What’s a Prophet and Priest to Do?
The _______ of the Prophet and Priest – Jeremiah 21:1-22:30
A. Jeremiah represents ____________ – Jeremiah 21:2 – “Inquire of the Lord for us, for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is making war against us. Perhaps the Lord will deal with us according to all his wonderful deeds and will make him withdraw from us.”
B. Jeremiah represents ______________
1. To King Zedekiah – Jeremiah 21:3–4a – Then Jeremiah said to them: “Thus you shall say to Zedekiah, 4 ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel…
2. To the House of David – Jeremiah 21:11 – “And to the house of the king of Judah say, ‘Hear the word of the LORD…’”
3. To the House of the King of Judah – Jeremiah 22:1–2 – Thus says the LORD: “Go down to the house of the king of Judah and speak there this word, 2 and say, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah….,.
4. To the Sons of Josiah – Jeremiah 22:11, 18 &24 – For thus says the LORD concerning Shallum the son of Josiah, king of Judah, who reigned instead of Josiah his father, and who went away from this place: “He shall return here no more, 18 Therefore thus says the LORD concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: “They shall not lament for him, saying, ‘Ah, my brother!’ or ‘Ah, sister!’ They shall not lament for him, saying, ‘Ah, lord!’ or ‘Ah, his majesty!’ 24 “As I live, declares the LORD, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, were the signet ring on my right hand, yet I would tear you off.
The ___________ concerning the Prophet and Priest– Jeremiah 23:1-40
A. ______ the Shepherds – Jeremiah 23:1-8
1. The replaced shepherds – Jeremiah 23:1-2 – “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the LORD. 2 Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the LORD.”
2. The replacement shepherds – Jeremiah 23:4 – I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the LORD.
3. The Righteous Shepherd – Jeremiah 23:5–6 – “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’
B. ___________ the Prophets – Jeremiah 23:7-22
1. The cause of the ignoring
a. Because of their behavior – Jeremiah 23:13–14 – In the prophets of Samaria I saw an unsavory thing: they prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray. 14 But in the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery and walk in lies; they strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns from his evil; all of them have become like Sodom to me, and its inhabitants like Gomorrah.”
b. Because of their influence – Jeremiah 23:15 – Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets: “Behold, I will feed them with bitter food and give them poisoned water to drink, for from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has gone out into all the land.”
c. Because of their source – Jeremiah 23:21 – “I did not send the prophets, yet they ran; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied.”
2. The command to ignore – Jeremiah 23:16 – Thus says the LORD of hosts:
“Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.
C. ___________ the Word – Jeremiah 23:23-40
1.The fake revelation – Jeremiah 23:25–26 – I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ 26 How long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart…
2. The faithful proclamation – Jeremiah 23:28–29 – Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? declares the LORD. 29 Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
3. The false representation – Jeremiah 23:33 & 36 – “When one of this people, or a prophet or a priest asks you, ‘What is the burden of the LORD?’ you shall say to them, ‘You are the burden, and I will cast you off, declares the LORD.’ …36 But ‘the burden of the LORD’ you shall mention no more, for the burden is every man’s own word, and you pervert the words of the living God, the LORD of hosts, our God.
The______________ through the Prophet and Priest – Jeremiah 24:1- 25:38
A. Concerning the____________ – Jeremiah 24:1-10
Jeremiah 24:4–7 – Then the word of the LORD came to me: 5 “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Like these good figs, so I will regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I have sent away from this place to the land of the Chaldeans. 6 I will set my eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up, and not tear them down; I will plant them, and not pluck them up. 7 I will give them a heart to know that I am the LORD, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart.
B. Concerning the _________________ – Jeremiah 25:1-14
Jeremiah 25:3 & 11- “For twenty-three years, from the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, to this day, the word of the Lord has come to me, and I have spoken persistently to you, but you have not listened. 11 This whole land shall become a ruin and a waste, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
C. Concerning the _________________– Jeremiah 25:15-38 Jeremiah 25:15 &26 – Thus the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it….26 all the kings of the north, far and near, one after another, and all the kingdoms of the world that are on the face of the earth. And after them the king of Babylon shall drink.