Our reading program begins Jeremiah today. Jeremiah is the second of the “Major Prophets” so-called because Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, especially, are way longer than the “Minor Prophets:” Hosea – Malachi. Major Prophets also include Lamentations, a short book by Jeremiah, and Daniel. Here’s a short introduction to Jeremiah from the English Standard Version (ESV):

Jeremiah, often called the “weeping prophet” because of his sorrow over the persistent message of God’s judgment, prophesied to the nation of Judah from the reign of King Josiah in 627 B.C. until sometime after the destruction of Jerusalem in 586. He dictated his prophecies to a scribe named Baruch (36:4, 32). Jeremiah’s task as a prophet was to declare the coming judgment of God. However, throughout the book we also see God’s concern for repentance and righteousness in individuals as well as nations. This dual focus is seen in God’s instructions to Jeremiah: he was “to pluck up and to break down” but also “to build and to plant” (1:10). Jeremiah sees a future day when God will write his law on human hearts, and “they shall all know me,” and “I will remember their sin no more” (31:33–34).

His call is right in the beginning:

Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “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.”

Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.”

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 1.4 – 8, ESV)

Moses said the same thing, except he wasn’t a youth!

But Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” (Exodus 4.10, ESV)

When I was a youth (a very long time ago), I memorized verses 7 and 8: “You shall go wherever I send you and speak whatever I tell you to. And don’t be afraid of them…”

Good thing Jeremiah has God’s protection – he’ll need it! And he starts right off with a message of judgment:

For behold, I am calling all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, declares the LORD, and they shall come, and every one shall set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its walls all around and against all the cities of Judah. And I will declare my judgments against them, for all their evil in forsaking me. They have made offerings to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands. But you, dress yourself for work; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them…They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the LORD, to deliver you. (Jeremiah 1.15 – 19, ESV)

And off we go. Isaiah prophesied pre-exile. Jeremiah starts off pre-exile and continues preaching into the exile. Hang on.