JEREMIAH 1-12
BACKGROUND:
Jeremiah is a prophet of disaster and hope. He lives in the southern kingdom of Judah during the years leading up to the fall of its capital city, Jerusalem. For forty years he preaches that this catastrophe is going to happen if the people don’t repent and turn to God.
Jeremiah’s warnings come true when the armies of Babylon, directed by King Nebuchadnezzar, invade Judah. In 587 bc they destroy Jerusalem and her temple. The king and many of the people are taken away to exile in Babylonia.
But Jeremiah also has a message of hope. He predicts that one day the people will return and that the nation will be restored. He also promises that God will make a new deal with his people. His law will no longer be ‘outside’ them, written on tablets of stone. Instead, it will be ‘within’ them — written on their hearts.
In Jeremiah we see the pain and passion of a prophet at work. God’s word burns within him, so that he must preach. But his message makes him unpopular. At times he is cruelly persecuted. He has a hard life — crushed between the pressing truth of God and the resistance of his people.[1]
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Jer. 1: The Call of Jeremiah
Ø When did God first call Jeremiah to be a prophet? Is there any application for us?
Ø Was God concerned about Jeremiah’s lack of confidence in the ministry he had been given? Application for us?
Ø Do you think that God gives a specific “calling” to all of His people? Explain.
Jer. 2:1-5:31: Israel Forsakes Their God
Ø What happened to Israel’s devotion to the Lord over the years? Application for us?
Ø What was the one sin that God so hated in Israel? What idols are in our lives?
Ø How does God describe the sin of idolatry in this section?
Ø What does the Lord promise if His people return to Him? Application?
Ø Why could God not forgive Jerusalem? What would He find if He did that today in the USA?
Ø Did God’s judgment completely destroy Israel? Application?
Jer. 6: Jerusalem Under Siege
Ø Did God give warning to His people before judgment fell? Application?
Ø What (or who) did God use to discipline His people? Application for us?
Ø What was God’s advice to His people?
Jer. 7:1-8:3: Worthless False Religion
Ø What were the conditions God placed on Israel that would turn away His wrath?
Ø How often, according to Jeremiah, has God warned His people over the years? Application?
Ø How long does God’s “long suffering” last?
Jer. 8:4-9:26: Sin and Punishment
Ø What does God require Israel to do after He informs them of their sins? How does this compare with what God expects for His NT saints?
Ø What are the consequences to ignoring the Lord’s requirements?
Ø Why do we blame the Lord for the consequences of our own sin?
Ø In Whom should we boast?
Jer. 10: God and Idols
Ø What does God say about learning the customs of the nations (pagans)? Application for us?
Ø How does God describe the way He created?
Ø What can we learn from Jeremiah’s prayer (10:23-25)?
Jer. 11: The Broken Covenant
Ø What is a covenant?
Ø What were the terms of the covenant the God made with Israel?
Ø What was God’s response to Israel after they repeatedly broke their covenant vows to Him? Application for us?
Jer. 12: Jeremiah’s Complaint & God’s Answer
Ø What was Jeremiah’s purpose in pleading with the Lord?
Ø What are the main points in God’s answer to Jeremiah?
Ø Is there any relevance for us today in God’s answer or was this all fulfilled at an earlier time?
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