While Jeremiah was confined in the courtyard of the guard, the Word of the LORD came to him a second time.
While Jeremiah is lock-up, we are told for the 2nd time God has talked to him.
God gives Jeremiah a message to declare to Jerusalem that Babylon will come down from the north and destroy the city, unless you are willing to repent, be sorry, and ask forgiveness.
Noticed that the king Zedekiah didn’t like the message, and he didn’t want to repent. And what do people do when they don’t like the message? They normally don’t like the messenger. Zedekiah didn’t like the messenger; in fact, he threw the messenger Jeremiah in jail.
Look at this Jeremiah locked up for doing the will of God. To me something don’t seem right about this situation. It seems like when I’m obeying God, and doing the will of God, it seems like to me things are supposed to be perfect and flawless.
Unfortunately, this is not the case. In fact, the Lord Jesus told us in Matthew 5:11-12, Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, (in other words, insult you, abuse you or condemn you) and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven.
Look at Jeremiah’s issue. He obeyed God and people still
mistreated him, insulted him, and locked him up.
So, while Jeremiah is going through, while Jeremiah is dealing with his storms, in the center of this dim, vague, blurred and unclear moments, Jeremiah is told to call on God. This tells me that when we that when we are going through, when we are having some hard times and difficult situations that we need to call on the Lord.
Call on him when we are in trouble.
Call on him when we are in pain.
Call on him when we are being abused.
Call on him when we don’t know where to turn to.
Call on him when we have done all that we can do, just call on him.
Let me call a witness to the stand. When King David was going through, he call on the Lord. Psalms 4:1-3 David made a request to the Lord in Psalm 4:1, he said Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. We need to remember too call upon the Lord when we are in trouble.
Jeremiah was told that if he called upon God, God would reveal to him great and unsearchable things.
And may I tell you that the same God who promised to disclose the great and unsearchable things to Jeremiah is the same God that will reveal these same things to you and me.
Well Pastor, tell me how should we call God?
We can call the Lord by bowing down on our bending knees.
Ephesian 3:1-14 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
6 That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
How can I call on him, well, we should sing unto him, praise him and worship him.
In 1st Chronicles 16:8-12 he says make known among the nations what He has done. Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts. Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. Look to the LORD and His strength; seek His face always. Remember the wonders He has done, His miracles, and the judgments He pronounced.
We must know that God will answer us when we cry to Him, and when we call him. Also, there are times when he doesn’t answer the way we want him to, there are times when He doesn’t answer right away. There are times when we have to wait for Him, but whenever He shows up does it’s right on time.
What David is saying is – pay attention to how God has been faithful in the past. So, while you are waiting for Him to answer you won’t lose hope, and you won’t grow impatient.
The Lord said Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know, and then God tells Jeremiah some of those great and unsearchable things.
God tells Jeremiah exactly what He intends to do for Israel. God gives Jeremiah some precise, detailed, and specific promises for the people.
God tells Jeremiah:
In vs 7 I’ll bring Judah and Israel back from their captivity.
In vs 8 he says I will cleanse them and forgive their sin.
In vs 9 he says your name will be a name of joy, and praise before other nations, it will have honor and be renowned.
In vs 11 he says, there will be the sounds of joy and a voice of gladness.
In verses 14 and 15 he says that day I will raise up my righteous branch who is Jesus.
New G, may I tell you that there are some promises laid up for you.
I can hear the Lord saying specifically to this church, I’m going to bring you out.
I can hear the Lord saying specifically to this church, that I will forgive you of your sins if you repent.
I can hear the Lord saying specifically to this church, I will restore the name of this church and it will be a name that people will rejoice for and other will rejoice with you.
I can hear the Lord saying specifically to this church, I will raise the name of Jesus to be the main focus. What a promise.
The Lord God shared with this man of God (Jeremiah) promises after promises. He shares these promises to him in fragments to give him confidence and assurance that everything will be all right.
New Galilean, I must tell you that the Lord will take care of us if we just hold on to the promises, and call on him in the time of trouble if we just remember Romans 8:28 that says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Just call on the Lord. I know that I can call because the songwriter reminds me that: I can go to God in prayer
Verse 1 says makes no difference what the problem,
(I can go to God in prayer).
Yes, I have this blessed assurance,
(I can go to God in prayer).
He will take my gloom and sorrow,
(turn them into light).
He will comfort, strenghten and keep me,
(I can go to God in prayer)
Chorus
I can call Him when I need Him,
Our, Father, up in heaven;
I can go to God in prayer,
I can go to God in prayer.
But I really love Verse 2
Sometimes my burdens get so heavy,
(I can go to God in prayer).
I have found one who is so faithful,
(I can go to God in prayer). I can call him when I need him our farther up in heaven.
