17 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.

God's Assurances and Jeremiah's Authority

God give three assurances to Jeremiah. Two of these were visions of destruction in vss. 11-13.

God’s Word Will Stand vss 11-13. First God gives Jeremiah a vision of a rod made from Almond wood. He asks Jeremiah what he has seen and when the prophet says “a rod of an almond tree” God responds and says, “Though hast well seen, for I will hasten or watch over my word to perform it.” Jeremiah was seeing an almond rod while God was seeing over his word to bring it to action soon.

Without a background study of Hebrew you can’t possible understand what an Almond tree has to do with God’s word. But when you study it you see that this is a play on words. Almond tree is shāqēd and hasten is shōqēd. The mention of shāqēd brings to mind shōqēd, which sounds like it. This kind of play on words is frequent in the Hebrew Bible. – Wycliffe

God was warning that his punishment for Israel’s sin was coming soon. Whereas Isaiah looked a hundred year in the future for Judah’s punishment, Jeremiah is looking at only a few years away.

God’s Wrath Will Come – vss. 14-16 The second vision is of a boiling pot being overturned and flowing pouring toward Jerusalem. This is a picture of Babylon’s upcoming invasion and destruction of the nation. It would be terrible, painful and unstoppable.

God’s Watchcare Will Overcome - Then vs 17-19 Jeremiah is told fulfill his calling by relying upon God for strength. 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. 18 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. 19 And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.

Trust God And We will Fulfill The Cause

Even today we are called to prophecy God’s Word. No, not foolish made up, meaningly man-made prophecies or predictions.  We’re not talking Psychic Friends Hotlines or  Charismatic, Apostolic Renewal Preacher Charlatans. And believe me if I had to choose a prophecy from a fake psychic or a fake charismatic prophet, I would pick the fake psychic because at least they don’t blaspheme the name of God by saying, “Thus saith the Lord” when they know it is not the Lord.

We are called to prophesy, to teach, to forthtell not foretell the word of God. God has told us the future of this world and all mankind and we are called to pass those warnings to others.

We know this world will end in the most horrific natural and supernatural disasters that have ever taken place and they will be concentrated into a 7 year time period called the Tribulation. We know because God’s word tells us and we are commissioned to tell others.

We are called to warn people that after they die if they don’t know Jesus as their Savior then they will suffer in hell for all eternity.

We are commission to warn families that they stand no chance in this wicked world without the foundation of God’s word and a close relationship to His church.

We must tell the hard truth, that lives will be ruined unless those lives are built on the rock of Jesus’ teachings.

We the people of God, are called to forewarn, to prevent and to reclaim those this world and it’s sin are destroying.

Jesus Himself set the example and foresaw us. When He spoke at the synagogue in Nazareth He told them of His own commission and call.

Isaiah 61:1-4 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; (And here is our cause) that they (those freed from sin, those redeemed by Jesus) might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.

We can’t claim the mantel of Jesus as the Savior but we are saved and freed from sin and sorrow that we might tell others of Him so that they can see Him as their Savior and redeemer and be free. That is our commission, that is our call.