1 The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, 2 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. 3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month. Jeremiah 1:1–3 (NKJV) 

1 The word of God that came to Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests, who dwelled in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin; 2 the word of God that came to him in the days of Josiah, son of Amos, the king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his kingdom. 3 And it happened in the days of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, the king of Judah, until the eleventh year of Zedekiah, son of Josiah, the king of Judah, until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month. Jeremiah 1:1–3 (LES2) 

4 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:4–5 (NKJV) 

4 And the word of the Lord came to him: 5 “I knew you before I formed you in the belly, and I sanctified you before you came out; I established you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:4–5 (LES2)

Interestingly, the LXX, which I believe is the true version of Jeremiah, puts the prophet in the third person in verse 4. Perhaps this part was being transcribed by an assistant. 

This passage is a strong assertion of  God’s sovereignty. God states he knew, set apart, and appointed Jeremiah as a prophet to the nations. He was not consulted in the matter. God simply told him what his ministry and calling was. This is reminiscent of Paul’s statement in Galatians.

15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, 16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, Galatians 1:15–16 (NKJV) 

Paul’s was a specific calling, as with Jeremiah, but every child of God has a general call that originates in God’s sovereignty.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:3–6 (NKJV)

Some people revolt against God’s sovereign election, thinking that somehow it robs us of responsibility and freedom. Nevertheless, it is what is written. This topic would take too long to cover here, but I have written elsewhere about it, if you desire to read more. In summary, let me say that without God’s election, no one would ever be saved because we are hopelessly bent toward evil without his coming to our rescue. God’s sovereignty and our responsibility are both true in the mystery of God.

6 Then said I: “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.” 7 But the LORD said to me: “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. 8 Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says the LORD. Jeremiah 1:6–8 (NKJV) 

6 And I said, “Lord who is master, look, I do not know what to say, because I am a youth.” 7 And the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ for you will go to anyone to whom I send you, and you will speak anything I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of their face, for I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord. Jeremiah 1:6–8 (LES2)

In the MT, Jeremiah protests of his inability based on his youth, saying, “I cannot speak” which reminds us of Moses’ similar protest in Exodus 4:10 that he lacked eloquence. Jeremiah, not having been raised in Pharaoh’s court, did not focus on a lack of eloquence. I imagine that the LXX translation hits closer to home. He simply did not know what to say or felt inadequate to speak to his elders. God addressed both issues. 

God’s response to Jeremiah was very strong, even stronger than what he said to Moses. I am sure God tempers his responses to our personalities, knowing exactly how to work inside each of us. In Jeremiah’s case, he simply said that he would go and would speak whatever God told him. Period! He encouraged him by telling him he would be with him to deliver him from men. 

The specific warning was to not be afraid of their faces. When people exhibit hatred toward us in their faces, it can be intimidating. God warned the prophet what was to come when he would bring scathing words of rebuke to a hostile nation.

9 Then the LORD put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. 10 See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant.” Jeremiah 1:9–10 (NKJV)

9 And the Lord stretched out his hand toward me and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, “Look, I have placed my words into your mouth. 10 Look, I have appointed you today to nations and kingdoms, in order to root out and cast down and utterly destroy and build up and plant.” Jeremiah 1:9–10 (LES2) 

This is the closest thing we have for a “mission statement” for Jeremiah. The wording is slightly different, but the MT and LXX basically agree. The MT says Jeremiah was “set over the nations.” The LXX says he was “appointed to the nations.” Either way, God’s authority flowed through the prophet.

11 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see a branch of an almond tree.” 12 Then the LORD said to me, “You have seen well, for I am ready to perform My word.” 13 And the word of the LORD came to me the second time, saying, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see a boiling pot, and it is facing away from the north.” Jeremiah 1:11–13 (NKJV)

11 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “What do you see?” And I said, “An almond staff.” 12 And the Lord said to me, “You have seen rightly, because I have stirred up over my words in order to do them.” 13 And the word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying, “What do you see?” And I said, “A burning cauldron, and its face is from the face of the north.” Jeremiah 1:11–13 (LES2)

After touching Jeremiah’s mouth to “install” his Word, he began training the prophet in interpreting prophetic visions. God often speaks to us in visionary form, but most people are unaware and unskilled at interpretation. 

The Hebrew word translated as “almond branch” really is the word for rod or staff.

14 Then the LORD said to me: “Out of the north calamity shall break forth On all the inhabitants of the land. 15 For behold, I am calling All the families of the kingdoms of the north,” says the LORD; “They shall come and each one set his throne At the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, Against all its walls all around, And against all the cities of Judah. 16 I will utter My judgments Against them concerning all their wickedness, Because they have forsaken Me, Burned incense to other gods, And worshiped the works of their own hands. Jeremiah 1:14–16 (NKJV)

14 And the Lord said to me, “From the face of the north evils shall be kindled upon all who dwell in the land.” 15 “For look, I am convening all the kingdoms of the earth from the north,” says the Lord. “And they will come, and each one will set his throne against the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem and against all the walls that surround it and against all the cities of Judah. 16 And I will speak to them in judgment concerning all their evil, seeing as they have forsaken me and have sacrificed to foreign gods and have bowed down to the works of their hands. Jeremiah 1:14–16 (LES2)

The wording is slightly different in the MT, where it says in verse 15, “all the families of the kingdoms of the north.” The LXX says, “all the kingdoms of the earth from the north.” The only other difference of note is that the MT in verse 16 says that Judah “burned sacrificial incense to other or foreign gods,” but the LXX simply says they “sacrificed to foreign gods.” This was the main sin which brought destruction upon the nation. Such idolatry was a fundamental rejection of God and his authority or rule. Instead, they fashioned idols to worship. This essentially was self-worship.

17 “Therefore prepare yourself and arise, And speak to them all that I command you. Do not be dismayed before their faces, Lest I dismay you before them. 18 For behold, I have made you this day A fortified city and an iron pillar, And bronze walls against the whole land— Against the kings of Judah, Against its princes, Against its priests, And against the people of the land. 19 They will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you,” says the LORD, “to deliver you.” Jeremiah 1:17–19 (NKJV)

17 And, you, gird up your loins and stand up and say anything I command you. Do not be afraid of their face or be terrified before them, for I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord. 18 “Look, I have established you today as a firm city, and I have fortified all the kings of Judah, its rulers, and the people of the land as a brazen wall. 19 And they will fight against you, and they shall not prevail against you, because I am with you to deliver you,” said the Lord. Jeremiah 1:17–19 (LES2) 

Verse 17 contains quite a difference. The MT has God threatening to dismay Jeremiah if he disobeys. The LXX says that God promises to protect the prophet.

Verse 18 in the MT says that God made Jeremiah a “fortified pillar,” but the LXX says that God fortified all the kings of Judah, its rulers, and its people as a brass wall. Both agree in verse 19 that the rulers and people will fight against Jeremiah, but God promises that they will not prevail because of God’s protection. Jeremiah needed this assurance in the days to come. The prophetic call is very costly and requires great courage.