Behold, I Have Put My Words in Your Mouth

By Dan & Brenda Cathcart

The Video version of this teaching is available at: https://youtu.be/SeATBC5ju0g

The scripture reading is Jeremiah 1:1-2:3

This week’s Haftarah is actually part of a double portion in most years.  This year it is split up into two. We are again back in the book of Jeremiah. This time at the very beginning. In this reading we get a sense of Jeremiah’s personality and the role he will play in the nation of Israel going forward. Rabbi J.H. Hertz comments concerning Jeremiah.

“Jeremiah is the spiritual heir of the great prophets that preceded him. He combines the tenderness of Hosea, the fearlessness of Amos, and the stern majesty of Isaiah.”[i]

In many ways Jeremiah could be compared to a “fire and brimstone” preacher of recent history. He brings not only the message of judgment, but at the same time, holds out the promise of restoration. But even in his darkest moments, when the future of the nation of Judah is at stake, Jeremiah’s faith and trust in God is not shaken.

Jeremiah was witness to a very dark time in the history of the people of Judah and the nation. Israel had reached its peak in the time of king David having extended the borders North and East. Shortly following David, the kingdom was split in two and continuously threatened by larger and more aggressive kingdoms such as the Syrians, the Egyptians, the Assyrians, and now in Jeremiah’s time, the Babylonians. The book of Jeremiah opens with an introduction to the prophet.

Jeremiah 1:1-3 NKJV 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’s name means “The LORD will rise” A very fitting name for the role he plays in the history of Israel. From the accounts given in Jeremiah and other scriptures, we are able to place the beginnings of Jeremiah’s call from God to be a prophet in the year 627 BC and continuing to about 580 BC.

Jeremiah began his role as a prophet during the reign of Josiah, the last good king of Judah and continued through the reigns of four successive kings and through his exile to Egypt where he died. During his lifetime, like most of the other prophets of God, Jeremiah was often rejected for speaking God’s message.

By the time of Jeremiah and king Josiah, the once great and mighty, united nation of Israel was but a shadow of its former self. The northern kingdom had already been conquered by the Assyrians and largely taken into exile. King Josiah had a heart for the ways of God, but the people only followed out of loyalty to the king and their heart wasn’t in it. 

Jeremiah had an incredibly difficult task set before him and was greatly strengthened by God. Judah had fallen into a state of great apostasy and Jeremiah was given task the of warning them about their act of forsaking God in exchange for worthless idols.

Jeremiah records his messages from the LORD to the people in a poetic form. These messages are not always in a chronological order making it difficult to place these messages in a timeline without consulting other scripture. Jeremiah’s first message is about himself, relating his calling from God. It’s as if he is presenting his credentials.

Jeremiah 1:4-8 NKJV 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." 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.

We see a hint in these opening words as to the dual nature of biblical prophecy.  Are these the words of Jeremiah speaking about himself? Or are they the words of God given to Jeremiah? The words spoken and written by the prophets as well as all the words recorded in the scriptures are, at once, both the words of men and the divinely inspired word given to them by God.

There are four parts to God’s call on Jeremiah. First of all, God knew him as we read in verse five.  God’s plan for Jeremiah was not an afterthought! There is an interesting Hebrew phrase used where God says He “knew” Jeremiah, it’s “yeda atikah” which implies knowing the whole person in an intimate manner. In verse five God states that this intimate knowledge was before Jeremiah was formed in his mother’s womb, and that God did the forming!  The Hebrew word used here is “yatsar” number 3335 in the Strong’s Concordance implying a direct hand as that of a potter who forms and molds a clay pot. This is the same word used in Genesis when God formed Adam.

Genesis 2:7 NKJV 7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

Certainly, Jeremiah was not formed from the dust of the ground as Adam was, but was formed in his mother’s womb through the physiological process which God created. But God used his hand in forming Jeremiah just as He uses His hand in forming us.

Very recently, a group of researchers were able to view the fertilization process of a human egg cell. What they found was absolutely astonishing.  At the very moment of conception, a bright flash of light is seen emanating from the combined egg and sperm cells.  This momentary flash of light is of the same color temperature and radiance as that of the sun! It may be that procreation is a physical process, but both scripture and our discoveries remind us that God alone is the giver of life!

Next, we see that Jeremiah is set apart by God for His service. Verse five says that Jeremiah is both sanctified and ordained by God. The word translated as sanctified is kawdash, number 6942 meaning to appoint, dedicate, hallow, or prepare. God appointed, dedicated and prepared Jeremiah.  When God calls someone to His service, He also sets them apart. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary references Jeremiah’s calling.

“God had formulated each step of the process Himself from conception to consecration, with an intimate awareness both of the need and the one who should meet it. Under such circumstances, Jeremiah had little choice but to submit to his high calling. God’s vessels are often long in the making… and they emerge at a strategic moment…[ii]

God also told Jeremiah that He would make Jeremiah a “prophet to the nations.” At the time of Jeremiah, Israel was deeply involved with the surrounding nations.  Assyria, Babylon and Egypt all had a hand in the history of Israel and Judah in the time of Jeremiah.

God gave Jeremiah a voice. In verse six we see that Jeremiah laments to God that he cannot speak to the nations since he is just a youth. The word translated as youth in verse six is nah’ar number 5288 in the Strong’s concordance and has a wide variety of uses.  It could be used to describe a young child like Moses in the ark.

Exodus 2:6 NKJV 6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child (nah’ar), and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, "This is one of the Hebrews' children."

Nah’ar could also refer to a young man of military age.

Genesis 14:24 NKJV 24 "except only what the young men (nah’ar) have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion."

Jeremiah’s objection to service is the same one that Moses gave.

Exodus 4:10-12 NKJV 10 Then Moses said to the LORD, "O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue." 11 So the LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD? 12 "Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say."

In verses nine and ten of our Haftarah reading, we see how God equipped Jeremiah to speak to these nations. As we read and study further in the book of Jeremiah, we see that his service is not unlike that of Moses or Elijah. His place in the history of Israel and Judah is similar to that of other great prophets such as Isaiah, Ezekiel and Amos among others.

Next, Jeremiah receives his commission from God and is empowered by God to carry out his appointed task.

Jeremiah 1:9-10 NKJV 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."

This was to be the nature of Jeremiah’s ministry. It was to be both destructive and constructive.  The message that Jeremiah would be charged to deliver would be a harsh one of impending judgment not only for the surrounding nations, but for Judah as well.  If Judah will not repent and return to God, then they will face judgment. Judgment would also fall on the other nations.

Jeremiah would also bring a message of encouragement to God’s people. In the midst of judgment and destruction, God would always preserve His people. Perhaps it is significant that the positive message follows the negative.  Israel’s sin would result in the scattering and exile of the northern tribes at the hand of the Assyrians. The sins of Judah would result in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple along with the exile of the people to Babylon. Yet, in the end, Judah would return to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple. Ultimately the entire nation will one day be restored and united again when Messiah returns.

God did two special things for Jeremiah; first God tells Jeremiah not to be afraid in verse eight.  If God, who knows the beginning and the end says not to fear, then Jeremiah, as well as us today should not fear the mission or tasks that God commissions us to do. Second, we see that God touched him in verse nine, specifically God touched Jeremiah’s mouth.  What does it mean for God to touch someone’s mouth? We see the same expression used with the prophet Isaiah when his lips were touched with the live coal.

Isaiah 6:6-7 NKJV 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged."

In both cases it was a physical touch. The Hebrew word is number 5060 naw-gah. A primitive root meaning to touch, lay a hand upon. It also means to come near or draw near. This physical touch was something which Jeremiah would never forget. With this touch, Jeremiah drew near to God and received the power of the Holy Spirit.  The Isaiah six passage we just read uses the imagery of fire from the altar in the Heavenly Tabernacle. This is much like the fire which touched the disciples on the day the Holy Spirit fell on them.

Acts 2:3-4 NKJV 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Jeremiah was not to fear his youth and inexperience; God would provide him with the words to speak at the proper time.

Jeremiah is given a series of visions beginning with the phrase, “The word of the LORD came to me.”  The first of these involves an almond tree.

Jeremiah 1:11-12 KJV 11 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree. 12 Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.

Many English translation use the word “branch” instead of “rod” in reference to the almond tree. However, rod is a better translation. The Hebrew word is mak-kale, number 4731 a primitive root word meaning to germinate but also a rod or stick such as that used for walking. The imagery is much like that of Aaron’s rod which budded.

Numbers 17:8 NKJV 8 Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses went into the tabernacle of witness, and behold, the rod of Aaron, of the house of Levi, had sprouted and put forth buds, had produced blossoms and yielded ripe almonds.

The symbology of the almond or almond tree has a special place in scripture. The Hebrew word for almond is shaw-kade, number 8247 from the root word meaning to be on the lookout for good or evil, to hasten, wake, or watch.

There is also an interesting word play between verses eleven and twelve. The word translated as “hasten” is number 8245 shawkad the root word of shawkade. In the ancient Hebrew there are no vowels, so the two words appear identical. Only their pronunciation is different. The first being a noun and the latter, being a verb.

The use of shawkad here is important because of its symbology to Israel and the role that Jeremiah will play going forward. The almond tree is the first tree to blossom in early spring in the land of Israel. It is a kind of harbinger of spring and in a sense, watches over the coming season. Jeremiah’s roll is that of a harbinger, announcing what is to come.

The next vision or word of the LORD that comes to Jeremiah is that of a boiling pot.

Jeremiah 1:13-16 NKJV 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." 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.

There is probably an entire lesson in this vision alone! In Jeremiah’s time the spiritual state of Judah and Jerusalem is at an historic low. They are given a short reprieve and the chance to repent of their sins under the reign of king Josiah, but they don’t. The pot of judgment is about to boil over!

The calamity and judgment upon Judah came upon them from the north. Verse sixteen indicates that Judah, or more specifically Jerusalem will be surrounded by a foreign ruler who will dish out judgment from the city gates. It would seem logical to the people of Judah that this enemy at the gates would be Babylon. Being the largest and most powerful kingdom in the middle east at that time, and with a vast desert between them and Judea, the Babylonians would take the route through what was known as the fertile crescent and approach Jerusalem from the north.

Jeremiah’s words, like those of many of the earlier prophets, were rejected. His people turned against him. He probably felt incredibly alone, but God promised to always be with him.

Jeremiah 1:19 NKJV 19 They will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you," says the LORD, "to deliver you."

Despite their iniquity, God would not totally forsake His people, restoration would come.

Jeremiah 2:1-3 NKJV 1 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 "Go and cry in the hearing of Jerusalem, saying, 'Thus says the LORD: "I remember you, The kindness of your youth, The love of your betrothal, When you went after Me in the wilderness, In a land not sown. 3 Israel was holiness to the LORD, The firstfruits of His increase. All that devour him will offend; Disaster will come upon them," says the LORD.'"

Jeremiah lived in what was most assuredly desperate or depressing times, yet God was with him every day. Jeremiah was formed by God and set aside for a special purpose for God. We, too, have been formed by God! He has known us from the time we were in our mother’s wombs! He has a purpose for us to bring word of judgment to His people and the gospel of salvation to the world. We need to follow Jeremiah’s example and stay strong and not be afraid.

Study Questions:

1.      Discuss the connection of this teaching to the Torah Portion Pinchas Numbers 25:10-30:1.

2.      What is the significance of God or an angel touching Jeremiah’s mouth and Isaiah’s lips?

3.      Discuss the significance of the boiling pot.  What was the purpose of the vision and why was the pot facing away from the north?

4.      In What way was Jeremiah a prophet to the nations?

5.      What is the significance of the almond tree in the history of Israel?  

6.      What new insight did you gain from this teaching? How do you respond to this new insight? How will you realign your life based on this new understanding?

© 2019 Moed Ministries International. All rights reserved.

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[i] Rabbi J.H. Hertz, Pentateuch and Haftarah, p.711.

[ii] Frank E. Gaebelein, The Expositors Bible Commentary, Vol. 6, p.383