Connect Jeremiah 17:15 with Hebrews 11:1 on faith in unseen promises. Setting the Scene • Jeremiah stands in Jerusalem prophesying judgment and restoration. • Scoffers taunt him: “Behold, they keep saying to me, ‘Where is the word of the LORD? Let it come now!’ ” (Jeremiah 17:15). • Centuries later, Hebrews defines faith for believers enduring their own trials: “Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). Jeremiah’s Challenge: Waiting in the Mockery • Judah’s leaders dismiss Jeremiah’s warnings because nothing seems to happen immediately. • Their demand—“Let it come now!”—exposes impatience and unbelief. • Jeremiah trusts God’s word despite delayed fulfillment (Jeremiah 17:7-8). • His confidence rests on God’s unchanging character, not on visible circumstances. The Definition of Faith: Hebrews 11:1 • “Assurance” (Greek hypostasis) speaks of a firm foundation, a title-deed guaranteeing future possession. • “Certainty” (Greek elegchos) is the inner conviction produced by God’s Spirit. • Faith therefore looks beyond what eyes can verify and treats God’s promise as present reality. Connecting the Two Passages 1. Same tension: visible delay vs. promised word. • Scoffers in Jeremiah’s day: “Where is the word?” • Believers addressed in Hebrews faced ridicule and persecution (Hebrews 10:32-39). 2. Same solution: steadfast trust. • Jeremiah embodies Hebrews 11:1 centuries before it was penned—he walks by an “assurance” of God’s spoken judgment and salvation. 3. Fulfillment proves faith reasonable. • Babylon eventually comes, validating God’s warning (Jeremiah 39:1-8). • Hebrews reminds us that past fulfillments guarantee future ones (Hebrews 11:3, 11:11). Lessons for Us Today • Expect mockery: “In the last days scoffers will come” (2 Peter 3:3-4). • Measure reality by God’s word, not by public opinion. • Delayed promise is not broken promise; it is space for repentance and growth (2 Peter 3:9). • Faith thrives on God’s proven faithfulness: remembering past deliverances fuels present confidence (Lamentations 3:21-23). Living Out the Unseen Promise • Anchor your heart daily in Scripture—read, memorize, and rehearse God’s words like Jeremiah did. • Speak God’s promises aloud when doubts whisper, “Where is the word of the LORD?” • Walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), rejoicing in what is certain though unseen. • Wait with hope: “But if we hope for what we do not yet see, we wait for it patiently” (Romans 8:24-25). Additional Scriptures to Strengthen Our Faith • Numbers 23:19 – God’s unalterable truthfulness. • Isaiah 40:8 – The enduring word. • Psalm 119:140 – The promise refined and trustworthy. • Revelation 22:6 – Prophecies “faithful and true.” |
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