Jeremiah -Who is he? - Jeremiah 1

Jeremiah 1:1 "The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin: " See Joshua 21:18

Who was Jeremiah?

He was a prophet who prophesied to Judah and the remnant (II Kings 24:14)left behind. He later when with the remnant to Egypt where he died. (Scofield) Jeremiah was born about 60 years after Isaiah died. The events in Jeremiah cover a period of 41 years. (Scofield)

Jeremiah means 'whom Jehovah sets up)

v2 "To whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign."

v3 "It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month."

It is important to note when the Bible tells us who someone was the son of and the time period. There were others named Jeremiah, one who went with David to Ziglak which would be the wrong time frame for the prophet Jeremiah who was of the priestly line and came later.

v4-5 "Then the word of the LORD came unto me saying, 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 verse is rightfully used when the discussion comes up about when is a child a person. In God's eyes he is a person with a purpose while in the womb, as stated in this verse.

v6 "Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold I cannot speak: for I am a child."

Similar arguments were given to God by many of the great me of the Bible. Isaiah was a man of 'unclean lips'. Moses had a stammering tongue. And so on. Jeremiah was very young and no doubt lacked wisdom until God fixed that problem.

v9 "Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth." See Isaiah 6:7, 51:16

Jeremiah had a hard job, there is no doubt. The nation was going into captivity, worshipping idols, there were false prophets among them and I think they indicated that they did not want to hear from God. But Jeremiah was given a commanding character that would make them listen to him.

v10 "See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant."

v18 "For, behold, I have made thee this day a defensed city, and an iron pillar, and brazen 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."

Jeremiah was to be against everyone who did the things for which Judah was to go into captivity. God wanted them to know why they were being punished. It is like the 'talking to' a child gets before a whipping. Some have said that the 'talking to' was the worst part.

Jeremiah, though made bold, was not without feelings. He later said that he wished his eyes were fountains so he could cry for the children of Israel. We will find the exact words as we go through the book.

Jeremiah was indeed the weeping prophet.