Seven Powerful Life-Lessons from Jeremiah

Every book in the Bible has lessons for us. There are many lessons from Jeremiah that can help us today in our walk with Jesus. I am giving you seven lessons. There are more and I would love to hear what you have discovered.

The Power of the Call

In the first chapter of Jeremiah, we find some details about the call on the prophet’s life. God knows us. He knows every detail about every moment of our lives. We also learn that God protects his word. He ensures that it has power to change lives and circumstances.

He gives his servants assurance that while they are obedient to the word and commission they have been given that they are ‘indestructible!’

 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

       and before you were born I consecrated you;

       I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.”

But you, dress yourself for work; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you.”

Jeremiah 1:5, 12, 17-19 (ESV)

The Weakness of Ritual

There is nothing inherently wrong with ritual and tradition. However, when it is performed by a disobedient people, it loses all meaning and effectiveness. We must ensure that we are living as God has called us to live. Then our worship will mean something.

“Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail.Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, ‘We are delivered!’—only to go on doing all these abominations?

Jeremiah 7:8–10 (ESV)

The Folly of Self-Reliance

Wisdom, power and wealth are no match for knowing and understanding God. In all our efforts to improve ourselves, we can lose sight of who God is and who we are in relation to him. We think very highly of ourselves and begin to embrace the idea that we can determine our own destiny, define our own self-worth and make every decision perfect. What God wants, and what we need, is to walk in his way and adopt his values.

Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

Jeremiah 9:23–24 (ESV)

Thriving in Adversity

Perhaps the most misunderstood and frequently quoted scripture is one from a letter Jeremiah wrote to the exiles. They were forcibly taken from their home, their land and their people and forced to settle in another country with different language and customs. More than anything they longed to go home. If there was one thing that they wanted, it was to return to Israel. However, they were told that they would not go home, that they should seek to thrive where they were and stop longing to return home. That is hard news. But with this hard news, God gave great assurance.

“For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Jeremiah 29:10–11 (ESV)

Clearly, God’s ideas of welfare and future and hope did not align with the people’s! And it won’t necessarily align with our ideas either.

How to Pray

We often take a shallow approach to prayer. Our prayers sometimes resemble a wish list of what we want from God. While it is certainly appropriate to ask God to help us and provide for us, it is far less important than seeking him. When we seek him and not just what he can do for us, we find that he does everything we need him to do. Seeking God means we have a deep desire to experience the fullness of who he is.

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:12–13 (ESV)

A Great Promise Given and Now Fulfilled

Throughout the Old Testament, promises are given regarding a change in covenant or a new covenant that changes how God’s people relate to him. The new covenant would mean that the law wasn’t an external set of regulations but truth engraved on the heart of the people. It would be internalized. That reality, we now know, is possible through the indwelling Spirit of God.

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Jeremiah 31:33 (ESV)

Obedience Under Pressure

What do you do when God doesn’t give you the answer you want? In Jeremiah 41-43, the people faced this dilemma. After the land had been conquered and the Babylonian governor assassinated, the people feared reprisals. They summoned Jeremiah to have him intercede for God’s guidance and they promised him that no matter what God said, they would do. However, when the answer came and it didn’t agree with their opinion of what should be done, they rebelled. They accused Jeremiah of duplicity and did what they wanted anyway.

Sometimes, God keeps us in a place that feels dangerous or leads us into a situation that feels dangerous. God’s view of our lives and circumstances is different than ours. He sees things perfectly. And he is not as concerned with our comfort as our character.

We must learn to be obedient no matter what the circumstances. This level of obedience requires a profound faith in God and his w ord. This is a lesson we must learn and it often takes repeated tests for us to finally get it!

Your turn

There are seven lessons for you. What have you learned as you read this book? You can find lessons in every book of the Bible. For help in finding those lessons, read this. I would love to hear from you.

Now available is the complete: Transformational Life Lessons from the Bible in Kindle format. Click here for more information.