Jeremiah, the priest and prophet of God from the womb

Jeremiah 1:5-10.

He was equipped by God for the work that God would do through him. (Jer. 1:7-9).

His sufferings were great. (Lam. 1:12).

He was not permitted to marry. (Jer. 16:2). His solitude and sad antagonisms were great. (Jer. 1:18; 15:16, 17, 20; 20:1-18).

He was persecuted from many quarters. (Jer. 11:18-20; 12:6; 26:1-24; 37:1-21; 38:13-28; 43:6).

He spoke bitterly about his enemies. (Jer. 11:20; 15:18; 17:18; 18:21-23.

Tradition has it that he was stoned to death in Egypt by his own people, the Jews, and that when Alexander entered Egypt he rescued his bones from obscurity and buried them in Alexandria. (Heb. 11:37).

Jeremiah’s ministry was an intensely sad one and his song was is in the minor key. His was a divine melancholy that made his head “waters” and his eyes a fountain of tears (Jer. 9:1). The truths he had to proclaim were unwelcome and brought him enemies (see Gal. 4:15-16), but he carried out his task without fear or showing favor.

In these days of national apostasy (1 Tim. 4:1-2; 2 Tim. 3:1-13; 2 Th. 2:1-12; Pr. 30:11-17) and international strife (Mt. 24:1-51), the preacher could do no better than to live as close and as near to Christ as never before and to experience his and others true image and identity in his mind and emotions. (See Is. 53:1-12; 2 Co. 4:15; 5:18; Rom. 8:28).