming."

Therefore gird up thy loins ( Jeremiah 1:17 ),

Now the guys wore these long skirts, and they're all right for walking around, but if you're going to go to work you've got to pull the things up and tie your sash so that your legs have free movement. If you're going to run, you got to gird up your loins. You gird up the skirts, you pull them on up, tie your sash so that you can really get to work. You can't work with that long robe down to the ground. So that term, "gird up your loins," is always in reference to pulling up the long skirt that the men wore and tying the sash around to hold the thing up so that you can get to work. It's sort of a phrase that says, "And now get to work. Get busy."

and arise, and speak unto them all that I command you: be not dismayed at their faces ( Jeremiah 1:17 ),

Now the second time Lord said that, because they're going to be looking at you and some real angry looks.

lest I confound thee before them ( Jeremiah 1:17 ).

Now it's an interesting thing if... A lot of times, especially when you've got a message, you've got to not even look at the faces of the people if it's a harsh message, because their faces might make you lose your thought and you get confounded because you're reacting to the response of the people to the message. So He said, "Don't look at their faces lest you get confounded. Just go out and speak the word that I put in your mouth. And it's going to have a negative effect upon them, so just don't look at their faces lest I confound you before them."

For, behold, I have made thee this day a defensed city, and an iron pillar, and brass wall against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes, against the priests, and against the people ( Jeremiah 1:18 ).

Man, you're going to stand against them all, Jeremiah. You're going to be standing against the kings, the priests, the princes and all the people. You're going to be almost alone in this thing. But I've made you a defensed city. I'm going to defend you. I'm going to put a wall around you.

And they shall fight against thee; but they will not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver you ( Jeremiah 1:19 ).

Now here is his commission. Here is his calling, and it is interesting to me that in his calling, God doesn't lay out a nice, rosy picture. "Jeremiah, I'm going to call you now to a wonderful job and you're going to minister for me. And because you're a minister, I want you to drive a Cadillac and live on Lido Island and enjoy the best now. Because after all, you're my child. You deserve the best." No, God laid out the truth of what's going to happen to you, Jeremiah. It's not going to be easy. "You better not look at their faces; it will scare you. I've set you against the king, the princes, the priests, the people, the whole caboodle. You're going to be there by yourself and they're going to turn against you. But don't worry, I'm going to be with you. I'm going to deliver you."

When the Lord called Paul the apostle on the road to Damascus and brought that dramatic change in his life, as Paul was there and the Lord was saying to Paul, "Now Paul, I'm calling you to go to the Gentiles." And the Lord laid out for Paul the whole ministry that He had for him. When Paul came to the city of Damascus still blind, and of course, I am certain in his mind total mental confusion. Here he was on the road to Damascus breathing out threats against this new sect of Christianity. Actually, the word is breathing out murders against them. He was so uptight against this sect that would dare to declare that Jesus was the Messiah and to go against the teaching of the Pharisees. And breathing out murders against them with papers to imprison those who call upon the name of the Lord there in Damascus. There on the road a life changing experience as he's lying on the ground and someone is saying to him, "Why are you kicking against the pricks?" "Who are You, Lord, that I might serve You?" "I'm Jesus whom you persecute." "What would you have me to do, Lord?" And the Lord told him what He had him to do.

For when Paul was in Damascus and still going over these things in his mind after three days, the Lord spoke to a man by the name of Ananias and He said, "Ananias, go over and lay your hands upon Paul or Saul that he might receive his sight." And he said, "Oh Lord, You're kidding, aren't You? I'm on his hit list. I've heard about this guy. He's been just wrecking havoc in the church in Jerusalem. This guy's fierce." The Lord said, "No, don't worry, you go and do what I told you to do, for he is a chosen vessel unto Me and I have shown him all of the things that he's going to have to suffer for My sake." The Lord said, "Paul, here's what I want you to do. I want you to go to the Gentiles, but it's not going to be easy. You're going to be stoned. They're going to drag you out of the city thinking you're dead. They're going to whip you. They're going to be beating you. But I want you to go for Me." Paul said, "All right, let's go for it." I think that that's very commendable on Paul's part, that even having heard all the things he was going to suffer, he still made that commitment.

Now sometimes ministers like to lay out a rosy path for you. "Just receive Jesus and life is going to be so beautiful. You'll have no more problems because it's just a nice bed of roses. Just get on the air mattress and float into heaven." No way! And Jesus didn't say that. He said, "Look, if they didn't receive Me, they're not going to receive you. If they persecuted Me, they're going to persecute you, because the servant is not greater than his Lord. Take up your cross and follow Me." He didn't paint a rosy picture. He told them the truth and I think it's important that we tell people the truth. It isn't easy to follow the Lord. It isn't easy to serve the Lord. You're going to be going against the tide. But as the Lord said to Jeremiah, "I will put a wall around you. I will be your defense." And you will have experiences with God that will be invaluable as you see God's hand upon you and God's defense around you and the work of God. It's beautiful.

"

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

1. The promise of divine enablement 1:4-10

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

B. The call of Jeremiah 1:4-19

This account of Jeremiah’s call prepares the reader for the prophet’s ministry that unfolds beginning in chapter 2. The events recorded here prepared Jeremiah for that ministry, a ministry that frequently discouraged him and made him wish that God had never called him.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Yahweh knew (Heb. yada’, committed Himself to) Jeremiah before He had formed him in his mother’s womb (cf. Genesis 4:1; Psalms 1:6; Hosea 4:1; Amos 3:2). Jeremiah existed as a human being during his gestation period (cf. Psalms 139:13). God had set him aside (Heb. hiqdish) from all other uses for prophetic ministry even before his birth (cf. Isaiah 6; Ezekiel 1-3; Amos 7:10-17). His prophetic ministry would involve many nations (chs. 46-51), not just Judah (chs. 2-45).

"The thought that his very existence was a conscious part of divine purpose and not an incidental biological occurrence must have given him a special sense of destiny. This in turn doubtless contributed to his determination to fulfil his prophetic mission regardless of personal considerations." [Note: Harrison, Jeremiah and . . ., pp. 50-51.]

"God identified Himself to be sovereign over Jeremiah in that He (1) foreknew Jeremiah before he was born, (2) had caused him to be born, and (3) had separated him for a holy service. On this basis, He also had the sovereign prerogative to appoint Jeremiah to be a prophet." [Note: Irving L. Jensen, Jeremiah and Lamentations, p. 19.]

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee,.... Not merely by his omniscience, so he knows all men before their conception and birth; but with such a knowledge as had special love and affection joined with it; in which sense the Lord knows them that are his, as he does not others, and predestinates them unto eternal life; and which is not only before their formation in the womb, but before the foundation of the world, even from all eternity. The forming of the human foetus is God's act, and a curious piece of workmanship it is; see

Psalms 139:15.

And before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee; not by infusing holiness into him, but by separating him in his eternal purposes and decrees to the office of a prophet before he was born, and even before the world began; just as the Apostle Paul was separated to the Gospel of God, Romans 1:1, for it follows,

and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations; not to the Israelites only, who Jarchi thinks are so called, because they now followed the usages and customs of the nations; but to the Gentiles, against whom be was sent to prophesy, Jeremiah 46:1 as Egyptians, Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, and Chaldeans. This ordination of him to be a prophet was not done in time, but in eternity, in the mind and thought of God; he was foreordained to this office before the foundation of the world, of which a declaration was made unto him when he was now called unto it; to which he makes answer.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      4 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,   5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.   6 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.   7 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.   8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.   9 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.   10 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.

      Here is, I. Jeremiah's early designation to the work and office of a prophet, which God gives him notice of as a reason for his early application to that business (Jeremiah 1:4; Jeremiah 1:5): The word of the Lord came to him, with a satisfying assurance to himself that it was the word of the Lord and not a delusion; and God told him, 1. That he had ordained him a prophet to the nations, or against the nations, the nation of the Jews in the first place, who are now reckoned among the nations because they had learned their works and mingled with them in their idolatries, for otherwise they would not have been numbered with them, Numbers 23:9. Yet he was given to be a prophet, not to the Jews only, but to the neighbouring nations, to whom he was to send yokes (Jeremiah 27:2; Jeremiah 27:3) and whom he must make to drink of the cup of the Lord's anger, Jeremiah 25:17; Jeremiah 25:17. He is still in his writings a prophet to the nations (to our nation among the rest), to tell them what the national judgments are which may be expected for national sins. It would be well for the nations would they take Jeremiah for their prophet and attend to the warnings he gives them. 2. That before he was born, even in his eternal counsel, he had designed him to be so. Let him know that he who gave him his commission is the same that gave him his being, that formed him in the belly and brought him forth out of the womb, that therefore he was his rightful owner and might employ him and make use of him as he pleased, and that this commission was given him in pursuance of the purpose God had purposed in himself concerning him, before he was born: "I knew thee, and I sanctified thee," that is, "I determined that thou shouldst be a prophet and set thee apart for the office." Thus St. Paul says of himself that God had separated him from his mother's womb to be a Christian and an apostle, Galatians 1:15. Observe, (1.) The great Creator knows what use to make of every man before he makes him. He has made all for himself, and of the same lumps of clay designs a vessel of honour or dishonour, as he pleases, Romans 9:21. (2.) What God has designed men for he will call them to; for his purposes cannot be frustrated. Known unto God are all his own works beforehand, and his knowledge is infallible and his purpose unchangeable. (3.) There is a particular purpose and providence of God conversant about his prophets and ministers; they are by special counsel designed for their work, and what they are designed for they are fitted for: I that knew thee, sanctified thee. God destines them to it, and forms them for it, when he first forms the spirit of man within him. Propheta nascitur, non fit--Original endowment, not education, makes a prophet.

      II. His modestly declining this honourable employment, Jeremiah 1:6; Jeremiah 1:6. Though God had predestinated him to it, yet it was news to him, and a mighty surprise, to hear that he should be a prophet to the nations. We know not what God intends us for, but he knows. One would have thought he would catch at it as a piece of preferment, for so it was; but he objects against it, as a work for which he is unqualified: "Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak to great men and multitudes, as prophets must; I cannot speak finely nor fluently, cannot word things well, as a message from God should be worded; I cannot speak with any authority, nor can expect to be heeded, for I am a child and my youth will be despised." Note, It becomes us, when we have any service to do for God, to be afraid lest we mismanage it, and lest it suffer through our weakness and unfitness for it; it becomes us likewise to have low thoughts of ourselves and to be diffident of our own sufficiency. Those that are young should consider that they are so, should be afraid, as Elihu was, and not venture beyond their length.

      III. The assurance God graciously gave him that he would stand by him and carry him on in his work.

      1. Let him not object that he is a child; he shall be a prophet for all that (Jeremiah 1:7; Jeremiah 1:7): "Say no any more, I am a child. It is true thou art; but," (1.) "Thou hast God's precept, and let not thy being young hinder thee from obeying it. Go to all to whom I shall send thee and speak whatsoever I command thee." Note, Though a sense of our own weakness and insufficiency should make us go humbly about our work, yet it should not make us draw back from it when God calls us to it. God was angry with Moses even for his modest excuses, Exodus 4:14. (2.) "Thou hast God's presence, and let not thy being young discourage thee from depending upon it. Though thou art a child, thou shalt be enabled to go to all to whom I shall send thee, though they are ever so great and ever so many. And whatsoever I command thee thou shalt have judgment, memory, and language, wherewith to speak it as it should be spoken." Samuel delivered a message from God to Eli, when he was a little child. Note, God can, when he pleases, make children prophets, and ordain strength out of the mouth of babes and sucklings.

      2. Let him not object that he shall meet with many enemies and much opposition; God will be his protector (Jeremiah 1:8; Jeremiah 1:8): "Be not afraid of their races; though they look big, and so think to outface thee and put thee out of countenance, yet be not afraid to speak to them; no, not to speak that to them which is most unpleasing. Thou speakest in the name of the King of kings, and by authority from him, and with that thou mayest face them down. Though they look angry, be not afraid of their displeasure nor disturbed with apprehensions of the consequences of it." Those that have messages to deliver from God must not be afraid of the face of man,Ezekiel 3:9. "And thou hast cause both to be bold and easy; for I am with thee, not only to assist thee in thy work, but to deliver thee out of the hands of the persecutors; and, if God be for thee, who can be against thee?" If God do not deliver his ministers from trouble, it is to the same effect if he support them under their trouble. Mr. Gataker well observes here, That earthly princes are not wont to go along with their ambassadors; but God goes along with those whom he sends, and is, by his powerful protection, at all times and in all places present with them; and with this they ought to animate themselves, Acts 18:10.

      3. Let him not object that he cannot speak as becomes him--God will enable him to speak.

      (1.) To speak intelligently, and as one that had acquaintance with God, Jeremiah 1:9; Jeremiah 1:9. He having now a vision of the divine glory, the Lord put forth his hand, and by a sensible sign conferred upon him so much of the gift of the tongue as was necessary for him: He touched his mouth, and with that touch opened his lips, that his mouth should show forth God's praise, with that touch sweetly conveyed his words into his mouth, to be ready to him upon all occasions, so that he could never want words who was thus furnished by him that made man's mouth. God not only put knowledge into his head, but words into his mouth; for there are words which the Holy Ghost teaches,1 Corinthians 2:13. It is fit God's message should be delivered in his own words, that it may be delivered accurately. Ezekiel 3:4, Speak with my words. And those that faithfully do so shall not want instructions as the case requires; God will give them a mouth and wisdom in that same hour,Matthew 10:19.

      (2.) To speak powerfully, and as one that had authority from God, Jeremiah 1:10; Jeremiah 1:10. It is a strange commission that is here given him: See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms. This sounds very great, and yet Jeremiah is a poor despicable priest still; he is not set over the kingdoms as a prince to rule them by the sword, but as a prophet by the power of the word of God. Those that would hence prove the pope's supremacy over kings, and his authority to depose them and dispose of their kingdoms at his pleasure, must prove that he has the same extraordinary spirit of prophecy that Jeremiah had, else how can be have the power that Jeremiah had by virtue of that spirit? And yet the power that Jeremiah had (who, notwithstanding his power, lived in meanness and contempt, and under oppression) would not content these proud men. Jeremiah was set over the nations, the Jewish nation in the first place, and other nations, some great ones besides, against whom he prophesied; he was set over them, not to demand tribute from them nor to enrich himself with their spoils, but to root out, and pull down, and destroy, and yet withal to build and plant. [1.] He must attempt to reform the nations, to root out, and pull down, and destroy idolatry and other wickednesses among them, to extirpate those vicious habits and customs which had long taken root, to throw down the kingdom of sin, that religion and virtue might be planted and built among them. And, to the introducing and establishing of that which is good, it is necessary that that which is evil be removed. [2.] He must tell them that it would be well or ill with them according as they were, or were not, reformed. He must set before them life and death, good and evil, according to God's declaration of the method he takes with kingdoms and nations, Jeremiah 18:9-10; Jeremiah 18:9-10. He must assure those who persisted in their wickedness that they should be rooted out and destroyed, and those who repented that they should be built and planted. He was authorized to read the doom of nations, and God would ratify it and fulfil it (Isaiah 44:26), would do it according to his word, and therefore is said to do it by his word. It is thus expressed partly to show how sure the word of prophecy is--it will as certainly be accomplished as if it were done already, and partly to put an honour upon the prophetic office and make it look truly great, that others may not despise the prophets nor they disparage themselves. And yet more honourable does the gospel ministry look, in that declarative power Christ gave his apostles to remit and retain sin (John 20:23), to bind and loose,Matthew 18:18.