PROPHETIC INSIGHTS FROM JEREMIAH & THE RIGHT TO LIFE

I completed a verse-by-verse study of Jeremiah in the last few months and realized that I had yet to summarize his prophecies concerning future events in this blog. Like I did with Isaiah, I am going to go through the book of Isaiah and comment on some of the prophetic sections in the order they are recorded. I think we should note that Jeremiah’s ministry began during the reign of King Josiah (circa 625 BC) and that he was witness to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians (586 BC).

Although not pertinent to end times prophecy, I think it is also important to note that God set apart Jeremiah as a prophet “before I formed thee in the belly.”

Jeremiah 1:5 “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.”

This is a powerful statement as to God’s personal creative stamp on each individual. Yes, the laws of science describe for us how this amazing process unfolds, but they cannot deny God’s involvement with the birth of each and every child. God emphasizes that Jeremiah was designated to serve Him in a specific way before he came out of the womb. Jeremiah was a person of worth in God’s eyes before he was born. That is true of every single human child that comes into this world.

I like the thoughts of Ray Stedman: “All the babies God sends into the world, who look so innocent and so helpless -- and so useless -- at their birth, have enormous potential. There is nothing very impressive in appearance about a baby, but that is God's way of changing the world. And hidden in the heart of a baby are the most amazing possibilities. That is what God said to Jeremiah: "I've been working before you were born to prepare you to be a prophet, working through your father and your mother, and those who were before them."

I can hear the unbelievers screaming that a loving God would not form people just to have them suffer abortion due to the selfish choice of their parent(s). As with every other “God is not fair” argument, they are assuming a God who creates robots with no will of their own. They assume that a loving God would not allow bad things of any kind to happen. As always, they will not admit that it is the sinful actions of sinful people that cause so many of these bad things. They would rather argue that there is no God rather than face accountability to that God and admit that they are sinners before Him. God, the Righteous Judge, will make all things right in the end, and I tremble for those who so boldly reject Him and the truth of His word when they face Him in judgment.

Another interesting note about Jeremiah is that God basically told him that his ministry among the people would fall on deaf ears for the most part and the people would resist him—sometimes to his danger. However, He also told him that he had nothing to fear because God would be “with him” to deliver him.

Jeremiah 1:17–19 “Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them. For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land. And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.”

The true child of God today can claim that same promise. There are many promises in scripture that are in context to a specific person or group of people that are valid in principle to the believer today. God is always the same; His character is unchanging.

Malachi 3:6 “For I am the LORD, I change not….”

God’s heart is to bless His children as they look to Him in faith and obedience. Jeremiah suffered much throughout his ministry, and God allowed this for His purposes; but He was faithful to His promise to be with Jeremiah and deliver Him. God never promises that we will not suffer for our faith, but He does promise to be with us at all times and guarantees the victory in the end.

Matthew 28:18–20 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

1 John 5:4 “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”