The document summarizes Jeremiah 1, which describes God calling Jeremiah to be a prophet during a time of darkness and judgment in Judah. God reassures Jeremiah despite his youth and doubts. God promises to make Jeremiah's words like a fortified city protected by Him. Jeremiah is to prophesy of coming judgment from the north by Babylon for Judah's disobedience, though the New Covenant will one day replace the Mosaic Covenant.

1. Bukit Panjang Methodist Church Camp 2010 Everly Resort, Malacca, 8-11 December 2010 “ Lights that Cannot be Hidden”

2. MT 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (NIV) About Light

3. Lk 11:34 When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness. 35 See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you." About Light

4. JN 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." About Light

5. How do we become lights in a time of darkness?

6. Radiating Christ (a prayer) Dear Jesus, help us to spread your fragrance everywhere we go. Flood our souls with your spirit and life. (John Henry Newman's Prayer: Radiating Christ )

7. Penetrate and possess our whole being so utterly that our lives may only be a radiance of yours. Shine through us, and be so in us, that every soul we come in contact with may feel your presence in our soul. (John Henry Newman's Prayer: Radiating Christ )

8. Let them look up and see no longer us but only Jesus! (John Henry Newman's Prayer: Radiating Christ )

9. Stay with us, and then we shall begin to shine as you shine; so to shine as to be a light to others; the light O Jesus, will be all from you, none of it will be ours; it will be you, shining on others through us. (John Henry Newman's Prayer: Radiating Christ )

10. Let us thus praise you in the way you love best by shining on those around us. (John Henry Newman's Prayer: Radiating Christ )

11. Let us preach you without preaching, not by words but by our example, by the catching force, the sympathetic influence of what we do. The evident fullness of the love our hearts bear to you. Amen (John Henry Newman's Prayer: Radiating Christ )

12. Session #1 : A Calling A Light in the Times of Darkness Jeremiah 1:1-19 “ Lights that Cannot be Hidden”

14. Placing the Prophetical Books

15. Jerusalem’s Fall 586 Habakkuk Joel Jerusalem's Fall Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel 597 605 627 538 Key Dates adapted Dr Rick Griffith, Singapore Bible College

16. Timeline 650 800 900 950 1000 500 550 850 1050 1100 450 United Kingdom 1050-930 Divided Kingdom 930-722 Solitary Kingdom 722-586 Exile 586-536 Post- Exile 536-425 7 5 0 Jeremiah 627-580 B. C. 7 0 0 600 adapted Dr Rick Griffith, Singapore Bible College

18. Background (1:1-3) JER 1:1 The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin. 2 The word of the LORD came to him in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah, 3 and through the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, down to the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah king of Judah, when the people of Jerusalem went into exile. Jeremiah prophesied during the darkest days of the southern kingdom Judah’s history, beginning in the 13th year of Josiah (627 BC) and extending pass the fall of Jerusalem (586 BC) and the exile.

20. Worthless Public Worship Their evil had become unthinkable. They even sacrificed own children! Trusted in empty words And “God will not destroy the temple” Jer. 7-8

22. Geography of Jeremiah 3. Egypt : Assyria-Babylon conflicts gave Egypt control of Israel. Pharaoh Neco killed Josiah of Judah in 60 9BC, then his son Jehoahaz ruled 3 months. Neco replaced him with his brother Jehoiakim. 1. Assyria : Since 722 BC, Assyria dominated Jerusalem. 2. Babylon : In 612 BC Nineveh, Assyria’s capital, fell to Babylon. This meant Judah would be subject to Babylon 2 3 1 adapted Dr Rick Griffith, Singapore Bible College

23. Geography of Jeremiah 4. Babylon : When Egypt was defeated by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon at the Battle of Carchemish (605BC), Jehoiakim switched allegiance from Egypt to Babylon. 2 3 1 4 Geography of Jeremiah adapted Dr Rick Griffith, Singapore Bible College

27. God’s calling (1:4-5) The word of the LORD came to me, saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." Our calling

28. Jeremiah response (1:6) "Ah, Sovereign LORD," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child." Our response

29. God’s confirmation (1:7-14) JER 1:7 But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, `I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD. JER 1:9 Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "Now, I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant." (a) Word A Messenger What to say

30. God’s confirmation (1:7-14) JER 1:11 The word of the LORD came to me: "What do you see, Jeremiah?" "I see the branch of an almond tree," I replied. JER 1:12 The LORD said to me, "You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled." “ In response to the initial question, Jeremiah says he sees a shaqed (almond); God responds that he is shoqed (watching). In other words, the word play indicates that the tree and the divine watching are intimately interrelated “ Craigie, P. C. (2002). Vol. 26 : Word Biblical Commentary : Jeremiah 1-25 . Word Biblical Commentary (16). Dallas: Word, Incorporated. (b) almond

31. God’s confirmation (1:7-14) JER 1:13 The word of the LORD came to me again: "What do you see?" "I see a boiling pot, tilting away from the north," I answered. JER 1:14 The LORD said to me, "From the north disaster will be poured out on all who live in the land. (c) Boiling pot

32. God’s plan (1:15-16) 15 I am about to summon all the peoples of the northern kingdoms," declares the LORD. "Their kings will come and set up their thrones in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem; they will come against all her surrounding walls and against all the towns of Judah. JER 1:16 I will pronounce my judgments on my people because of their wickedness in forsaking me, in burning incense to other gods and in worshiping what their hands have made.

34. Exile

35. Biblical Covenants ABRAHAMIC Genesis 12:1-3 LAND SEED BLESSING MOSAIC/LAW Deuteronomy 30:1-10 DAVIDIC 2 Samuel 7:12-16 NEW Jeremiah 31:31-34 Conditional Unconditional Unconditional

36. Fall of Jerusalem Book of Jeremiah Book of Lamentations Looking ahead (warning) Looking back (mourning)

37. Mosaic/Law Covenant He promised to bless His people if they obeyed Him. And He promised to punish His people if they disobeyed. Deuteronomy 30:1-10

40. The Prophet Jeremiah Mourning over the Destruction of Jerusalem by Rembrandt (1603)

41. The Prophet Jeremiah Mourning over the Destruction of Jerusalem By Rembrandt (1603)

46. What are the lessons for us? God chose Jeremiah to be a light in a time of darkness

47. (a) Fortified city (b) Iron pillar (c) Bronze wall God’s empowerment (1:17-19) Judgment God’s plan (1:15-16) (a) Word (b) Branch almond (c) Boiling pot God’s confirmation (1:7-14) excuse Jeremiah response (1:6) Prophet to the nations God’s calling (1:4-5) Society in chaos Background (1:1-3) Us Jeremiah

49. (a) Fortified city (b) Iron pillar (c) Bronze wall God’s empowerment (1:17-19) Judgment God’s plan (1:15-16) (a) Word (b) Branch almond (c) Boiling pot God’s confirmation (1:7-14) excuse Jeremiah response (1:6) Prophet to the nations God’s calling (1:4-5) Society in chaos Society in chaos Background (1:1-3) Us Jeremiah

51. (a) Fortified city (b) Iron pillar (c) Bronze wall God’s empowerment (1:17-19) Judgment God’s plan (1:15-16) (a) Word (b) Branch almond (c) Boiling pot God’s confirmation (1:7-14) What’s your excuse ? excuse Jeremiah response (1:6) People of God; sons and daughters, children of the light [John 12:36] Prophet to the nations God’s calling (1:4-5) Society in chaos Society in chaos Background (1:1-3) Us Jeremiah

52. (a) Fortified city (b) Iron pillar (c) Bronze wall God’s empowerment (1:17-19) Judgment God’s plan (1:15-16) (a) Word of God (b) God’s Presence (c) God’s Sovereignty (a) Word (b) Branch almond (c) Boiling pot God’s confirmation (1:7-14) What your excuse? excuse Jeremiah response (1:6) People of God; sons and daughters Prophet to the nations God’s calling (1:4-5) Society in chaos Society in chaos Background (1:1-3) Us Jeremiah

53. (a) Fortified city (b) Iron pillar (c) Bronze wall God’s empowerment (1:17-19) Judgment of the lost, New Covenant for believers Judgment God’s plan (1:15-16) (a) Word of God (b) God’s Presence (c) God’s Sovereignty (a) Word (b) Branch almond (c) Boiling pot God’s confirmation (1:7-14) ?excuse excuse Jeremiah response (1:6) People of God; sons and daughters Prophet to the nations God’s calling (1:4-5) Society in chaos Society in chaos Background (1:1-3) Us Jeremiah

54. New Covenant (Jer. 31:31-34) 31 “The time is coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD.

55. New Covenant (Jer. 31:31-34) 33  “ This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34  No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

56. New nature Bible Holy Spirit (a) Fortified city (b) Iron pillar (c) Bronze wall God’s empowerment (1:17-19) New Covenant Judgment God’s plan (1:15-16) (a) Bible (b) Jesus’ death and resurrection (c) Sovereignty (a) Word (b) Branch almond (c) Boiling pot God’s confirmation (1:7-14) ?excuse excuse Jeremiah response (1:6) People of God; sons and daughters Prophet to the nations God’s calling (1:4-5) Society in chaos Society in chaos Background (1:1-3) Us Jeremiah

59. WHAT PREVENTS YOU FROM BECOMING LIGHTS THAT CANNOT BE HIDDEN? “ The Prophet Jeremiah Mourning over the Destruction of Jerusalem” is among the early works of Rembrandt in which his leitmotif of conceptual structure was a single or totally dominant figure that is totally bound up in the course of an historical event. Rembrandt masterfully turns an individual person, their expressions and posture, into a history painting. "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Jerusalem times Keeping you up to date since the Garden of Eden - Since creation-

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